Page 65 of Pretty Secrets

“I’ll be able to tell,” he growls. “I’ve been outsmarting that fucker since we were kids. If he thinks Eden and Oliver saw anything, he won’t be able to shut up.”

“You think Vincent knows what was happening up there?” I ask, still not able to rid myself of the cold chills every time I think about it.

Leo swallows. “I don’t just think he knew, I think it was for him.”

“What?” Oliver and I gasp out at the same time.

“My grandfather fucks all the women who marry into my family. It’s to prove that he’s still head of the family, no matter what.”

“But she—”

“She would want to do a good job,” Leo says, cutting me off. “If she’s a lousy fuck, she may not make the cut.”

My face must say what I’m thinking because Leo turns away.

That’s fucking sick.

“And Kennedy?” I question.

“A witness,” he whispers. “I wish I could say it was because Kennedy wanted to make sure his daughter was treated well, but it was probably more about the transaction.” He peers back at me with his thunderous blue eyes. “To make sure it was done—and done to satisfaction.”

27

Eden

Arriving back at Jarvis Hall, I begin to limp. The pain reliever I took this morning and the fresh bandages wrapped around my feet are not cutting it after all these hours on my feet. Overall, the worst injuries from the night before are the mental ones. Thankfully, I’ve been able to distract myself from those well enough.

Leo leads the way to the building. He frowns when he opens the door and the alarm doesn’t go off. I try to peek around him, but he steps in front of me. “What the hell are you doing in here?”

“I’ve been trying to get a hold of your group all day. I should be asking whereyou’vebeen.”

That’s the last thing we want anyone to ask, I don’t care that I can’t see who it is.

Alaric pushes past Oliver and me, walking in casually. “Team-building exercises,” he says.

I peer around Leo’s huge shoulders to find Alaric pleading me with his eyes to move into the room. I do as he asks, and Leo shuts the huge door behind us, crossing his arms over his chest. “Oh, don’t look so pissed, Jarvis. You’re just like your grandfather.”

Leo’s jaw tightens, and his whole body seems to thrum with anger. No doubt he wants to tell this Knight that he’s nothing like his grandfather, and honestly, I believe him. It’s almost as if the elder Jarvis tried to grow Leo in his image, but he rebelled. Hardcore.

“Miss Astor, Prince Oliver,” the voice greets as we walk in.

Jack Greene stands from the recliner in the small living room, leaving the business section of today’s paper folded on the arm of the chair.

Unsure how to greet him, I just nod back. His son is a Fledgling teamed up with another girl. He’s a regular at my father’s parties, and we’ve been going to his fancy garden soirees since Dee and I were little. But we’re in Knight territory now, everything is different.

“I’m here to tell you your current rankings among the Pledges.”

My stomach bottoms out, my mind at odds with itself. Part of me is screaming it’s wrong to want to have done well, but the other part is telling that voice to shut up because it’s the only thing that will get me closer to answers.

“You’ve done pretty well for yourselves so far. You’re running fourth from the top, respectively. Two teams were eliminated as of the last Trial. Everything will be more challenging moving forward. I’ve left a burn ointment on the kitchen counter for you two.”

My gaze flicks to the kitchenette, and I wonder what the hell else he got into while he was here. Hopefully not Delilah’s boxes. We started using the security system so shit like this wouldn’t happen.

“We’ll work as hard as we can,” Alaric assures him. He’s standing with his arms behind his body, addressing this Knight like he’s someone to respect. I don’t know much about Jack Greene, but what I do know is no one has gotten through the Knights unscathed. They change you in some way.

“Excellent. We love to hear that. Now: your rewards. For this Trial, we thought it fitting that you receive your greatest sexual fantasy.”

I almost groan. Leo and Alaric were right.

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