Page 8 of Save Me

It’s only once I’m certain that no one can hear us that I turn to him.

“I think I know what you want from me.”

His lips twist into a slight smile. “Do you, now?”

“Listen, Beaufort…”

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to stop you there, Robyn.” He takes a step toward me. I don’t flinch, just look at him, eyebrows raised. “You’re going to forget whatever you saw yesterday immediately, got that? If I find out that you’ve uttered even a single word about it, I’ll get you kicked out of this school.”

He presses something into my hand. Dazed, I glance down and stiffen once I see what it is.

In my hand, there’s a heavy bundle of banknotes. I gulp.

I’ve never held this much money before.

I look up. James’s superior grin speaks volumes. It’s clear that he knows exactly how much I could use the money. And that this isn’t the first time he’s bought someone’s silence.

Everything in his eyes and his whole stance is so smug that I’m suddenly furious.

“Are you serious?” I ask through gritted teeth, holding up the money. I’m so angry, my hand is shaking.

Now he looks thoughtful. He reaches into the inside pocket of his blazer, pulls out a second wad, and holds it out to me. “I can’t go higher than ten grand.”

Stunned, I stare at the money, then back at his face.

“If you keep your mouth shut until the end of term, we can double it. Till the end of the year, we’ll quadruple it.”

His words echo in my head, over and over again, and the blood boils in my veins. Standing there like that, tossing ten grand at my feet and trying to keep me quiet. Like it’s nothing. Like that’s just what you do when you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Suddenly, one thing is very clear to me.

I can’t stand James Beaufort.

More than that. Iloathehim. Him and everything he stands for.

The way he lives—with no respect or fear of consequences. The name Beaufort makes you untouchable. Whatever you do, Daddy’s money will somehow sort it out. While I’ve been working my arse off for the last two years just to have a chance at a place at Oxford, school for him is just a walk in the park.

It’s not fair. And the longer I stare at him, the angrier I feel.

My fingers cramp around the notes in my hand. I bite my teeth together and rip off the thin paper band holding the bundle together.

James frowns. “What the…”

I jerk up my hand and throw the money in the air.

James meets my stoical expression with an iron glare; his only reaction is a throbbing muscle in his jaw.

As the notes slowly float to the ground, I turn and walk away.

4

Ruby

A strawberry-blond ponytail sways in front of my face. I focus all my rage on it.

This is all Lydia’s fault! If she hadn’t been making out with a teacher, I wouldn’t have caught the two of them at it, and she wouldn’t have been able to go running to her brother about me. Then I’d be able to focus on the lesson and wouldn’t be getting worked up about the fact that he called meRobyn. Or that I actually threw five thousand pounds up in the air.

I bury my face in my hands. I can’t believe I did that. Of course it was right not to take the money. But all the same—my mind has been racing since yesterday afternoon with all kinds of things I could have done with it. Our house, for instance. Since Dad’s accident ten years ago, we’ve gradually been doing it up and making it wheelchair accessible, but there are still a few places that could do with improvement. And our car’s been on its last legs for ages, when we’re all dependent on it. Especially Dad. The forty grand that James offered me by the end of the year could have bought a brand-new people carrier.

I shake my head. No, I’d never take hush money from the Beauforts. I can’t be bought.

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