Page 96 of Until We Burn
Matthias jerks me close. His hushed voice cuts the space between us like a knife. “You can put on a suit and pretend you’re well-mannered all you want. I know who you really are.”
My jaw tenses as I glare at him. “I wasn’t the one who leaked fake news to the media and trashed someone’s reputation.”
“And who is the public going to believe? You? Some disgraced player from an island no one’s ever heard of?” Matthias snickers. “Every general manager you’ve heard of in the NHL is only one phone call away from me, and I have a strong influence on media organizations like this one.”
“I don’t doubt that.”
“It’ll be hard to doubt that once you see the impact I have,” Matthias warns. “I will do everything in my power to make sure you never take Simon’s place.” He smiles and pats me on the shoulder. “Have a good night.”
I watch Matthias stride out of the room while I stand here, paralyzed by the pressure of having another target on my back.
CHAPTER 40
DIANA
The air is colder tonight.
I shiver as I wait for Hans on the driveway. The wind sweeps across the goosebumps puckering on my skin. A stubborn, strong will rages at me to go back into the mansion.
Tell him what you’re doing to prove that you didn’t slander Gregory’s reputation. Beg him not to tell the others about what you plan to do.
The thought of going back in makes me tremble more than the blistering wind ever could. I don’t want to feel those golden lights glare down at me for one more cursed second.
“Diana!”
The door flies open before I hear the sharp, brisk tap of flats stepping against stone. I don’t turn around. Exhaustion weighs too heavy on my bones.
“Go back inside, Sophia.”
“You forgot your coat.”
In the corner of my eye, Sophia holds it out for me. She staunchly keeps her chin up, yet there’s a silent plea in her eyes the longer I ignore her. Shivers wrack through my body, tensing up my bones until my stubbornness cracks. I snatch my coat out of her hands and thrust it on.
My hand closes around Kai’s coin.
Sophia doesn’t leave my side. Instead, she bundles her coat tighter around herself.
“Why didn’t you want them to know the board is overturning their decision?” she asks. “It would’ve helped you.”
“Helped me out of the mess thatyougot me into?” I glare at her, scoffing incredulously. “No, Sophia?—”
“—Diana—”
“No!You don’t get to stab me in the back and pretend you still care!”
Sophia looks away. Her fists clench at her sides. Her chest softly heaves, as she blinks down at her shoes.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.” I wipe the tears from my eyes. “You wouldn’t have let it get this far if you were.”
“It’s more complicated than that.” Her meek voice sharpens, yet her words churn out slower. “I’ve been tutoring students on campus to earn a bit of money to pay for fashion school. Jonathan found out and he threatened to put me through the same hell you went through if I didn’t help him. I-I didn’t…I was scared of what Jonathan and Gregory would do if I said no.”
My heart drops. “JonathanandGregory?”
Sophia gulps. She shut her eyes as she hugs herself even tighter despite the thick, pink coat she’s wearing. “They were in on it from the start. Jonathan convinced Gregory that he would be better off as the chief operating officer of the HMG. He would have the power without having to make all the decisions. Jonathan knows I don’t want to be a part of the HMG, so he promised I could walk away if I helped him.”
Shock blisters through me, cold as the autumn air breaking into my bones. Then all I see is white. White, explosive anger that makes my hands convulse with the need to attack something because how could I be so blind and not see this for what it really was?
