“Visit Grandfather all you want, Bevin,” she cut in, her voice tired. “You misunderstood my hesitation.” She let out a huff when I didn’t reply. “Even I’m not that fucking petty. Just let us know when you’re coming and I’ll do my best to keep Mother busy, but I make no guarantees on that since she’s—she’s Mother.”
“As someone with an outside perspective that doesn’t necessarily want you to thrive but wants Bevin not to be hurt and you are the best option, I have some unsolicited advice,” Tracey muttered. “I would advise you remove your mother from the board.” She chuckled when I looked at her in horror. “Not killed, Bev. Stuffed somewhere.”
“Because she brings nothing to the table and she’s toxic. Even if Jean was always her favorite—she’s sexist. She believes the bullshit that we aren’t as smart and lacking. It was the only way—she was brainwashed. Plus, she irks Grandmother and that’s distracting. That dissension between them looks bad and there needs to be stability,” I agreed.
“I will think on that,” Jean cut in, like she wanted the topic dropped.
“Next time she does one of her little digs or cuts into you, make it clear you know what she’s doing even when she turns it around and tells you that you’re being too sensitive and it’s a mother’s job to point out your flaws so you can correct them,” I told her gently, knowing the game.
Jean was quiet for several moments. “She never used to do that to me.”
“She is someone who can only survive by cutting others down, and we’re not there for her to sharpen her claws on anymore, Jean,” Clare said as she walked into the room. “Send her away to heal after being separated from her abusive mate. Make it clear that it’s a time-out for her to get her shit together or she can be banished forever.
“And take away her spending power. For fuck’s sake, watching her on social media trying to outspend everyone bragging it was lies about the family finances was grotesque. It undermines you and us. She basically referred to you as a placeholder until you were mated and then your mate could really lead the family.”
“Yes, I’m aware,” Jean said in a cold voice.
“I’m not throwing salt in your wound,” Clare told her gently. “I believe you made a bad call about Hughes when scared. I don’t want you hurt either even if I cannot be in the fight with you. Get Mother out of there before she scars you the way she has Bevin and me. You don’t deserve that. Mother will never be an asset or help you. Get rid of her, Jean.”
I was shocked when Jean let out a shaky breath, sharing a look with Tracey that she clearly felt the same.
“I thought—she made me—thank you.” She cleared her throat. “Clare, the line is always open for any advice you have. I’ve made it clear to the whole family that I’m not Charles and what you did wasn’t a betrayal, but you simply took yourself out of the storm so you couldn’t be used against me when you’re not a fighter. Unflattering, but I did the best I could.”
“It’s also not wrong. Thank you.”
“Bevin, I’m fine with you having access to the library. I was simply trying to figure out how to facilitate that when I don’t trust the eyes and lips around me. I’m assuming you know the locations of where you pulled books and the visual of where they are and what they look like is where you would want to start?”
“Yes, and I understand now,” I sighed. “It would be drama for both of us if I showed up there.”
“Yes, that was where my head was,” she confirmed. “Visiting Grandfather’s tomb or the family plots on the back part of the main estate is easily explained. Inside the house is… Tricky. Especially before I remove Mother.”
We were quiet several beats and Clare was the one to speak up first.
“Tell Grandmother the truth and I will come for lunch with her and I will film the library shelves,” Clare offered. “I’ll take pictures of shelves and locations—get some titles, and that wayat least Bevin can tell us where to focus and maybe Grandmother can help.”
“That’s more than acceptable,” Jean agreed. “Let me know who you want me to coordinate with about the rest.”
Done and done, and I was glad to have the win because Mrs. Reid had asked me several times about my supplementary learning and I hadn’t had much to tell her. Which was rather embarrassing as I kept saying I actually knew a lot more than it seemed.
“That was smart, but there’s one more thing you need to be smart with and it has to be tonight before you throw in the towel,” Clare said gently. “It’s all over about how many you’re dating or with. Much more and we won’t be able to put the stopper back in the bottle. You have to say who you’re dating and handle the situation.”
“I know,” I whispered, staring down at my hands. “I hate being so public and so many obsessed with me.”
“Yeah, it sucks. It’s not just you but being a Shaw,” Clare agreed.
I wasn’t sure if that helped, but it made me feel not as alone?
Maybe.
It was beyond awkward to sit down with so many people to discuss my dating life, but it also helped because it was just me with several guys.
“First, we need to adjust the narrative,” Clare said firmly. “You’ve never confirmed you don’t have your purity.”
“I have in class, but sarcastically like so what?” I muttered.
“Right, but that doesn’t count. Not—even the council hearing doesn’t count. It’s all speculation and bullshit.”
“Agreed,” Jasmine said firmly. “The statement should be that you…” She shot Wyatt an apologetic look.
