“Good. That means you’re sane.”
I huffed a weak laugh, but he wasn’t finished.
“Crows don’t negotiate, they conquer. Dynasties debate; syndicates dominate; Crows do both at the same time. So every heir gets rattled their first time with them. Every single one.”
I shook my head. “Not me. I didn’t even speak. Normally that room would’ve been my arena. But I stayed silent.”
“And you think I would’ve let you take point in a negotiation withthem?”
I blinked at him. I didn’t understand what he meant.
“Maddy… you don’t walk into a room of Crows and lead. You survive. And you get out without having your bloodline rewritten.”
“That’s dramatic,” I muttered.
He gave me a look. “Is it?”
No, it wasn’t. He leaned closer. “I would hate, truly hate, for one of those Crows to see what the rest of us see in you. To see your mind. Your potential. Because they don’t admire talent, Elizabeth.”
“What do they do then?”
He held my gaze. “Theytakeit.”
My breath stilled.
“And I’m rather fond of you not being abducted into a dynasty of terrifying men with questionable ethics and very pretty tattoos.”
Atticus shrugged lightly, his tone changed to that teasing one I was used too.
Despite everything, I smiled.
Atticus winked. “Come on, Elizabeth. Let’s get you to bed.”
I dropped my half-eaten scone down. “I’m fine.”
“You’ve had four glasses of wine and ate jam like it was a coping mechanism.”
“Itwasa coping mechanism.”
He rose and held out a hand. “Up you get.”
I hesitated, but only for a moment. Then I placed my hand in his. He helped me to my feet and walked me toward the guest wing.
The DuPont guest room was quiet in the way old dynasty estates always were. I rolled over in the enormous bed, and reached blindly for my phone.
I had broken his rules and ignored his messages. I knew I shouldn’t have. I lit the screen up.
Vince Crow
Where are you. Are you safe.
Madeline answer me. Did you eat.
Call me. Please.
Baby, tell me where you are.
Each message stacked on top of the last. Guilt flooded me.
