“We’re not idiots, Mother. We know we need to do what he says.”
She slowly nods. “Don’t do anything rash, Ashley. I can’t lose you too.”
Her words irritate me. I wish I could believe them, but it’s hard with everything that has transpired. “Go home, Mom. I’ll talk to you later.”
She walks off without another word, and I shut the door. Leaning against it, I huff out a tired sigh.
“Is she gone?” Bree asks, appearing at the end of the hallway.
I nod as I push off the door, making my way toward my friend. Bree is dressed similarly to me, in yoga pants and an oversized hoodie, with her glasses on and her blue hair in a messy, damp topknot.
“Are we okay?” she asks, biting down on her lip.
“I don’t know,” I truthfully reply. It’s clear Bree knew Jase’s betrayal wasn’t all it seemed. She swore she wouldn’t keep things from me again, and it hurts she did. But I understand it came from a good place, and honestly? With everything else we have going on, does it even really matter? “But we can work it out later.” I loop my arm in hers. “We have more pressing problems.”
“I won’t marry him if it’ll cause further issues between us,” she blurts, pulling me back before I can walk into the kitchen where the guys are waiting for us.
“You don’t have a choice,” I remind her, rubbing a tense spot between my brows. “You need to do it.”
“It won’t be real.” Her eyes probe mine. “I know you think the worst of me now, and with good reason, but I could never come between you and him. I doubt anyone could. I know you’re falling for one another. He only has eyes for you. Everyone can see it. Whatever we need to do, it will all be for show. I promise you nothing else will happen. I wouldn’t do that to you, and I don’t think Ares would either. You can trust him with me.”
“I know, Bree. That isn’t the issue between us.”
“Okay, good.” Her shoulders visibly relax. “I am so sorry about everything, Ash. I hate this for you.”
“This is bigger than me. Bigger than us,” I say as we step into the kitchen together. “We need to set aside our differences and issues and work to stop that crazy lunatic before he destroys the world.”
“He might be crazy, but he’s fucking smart too.” Ares looks over his shoulder from his position at the stove.
Jase pulls out a stool for me and his sister, helping me to sit up. His fussing over me is endearing. I need his comfort at a time when it feels like I’ve lost all the parental figures in my life.
“Ares is right, and we cannot underestimate Rhett Carter or the power he has amassed,” Jase says.
“The separatists have been gaining momentum steadily for the last ten years,” Bree explains, jerking her head in thanks at Ares when he slides two steaming mugs of coffee in our direction. “If Rhett is behind it, he has a lot of minions ready to do his bidding.”
“So, how do we take him down?” I blow gently on the steam rising from my mug.
“We turn the tables and give him a taste of his own medicine. We need something to blackmail him with,” Jase says.
“It shouldn’t be hard,” Bree says in between sips of her drink. “He has got to be bending rules all over the place. We just need to find evidence of that and use it against him.”
“My gut tells me he’s involved in what happened to my sister,” Ares says in a low pained voice as he sets heaping plates of eggs, bacon, and toast down in front of us. “From what Jase has said, that’s not something that would be permitted of a man in his position.”
“Can we park that for a second,” I say as Ares hops up onto a stool across from me. “I want to know about Lilianna and about South America,” I add, sending a pointed look in Bree’s direction. Her face pales, but she nods. “But I think we need to discuss Carter first. What if we’re overcomplicating things?” I have been mulling it over as the others spoke.
“In what way, babe?” Jase asks. He shovels a mouthful of creamy scrambled eggs into his mouth.
Ares and Bree pin me with intense gazes as they eat, waiting for me to elaborate. “So, Carter wants to be Lord of the World, blah, blah, blah. The only way he can achieve that is by taking control of the board and having the majority vote. What if we give that to him? We go along with his plan.” I eyeball Jase. “We’ll get married. He’ll get James removed from the throne, and you take his place.” I turn my stare to Ares. “You’ll be initiated and then marry Bree. He’ll get rid of Walter, and you’ll be in charge of Pride & Wrath.” My tongue darts out, wetting my lips. “The only vote left is the Stewart one.”
“Would your father side with us?” Ares queries, instantly understanding where I’m going with this.
“I don’t have the best relationship with him. We clash over a lot of things including how he sees no wrong with our lifestyle and the things our Luminary responsibility forces us to do. He won’t ever give it up,” Jase supplies. “But he also won’t bow at Rhett Carter’s feet. I believe he’ll side with us.”
“I think so too. If he needs any convincing, Baz can help,” Bree says with confidence I’m not sure her younger brother shares. “But what about the fifth vote? Remember he said he is going to elevate a family to Luminary status.” She bites off a chunk of crispy bacon. “That throws a wrench in the works.”
“That can only happen after the current board votes for Carter’s plan in the first place. We would obviously need to act before that part of the plan is executed,” I say. “So, if we agree to his madness, we will automatically control two of the four votes.” My gaze jumps between Bree and Jase. “Your father controls the third, and Carter, the fourth.”
A sly smile graces Jase’s mouth. “I see where you’re going with this.”
