“Except he was employed at various university-sponsored functions. Even paid?—”
“But that was by a dead dean that employed him.Nottied to the university as a whole. We don’t know that the president or the elders themselves know about him.”
I interrupt with one small fact that Valen noticed. And Aiden. Even Aiden’s brother, Ryan, noticed. “The previous president had a tangram on his desk.”
“True.” Scout’s silent for a moment. “But not this one. President Damon seems to be unaware of him.”
Scout’s scared. And she should be. I am, too. But I need to be strong for her. I grab her in my arms and hold her tight to my chest. She curls up like the small thing she is. “We’ll hunt him down. And I’ll end him. I don’t want you to live in terror.”
She sits back, and I hold her face. Shaking her head, she gives me some fierce eyes. “I refuse to change my life because of him. Because of any of them.”
Squeezing her cheeks, I press my lips to hers briefly. “The president wanted a fearsome couple. Anidealmarriage. We’ll give them that. And more. You and I, tulip? We make the best team.”
Her lips set, face fierce.
I narrow my eyes with determination. “We’re taking over. And making Northview operate the waywewant.”
epilogue
Her hand shakes slightlyas it rests in mine, but it’s not nerves. Both of us look as dangerous as we feel.
My new suit, courtesy of G, is sharp. Pitch black. And clean.
It also matches my wife’s.
Our hair is slicked back. Shoes polished to a glistening sheen so glaring, it’ll cut the room’s eyes if they stare too long.
I clear my throat. “Ready?”
Scout trails her eyes up my chest to greet my face and I try to keep my dick from jumping behind my zipper. No use. The way she’s looking at me reminds me of the first time I kissed her.
“Always ready.”
I nod once. “Let’s do this.”
We push open the doors and I, with a slight limp, stroll straight to the head of the long conference table. The deansof the Pairing Oversight Tribunal shift nervously in their seats.
“Good morning, team. As you know, I’m the student representative of the committee. You know my co-representative, Mrs. Scout Griffin. We have urgent business to discuss.”
The men glance at one another, then settle in as Scout and I take our seats.
“First, we appreciate your dedication to the Seven’s cause of appointing sorority sisters to their chosen brothers. However, things are due for a change?—”
“Excuse me,Apollo. The Tribunal has been given the duty of choosing these appointments.Notstudent representatives.”
“Correct, Dean Sutherland. However, the new bylaws I signed, written by President Damon herself, state that the student representatives may appoint astudent runtribunal to accompany the votes of the POT’s decisions.”
They look at me with worried, confused stares. I smile gently.
“Meaning, the student tribunal now hasvetopower.”
“You and Mrs. Griffin?” Dean Sutherland scoffs, as if the two of us can be bullied by the rest of them.
“Yes. Me and Mrs. Griffin… And the team of student leaders we have selected. Enter!” I call out, waving my hand at the empty chairs lining the room.
Ryan Cardell and his appointed Pippi Freidenberg stroll in, leather jackets. Spiky hair. Followed by Aiden Cardell, looking stoic, and his wife, Ashlyn, who’s smiling like she’s coming to ruin everyone’s lives.
It was like pulling teeth to get Ryan, but Aiden was a bighelp for that. At the back of the pack is the interim-appointedBetapresident, Nimish Dharya, and his appointed,Iotapresident, Lakshmi Patel.
