Chapter 27

I’m sitting in class,half-listening to the professor drone on about the Byzantine Empire while I check my phone every three seconds. The Private Investigator called me earlier and told me he had information for me. Information that he wouldn’t give me over the phone. He insisted on bringing me the files personally, so I told him to meet me here on campus.

That was an hour ago.

I’m dying to know what he found out. The wait is absolute agony.

Finally, five minutes before class ends, a text pops up on my screen.

I’m here. Which building?

With my heart in my throat, I type out the directions to my building, then shove my phone into my backpack, and sneak out the side door of the lecture hall. There are only a couple of minutes left of class anyway.

I’m practically running down the hallway, down the staircase, and out of the double doors of the building. Quickly, I walk around the building to the sidewalk, where I asked Dave to meet me.

I don’t have to wait long, only a couple of minutes before Dave pulls up in his white SUV, and parks in a red zone. Instead of getting out, though, he rolls down his passenger-side window and leans over to talk to me. It strikes me as rude, but I don’t know, maybe he doesn’t want to be seen openly talking to me for security reasons.

“Ms. Anderson?”

I walk up, and peer into the open window. “You found me.”

He picks up a plain manila envelope that’s lying on the passenger seat and holds it up. “I dug into your friend’s death, and I’m sorry, but I came up empty.” Before I can even deflate at the news, he says, “But I struck gold when it came to the Rush family. There’s a lot of shit out there if you know where to look.”

I reach for the file, but he pulls it out of my reach, eyeing me cautiously. “I’ll ask you the question I ask all my clients. You sure you want this?”

What a dumb-ass question. I spent a lot of money to hire him, didn’t I?

“Once you see what’s in this file,” he continues, “there’s no going back.”

I reach in and snatch the file from his hand. “If I don’t look, I know myself, and I’ll always regret it.” I swallow, and hold the thick file against my chest. “Is it bad?”

Dave’s gray mustache twitches. “It’s a rabbit hole that just keeps getting deeper…and darker. The information in that file is pitch black.”

My grip tightens around the folder. The file feels hot against my chest, like the secrets within are burning a hole right through the thick paper. I’m dying to know what’s inside, so I rush my conversation with Dave. “Well, thank you for looking into this.” I paid him a hefty sum, but he could have said no. I’m just grateful he took the job, honestly.

“Not a problem.” His gaze flicks to the file, then back up to my face. “But if I were you, I wouldn’t let anyone know you have that file. The Rush family and the Burning Crown will do just about anything to protect their secrets.”

With a stiff nod, I take a step back. “Thanks.”

“Be careful,” he says, then drives off.

The second he’s gone, I rush to the library, practically running across campus. My heart feels like a jackhammer against my rubs as I enter the library and look for a private spot. It’s the middle of the day, so there aren’t many people in here, and there are several desks available. I chose the one at the far end of the open room.

Settling in, I suck in a deep breath, then open the file. I feel a little faint, actually, and for a split second, I ask myself if I really want to know…

My gaze settles on the first sheet of paper and the photograph in the upper right-hand corner. A familiar face stares back up at me—cold and emotionless—and I swear to God, it feels like my soul is actually snatched violently out of my body. I reel back with a gasp, and shut the file abruptly, tears springing to my eyes.

No. There’s no possible way.

It takes several minutes for me to get my shit together, and calm down. It was just the shock of it. I wasn’t prepared for what I saw, and it took me by surprise. Steadying my breath, I brush away the tears, and straighten, staring at the file like I’m facing a live cobra.

Before I chicken out, I open the file again and start paging through it. Dave was very thorough, and he laid out all the information on Roman and his family meticulously, like an unfolding story. A fucking horrifying story with me at the center of it all.

As I page through everything, my heart is beating so hard, I can hear it pounding in my own ears. I’m feeling a little faint as all of this information comes at me like a fucking freight train—scholarship information, tax information, articles, police reports…it’s all here. Undeniable. With each file, my blood pressure rises, and a whole host of emotions pulse through me: Shock. Confusion. Disbelief. Anger. Rage.

It’s the rage that slithers through me like a living thing, twisting around my heart, and squeezing out any compassion I ever felt for Roman-fucking-Rush.

Gathering up the papers, I shuffle them back into the folder, then grab my backpack and sling it over my shoulder. As I head out of the library, I pull my phone out and unblock Roman, then send him a quick text.

Where are you?

His response comes immediately.

Rush House. Come over.

Clenching my jaw, I shove my phone back into my pocket and head across campus. On the way over, all I can think about is what I saw in that file. Every page of it is branded into my memory, and as I flip through each page in my mind’s eye, it works me up even more.

The fucking cunt.

I get to Rush House in record time, bursting through the front door. I head to the living room first. When I walk in, the usual people are hanging out, playing pool, and video games.

Lowering my shoulder, my backpack slides onto the floor, next to the couch. “Where’s your asshole king?” I practically yell.

That seems to get everyone’s attention, but it’s one of the Debs who’s brave enough to speak up. “Roman is in the study with the other Sons.”

I point at her. “So you admit he’s an asshole. I like you. What’s your name?”

She opens her mouth to tell me, then must think better of it. I”m sure she doesn’t want to be known as the girl who agreed the campus king is an asshole.

“No worries. I wouldn’t tell me either,” I say, already heading down the hallway toward the study.

I don’t even bother knocking. The study has a double-door situation, and thankfully, both doors are slightly ajar, because Roman is expecting me.

Shoving the file under my arm, I use both hands to twist the door handles, pushing the heavy oak doors open with a flourish. “The queen has arrived!” I call out obnoxiously.

As usual, everyone in the room turns to look at me as I walk in. I couldn’t hide in the shadows here, even if I wanted to. No matter what I’m doing, or where I am, there are eyes on me, always watching. Just like Bree said.

And now I know why that is. Now it makes sense.

Roman is leaning against the desk by the window, and he zeroes in on me immediately. With a flick of his chin, everyone takes the hint and vacates the room. Nathan is in here, too, and he’s the last to pass me on his way out. “Good luck,” he says in a low tone. “Roman is in a mood.”

“Welcome to the fucking club,” I reply, my eyes never leaving Roman.

Nathan closes the door, shutting me in with Roman, Jackson, Christian, and Lucas. My gaze drifts to each one of them, and I wonder how much they know about this whole fucked-up thing. Probably all of it. They seem to do everything together, don’t they?

“Thank you for coming,” Roman says, pushing off the desk. He takes a couple of steps toward me, but I take a step back, holding my hand out.

“Thank you for coming?” I repeat incredulously, narrowing my eyes at him. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

He looks confused by my abrupt hostility. “What’s going on, Lux?”

It takes everything to keep my shit together, and I force myself to take several breaths before speaking. “I’m going to ask you a question, Roman, and you’re going to give me a straight answer. No bullshit.”

I’ve asked him this question before, and now I know the answer he gave me then was a lie. Will he tell me the truth now?