Ruthless Secrets (Elites of Macedon High 2)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Alex

Agitation floods my system when I notice Soren chatting casually with Tabitha in the hall on the way to third period. She runs off as I approach, tossing a smug little smirk over her shoulder as she quickly retreats. The goddamn coward—she can’t stand to get caught with one of my boys, can she?

“What the hell are you playing at?” I snap at Soren when I step into his space.

He makes no move to pull back, smiling bitterly as he points out, “You’re the one who went off with Tomas at the party over the weekend.”

My blood turns cold. Did Tabitha tell anyone about what she saw on New Year’s? Pure resentment trickles into my eyes as I take a deep breath and sigh it out. These boys are always keeping tabs on my sex life, yet they haven’t been sharing any details lately. My plan is working so far. I don’t need some dumb bitch ruining it.

“You knocked him pretty hard,” I explained. “I wanted to make sure you hadn’t lodged a bone into his brain.”

“You mean you went to check if he would lodge a bone in you.”

My simple grin fades into an irritated grimace. “Jealousy looks so bad on you.”

“Don’t deflect, Ms. Alex. We have a business arrangement and that’s it.”

Before I can respond, he saunters off, disappearing into the growing crowd of students. Being left in the dust by Soren is more than I can handle with everything else piling up on my shoulders. I’m irate when I locate that little twat Tabitha hanging out in the bathroom with a cigarette perched between her fingers.

I take up the stall doorway, glaring angrily at the girls gathered around the sink. The girls scatter at my death glare, sneakers squeaking over the tile as they sprint from the bathroom. When I look at Tabitha, I offer her a sarcastic smile.

“I’ll put this in small words so you understand me,” I bite. “Back off.”

“Is the greedy bitch angry that Soren took an interest in me?”

I snort. “Soren would never be interested in Parker’s sloppy seconds.”

“Is that what he says when he turns down sex with you?”

Anger warms my chest and I hold tight to it, trying not to let it get out of control. “You’re pushing your luck, sweetheart.”

“I think you’re the one who’s pushing her luck. Paulina wants me to marry Parker now. You’re old news.” She grins triumphantly, drags her cigarette, and exhales smoke to the vent above her head. “I appreciate the Somervilles, unlike your spoiled ass who thinks she can run errands like a big girl.”

I ignore the jab and say, “Tabitha, if you marry Parker, you’ll end up with Osmond.”

She laughs. “I can handle both men. Father and son would be so easy to please under one roof. Osmond won’t even look in your direction once he’s had me.”

I cringe. “You want old man dick?”

“Honey, everything comes with a price.” She ashes her cigarette toward my sneakers and adds, “I’m more than willing to pay it.”

“Did you pay it with my father?”

The smugness recedes from her expression as she slouches into the corner. “What are you talking about?”

“How did you know about the bullets?” I ask as I advance. Crowding her into the corner of the stall causes me to puff up like a predator preparing to strike. The stall door slaps shut behind me, causing her to jump. “You knew my father was shot twenty times—how?”

With the cigarette drooping in her hand, she appears more like an old crone trying to hide away from the world than a young girl trying to get to the top of the heap. “My father…” She swallows hard. “He ran a deal for Fletcher that involved the Persian.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Really? That man actually exists?”

“You’re a Moretti, and you don’t believe he exists?”

My features darken. “Keep talking, Tabitha.”

Her pupils dilate, and her skin goes ashen gray as she takes a shaky drag of her cigarette. While exhaling, she explains, “My father messed up a delivery and told me what he saw in the aftermath. It was…” She closes her eyes briefly as smoke swirls around her nostrils. When she opens them, her irises host nothing but fear. “I swear, my father didn’t kill your father, Alex. He isn’t fucking crazy.”