Carver’s stare tightens. “Prove it.”
I raise a brow and do just that, knowing damn well that Carver is familiar with every little mark, freckle, and scar on my body, even though he’s never touched me in the way he truly wants to. Without skipping a beat, I stand and turn so that he can see the thick purple lines of Royston’s fingers that dug into my skin last night.
Shocked gasps come from the right-hand side of the table while scoffs and disbelief come from the other. Anger flashes over Carver’s features, and a second later, it’s gone, replaced with the same irritating mask he wore when I first walked in here. “That could have been from anything,” Preston Scardoni insists. “You’re a reckless, violent teen. You have absolutely no proof that those marks came from Royston.”
God, I’ve never wanted to throat punch someone more in my life.
“I agree,” another man says from beside him. “While Royston certainly was a piece of work, that’s not sufficient evidence to claim that he deserved to give up his life.”
“Elodie never claimed that was why she killed Royston,” Earnest throws back across the table. “She was simply recapping her story.”
“Exactly,” Preston scoffs. “It’s nothing more than a story. How are we to ever believe a word this girl says?”
“Because it’s the truth,” I demand. “And you damn well know it.”
Preston growls, slamming his hand on the table, much louder than Tobias had earlier. “I know of nothing,” he roars. “I had nothing to do with Royston’s misdemeanors.”
“So, you agree then? Royston is guilty of misdemeanors?”
His eyes widen. “What? No …”
“Just what I thought.”
“That’s enough of your twisted mind games,” Carver says. “My father wasn’t guilty of anything.”
I scoff, shaking my head at him, unable to believe the level he’ll go just to get at me. “Don’t make me destroy you, Carver,” I beg of him. “You’ve told me enough about this world and the families within it to bring you down, and I’d really prefer not to do that to you, but if you keep pushing me, I’ll be left with no fucking choice.”
Carver’s stare tightens. While the boys haven’t told me specific things about this world, they’ve given me enough breadcrumbs to be capable of putting the pieces together. And if it’s my freedom on the line, he knows damn well that I’ll bring anyone and everyone down around me just to save myself.
“Let’s get this trial back on track,” Earnest says, looking more frustrated by the second. “You were dancing …”
“Right,” I say, slicing my annoyed gaze away from Carver. “He was forcing me to put on a show for the people around us, and as he was, he was busy telling me his big plans for the future.”
“What plans?” Carver demands, leaning in and making me wonder if he really doesn’t know.
I turn my gaze back to his, somehow still needing him as my comfort within this strange world, despite the way my head is telling me to pull away. “He was planning on taking over leadership. He wanted to rule over you all,” I tell them, looking back at Carver. “Why don’t you put your bitch of a mother on trial? She’s as guilty as they come. I bet she was even the one to put the idea in his head.”
“Watch it,” Carver demands as gasps and whispers are heard right around the table. “That’s my mother you’re talking about.”
I can’t help the scoff that pulls from deep within me. “Fuck off with your theatrics. It’s not like I’m saying anything we don’t already know. That show she put on for the people last night was embarrassing.”
“How the hell did Royston plan on taking over leadership?” Preston demands, getting us back to the point, not bothering with the bullshit nastiness getting thrown between me and Carver. “Sounds a bit far-fetched to me.”
“He said that he didn’t believe I had what it takes to be the leader of Dynasty, and while that question is still up for debate, it’s not the issue at hand. He stated that I was going to be the face of the organization, but I would answer to him.”
“And?” Earnest prompts.
“And I told him that he was fucking insane,” I spit. “There’s no way in hell I was going to answer to a man like him, especially the asshole who killed my parents.”
Carver shakes his head as everyone watches on through narrowed eyes. “You don’t know that.”
I stand, throwing my hands down on the table in frustration. “He admitted it to me,” I yell staring Carver down. “He was pissed because I wasn’t going to willingly conform to his plan, so he pushed harder and said that I either answer to him or he’ll continue in his endeavor to end my life.”
Gasps come from the right-hand side of the room as Tobias looks at Carver. “Is this true?” he demands. “Was your father responsible for the attack on Elodie in the woods?”