A Hurt So Sweet Volume Four (Elite of Eden Falls Prep 4)

"The Firstborn system is abolished," she speaks up from the stage. "There will be no more ranking in Eden Falls."

Shocked whispers take over the crowd, but when Pandora slams her fist on the podium, everyone shuts up. It pleases me. People have accepted her. Everyone knows her word is law now, and Eden Falls coul

dn't have a better leader than my toy. She's going to change this town for good, and for the better.

"Everyone is worth the same," she goes on.

"Wait just a damn minute here." The audience's attention snaps to Julian's father who's seething with anger as he stares Pandora down. "You think you can do this? You think you can turn this town on its head? You obviously haven't read that manual very well, little girl. There's a little more to the rules than what you've described."

"Oh, I know." Pandora offers him a brilliant smile. "I need six votes from the founding families. One from each family, so I can do this."

"And you actually believe you'll get those?" Her father scoffs, speaking up from the first row. "Nobody will vote for this, Pandora. This was a cute little display, but it's fucking over now. Get off that stage, girl."

My blood runs cold, the desire to knock the bastard out cold almost too strong to resist. But Pandora merely smiles at him.

"Why don't we see if you're right?" she speaks up. "Let's take a vote, right here, right now."

"Let's," Emilian replies icily. "I'll enjoy seeing you go down in flames, daughter. It's time this farce ended."

"Six votes," she goes on as if he hasn't spoken at all, pissing him off further. "Six founding families. Oakes. Booth. Brantley. Fox. Hawkins. Jenkins."

"And you think you'll get six?" Emilian laughs at his daughter.

"She has my vote." I step forward to the stage with Pandora and she smiles gratefully.

"Of course," Emilian hisses. "She's got you pussy whipped pretty well there, Booth."

"She has my vote too." Julian stands up now, ignoring his father's glare as he joins us on the stage. She has the Fox's vote.

"Ridiculous," his father mutters, shaking his head in disbelief.

"And mine." Easton joins us, making the crowd gasp in unison. Brantley votes in her favor. Three left.

"Mine too." Caspian's next, giving her the Jenkins vote.

"We only need two more," Pandora says. "A Hawkins, and an Oakes."

The crowd seems restless and uneasy. We've gone through the manual a thousand times. There's no way Pandora can use her own vote as an Oakes - she'll need to have her family vote in her favor. Her gaze is firmly fixed on her brother's now. Brazen stares back, unrelenting and cold. He's changed these past few weeks. He's a man now, but he's not a nice man. He's cruel, vindictive and too powerful for his own good. I've seen the way he's been acting in school. He's determined to make people suffer because Minnie hurt him. But Pandora's plan could stop him from hurting more innocent people.

Pandora's eyes scan the crowd. She stares at Araminta, the Hawkins Firstborn. There are others, Firstborns from other families, but she needs the founding members' votes. Araminta refuses to look at her former friend and Pandora sighs just as Araminta's younger brother stands up.

"Really?" his sister hisses at him, making him flush. "Ari, sit the fuck down."

"No," he shakes his head resolutely. "I'm tired of this. I'm with you, Pandora."

My toy beams at him with pride. "Thank you, Ari. I appreciate your support more than you know."

The Hawkins look like they're about to kill their son, but what's done is done. Pandora only needs one more vote - her family's.

They're all here.

Emilian Oakes, the proud patriarch of his family. He won't give her his vote. He'd probably rather die than see Pandora in a position of power.

Then there's Bryony, his wife. She seems like she doesn't give a shit about this, but she could prove to be an unlikely ally for Pandora.

And Brazen, their older child. By the way his mouth has set, and the hardness in his glare, I don't think we can count on him to take my toy's side. He's changed. He reminds me of myself before Pandora came into my life. He's become cruel, sadistic. He won't vote in her favor.

Finally, there's Tatianna, the spoiled brat of the family. The beautiful teenager who's as stubborn as she is determined, and is now watching the ceremony with alertness.