Stolen Lies (Fates of the Bound 2)

She dropped her satchel on her desk and fished her palm from her trouser pocket, toeing her kicked-off boots into her closet. Then she turned on her desktop computer and swept the room for bugs.

So far, she’d ignored Alex, waiting to see if she would talk or yell.

She did neither, even when Lila leaned over her to sweep the coat of arms.

Lila finally plopped down in front of her computer, breaking first. “I’m moving you to another Randolph compound after Simon leaves for boarding school, Ms. Wilson. You need a fresh start and a counselor to help you manage. Give me a list of your preferences by the weekend. I’ll do my best to meet them.”

Alex scooted to the couch’s edge and fiddled with her pumps. “That’s not why I came.”

“It’s not a good night to yell at me, Ms. Wilson. I’m done being your punching bag, and you do not deserve to be mine tonight.”

Alex looked up. “Something happened between you and that guy you’re seeing, didn’t it?”

“What guy?” Lila narrowed her eyes.

“I swapped shifts with Isabel this morning. I was going to talk to you then, but you were already gone. I took care of your room.”

Lila looked away, embarrassed, finally understanding why other highborn generally didn’t speak to the help.

“There was a time when I would have known who you were with. Now, I have no idea.”

Lila pushed her palm around her desk. She said nothing because she wanted Alex to leave. She just didn’t know how to ask nicely. She’d wanted to have this conversation for an entire week, but now was not the right time for it.

She just wanted a nice, long shower.

“Your mother was right about some of it,” Alex said. “You were too.”

“Right about what?”

“Patrick really did those things. It’s all true, isn’t it?”

Lila nodded glumly.

“Patrick was never bright. At least, I never thought he was that bright. I was so sure that my mother had convinced him to take the blame, that he’d put his neck in that noose, not understanding.” Alex faltered. “I made Johnny take me to Bullstow.”

Lila’s eyes widened.

“He’s a Randolph. He’s taken me off-compound before. It was actually one of the perks of getting involved with him. Chief Shaw wouldn’t let me see Patrick when they arrested me, and my mother was still too sick after the serum to have visitors. Johnny has cousins at Bullstow, though. I was going to threaten to tell your Aunt Georgina about what we’d been doing if he didn’t get me inside. I didn’t have to threaten him, though. He just took me. He didn’t ask why. He just asked for a moment to wash the dirt off his hands.”

“He cares about you.”

“I know. I almost threatened him. I shouldn’t have.”

“You didn’t.”

“I almost did. I was still mad, and I needed to see my brother.”

“What did he say?”

Alex turned away and stared at the Randolph coat of arms. “Do you remember the story about Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf?”

“I remember the grandmother was eaten. I once scratched out ‘grand’ in my book and gave it to my mother after a fight.”

“That was mean.”

“It was in crayon, and I was five. I didn’t know any better.”

Alex worried her skirt’s hem once more. “I feel like Little Red Riding Hood lately, except that the wolf peeks out from everyone I know. Everyone. Now my eyes are open.”