Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
I thought fast. “That’s rich coming from you. You call my sister pathetic, but she didn’t run and hide when you guys turned on her. You had one bad day, Saylor, and the first thing you did was hide under the covers until they were slick from your greasy, unwashed hair.”
“One bad day? One bad day!” Seemed she forgot about hanging up. “You think you gave me one bad day? You ruined my life, Sinclair! I’ve been getting hate from everyone. Half the servants quit. Mom and Grandpa won’t talk to me. And Daddy is talking about transferring me to a school overseas. My own father wants to send me away! He says it’s to give me a fresh start, but I know he just wants to save his political career before this scandal ruins his chances. That’s what you did to me!”
I rolled my eyes. “All I did was share the texts. You wrote them. You said and did those awful things. You refuse to take responsibility? Fine. Sit in your room and cry like a little bitch while all your haters grow bolder, laughing about how a few hate texts and the silent treatment pushed Saylor Burkhardt off the throne.”
A deep, cutting silence echoed from the other end.
“I was ready for those texts to end the bowing and scraping and make people see you for who you really are. But I had no idea I’d be the one to end your reign and run you out of the university— No, out of Regalia.” I let my smirk color my tone. “And with you gone, the Royals will need a new queen. Good thing there’s another Burkhardt to take your place.”
Her voice was a low, dangerous hiss. “What the fuck did you say?”
“Have fun watching your fifth binge of The Office. Maybe I’ll visit you in your new French school, cuz.”
I hung up, breathing hard. Wilder’s expression spoke volumes.
“Didn’t quite get to the ‘life or death’ part, Sinclair.”
“No, I took a gamble,” I replied, giving the phone back with a hand that shook. “I hope it pays off.”
Chapter Six
I sat on the fountain rim, sipping a vanilla mocha latte and watching Saylor’s butler open the town car’s door. Saylor climbed out, her nose so high in the air birds were in danger of flying up there.
She was night and day from the greasy, stain-covered mess that chased me through the hall with a knife. Gone were the sweats and tank. Saylor wore a satin, forest-green dress covered in cherry blossom branches and buds. Matching green pumps with pink flowers graced her feet, lifting her an inch higher. Her makeup was impeccable. Her hair was washed and combed till it showed.
The queen had come to protect her throne.
I shot up, beating it across the lawn. Saylor’s none-of-this-bothers-me stroll was cut short when she found me in her face. “Ugh, get away from me, Sinclair.” She shoved me. “If you fuck with my life one more time, I don’t care what the rules say. I’ll bury you.”
“Following the rules, huh? Guess that means you admit we’re cousins.”
She got a frozen, frowny look on her face, realizing what she admitted. “No. We’re not related. Get away from me.”
I kept in step with her increasing pace. I didn’t care what she said or what I had to do. Saylor was going to listen to me.
“I’m not going anywhere until you stop running your mouth for half a second,” I snapped. I wanted her to listen. I didn’t want to be nice to her. “If I had any other option, I wouldn’t be doing this, but you need to know. Everleigh is not your friend.”
“Of course she’s not my friend. No one is, thanks to you!” Saylor shoved me again.
I tripped over my feet, nearly going down. That sudden stumble was enough to let her put eight feet between us. I jogged to catch up.
“That’s not what I meant. Everleigh wasn’t your friend before I sold your texts. She’s been playing you all this time, Saylor.” I was huffing and puffing, running after her. How long had it been since I worked out with Lucien? “The only reason she’s put up with you all this time is because she hoped you’d get her closer to Alistair. Everleigh hates him. She’s plotted to kill him for years.”
“What?” she shrieked. “My gosh, you are insane. Every time you open your mouth, bullshit comes out.”
“It’s not bullshit! Everything that happened with Winter was because of Everleigh. She orchestrated the whole thing because she found out we’re Alistair’s daughters, and she wanted to drag him out into the open. Torturing Winter didn’t work. Trying to kill me didn’t get her what she wanted. The next step... is you.”
I grabbed her shoulder, spinning her to face me. “I’ve never made any secret of how much I despise you, so the fact that I’m here warning you now should tell you something!”