Scared and on edge about what you know or will uncover next. That’s not trust or loyalty. It’s intimidation.”
His gaze did not waver. “Only to the weak.”
I bristled. “Why won’t you tell me how you found those secrets out? I’m president now. I have to know.”
“Do you? I heard you’re ending the initiation on your side of the lawn.”
Leaning on the porch post, I said, “That’s the plan. I suspect a new addendum will get out ahead of me though.”
Aiden chuckled but didn’t deny it.
The last two weeks had been interesting and not only because of Aiden. Miss Ortega was everywhere and in everything. Always smiling. Always supportive. Always gently reminding me of what I could and couldn’t do.
The sisters chose basketball as their exercise for the week before, and she kindly offered to tag along with a stopwatch, ensuring every girl played for at least seventy-five minutes. Her standing off to the side, eagle-eyed and bearing her clipboard, leeched a fair amount of fun from the friendly game.
When I wasn’t around, Sofia assured me she didn’t attempt to take over or undermine me. But her true duties in the house were obvious to me. Even if she had the others fooled with her banana pancakes.
“How’d you find all of that stuff out, Aiden?” I continued. “You’re shadily dodging the question like you want me to keep believing you’re a bad guy.”
“I’m not a bad guy.”
“You had Sawyer kidnapped.” I preferred this. We had reached the point where we could speak freely. All pretense dropped.
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he rocked back on his heels, turning his face to the sunlight breaking onto the porch. To anyone watching we were a couple of pals shooting the shit.
“You can’t prove that.”
“I have a witness.”
“He can’t prove it either.”
“You couldn’t resist gloating to him that Sawyer was in a better place.”
He lifted his shoulders. “Maybe he is. Did you ever think he likes it where he is? Couldn’t it be possible that the reason he hasn’t come back is because he wants to stay?”
“Nope.”
Aiden barked a laugh. “I can see why that’d be hard for you to accept, but the fact remains, accusations without proof are a waste of time. You want to come at me with something, you better have more than your boyfriend’s word.”
I didn’t skip a beat. “I’ve got plenty of proof for what you boys get down to in your basement. You found out about the Sons of Slaughter and threatened to give Ezra’s brother over to them. Blackmail is illegal in this part of the world, genius.”
“Blackmail is such a harsh word.” Aiden leaned on the other post, facing me. “I prefer... encouragement. I encouraged him to stay out of Nu Alpha Theta business and put his attention where it was really needed. It all worked out in the end, didn’t it?”
“How did you know, Connelly?”
He heaved a sigh. “You’re being all intense like you think the answer is mind reading or something. How does anyone find out anything? The right person lets the wrong thing slip. A door is left unlocked that shouldn’t be. A password isn’t well hidden. A conversation is overheard. Nothing is truly a secret, Valentina. You know that as well as I. You’ve got a talent for digging them up too.”
“You and I also know that wasn’t a real answer.”
He pushed off. “Yes, but it’s the only one you’re going to get. See you tonight, Val.” Aiden stepped off the porch. “Only some of your boyfriends are invited.”
I clenched my teeth to stop myself shouting what I really thought of his evasive ass and broke the illusion that we were getting on well. Aiden had most people fooled and kicking up a fuss around him while he sat there grinning, would have the brothers and sisters thinking I was the problem. I couldn’t have that.
But am I going to this party tonight and playing nice?
Sawyer disappeared from one of their parties. Was that reason enough to go and keep an eye on Aiden?
You can’t watch everyone at the same time, a voice countered. One guy gets up to go to the bathroom and is never seen again. What could I do about it?
I went into the house, stepping through the back door and landing on the entrance to the basement.
This wasn’t a movie. I doubted Aiden hid the bodies of his enemies down there buried under a pile of evidence. Still...
I tried the door.
Locked.
Like it always was each time I snuck