And I only get one chance to do it right.
Dante is dressed in a tux like everyone else. And Mona is hanging on his arm looking like a queen in a red silk gown.
They are the only pledges here aside from me.
The rest of the party is all old guard. Parents and siblings. Lake-house people who invented the game, I guess, and think it’s going to last forever.
It’s not.
My father spies me as I exit the woods and I allow myself a wave of pure satisfaction when his face contorts into an expression of controlled rage.
He’s crossing the narrow clearing and then he’s got me by the arm and is yanking me back into the trees. “What the fuck are you wearing? And where is everyone? You’re ten minutes late.”
We stop far enough away from the tomb that no one can hear us. And that’s fine. They don’t all need to be threatened, he’ll do for now. “I’m on my way to a party, Dad.” I smile when that word comes out. “So I’m dressed for the occasion.”
“The occasion is black tie, Christopher. And where the hell have you been? We got home three days ago and you haven’t been there once.”
“No.” I laugh and wave my hand in the direction of the tomb. “Not this party. And I don’t live at home anymore. I moved out three weeks ago.”
“You moved—” He laughs. “This is it, Cooper. I’m done playing with you. You will get nothing from me. Nothing, do you hear me?”
“Oh, I’m so over your money, Dad. So you can save your breath. I’m only here to explain how things are gonna go down from now on.”
He laughs again, still not getting it. “You’re going to explain something to me?”
“Yup. And you’re going to listen.”
“I hope you’re not counting on a college degree to get anywhere in life, Christopher. Because you won’t be returning to school next month.”
“Well.” I scratch my neck. “You’re wrong about that. I will be in school. And all the other pledges will be there too.”
“Where are they? What did you do with them?”
“Do with them?” Now it’s my turn to laugh. “I got them out, that’s what I did with them. Just like that girl at the graduation party that night you had me arrested. I bet her father is still pissed off about that night, isn’t he? Anyway,” I wave my hand in the air. “My pledges aren’t coming tonight. Those two assholes over there?” I nod my head to Dante and Mona. “That’s the cream of the crop. And the extent of your new Fang and Feather members. Everyone else is out. Including Isabella.” I glare at him. “So you make sure and tell her father she’s done. She’s with me now. While you assholes were all out here tailgating before the big event, she was moving her shit out of their mansion. And if her father tries to come get her, or Ax’s father gets any big ideas about letting his crazy mother beat him as punishment, or any of the other families even speak to my pledges, they’re gonna have to answer to you.”
“What are you talking about?” He guffaws. “You’ve gone crazy, Christopher.”
“No.” I sigh. “I’ve finally wised up, old man. You see…” I lean in and smile. “I found your little storage unit this summer.”
He backs up a little.
“Yup. Went through every box. I have spent the entire three years since Dane raped Cadee telling myself it was a one-off thing. Telling myself that it was a secret only I knew about. Wow.” I huff. “Was I ever stupid. You know I get it now, Dad. Why you always hated me. I was pretty fucking dumb.” I narrow my eyes at him. “But there’s a cure for stupid. It’s called the truth. And I found a whole lot of truth about Dane in that storage facility. Cadee wasn’t the only one. She was just one among many, wasn’t she? And when her father found out about one of the other girl’s Dane raped and didn’t take your bribe—”
“That’s enough!”
“Oh, no. I’m just getting started, Dad. You killed him. You killed Cadee’s father. And then somehow her mother found out too. They really were moving, weren’t they? Because she knew and she was done. And you know the funny thing? Well, it’s not funny. It’s really fucking sad, actually. She was never going to say anything. You didn’t need to kill her too. She was taking her daughter