A Hurt So Sweet Volume Four - Isabella Starling Page 0,52

long and hard about getting my revenge on the people who made my life a living hell when I came to Eden Falls."

My gaze finds them one by one. The boys. Dex. Father. Even Brazen.

"But by seeking vengeance on the people who hurt me, I'd be as bad as they are. Instead, I'm going to change this town once and for all. Eden Falls as you knew it is gone. Things are going to be different now. Things are going to change."

I pull out a lighter. It's Dexter's father's, custom-made and engraved. I thought it would be symbolic, and Dex allowed me to use it for this. My eyes find his in the crowd and he smiles, giving me a barely perceptible nod. I open the lighter and hold the manual close to the flame. The crowd gasps.

"The manual is no longer something you must follow," I speak up. "Today, Eden Falls goes up in flames. Because the only way to change this place is to burn its traditions to the ground, until they're ash and dust."

Flames engulf the manual. I watch with satisfaction as it burns. The crowd is shocked, unable to utter a single word as they watch the fruit of their decades-long effort burn to a crisp.

"It's time for a new Eden Falls," I say as the manual crumbles into ash and the flames die down. "It's time for a new ruler. The future is mine, and I'm inviting you to take my hand and make this town a safer, better place for all. Not just the ones born with a silver spoon in their mouth."

With those words, I find Minnie in the crowd. She's working as a busser today, but her bright smile tells me exactly what I need to know - that I'm doing the right fucking thing.

"Goodbye, old traditions." I grin widely. "Hello, new world."

20

Dexter

I watch my woman on that stage with pride. She's brave, beautiful and fearless. Everything I knew she was from the start. But now she has finally embraced the power this town unwillingly gave her. Eden Falls needs a strong leader, and Pandora is just that. She's going to bring these men to their knees and prove once and for all the future is female. The future is her.

"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 couldn'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