“Royal is a car thief.”
Shock blew the arrogant mask to shreds. “He’s what?”
“You heard me. He’s a car thief and his favorite target is Raveners.”
His forehead scrunched up. Eyes darting around as he made sense of what I was saying.
“Prove it,” he demanded.
I said three words. “Leo Tremaine’s car.”
Nolan’s jaw went slack. Seeing him like this—flinty greens delighting with malice. Spiteful edge to the quirk of his lips. Hard set of his chin as he callously held Eli over my head. I asked myself why I ever thought he was handsome. Nolan Ives had to be the most hideous person alive.
“Royal stole Leo’s car? I can’t believe this,” he said mostly to himself. “This is perfect. Forget expelled. He’ll do real time in jail.” He snapped to me. “He told you he did it. You’re a witness. If you go to the police—”
“You don’t want me in that interrogation room, Ives,” I said. “If I get in there, a lot more is coming out than what Royal did to Leo. Besides, I’m sure Camila’s softened the nation up enough that Royal would get a sympathetic jury.”
“If you don’t—”
“Do not open your mouth to threaten me again. There’s no point anyway. Leo’s car is in a million pieces and sold to buyers I don’t know about. How will you prove he stole a car that doesn’t exist anymore? It’s another game of he said, she said.”
“Then what do you suggest?” he snapped. “What about his car? Did he steal it?”
I shook my head. “Royal’s not stupid, Nolan. He’s not driving around in a stolen car. He bought his fair and legal. No, if you want to prove he’s a car thief, you have to—”
I stopped. My betrayal was a living force, churning my stomach. Poisoning my soul. I sucked in hard, deep breaths, compelling myself to get through this without vomiting.
“If you want to prove it,” I continued. “You have to catch him in the act.”
“How? Do you know what car he’s going after next?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” It burned coming out. “The Christmas Eve party at the Estate Country Club. Royal’s going to jack a car from the lot while everyone is getting drunk on plum wine.”
“From the parking lot?” His eyes narrowed. “Impossible. You’re fucking with me, aren’t you? Royal’s going to steal a car out from under the valets and security? And in less than two weeks? What convenient timing.”
“There’s nothing convenient about it, jackass. It has to be during the party because stealing a car from a parking lot is a lot easier than a locked-down Estate mansion. All your precious guards are inside watching over the partygoers, and what is a valet going to do? Risk himself over someone else’s car?”
Nolan’s surety was taking a hit.
“As for why. He’s doing it for me,” I croaked. “We couldn’t pull it off on Thanksgiving, so we’re trying again Christmas Eve. It’s all to get the money to pay off the blackmailers you’re protecting.”
“Thanksgiving... Julian did say he saw you two there,” he said slowly. “And you said we. Royal expects you to help him.”
“Yes.”
“All right, yeah,” he said to himself. “I can work with this.” He began pacing, back and forth as he muttered to himself. “Catch him in the act. He can’t wiggle his way out of that.”
Nolan turned on me. “Okay, this is what we’re going to do...”
I left Nolan’s room an hour later. Returning to my dorm, I closed the door, walked into the bathroom, and vomited until there was nothing to choke on but bile.
THE FINAL WEEK UNTIL winter break was the hardest of my life. I was so out of it my friends took notice. Multiple times a day they asked me what was wrong. Brushing off their concern was almost as horrible as avoiding the boys. I couldn’t look them in the eye and that’s exactly what Nolan wanted. He drilled a hole in my head from across the cafeteria, intensifying when I got too friendly with the Angels.
The end of the week should have brought relief. But this was my life. Fate did not have gifts for me this holiday season.
“I don’t understand,” said Camila. She sat on her bed watching me pack. “I thought we were all staying and celebrating together.”
“Change of plans. My aunt and uncle want us home. They’ve softened their hearts to their little orphaned niece and nephew.”
“Okay. Well, I hope you guys have a good time.”
“We will,” I managed to say with a