Broken Princess (Van der Borne University Book 2)
Page 33
Forty-Three
Jordanna
I finish retelling my story and sit back on Pepper’s couch, exhausted at how much has happened to me and how much I’ve done in such a short amount of time. One full school year at Van Der Borne University has changed me, and I can’t say with absolute certainty that it was for the better. Kassidy says I’ve gained a new level of confidence in my body and the way I move through the spaces I inhabit. But what did that do to me?
“Why don’t you look like you’re enjoying your triumph, dear?”
“I’ve watched them. I’ve learned from them. But, I never wanted to be them. There’s a thin line between confidence and heartless bitch. I worry I’ve crossed it.”
She signals for lunch to be served, and says, “I wouldn’t worry about that.”
“Why not?”
“If you’re thinking about the line, and worrying that you’ve somehow overstepped it, then that means your heart is still beating in the right place.”
“I wanted to get back at them, and I did, but I don’t know if anything has really changed. They’ve proven they can’t be trusted. There’s always going to be a new kid. A new bet. I may have found a way to make things better for me, but I just feel bad for the rest of them. And don’t get me started on learning about my so-called family history. It’s gonna take two lifetimes to untwist that mess.”
“Things can change at the school if you want it to.”
Shaking my head, I say, “Nothing will change without new leadership.”
Pepper sits back, a satisfied smirk on her face. “Exactly.”
She’s fucking crazy. Conniving and shrewd, and just like that I see the game she’s been playing. “You want me, the charity case, to take a run at Bella, knowing everything that had to happen for Logan to lose his spot? It’ll never happen.”
“You have just as much right to be in charge as any of them, dear. You know that.”
“What I have is circumstantial evidence of a buried pedigree. What I don’t have is the support for a vote.”
“But you could get it. Your family is a founding member of the town. You’re set to inherit shares in ECS shipping. Bella is a distant cousin. Your status beats that every time.”
The look on Bella’s face when she opened that email with the family tree. If I could have captured that on film, I would have. “I just want to finish out next year and be left alone.” I gesture to the clothes I’m wearing. “It was fun playing dress up with your friends, when you took me to meet them this morning, but this isn’t me. And I don’t want to be them.”
“Then be you. With all the power your name gives you.”
“I don’t wanna be known as a Summer or Bendevires either.”
Squeezing my hand, she says, “You can use any name you want, Jordanna. It won’t change your lineage.”
Forty-Four
Jordanna
He's on the ferry that's whisking me away to the island. It's like we've come full circle. It's been eight months since that weekend when I went to him and agreed to be his girlfriend. I had no idea I was opening the door to destruction by giving him my heart. There was no way to predict how I would let the hurt consume me afterwards.
I should've known he wouldn't let me walk away. Not without saying his piece, and I guess I owe him that, at least that.
“Why Jordanna? I trusted you. I let you in. Why would you go through with it?”
I stare out over the water. Even after all I did this semester, the strength of my voice still surprises me. “Kill or be killed. That’s just the way it is at VDU, and this was the only way I could be free of you.”
“You really cared so little about me, that you wanted to hurt my father too? My mom, my sister. My brother? Those are the people you put at risk by what you did. They’re innocent.”
“Did you care about my sister? My mother? The people who were already trying to move past one humiliating experience? I never wanted to come to this fucked up school and you know I needed that scholarship back to Carryville. You know that was my only chance to have my grad school tuition covered, and I needed that internship to help my mother whose deep in debt because the IRS took all of our money after Penn was arrested, and in the beginning she paid that asshole’s legal bills. You took my family’s stability away from me. So tell me again, why I should give a shit about yours.”
“Don’t you get it? People have been looking for ways to knock down my family’s media empire for years. That article gives them the ammunition to do that. All those things you face, you’d be bringing them on us. If this story gets out, my father won’t let that go. You think you have nothing to lose now, haven’t you learned anything at all? It can get worse, Jordy.”
Both of our eyes are fixed on the horizon. We’re standing side-by-side, but there're miles of space between us. His anger clashes with my mine. Pride against pride. Neither of us is willing to back down, and I’m more than ready to burn his house to the ground to protect my family.
“Gee Logan, imagine that. You hurt me. I hurt you. Now you want to retaliate and there’s no way I’m backing down.” I turn to face him, giving him the full weight of my anger. “Queen Bella should’ve kept you on a tighter leash. I told you what I’d do if any of you came after me. So now, what?”
The fire and storm brewing in his eyes mirrors my own. There’s only one truth left between us. If we go to war, no one’s walking away unscathed.
“Now we have a choice to make.”
Epilogue
I study the draft of the contract on my desk, going back over everything that happened to get us to this point. Everything’s crumbling down around his ears. I should feel bad about it, but I don’t. The very foundation of a structure has to be torn down and cleared away before it can be rebuilt.
My phone rings just as I’m reaching for it to make a call. “I was just about to call you.”
“I guess you’ve seen the new contracts.”
“I have…”
“Should we stop?”
“No. We proceed as planned.”
Sneak Peek: Van der Borne University Book Three
One
Prologue
I stand in the doorway, watching the sunlight reflect off the water of the infinity pool. Soon, the house and the beach will be swarming with guests, to celebrate the end of summer. I’ve intentionally avoided the crowds because my fall from grace, has been the topic of everyone’s conversation. I would’ve skipped out on this one too, if dad hadn’t insisted I show my face.
He accused me of sulking, I told him I was strategizing. Either way, he gets what he wants, and I drove up two days ago putting on my mask of indifference. McKay men, are always in control, even when the world around them goes to shit. For two months, I’ve smiled, and nodded, weathering the pitying looks I get. They can take their sympathy and shove it up their asses. I’ve seen Bella twice, but Jordanna and Noel have essentially disappeared. Probably somewhere together, laughing at my expense.
Ava and Hunter run into the room, pulling me from my thoughts. “Daddy said we can stay up for two hours for the party.”
“Did he now?” I ask, ruffling Hunter’s hair.
“Yes.” He puffs his chest out proud that he got our dad to agree to that.
“And what did you have to give up for that concession?”
Ava’s face scrunches up. “We have to eat all our vegetables for a week.”
Hunter makes a similar face. “Even the peas and squishy zucchini.”
“Oh no,” I chuckle. “The horror.”
“And no video games today when mommy and Cruella gets here.” He concludes.
Ah, so that’s the real reason dad said yes. He wants them running around when their mother’s get here. I’m not saying they parent by proxy, but they parent by proxy.
“Logan, is your mommy coming too?” Hunter asks.
As luck would have it, she is. I nod, and Ava gets a weird look on her face. “What’s wrong, pea?”
&nbs
p; “Is she still digging for daddy’s gold to keep all to herself?”
Great, the queen gold digger’s still talking shit about my mother, who was done with my father years before they met. It’s not her fault wife number three was caught deep throating dad’s old accountant in the bathroom at the lawyers office, trying to convince him to help her steal from Ava’s trust fund. Of course she accused my mother of having her followed. Which is far from the truth. Dad was having the accountant followed since he’d missed several filing deadlines for some important tax forms.
Ava’s mother thought a little game of slap and tickle would be enough to get him to funnel money over to her account, but she failed to read the part of her pre-nup that said the trust fund for all dad’s kids were controlled by the same executor. My mom, until I’m 25, and then I’ll be in charge of the little McKay’s inheritance. That’s really gonna piss them off.
Ava and Hunter run off, and I go back to staring out the window, thinking of my own women problems. Well, one woman. Even after everything, I can’t bring myself or my dick to fixate on anyone else. Fixing myself another drink, I wander towards the stairs. I hear voices coming from dad’s study.
“I know what the expectation is. He’s not ready.”
“Then, I suggest you get him ready, or be prepared to sign control over to Aiden.”
“He’s no more prepared to run things than, Hunter is. And I’d trust my eight year old to make decisions before your son.”
I don’t know what they’re arguing about but I’m with dad. My little brother shows more common sense than my cousin.
“At any rate, Aiden is settled, looking to expand the family line. He’s ready for the next step, while Logan has no prospects in his future.”
Right, because Claire is such a winner. She’s going to bite his head off like a praying mantis on their honeymoon.
“Logan’s particular about the women he spends time with. I think we can all agree on the importance of that.”
“What we can agree on is we need someone reliable and dependable, at the helm of the company. Family is important, which is why grandfather put that codicil in his will.”
“He also stipulates line of succession passes to the firstborn son, of the firstborn son.”
“Unless, he’s unable to meet those terms. You and your runaway bride made him see a tighter reign was necessary.”
Wait, they’re talking about my mother? What the hell does she have to do with anything?
“Logan, knows taking a wife is a decision that should be made on facts, not emotions.”
“And yet, I hear his emotions are the exact reason he’s no longer in control at VDU.”
“You’ve heard incorrectly. He made a choice to relinquish control to focus on other things. Forward thinking future of McKay Media, things.”
“And giving up that control, has likely cost us alliances with some of the most powerful families in the country. Now they’ll be following the Lance’s.”
Uncle Alex is right. The students at VDU follow power. There are those still loyal to me, but they won’t wield the influence that we’re used to. This is a small hiccup. One I’m going to rectify it. I step away leaving them to continue their talk, heading to my room to get ready for the party. Whatever the issue with Uncle Alex is, dad will handle it. He always does.
Dad appears by my side an hour after the party starts. The look on his face says he’s more stressed than usual even though he’s trying to hide it. “I heard you and Uncle Alex talking earlier. Sounded heated.”
“Son, if there was any other way out of this for you, I’d encourage you to take it. You know that right?”
“Out of what?”
“You and your friends aren’t the first generation to make crazy agreements in their youth.”
I’m instinctively on guard, not liking the lead up to this conversation. Turning to face him, I ask, “Dad. What did you do?”
“Not me. Your grandfather. He put a codicil in his will after your mother and I divorced.”
“Which said?”
He sips his scotch, grimacing at the will, or the burn. Or both. “McKay Media passes from the firstborn son to the firstborn son.”
“And if there’s not one…yada yada, I know all this. I’m the firstborn of the firstborn.”
“Right. Well, the codicil also has a stipulation about expanding the bloodline, making sure it always stays strong. So, in order to ensure that, he has a clause that would transfer majority shares to your Uncle Alex’s offspring, in the event mine couldn’t or wouldn’t make sound decisions.”
“Again, no worries. I’m of sound mind.”
“Some would argue losing VDU means, you’re not. That you’re emotionally susceptible to making bad decisions.”
“Even on my worst day, I’m more clearheaded than Aiden.”
“Yes, but he’s engaged to Claire, who comes from a very powerful family. And since he’s in a committed relationship…”
“Lemme guess. Uncle Alex is challenging that Aiden’s ready to supervise the planned expansion of our digital media department.”
“Yes, which would lead the way for him to trigger the clause in the will and assume control of the company.”
“Dad, that’s not going to happen.”
“I wish I was as confident as you, but Bella Lance will never relinquish control of VDU and is already realigning loyalties. Ones I think will be amenable to a change in the current power structure of Kingsley Hollow.”
“I promise I’m gonna make this right. Just give me a few weeks to work this out.”
“I’m afraid there’s no time for that son.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I’ve already put plans in motion to block Alex’s bid.”
My stomach knots and I know I’m not going to like whatever her says next. “Dad, what did you do?”
My phone rings and I ignore it. It rings again, and I send it to voicemail. The third alert is my ping, on my Prospectus administrator account, which could only mean one thing. Simon is trying to get a hold of me.
I pull out my phone to tell him I’ll call him later, and break out in a cold sweat.
“I’m sorry son, this was the only way,” Dad says clasping my shoulder as he walks way.
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Emergency Alert: Your dad just submitted the first draft of a prenup between you and Isabelle Lance
Follow me here for updates on book three.
Acknowledgments
With book one, I felt like a new parent. I had a lot of sleepless nights and long days cozying up to my characters, while writing their story.
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Book was like a toddler that took everything I learned about writing and dumped it on its head. This book wanted to do things its own way and fought me every step of the way for independence. I worried constantly about going too far, and screwing up these characters you love.
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I’d still be struggling with that worry, if it weren’t for my phenomenal beta readers.
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Rickan, Jen, Reagan, Stephanie, and Sylvia, thank you for providing such valuable insight and feedback on the story. You let me know I haven’t crossed the line. Yet. (Guess there’s always room for improvement).
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To my Facebook readers group. Thank you for cheering me on during this process. You guys are always so supportive and your excitement about this book made me excited to write it.
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To the authors, bloggers and social media dynamos. I can’t thank you enough for your support. You’re the reason I know I’m not posting to an empty space, and I love you for it.
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And finally, to you, the reader. Thank you for deciding to continue this journey with me. I hope you loved the story as much as I did.
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Until next time,
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Dakota
About the Author
Hey guys and gals,
So, I’m supposed to talk about me, which I find is always hard for me to do, which is ironic, since my job is to be a puzzle builder of words.
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I’m a mother of three humans and one fur baby, I’m a voracious reader who loves travel, seafood, paranormal/ supernatural books and tv shows, Hallmark movies, and after dark deliciousness that I would never tell my co-workers about.
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I’m here to push boundaries with my stories, and hopefully take you all on a fantastic journey along the way.
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Contact Dakota Lee
Email: dakota@dakotaleebooks.com
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