by Ivy Fox
“And what exactly is that?” Ollie questions, anxious.
“During our investigation, it came to our knowledge that Judge Grayson started legal proceedings to overturn the beneficiaries of your mother’s will, thus preventing all of you to access the full inheritance when you turn twenty-one. Just three months shy of when your brother Roman could access his trust in its whole.”
“That can’t be possible,” Ollie relents unbelievingly. “My mother’s estate has been divided evenly amongst us upon her death. What grounds could our father even have to contest something that was set in stone almost six years ago?”
“I’m afraid he found a way, Oliver. It seems your father had in his possession a copy of your mother’s amended will, one she had notarized before her death, but for some reason never gave to her lawyers. The information we were able to obtain suggests that the will had been misplaced somehow and only recovered this summer. Your father made contact with his attorneys to start proceedings without the knowledge of any of you, but he was killed before the case made it to court.”
A million scenarios play around in my head, but my mind latches on to one piece of information that sets my alarm bells ringing the most.
“I’m sorry, did you say this summer? The judge somehow got his hands on a new will that no one even knew existed, this summer? Was this before or after he married my mother?” I ask, my suspicions increasing at maddening speed.
Her brows pull together in thought, as she takes out her phone and starts scrolling through what looks to be some sort of PDF files. She then stops and points at the screen, but doesn’t actually show us what is on it.
“I see the paperwork was filed the first week of August.”
“So, just a few days after the wedding,” I reiterate, and she nods in agreement.
“Seems so,” she replies, eyeing me curiously, and then shakes her head, directing her attention back to Ollie. “We have a strong belief that Roman became aware of the impending lawsuit, and to prevent your father from going through with it, ended his life. I know it must be painful to hear, but you, of all people, know the Grayson net worth is in the billions mark. People have killed for far less, Oliver. If that isn’t a strong motive, I don’t know what is.”
‘Rome is not a killer!’ I want to scream in her face, but I bite down on my tongue, so I don’t curse out the helpful woman.
Ollie places his hand to the small of my back, silently pleading for me to keep it together a few minutes longer.
“What happens next? With my father’s contention of my mother’s former will?”
“In his death, the lawsuit can only be conducted if Judge Grayson’s widow decides to pursue it, seeing as it’s her right to go after her dead husband’s estate. But I’m sure it won’t come to that. From the conversations I’ve had with Mrs. Grayson, her main concern is putting the man who killed her husband behind bars. I’m sure money is the last thing on her mind right now.”
“Don’t count on it,” I mumble, but then pretend to clear my throat, hoping my little snarky comment goes undetected.
“Thank you, Michelle. You’ve given us much food for thought,” Ollie says gratefully.
She sure has. And right now, I feel the poison of all this new knowledge eat away at the ribbons of any hope that Rome will ever see the light of day again.
Not if my mother has her way.
“This sucks balls. I mean, how are we supposed to act like we’ve got our shit together and concentrate on school, when Rome is locked up at Rikers, of all places? Principal Green is being a total prick in forcing us to attend classes when he knows damn well our family is going through the biggest clusterfuck of our lives,” Elle curses between gritted teeth. She throws her burrito back on her plate, her lack of appetite and frustration mimicking my own perfectly. “I mean, you went AWOL for over a month, and he didn’t punish you or threaten to hold you back a year for not attending class!” she exclaims, throwing Ash a scornful glare.
“That’s because Chad’s mom, being a doctor, wrote a note telling him I was going through some form of rehab for my inability to cope with our bastard of a father being in a coma. I guess Principal Green is more lenient with absences when the reason behind it is good publicity for the school. Helping a troubled kid who went off the rails—because the honorable Judge Malcolm Grayson was at death’s door—has a better ring to it than the school showing support, in any way, to his supposed murderer,” Ash grunts, picking at his food without any intention of eating it.
We all bow our turmoil-filled heads, each one of us feeling helpless and destitute for having to spend another day in court. As Detective Gomez secretly advised Ollie and me last week, the first days of Rome’s trial were all about the prosecution establishing means, motive, and opportunity. And so far, they have been very efficient at portraying Rome as the type of son who would kill his own father without any remorse, if it meant he could keep his mother’s estate for himself.
But at least, Judge Katz wasn’t kidding when she said she would try to give Rome the speediest and fairest trial possible. She hasn’t made any attempts to delay the proceedings in the least, to the District Attorney’s disgruntlement. It’s no secret that the longer this court case lasts, the more air time and publicity the DA gets for his office and his political ambitions.
Judge Katz, though, seems averse to all the media attention and prefers to get on with it as fast as she can. The cameras outside her courtroom seem to annoy her more with each passing day, and even though the Coen brothers asked for this due diligence of a speedy trial, I’m not sure if she granted their request more for Rome’s benefit or her own. All I know is that, even with how fast she’s willing to speed the trial up, Rome is still locked away at Rikers Island, amongst real criminals. The thought alone that each day his life is in peril because of me has me losing my mind.
“Can we please talk about something else?” I mumble, not wanting to break down in the cafeteria, of all places, wondering how Rome is doing this very second inside one of the worst prisons in the country.
Ash reaches his hand out to me over the table, and I instinctively take it. His eyes turn soft as we entwine our fingers together, desperately wanting to take away the pain I’m feeling, even though his is just as overwhelming.
With Rome in jail, the rebellious boy is doing everything in his power to step up and deal with his older brother’s responsibilities. Not only is he on his phone twenty-four-seven, ensuring the Grayson Foundation demands are fulfilled, but he’s also frequently at the Coen brothers’ offices to make sure they are bringing their money’s worth in getting the acquittal we need. The hothead that, at one point would have gotten into fights, drank, and smoked his way through this horrid mess, is keeping it together far better than anyone expected. And although I might have a little bit to do with his one-eighty transformation, deep in my soul, I know the main catalyst for this change is definitely Rome. The fear of losing his brother—the man who protected him, Ollie, and Elle all their lives—has made Ash rise up and do everything in his power to keep that from happening. Especially since, before this all exploded in our faces, Ash hadn’t exactly been on the best of terms with Rome, considering that I was the one who caused the rift between the two.
It pains me to see it had to come to this, for all of us to take stock of what’s important. Ollie, Ash, and I are still healing our wounds, our love ensuring we settle our wrongdoings and get back to the place we were before my mother married their father. Even though with Ollie it’s been an easier journey to move past all the pain we suffered, I feel that with Ash my heart is ready now, too. And if I’m honest with myself, it’s witnessing his selfless, protective side that has me thawing. Watching the man that I always knew was inside him, come out and be the champion his family needs when they are at their weakest, reminds me of all the reasons I fell in love with him in the first place.
I hear Elle suck in through her teeth in annoyance next to me, her eyes glued
to my hand clasped with Ash’s. I slowly pull my hand away, gaining a sullen sigh from the boy who would have preferred to keep our innocent, intimate contact going a little longer.
“Hey, where is Chad, anyway? I thought he’d be glued to your side right now?” Ollie asks, pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose, trying to divert Elle’s attention away from the little moment Ash and I were sharing.
But Elle just pushes her tray away, crossing her arms over her chest, her lips sealed into a nasty snarl. It’s obvious that Ollie’s topic of conversation appeals to her even less than Ash and I mending fences.
“Elle?” I nudge her shoulder to get her attention. “Are you two okay?” I ask with concern since Chad’s absence for the past few weeks is rather odd.
“Chad has his own stuff to deal with right now,” she answers bitterly, making my brows furrow together, leaving me befuddled.
That doesn’t sound like Chad at all. No matter what he could have going in his life, Rome being arrested, plus the Judge dying over Christmas break, is a cause of concern for any friend. Especially one that has been latched to Elle’s side since the day I met him. Why isn’t he here when she needs him most? Whatever the reason, it must have to do with what happened on their ski trip to Colorado during Thanksgiving. The iciness around them since they returned has been palpable, but somehow it must have gotten worse with time.
“You want to talk about it?” I ask earnestly, hoping she is willing to unburden whatever else is weighing her down. Unfortunately, her amber eyes take on a sullen glow as she shakes her head no.
I place my hand over her knee to give her a quick, comforting squeeze and say, “I’m here if you need to talk about it. You know that, right?”
She gives me a little nod, but it feels hollow somehow. I think that even though she doesn’t want to be angry at me for keeping quiet about what happened between her father and me that nightmarish night, a part of her still resents her brothers and me for not trusting her with the truth. As much as I explained that it was what Rome thought was best for her, I still see in her eyes how the explanation didn’t make the sting of omitting such a thing hurt her any less.
I’m about to broach the subject again when the screech of a chair next to Elle stops me from saying a word. For a quick second, I think that it’s Chad coming over to show his best friend the support she needs, but I’m dumbfounded when it’s Saint who sits next to her.
“How are you holding up?” he asks concerned, not even giving us a second glance.
She gives him a non-committal shrug, her attention on her barely eaten lunch.
“Yeah. I thought as much,” he grumbles, finally making eye contact with the rest of us sitting at the table. “Why are you four here, anyway? Shouldn’t you be looking for a way to get your brother out of jail or something?” he asks accusingly.
“Principal Green called the house yesterday and said we would lose a year if we didn’t show up today. It’s fucking bullshit. The school is just punishing us for supporting Rome when the whole city is grieving over our asshole of a father,” Ash answers resentfully.
“Well, fuck them! You miss a year? Then miss a fucking year,” Saint bellows, gaining Elle’s attention. “What do you say, princess? You want to bail this joint?”
“You know what? Yeah, I do.”
Saint’s dark eyes shine at her as he gets up from his seat and extends his hand over to her. Elle takes it without looking at us once, a no-longer absent smile finally reaching her lips.
“Sit down, Elle. You’re not going anywhere,” Ash commands harshly as he stands up and places his palms flat on the table.
She scoffs at him, never letting go of Saint’s hand at her side.
“You can’t order me around, Asher. Just because Rome is locked up, doesn’t mean you can take his place. No matter how hard you want to,” she says, throwing me a quick glare.
I bow my head, embarrassed by her insinuation, while Ash sits back in his chair, fuming, but thankfully not giving in to her provocation.
“Do what you have to do, Elle. I’ll tell your teachers you were sick,” Ollie defends, knowing its best not to kindle her fury any more than it already is.
“I don’t care what you do, Ollie,” she replies, a tinge of sadness rising in her tone.
Saint entwines his fingers in hers, pulling her closer to his side. He then leans down and presses a tender kiss on her temple with affection—one that I never knew he’d be capable of giving, let alone so blatantly offering it to his nemesis when she is showing a sliver of weakness.
“Let’s blow this joint,” he says, and she gives him a stiff nod, already following the tattooed menace toward the door.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea letting her leave like this. Especially with Saint,” I add my two cents, not happy with this change in dynamics.
“Elle’s a big girl.” Ollie tries to appease my concern.
“What Ollie is trying to say, is that Elle is a stubborn Grayson. She’ll end up doing whatever she’s set her mind to, and not anyone sitting at this table could do a thing to stop her. Let her blow some steam off with Pembroke’s crowned bad boy. Sooner or later, she’ll come to her senses and cool the fuck down,” Ash huffs out, seemingly complacent with his seventeen-year-old sister leaving with a guy who is notorious for his ‘hit it and quit it’ MO.
Still not a hundred percent on board, I try to see if I can spot the unlikely couple again through the madness that is Pembroke’s cafeteria at lunchtime. My eyes go wide in alarm when they stop at the entrance. Chad stands frozen still at the door, as he takes in Elle and Saint’s locked hands. I wait on bated breath for his next move, unsure of what to expect from the usually cheery, upbeat jock.
Saint throws him a stern nod while Elle’s shoulders stiffen in place, her features colder than the winter day outside. I can’t make out the words being spoken between the three, but the sinister smirk on Saint’s lips is telling me that Chad came out as the loser. The confirmation of it solidifies when Elle tightens her hold on Saint and leads him away from their best friend.
“The fuck is going on with those three?” Ollie softly asks, witnessing the same peculiar show my eyes were focused on.
“I’m not sure,” I reply, just as puzzled.
“Elle hasn’t said anything to you?”
I shake my head sullenly, hating the fact that Elle hasn’t confided in me yet.
“She’s still upset, huh?” Ollie asks sympathetically, thinking his baby sister is probably just lashing out because we kept the truth away from her for so long.
“She says she isn’t, but I think it’s only to spare my feelings.”
“Glad to see at least one of us is free from her wrath,” Ash snickers sarcastically, pushing his tray of food away, tired of keeping up with the charade that he could eat at a time like this. “She’s right on one thing, though. We should tell Principle Green to shove his rules up his ass and go home. Rome needs us more than we need to graduate this year.”
“I think you forget the kind of man our brother is. He’d be pissed that we blew our chances of graduating just for him. But even if we did, what could we do to help him out that we haven’t done already?” Ollie asks, genuinely considering if we can come up with something to aid Rome’s cause.
“Well, we could find out who’s this ‘secret witness’ the prosecution has,” Ash replies all too quickly, obviously having this unknown source nagging at him.
“I already know who it is.” I seethe, slumping into my seat.
“Who?” Ash questions, his brow up to his forehead.
I look at Ollie, his eyes somber, as I recollect everything the detective shared with us last week, reinforcing my conviction of who I believe to be the real bane of our existence.
“It was my mother. I’m sure of it.”
“Has she come to see you? Called you?” Ash asks worriedly, his spine ramrod straight and ready for a fight.
Afte
r I told Rome, Ollie, and Ash of what I remembered happening the night I was assaulted in the music room, along with their father’s proclamation of my mother’s involvement, she quickly filled the shoes of the ‘enemy number one’ after Malcolm was forced to step down. So, of course, any interactions I have with Vivienne are bound to worry all of them.
“No,” I assure him. “I haven’t talked to my mother since she left Grayson Manor. But who else could it be? After what Detective Gomez told us, I’m positive she’s the one who made sure the police took a second look at the judge’s death and checked for any signs of foul play. Who else would have anything to gain from throwing Rome in jail? Without him in the picture, and all of you being under the age of twenty-one, it will be easier for her to continue with the legal proceedings that your father started. Believe me when I tell you, that is her end game. For her, Rome locked up is only the cherry on top.”
“I hate to say it, but I think Snow’s right,” Ollie states matter-of-factly, sharing my own suspicions.
“That fucking bitch!” Ash growls, slamming his fist on the table and gaining all eyes on him.
Not that the student body hasn’t already been paying close attention to our every move since we returned to school. I felt it the moment we graced Pembroke High’s gates.
The whispering.
The stares.
Everyone gossiping and muttering Rome’s name, thinking of him to be capable of murder, and how we all look equally suspicious for supporting him so adamantly. What’s worse is that, after what happened at the Christmas fashion show, everyone knows that Rome and I are together. Which means my name is defamed in the halls just as much as Rome’s.
“It’s her fault.”
“She’s poisoned him. He was a regular guy before she came into his life and turned him into a psycho murderer.”
“Rome should have taken Addison back. She knew how to keep him on a leash.”
“That bitch is just like her father—a manipulative liar. The skank ruined a whole family.”
