Page 70 of Filthy Little Pretties

“Settle down with all the testosterone.”

“Right,” Caroline commiserates before standing. “Listen, I’ll be there with bells on. However, right now, I have to go and meet with the alumnae committee to discuss what I’ll be saying during the award ceremony forour fatherlater today.”

Her words are targeted directly at Grey. But he’s suddenly on his phone, refusing to look up or acknowledge that she’s spoken.

“What award?” I toss out, trying to melt the ice-cold reaction that’s moved over Grey.

“Evan is being recognized as a leader of business by the alumnae. He basically donated a new building, and we’ve been invited to say a word.”

Her eyes land on Grey again, but he keeps playing on his phone as if he hasn’t heard a single word she’s said.

“Anyone want to come with?” she pushes again.Uh-oh.

I tap Grey’s wrist gently, leaning sideways toward him. “Grey, I think Caroline is speaking to you.”

His eyes dart up, leveling on me hatefully. “I hear her. I’m not fucking deaf. And Caroline is aware of my answer by way of my silence. Feel free to remove yourself from my family situation.”

Whoa. What the fuck? Excuse me, Your Majesty.

Giving a raise of my eyebrows as I turn away, I right myself in my seat, feeling the rage rise from my toes. Caroline snatches her small pink bag from the table, giving Grey the look of death before she turns and saunters out of the cafeteria. The table is bathed in uncomfortable silence, partially from Grey and the other from the quiet hate coursing through my body.

I shift my gaze to Liam, who furrows his brows and shakes his head like “just leave it,” but I’m pissed. It’s one thing to fight with everyone else, but Grey doesn’t speak to me like this. He doesn’t exclude me from his life. And he certainly doesn’t call anyone “family” without it being me. I push my tray away and glare at him. Before I can say anything, he steals my chance.

“It’s a sore spot. Don’t make it something it’s not.”

“That’s not enough.”

“What’s enough?”

“Answers. Then an apology.”

Grey grips my chair, turning it roughly toward him. “Well, Cherry, I’ll answer your fucking questions when you start answering mine.”Asshole.

I know exactly what he means. He’s talking about what he asked me at the theater. The question that went unanswered. The one that keeps building momentum at every turn.

When I don’t respond, he shakes his head. “No? That’s what I thought.” He pushes my chair back, looking to the table. “Change of subject. Red Oak.”

The banter starts up obediently by the other guys, volleying shit talk about the opposition. But I’m seething, mainly because I was checkmated.Dick. I take a bite of my apple and try to diminish my anger by listening to the conversation, but it’s not working. My mind keeps mulling over how easily he essentially told me to shut the fuck up.

It’s one thing to ask me to respect his privacy but quite another to verbally spank me. And in front of Caroline, of all people. It was cruel. He’s an arrogant ruler, but I’m not under his thumb.

“Okay. Wait a minute,” I interject, sorting through an idea from something I just heard. “You guys act like you’re so superior. Why is this even a thing with Red Oak?”

Kai leans forward, smiling. “We are superior, but we make this match harder—choosing to race in the old-school wooden boats, not the speedier composite ones we get for the season. We also let the other team pick a member to sit out. It can be any of the positions save our one and two—the captain and co-captain.”

“And the one and two for Hillcrest?”

“Us,” Liam answers, motioning between him Grey.

“And for Red Oak?”

Ethan takes a swig of his Coke, setting it back on the table. “Paul Hearst and this dick named Troy.”

My fingers find my bracelets, the thought beginning to form but not enough to stick yet.

“Got it. So you tie one hand behind your back, so to speak.”

Liam claps his hands together, wagging his eyebrows. “Exactly.”