Page 209 of Incisive

Or trip her.

No,badPOTUS.

Still, despite Kayley’s warnings, I can’t help myself baiting her.

It’smywedding day, dammit. “Cat got your tongue, Sis?”

“You arenotmy favorite person, asshole.” She carefully mutters so as not to disturb her forced smile.

“Hey, I’m not the one who tried to disrupt their sibling’s wedding. My ass was there early, even. It was Ellis’ father who caused all the problems.” Thereisa fact I learned a while back but haven’t gigged her about yet because I was saving it for a special occasion.

Like right now. “By the way, howisyour father-in-law doing? I heard there was quite the family ruckus a few weeks after your wedding.”

Her jaw tenses. “Everything’s fine.”

“Really? I heard he filed a restraining order against you and Ellis with help from his granddaughter and there’s an ongoing lawsuit over clawing back money and assets he’s claiming Ellis stole from him.”

Her eye twitches. “His old doctor was overmedicating him and we didn’t know. That’s not our fault.”

“Huh. Ialmostbelieved that but youreallyneed to learn to lie better if you’re going to hang out with Republicans for the rest of your life.”

Her smile is stapled firmly in place but she’s trying to Force-choke me with her gaze. “Fuck you, Elliot.”

“Aww, did I hurt your feelings? By the way, whenareyou getting that divorce? Sounds like Ellis might need your money if his daddy’s kicked him off the family teat. Hope your pre-nup’s solid.”

“Shut up and dance and let’s get this over with.”

“I’m honestly shocked you didn’t wave Leo off when he walked over.”

“He told me if I didn’t get up and dance with you both and make it look good that he’ll drop the info he’s got with a friend of his at WaPo.” Her gaze finally meets mine. “I still think he had something to do with Grace’s death. Not that I can prove it. But if I ever can I will fuckbothof you over so hard with a sandpaper dildo.”

A chill runs through me and now I’m the one forcing myself to smile. “Grace was a drug addict who sold you out,” I say. “How do you think we knew where to look for the info about your abortion and your other…activities? Just her bad luck she didn’t get help while she was ahead. She was feeding us alotof interesting information about you, Ellis, and several of your mutual ‘friends.’ Was working on a deal with our side to switch parties and dump abunchof GOP oppo research into the public domain. You should see the info we have on both of you, courtesy of Grace, that Leo didn’t tell Mom and Dad about that night. You’re welcome, by the way.”

Damn common sense—she’s looking a little green around the gills so I ruthlessly press my advantage. It’s what she would do, after all.

Besides, I’m fucking enjoying this. “Guess Grace never told you about any of that, huh?Tsk. She was running her own game and you were one of her biggest marks. She took the political temperature and realized blue’s the winning team over red. You know how she was, always looking for the angle that was best for her and loyal only to herself. She wanted to reap all the benefits of this deal even when it meant burning you to the ground in the process. So if anyone’s to blame in her death besides bad luck, I’m certain it came fromyourside of the aisle, not ours. We had way too much to gain by welcoming her into the fold. Maybe even you or your ‘friend’ Leo mentioned. You certainly had far more to gain by her death than any of us did.”

Her nostrils flare but she shuts up. I know that look, too.

She’spissed.

And scared. Terrified, even. Because she always underestimates me, and she’s used to me rolling over or stonewalling her instead of fighting back and hitting hard, she believes I’m telling her the truth.

I mean, I havenoclue how Leo really found out about Stella’s abortion or her affair, but it’s a logical explanation. Perhaps Grace revealed the info to Jordan during their visits, and he passed it to Leo to follow up. Grace and Stella have been close since they were kids. I assume Grace would not only know about Stella’s abortion, but with her money Grace was likely the one who helped get Stella to New York to have it in the first place. Maybe even paid for it.

And I’m more than happy to throw Stella’s dead bestie under the karma bus, even if it’s not the truth, just to screw with my sister and make her paranoid. Because Stella knows as well as I do that would exactly fit Grace’s MO to a tee and be completely within the realm of not just possibility, but probability.

You see, Leo and Jordan aren’t the only experts at mind-fucks in this relationship.

Yeah, I know, I know. It’s exactly the opposite of what Kayley said to do, but at this point ask me if I even care?

I can start grey-rocking Stella as soon as this dance is over.

Fortunately, Dad walks over and saves me and I hand Stella off to him as Alan starts dancing with Kayley. Leo rests his hand in the small of my back as we return to our seats, where he leans in.

“You know I want to hear all about that conversation later. In detail.”

“You will.”