Page 59 of The Villain's Beast

“My dad just told me I was going to Rose Hill. I was going to be in the Thorns.” I swallowed, the spit lodging in the back of my throat and choking me. “He told me to get close to Fletcher. He said he’d be an ally.”

“An ally.” Fletcher scoffed, and my cheeks burned.

I turned my attention toward my lap, toward the oversized cuffs of Gideon’s hoodie, frayed around the edges even before my nails had started to pick at the seams. Luca reached over and grabbed my hand, fighting it out from beneath the thick material and threading our fingers together. It wasn’t a romantic gesture, more in solidarity as he gave me a reassuring squeeze.

“You’re obviously planted here,” Luca said, the accusation landing counter to the comfort of his hand.

“The question is who planted you and why,” Daren added.

“It’s obviouslyyourfather,” Fletcher said to Gideon, tone barely laced with a tired and old accusation. “Why else would he have said to get close to me?”

“He said to make you an ally,” Gideon countered.

“Then he must not know me at all,” Fletcher murmured.

Daren huffed an affronted noise out of his nose. “I’m right here.”

Fletcher glanced up, stare flickering from Daren to Luca and back again. “I know, Daren. I see you.”

That shut him up, and I wanted to reach for him on my other side, to take his hand the way Luca had taken mine, but the thought of having my arms spread open with Fletcher and Gideon across the table felt more like an execution thananything else. I didn’t have the heart for it, so instead I stretched my leg and wrapped my foot around the back of Daren’s ankle.

“We all agree that Bellamy is here because someone above us wants him here,” Fletcher summarized. “But we don’t know who that person is yet.”

The other three men nodded.

“I think the most likely suspect is yours.” He pointed at Gideon, who seemingly bristled at the accusation, but didn’t deny it.

“Maybe it was yours,” Gideon suggested. “To make sure you stay away from me.”

Fletcher’s face paled, and he opened his mouth quickly before closing it again. He reached for the empty wine glass in front of him, poured a healthy helping from the bottle, and swallowed it down in one go, cursing under his breath as he settled back into his seat.

“No one has asked me to report anything,” I said quietly.

“Not yet,” Luca interjected.

“It’s still the weekend of the offering,” Fletcher said, cracking his neck. “There won’t be anything to report until tomorrow at best.”

“I’d say there’s plenty.” Daren chuckled.

“What do I do?” I asked, palm sweating against Luca’s hand. “What do I say? I don’t know what was supposed to happen this weekend, but I certainly don’t think it was supposed to end like this.”

“I did what I was supposed to,” Fletcher said sharply, which had Gideon frowning beside him. “Did you?”

“Not entirely,” he answered, pointing at Luca. “Obviously.”

“This is a mess.” Fletcher poured himself another glass of wine, poured one for Gideon as well.

“I hate to interrupt.” Luca carefully untangled our fingers, giving me a reassuring look as he took back his hand. “But there’s another matter at play here that no one has brought up.”

“What now?” Fletcher asked.

“You two, obviously.” Daren said it so Luca wouldn’t have to.

“What is going on with the two ofyou?”

“Nothing any of you need to worry about,” Gideon said, almost growling.

I shivered, leaning back in my chair, but there was nowhere for me to go.