Sweet Retribution (Rydeville High Elite #3)(102)

The president sways on his feet, and Rick’s hand darts out, helping to steady him.

Shouts and accusations ring out around the room as men get to their feet, shaking their fists and baying for blood.

The council is the most sacred structure within Parkhurst, and to take such action against the president is the most grievous crime of all, in their eyes. Dr. Collingsworth was smart enough to confide this knowledge in us, and it tied into the plans we had for Christian for today.

I’ve always wondered why Christian put up with my father’s shit. Christian is a descendant of a founding family, yet he acted as my father’s lackey for years. I knew there had to be a reason for it, and for the fact he let him believe he killed Emma Anderson.

We discussed it at length, and all drew the same conclusion—that he was biding his time until he could use it against him. Father wasn’t the only one planning things on the sidelines. Christian was letting father do all the donkey work, and he facilitated it by poisoning the president, paving the way for Father to build his campaign, and then he was going to swoop in and steal it out from under him.

What he said last night confirmed that our confidence had been breached. That someone had told him what we were planning, and the arrogant son of a bitch just sat back and let it happen. We were doing his legwork for him, and he thought he could swoop in like a noble knight and rescue the vote and the council.

But he underestimated us.

Like most everyone has.

We have considered every angle, and we also caught a lucky break. Gregory Penn was the one who let it slip to Drew that the elite were switching their allegiance to Christian. It was a major fuck-up, which sealed his fate today. But we were coming prepared anyway.

We knew Christian and Trent were going to strike now, so we have all the evidence father compiled on him with us today, and it was also in the files delivered to the police station. Christian is going down too, and I’m only sorry I didn’t think to grab Denton Mather’s file from the vault as well.

But once Father is gone, we’ll have full access to his files, and we plan to use them to completely shut the elite down for good.

“This is complete bullshit,” Christian coolly says, smiling at the president. “Surely, you don’t believe the words from a corrupt doctor who doesn’t even have the balls to show his face here today.” Christian snatches the paper from the president’s hand, tearing it up.

“It’s true!” Sylvia Montgomery says, approaching the stage with tears in her eyes. I was wondering when she was going to make a move. She and mom have been sharing looks ever since she reappeared. “I’ve overheard him bragging about it with others,” she says, and I wince as she slurs her words a little. “Including him.” She points her finger at Mathers. “It wasn’t just Christian. He was in on it too.”

Mom steps forward, grabbing Sylvia into a hug, and glaring at Christian over her shoulder. I lock eyes with Rick. “Can you get them out of here now?” I murmur. I want them gone before chaos descends.

“I’ve got this,” Rick says, walking toward the women.

“This is utter nonsense,” Christian says, sending a derisory look in his wife’s direction as Rick and Sawyer usher her and Mom off the stage. Mom looks back at me, and I nod, telling her it’s okay to go. Jackson and Sawyer filled her in on the way, so she knows the score, but I spot the terror in her eyes, and I get it. I don’t want anything to happen to her, not after we’ve just been reunited, and she feels the same way about us.

“Go,” I mouth. “We’ll be okay. We love you.” I nod at Shandra as she steps out of her seat to join them, urging her to leave with them too.

Christian is continuing in his attempt to pass this off as nonsense. “Fabricated by my wife who doesn’t live in the real world. She spends most days drunk or high, and I should have placed her in the medical facility years ago.”

We all know why he didn’t. Because Mom was there. And he wouldn’t reunite the best friends, even if it meant she was out of his hair.

Christian pins darks eyes on me. “And orchestrated by a little girl who thinks she can get up here and try to tell us, the elite, how to conduct our business. It’s clear Hearst failed as a father, but don’t worry, I will take the girl in hand and discipline her.”

Kai growls, taking a step forward with his fists raised, but I hold him back. Christian Montgomery won’t be anywhere near me to lay a hand on me.

Drew takes the file from Jackson, passing it to the president. “I assure you, the medical report and the doctor’s statement is no word of a lie, but feel free to get another opinion,” he says.

“And poisoning you is the least of Christian’s crimes,” I say, grinning. “That file contains a list of all his fraudulent financial transactions. For years, he has been skimming an additional ten percent off every transaction for services his company provided to Parkhurst and other elite organizations. The list of companies who have been defrauded are on the screen right now.”

Most heads turn to the overhead screen, eyes squinting as they examine the names of the companies he took advantage of.

Cries of outrage echo around the room, and a red haze coats Christian’s eyes as reality dawns.

No one in this room will support him now.

Not with the knowledge he was stealing from them and he poisoned their president in a blatant move to take his position.