Sweet Retribution (Rydeville High Elite #3)(37)

“Nothing much, loser,” I scoff, pulling my lips into a sneer, as we settle into a familiar pattern.

“I don’t know what I ever saw in you,” he says. “And I regret every second I spent with you.”

“Touché, asshole,” I instantly retort. Invisible daggers penetrate my flesh and bone, stabbing me all over, as pain suffuses my body, almost crippling me. I’m fighting tears, and the battle is real. I know he doesn’t mean it, but it’s hard to maintain the charade when his words cut me, slicing and dicing as if the sentiments were true. I can scarcely force one foot in front of the other, but Charlie is there, tugging me forward with a determined look on my face.

Of course, Father seats Charlie and me directly across from Kai and Giselle, and I eye my steak knife with longing, wondering how good my aim could be. If I picked it up and threw it at my bastard father, would it embed in his cold heart, plucking his lifeforce away?

As if he can sense where my mind has gone—he most likely can, because I’m an open book with him—Kai subtly kicks me under the table. It’s a warning to get myself together and not be so transparent.

“Were you in an accident of some sort, Kaiden?” Alessandra’s mother, Meredith, asks, casting a suspicious look over his bruised face. While his injuries are nowhere near as bad as they were a few days ago, it’s still obvious something awful happened to him.

“Kaiden is into cage fighting,” Father says before anyone can respond. “He’s got quite the reputation in the underground circuit where he’s undefeated.”

That fucking asshole.

Everyone in this room, except the Mathers, knows how Kai got those injuries. Father is covering his tracks and testing Atticus at the same time, seeing how he will react.

Atticus levels a cool look at Michael, obviously displeased, but he does a decent job of disguising it.

“Oh.” Meredith is definitely unimpressed.

“Come now, Meredith,” Denton, Alessandra’s father, says, from his seat beside me. He plants his heavy hand down on her thigh. “Look at the positives. He’ll be well able to protect Giselle.” He drills her with a warning look, and it’s her cue to shut her mouth and focus on looking pretty.

I grind my teeth to the molars, schooling my features into a neutral expression.

“Kaiden has a four-point-oh GPA and he’s expected to graduate top of his class. He’ll be attending Rydeville University next fall, studying architecture,” Atticus says, trying to paper over the bastard’s sabotage attempt. “And Maverick is in his senior year at Harvard. He’s studying to be a doctor.”

“A very noble profession,” Meredith says, smiling at Rick, more enamored with him than Kaiden.

“And what about you, Abigail?” Denton asks, turning in his chair to look at me. From this proximity, he can see down the top of my dress and he isn’t shy about ogling me.

“I have a four-point-one GPA, and I intend to attend Rydeville University next year although I’m undecided on a program.” I smile at Charlie before letting my gaze drift across the table to my father. “Unless my husband or my father has other plans for me, of course.”

Kai leans back in his chair, sliding his arm along the back of Giselle’s chair, smirking. “Look how far the mighty have fallen.”

“Excuse me?” I act incredulous, although I’m seething inside, watching his fingers toy with her hair. She’s mooning at him, looking seconds away from launching herself into his lap.

It’s only an act.

He loves me.

I love him.

I tell myself this over and over, but it’s fucking hard.

“I used to think you had balls.”

“Kaiden,” Atticus snaps. “Watch your language.”

Kai ignores his father. “But you’re just another weak female who can’t think for herself. Pathetic. I’m glad I wised up before I made the biggest mistake of my life.”

“You don’t get to speak to my wife like that, Kaiden.” Charlie straightens up, sliding his arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his body. “And I think you’ll find it’s Abby who wised up before ruining her life attaching herself to a degenerate like you.”

“Now, now, boys.” Dad thumps his fist on the table. “There’s no need for a pissing contest.” His gaze dances between Charlie and Kaiden.

“I don’t understand,” Denton says, frowning. “Is there something I should know?”

Father’s jaw tightens. “Kaiden and Abigail dated for a very brief period. It wasn’t serious.”

Denton frowns again. “But I thought she was engaged to Mr. Montgomery before she became engaged to Mr. Barron?”

I cast a quick glance over the table, and everyone is riveted, all eyes trained on Kai and me. Giselle and Alessandra seem especially interested in our drama, and that makes me all kinds of suspicious. Who exactly are these girls, and how come they were chosen for the guys?

Trent smirks at me from the other end of the table, while Shandra pins me with sympathetic eyes. “I broke off my engagement when she cheated on me with Anderson.” Trent casually throws out an incendiary statement, and it goes down as expected.

Father slams his fist down on the table so hard it’s a miracle the table doesn’t break in two. “I will not have you spreading filthy lies about my daughter, Trent.” He glares at Trent, and Christian shoots a warning look in his son’s direction. Sylvia’s vacant eyes meet mine, but it’s clear no one is home.