Glow (Glimmer and Glow #2)(89)

“That’s not true,” Thad said somberly, dragging his gaze off Alice. “You’ll get a spot. So will Dave and Kuvi. I’m sure of it.”

Alice agreed.

“Yeah, well not too long now before we know for sure, one way or another,” Brooke said, shrugging. She hitched her head toward the beach, looking pointedly at Thad. Thad nodded distractedly.

“You go on ahead. I need to talk to Alice about something,” he said.

Brooke’s eyes widened. Alice sensed her disbelief and anger. Brooke opened her mouth, and Alice sensed whatever she said wasn’t going to be pretty.

“It’s not what you’re thinking, Brooke,” Thad said sharply, preempting her fury. He held her stare. “I’ll be down to the beach to meet you in a couple minutes. This won’t take long. And it’s important. Trust me?”

Brooke’s mouth hung open. Alice thought she saw a hint of the vulnerability in Brooke’s eyes that had been there when she confronted Alice about Bang.

“Okay,” Brooke agreed. She gave Alice an uncertain glance before she turned and walked away.

“That was big of her,” Alice mumbled, meaning it. Brooke was definitely miles ahead of her in the trust department.

“Yeah,” Thad agreed grimly. Alice couldn’t think of what else to say when his gaze once again ran over her face. Alice felt like he was an artist studying her for a portrait.

“What is it, Thad?” she asked uneasily.

“I wanted you to know that I didn’t understand at first. What I overheard in the hallway of the castle that night. But I do now.”

His meaning penetrated. She took a step back from him. Out of the corner of her vision, she saw movement at the far left of the common area. She blinked at the vision of Sal Rigo standing on the path. It was as if he’d emerged magically from the trees somehow. He was staring at both of them, his features rigid. Thad noticed Rigo, too.

“What the fu—”

“It’s okay,” Alice said sharply, cutting off Thad’s indignant exclamation at Rigo’s blatant intrusion on a private conversation. She waved at Rigo, the gesture both an acknowledgement of his presence and an assurance that she was fine, and he needn’t approach any closer. She had difficulty meeting Thad’s stare.

“Dylan has asked him to watch over me,” she said uncomfortably.

There was an awkward silence.

“Because you’re Adelaide Durand? Because you’re the Durand heiress that was kidnapped twenty years ago?”

His quietly uttered words struck her like bullets, denting her mental armor. Maybe a few penetrated. Her throat had closed. She couldn’t reply. He put his hand on her upper arm.

“Alice?”

“You overheard me that night? You knew what it meant?” she asked in a quiet, choked voice. She still studied his T-shirt-covered chest, unable to look into his eyes. He was the first person outside of Dylan and Sidney who had confronted her with the truth. It felt intimidating, like her identity was too new, too fragile, and still forming to talk about it in the everyday world.

“After I overheard you and Fall talking, I just . . .” He looked uncomfortable. “I sensed how important it was, what you were saying . . . what was happening to you. But I didn’t really understand it, at first. So I asked my dad about it. He didn’t recall anything about the name Addie, but he did recall that the Durands had a daughter named Adelaide and that there was a tragedy that involved her. So I did some research, and I found some articles about the kidnapping. Since Fall has been so focused on you and so protective, I put two and two together. Sort of, anyway. I still don’t get how Fall found you.”

“It’s a long story,” Alice said quietly. She glanced up at him. “Please don’t say anything to anyone, Thad. The truth will come out, eventually. We’re having genetic testing done, but it takes time. I’m not ready for it to be known yet.”

He nodded tensely. His gaze strayed over to Rigo, who still watched them with a tight focus from a distance. “I guess it’s good,” Thad said slowly. “That he’s watching over you.”

“I’m sure it’s overkill. But it makes Dylan feel better.”

“And it doesn’t bother you? That Fall knows who you are, and started up a relationship with you?”

She stared into his green eyes, and saw only concern. A chill passed through her. “No, it’s not like that, Thad. Dylan and I have a long history, together. Longer than you realize. Deeper than you realize. Don’t judge him. I owe everything to him.”

“You don’t owe him anything, Alice.” His mouth tightened and he shook his head, cutting her off when she opened her mouth to refute him.

“I was starting to think you were right after the Alumni Dinner, that maybe I was misjudging Fall. He can seem decent enough at times. But over the weekend I found out . . . everything. I figured out why he’s so focused on you.” He glanced aside, making sure Rigo remained in the distance before he continued in a more hushed tone. “Don’t you remember, what I told you the first week of camp? About how the majority of Durand shares are tied up in a trust, and how Fall is hamstrung in his control of the company without being able to touch that wealth?”

“Yes, I remember,” Alice said, anger making it easier to meet his stare. “Dylan explained it all to me. He’s not making a secret of it. Why would he?”