Chapter 17
"What was that about?" Riley asked, stuffing her face with hors d'oeuvres
I turned around and found Jessica and Riley standing behind me. Jessica was wearing a light green lace strapless dress with the skirt flowing out. Her hair was pinned up into a bun, and she was also wearing a gold necklace. Riley was wearing a purple silk suit, and her hair was in a high ponytail. Riley was Jessica's date for tonight; that was the only way she could get in. This wasn't a Mandatory Ball which meant we didn't have to come here, but it looked good if we did. We were allowed dates, but as far as they knew, we were all in the same social circle.
"Henry is worried about the plan."
"So am I," Riley admitted. "I mean, Noah knows something is going to go down, and yet we are just supposed to act like everything is going according to plan?"
"It is. We don't need to worry about Noah."
Riley looked at me like I was an idiot. "It's giving delusional."
"I know, but trust me, if Noah tries anything, it'll be the last thing he'll do."
"Do you think you could hurt him?" Jessica asked.
"Yeah." and it scared me that I didn't know if that was a lie or not. "When they make the toast, that's when you need to the room and put the flash drive into the computer. It'll do the rest. You have to be back before they start the dance. Are you sure you can do this?" I asked Jessica.
I hated that she had to be the one to do it, but with Noah watching me like a hawk and Riley not being a member of the Blue Rose, it was up to Jessica. I pulled out the flash drive from my clutch and acted like I was affectionately holding her hand.
"I can do this, Lena. I promise I won't let you down." she took the flash drive and put it in her purse.
I nodded. I went to where Noah was watching me while talking to the boys. They all, of course, were dressed impeccably. Each of them was wearing their family's color.
"What were you three talking about?" Scott said in a suspicious tone. He took a sip of his drink and eyed me.
"Our periods," I said flatly, causing him to choke on his drink.
I saw Noah smile, and he pulled me to him. He grabbed my ass in front of everyone, and it took everything in me not to slap him silly.
"Lena Warren." I looked up and saw Wallace Grant.
Noah let go of my ass, brung me to his side, and wrapped an arm around my waist.
He was wearing an all-orange suit. His hair was slicked back, and he held a cane. He looked like a freaking tv villain.
"Grandfather," Noah greeted him.
He never glanced at Noah and stared at me. Noah held me tighter, a move Wallace didn't seem to miss. His eyes moved away from me to the way Noah had me and looked back at me.
"What was your last name before Herny adopted it?"
"Lena Parker," I said without missing a beat.
All my past information was changed. Lillian Thompson never existed.
"Hmm. What were your birth parents' names?"
Why the hell would he want to know that?
"Grandfather Lena doesn't-"
Wallace gave Noah a hard, cold look that shut him up. He looked back at me, utterly cool as a cucumber, expecting an answer.
"I don't know."
It was true. I was dropped off at a fire station. A nurse named me Lillian, and I took my last name Thompson from one of my foster families I don't even remember.
"How cruel of them to leave you without any identity. That must be hard."
"I've managed it."
"So you have. I heard you have excelled at your other schools. Tell me, why Caswell?"
"It's the best college in the country. I would be an idiot not to at least try to get in."
He smiled at me, and it sent chills through me. "Indeed. You two have a good night."
I hadn't noticed a tall, pale, dark-haired woman before following behind him as he left. She wore a red flowy dress, and her hair was pinned to one side and curled all around. She kept her head down, and despite her apparent nervousness, she was gorgeous.
"What the hell was that about?" I asked Noah when they had left.
"I have no idea," Noah replied
"Do you think he knows who I am?"
"Doubtful. He thinks Lillian died in juvie."
"Can I get everyone's attention, please?" a voice announced.
We all looked at the front of the Ballroom, where a member of the Harrison family was making a speech. We listened as the woman, probably a cousin of Scott's, went into a speech about how grateful they were for all the people here. The non Blue Rose members didn't know about the whole, initiations, killing people, stealing, etc. All the good stuff. I acted like I was looking around before looking at the staircase where Jessica was heading up. I found Riley at the back of the crowd giving me a little thumbs up. I looked back at the speaker, and when she finished, she announced to grab our dance partners. Riley forced Scott to dance with her, making his date angry because she had to stand to the side. Noah wrapped an arm around my waist and took my hand. We began our dance with everyone else.
"What are you three up to?" Noah asked.
"I have no idea what you mean."
"Where's Jessica?"
"Probably peeing."
"Don't bullshit me. Tell me what's going on."
"Nothing."
"Lena, this needs to stop. Doing something here is dangerous."
"Well, good thing we aren't doing anything."
Noah spun me around and brought me back to him.
"I hope not."
We continued dancing, and I looked around, only Riley and no Jessica. I got worried. The song ended, and so did the dance. Noah held me to him as everyone was led to the large dining room for dinner. I started to sit at the table for other members, but Noah pulled me to his table with the second successors.
"What are you doing?" I asked him.
"You're my date. You sit with me."
He flagged down a waiter and he brought an extra chair. Noah made me sit down, and I looked at all the other members, who looked on in shock and disbelief.
"Noah, you can't break the rules like this."
"One day, I'll run the Blue Rose so I can do whatever I want."
I sighed and ordered my food. My lobster arrived, and I dug in like everyone else. I looked around and blew out a breath of relief when I saw Jessica sitting with Riley. I didn't know what to feel. The most significant part of the plan was almost complete, yet I didn't feel as excited as I expected.
"So, did daddy Noah train you to only speak when spoken to?" I asked the boys, who had been all too quiet lately.
"I love hearing you call me daddy," Noah said. I rolled my eyes.
"Noah doesn't tell us shit. We would rather not waste our breath on you. You'll get what's coming to you very soon." Scott said, and the rest of the guys but Noah laughed.
Noah glared at all of them. "Threaten her again, and I'll make what those guys did to you look playful."
Scott didn't say anything and just ate his steak aggressively. I was going to be keeping a closer eye on them. I haven't heard anything on the cameras' recordings in his room. I'm hoping they haven't found them.
1 note
·
View note