Page 36 of Disobedient Pawn

you into one of them. You’re better than that.

I love you, Ro. I will take you in my heart wherever I go.

Leah

Folding up the letter, I placed it back into Rory’s hand. “She was my best friend, and I let that man hurt her in ways that will haunt me forever. So, I started looking for a way to take him out and kick him off the throne by any means necessary.” Rory put the letter back in his pocket and stood tall. “If you wish to kill me for speaking the truth, then that is the risk I had to take to do what is right and avenge what he did to my sister. The brightest soul I’ve ever met became a shadow scared of herself. He broke her.”

I believed him. The conviction in his tone told me that he wanted my father off the throne, but more than that, he wanted him dead. Would he keep his emotions in check and do what needed to be done for however long it took to be able to take over properly? That was the question. We called ourselves The Last Rank for a reason.

“And what makes you think I’m different from my old man? You’ve taken quite the risk coming here, not knowing where you were going or what I’d do to you.”

“You’re right. I don’t. You could be as big of an asshole as your father, but it was a risk I had to take. I’d heard whisperings of a group that was pissing off the Order of Kings. I didn’t know it was you when I came here, but I’ve spent every second trying to find out who you are. You wanted my answer. The short version is revenge.”

It was good to know that what we were doing was having the desired effect. The elders were getting annoyed and would start making mistakes. I would be there to pick up all the little pieces.

I stepped in closer to Rory. “You do know that could take time. I can’t have you going rogue. If I accept you into the fold, what guarantee do I have that you won’t ruin the larger plan?”

Rory shocked me as he lowered himself to the ground like a knight looking to be touched with a sword. “I swear to you on my sister’s life that I will do whatever I can to help and won’t do anything without your say. I am your pawn. Use me as you need. As long as it’s to take down your father, I will do anything you ask.”

A glance at Liam told me that he’d already looked into Rory, and as far as he was concerned, he was clean. I turned to look at Theo, who’d sat down on one of the cabin stairs, and he nodded his acceptance.

“Alright. I choose to accept you if you pass the initiation tonight, but from this moment on, you are sworn to secrecy about anything to do with The Last Rank. You don’t so much as glance my way if someone brings us up. You will do what I say, when I say it, without question.”

“I swear,” he said.

“Get him up.”

Walking away, I knew that Liam and Theo would bring Rory. Marching down the dimly lit path, I followed it until it opened into a half horseshoe shape. We had a fire pit built in the center with benches and a small stone podium. I wasn’t one for sacrifice like The Kings, but there was something to be said for tradition. The fire was low, but the glowing embers and orange flames danced, casting shadows in every direction. I’d spent many nights sitting around this fire with the guys or alone. It was my safe space and the one place my father didn’t know how to find me. I always shut off my phone and had removed the tracker in my car ages ago. That argument quickly got volatile when I refused to put it back in.

It wasn’t the fire that kept my attention tonight, though. No, it was the man tied to the big Oregon White Oak tree with Myles and Blake guarding him. We stopped in front of my wide-eyed prisoner, who had already pissed himself. The wet spot on his pants and the stench of fear wafting off of him proved how brave he really was.

“Unhood him.” I looked over my shoulder and recognized the guy under the black hood. Sandy blonde hair and brown eyes, he was good-looking enough to fit in with any of the popular crowds but didn’t stand out so much that people would recognize him at first glance. I watched him closely as his eyes left mine to stare at the man tied to the tree. He’d either make it through tonight or die where he stood.

“Austin thought it would be funny to make a joke of me on national television. He tried to have my medals stripped from me and make me look like a cheater, ruining my chances of making a national team.”

I nodded to Myles. He ripped off the tape and pulled the gag out of Austin’s mouth.

“It was only supposed to be a joke, I swear.”

The corner of my mouth lifted with the ridiculous answer. “No, I’m pretty sure you accomplished exactly what you wanted. You thought there was a good chance one of us would be taking steroids just because those of us at Wayward are known for getting into trouble, and even if we weren’t, it would discredit anything we did.” I held my arms out. “The damage would already be done, and that would be all people remembered. You win, we lose, no matter what.”

“No, man, I promise that’s not how it happened. Sabastian and I just thought they’d check your shit, throw you off your game, you know? We wanted to rattle your cage. We both saw the times you’ve been putting up all season and…shit. I didn’t think they’d wait until we were all on the podium.” His body shook as I stepped closer to the worm on the end of my hook.

“Do you know who I really am,” I asked, my voice no more than a whisper. Austin nodded slowly. “Yet, you chose to set us up anyway.” I smiled. “You’re either really brave or really fucking stupid. Which is it?”

“Really fucking stupid,” he blurted out, and all the guys snorted as they tried to contain their laughter.

“Well, that is one thing we can agree on.”

“I promise we’ll never cross you again. Whatever you want from my family, it’s yours,” he rambled. “We have lots of money, stocks, homes. I have a big family. Are you looking to marry someone?”

I shook my head. “You think I need any of that?”

“I…I…I…please, man,” Austin begged, and I wondered what his fancy model girlfriend would think if she saw him now.

I slammed my fist beside his head, the bark biting into my hand with a thud that rustled the remaining leaves above. “I’m the fucking heir to the Kings. That means your money is useless to me, your favors and begging mean nothing, and I certainly don’t need you whoring your family out for me.” I leaned in a little closer. He closed his eyes and turned his head away. “Your family will be better off without you.”

Pushing away from the tree, I strolled toward Rory, who seemed a little nervous, but he wasn’t running and didn’t back away when I stopped in front of him. Reaching behind my back, I pulled one of the guns I’d taken from home. With a touch of dramatic flare, I wiped down the grip and held it out to him by the barrel.