Page 234 of Wicked Brutal

Dad’s voice carries through the foyer. “I don’t care how many copies are circulating. Get them taken down.”

Mom gathers the rest of the papers so quickly one slides onto the floor. I bend to pick it up. “I’ve got it.”

She takes it from me before I can even look at it and shoves it into the pile.

Dad is still on the phone. “Then call whoever you need to call. I shouldn’t have to explain this to you.”

His footsteps come closer. Mom puts the papers beneath a folder and moves her tea aside.

I know this version of Dad. The clipped words. The heavy footsteps. The way every object he touches seems to land a little harder than necessary. Mom knows him too. She becomes smaller without actually moving.

Dad enters the kitchen. His tie is crooked. I’ve almost never seen Dad with a crooked tie. He sees Mom. Then me. Then my hand. Some of the fury leaves his face. “He gave it to you.”

I look at the ring. “You knew?”

“Of course I knew.” Of course he did. Dad ends the call and holds out his hand. I give him mine. He examines the diamond. “Much better.”

I pull my hand back. “He brought Celeste’s information too.”

Dad glances toward the envelope. “You’ll call her tonight.”

“I was planning to.”

“Seven.”

“All right.” I make myself smile. “He did very well with the ring.”

“He did.”

Dad gives a satisfied nod. I give him what he wants. I’m pleased. I’m grateful. I’m excited. Everything is going exactly as planned. His phone buzzes again. Dad looks at the screen and his jaw clenches. Apparently my performance isn’t enough today.

“Is everything all right?”

“No, Alison. It isn’t.” He drops his phone onto the island. “What happened at Edgewood today was unacceptable.” My stomach tightens. “Victor should never have engaged those boys.” That catches me completely off guard. Dad paces away from us. “Five eighteen-year-olds stood in front of him making jokes, and he allowed them to drag him into a public spectacle.”

“They weren’t—“ Dad looks at me. I stop. He isn’t interested in what actually happened.

“Arthur Walsh will already have every recording. The Monaghans will have them. The Andersons. The Rorkes. Every family Victor decided to insult in front of a hallway full of cameras now has a recording of him doing it.” His voice rises. “He dragged the Penningtons into it. Lucian. Adeena. Reece Hall. Hartley. Katya. He discussed the Rorkes’ dead daughter and their lost child in front of half the fucking school.” Mom flinches beside me. Dad drags a hand over his face. “He knows better.”

I stare at him. I’ve heard Dad angry at people before. I’ve heard him defend Victor. I’ve heard him tell me how fortunate I am. I have never once heard him angry because Victor made a mistake.

His phone buzzes again. Dad ignores it.

“Is Victor upset?”

His eyes cut to mine. “Victor has every reason to be upset.”

Before I can ask anything else, Tobias comes racing down the hallway. “Ally!”

I barely turn before he wraps himself around me. The knot in my chest loosens automatically. “Hello, bug.”

He pulls back. Then sees my hand. His eyes get enormous. “Whoa, Is that real?”

“I certainly hope so.”

He takes my hand in both of his and studies the diamond. “It’s huge. How much did it cost?”

“That’s not an appropriate question.” Dad’s voice cuts straight through us.