Wreck Me (Corrupt Legacy Series #2)

We take the staircase toward the front door. Thomas, the butler, lets us in. The grand foyer sends a shudder down my spine. The outside is an architectural masterpiece, and the inside is filled with art and the finest decorations but empty of warmth, of life.

Then we walk down the long hallway, and Thomas opens the dining room door.

A crystal chandelier spans half of the ceiling. Fine tapestry and hardwood floors offer an old refinement vibe. Every piece of furniture is hand-crafted. This room has a regal touch just like the rest, perfectly fitting the status of the leader of the Family.

At the head of the long table, she checks the grandfather clock, but we’re punctual. Grandmother nods appreciatively. She’s dressed in all black, wearing her pearls, which give her the needed touch of color, looking elegant and intimidating as ever. I haven’t seen her in anything else since her daughter Cassandra died twelve years ago.

I plaster a smile on my face while she moves her eyes from our joined arms to our faces.

“Imagine it’s her. You have her back,” I urge Kaden.

It’s always the one sentence that makes him push out of his funk, and we walk to Grandmother, kissing her hand.

“You look lovely together.” She pats mine lightly.

What kind of grandmother sends her own granddaughter away? But that’s not even the worst part. Celine was a child accused of killing her parents. That should have been my first warning that this family is not normal. The second hint should have been that even though we share no blood ties, we have to use labels such as grandmother, uncle, or aunt.

We take our seats, and Grandmother says, “How is senior year going? I heard you invited the new student into your group.”

Kaden must sense the sheer panic wreaking havoc inside of me, and he rushes to answer. “Dane was causing a ruckus, and I thought if he was with us, he’d stop.”

“Interesting. You’ve allowed no one else in your group until him.”

I force myself to bite down on the filet while my thighs shake under the table. I hope I didn’t put a target on his back.

“You’re awfully quiet, Abigail.”

I choke on the piece of meat but quickly wash it down with water. Kaden squeezes my thigh, signaling to get a grip on my emotions.

“I’m sorry, Grandmother. I’m going through the curriculum for the second year architecture course. Stayed up all night.”

“Good. You and Kaden will be a formidable team. With you two at the reins of the next generation, I know my legacy will prevail.”

Shock mutes me for a moment. Women cheering and encouraging women to go after a career is not necessarily the norm in this family.

“Of course. That’s our greatest wish.”

“Duty, Abigail.”

Imagining Dane next to me makes the dream a sweet torment.

Grandmother eyes Bailey next, who squirms in her seat. While she openly disdains Celine, she disregards Bailey. I don’t understand what Grandmother’s problem is with her. But who knows her reasoning.

She moves on to Blake, who looks bored out of his mind and is not hiding it. His blatant I don’t care attitude could be dangerous. But he is the rebel of our group.

“Do we bore you, Blake?”

He places his hand on his heart in a mock hurt. “Of course not, Grandmother. These dinners are the highlight of my week.”

I hide my amusement at his sarcasm while Kaden sends him a pointed look to behave.

Grandmother clutches her pearls. “These dinners are a privilege. One you shouldn’t take lightly.”

Right. Maybe it was the death of Cassandra, but our parents’ generation doesn’t have a ruler. The leadership of the Family will move to our generation with Kaden as the next patriarch.

No wonder Felix had to pull strings and get his power kick by playing matchmaker. I am sure he’s bitter that the role of the patriarch didn’t go to him as the second born. Unfortunately that means, all of Grandmother’s attention is on us.

“We know, Grandmother,” all four of us say, like the obedient little sheep she wants us to be.