After the confrontation with Mark, I expected to be approached by Nicholas, so I wasn’t shocked when he called me away from the dining room at lunchtime to speak with me privately.

He started walking away from the dining room and I fell in step beside him. Eventually, in an empty

hallway, he turned to face me. A frown was firm on his face.

Mark told me that you and Julian started investigating the underground organization again, despite my

explicit instruction not to.”

“That’s correct,” I said. Maybe I should have denied it. I knew Nicholas only had my best interest at

heart, but that didn’t mean I could roll over to his every whim. He didn’t know all the facts. Maybe it was

time I told him the full truth, I wasn’t sure.

My answer made Nicholas’s face even more severe. This, I imagined, was the face he used to look down those that opposed him politically. It would be intimidating, if I had even an inkling of fear against

him.

“You have to stop, Piper. You must give this up and let it go. You are endangering yourself. I cannot allow that.”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter if I’m in danger. It’s worth it, if it helps bring them down.”

“If you would

can’t convince me otherwise, Nicholas, I’m sorry.”

voice sharp. “What you are

already in trouble. Can’t you see that?”

Opened it again. “What do you mean?” The hardness

my own waist, offering

from the start. Maybe if he truly understood the depths of my fear, he would see my side of things. I doubted it – he’d always been a stickler for the rules – but there was always a chance the

powerful and growing stronger all the time,” I said. “How long will it be before the underground organization comes after her and her

that he was only a mere few inches away. “I can protect

roof? But what happens to us when we have to go back

our own?”

way. I’ll –”

will have your own life. Can’t you see that exposing the organization is the only

for the rest of

statements. I knew he

hurt him, but I had to crack his fantasy to help him see he couldn’t protect us from

world, no matter how well–meaning he

said. “Three years ago, when the organization targeted my sister and me.”

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255