BLUE BLOOD

11 | he's using you

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"The only money you'll get from the Dragomir fortune is how much I decide you get to have."

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I was in Cadre One.

Not officially, of course. The whole invitation and envelope tradition had to happen at the academy but by the look in Helen's eyes, I knew that my position was now permanent.

I was a blue blood.

I stared out from the window of the private jet that had starting flying ten minutes ago. After breakfast, we all entered black SUVs that brought us to a private airport. As it turned out, we were headed to one of their private islands for their 'games'. None of them bothered to pack clothes. Something about more than enough there.

I found myself thinking of Ella.

Is this what you wanted me to do, Ella?

To break them? To break him?

Then I thought of these people, the blue bloods, and who they were, what they did. If Ella managed to become one of them, well, that said a lot about her, didn't it? But the Ella I knew...

I cut that thought off. It hurt too much.

Did I even know Ella?

That was when I felt his presence before I even heard him. It was Avery. He took a seat next to me, startling me. I thought he would be with Mason.

I haven't been able to look him in the eye. For some reason, I just couldn't. He would read too much into me. Or, at least more than he already was right now.

Avery seemed to sense my mood. He always spoke as if life and his words were all just another game, another joke. Another thing we had in common. We both excelled at pretense.

To avoid meeting his eyes, I scanned the private jet for the hundredth time. Wide leather seats. A bar with all sorts of alcohol on the other side. Lounges in the other cabin. Beds in the front. The others were all scattered in the plane, as if none of them really wanted to be together. I doubt any of them liked each other much.

You had to have known I would do anything for you Ella. You're my sister and I feel guilty for taking away things you wanted.

Avery leaned back in his chair, still watching me. "Don't tell me you're unhappy about this arrangement. After all, you were the one who proposed it."

Startled at his words, a laugh escaped my lips. Bright enough for Gloria to hear. She was the nearest to us, sitting stiffly on the edge of the room, but far enough to not hear our words. I felt her gaze on us.

It was an impromptu idea that I came up on the spot, given the situation. But I didn't tell him that.

"If I didn't know any better, Avery, I would have thought you really were in love with me."

Avery's silver eyes gleamed. "I'm not into girls like you."

My smile was sharp. "Every other person is."

"I'm into girls who I'd forget," he pointed out, eyebrow arching. "And you, you are not forgettable."

"You're into girls who can make you forget," I corrected, feeling my stomach flutter a little. What the hell? There was no way I was reacting to his words.

He must have told Gloria the same thing once upon a time.

"Perhaps," Avery shrugged, running a hand through his dark hair, "but either way, you aren't that girl to me."