Stealing His Princess by Goode, Ella (good books for 7th graders txt) 📗

her looks are designed to show the best during the late evening hours when things are disguised by the veil of smoke and strobe lights.

“No. We met at the ball. We connected, you and I.” She waves a finger between us. “I think I might be too far away, and you can’t see me from there.”

“Are you suggesting Charmont’s eyesight is not perfect?” Parker interjects with real outrage.

“What? No. I never said that. I just said—”

Beside me, I can feel Parker’s inhale of rage at being challenged like this. This could go downhill quickly, and Parker still has a number of pins to jab into me. “Yes, of course, I remember you now,” I lie smoothly. “The girl from the ball. Go on then. What is it that you wanted to tell me?”

“It’s about Mackenzie. She’s not a true Vieth. She has family. Her father is Kenyon Ward. He’s involved in everything from the arms trade to sex trafficking of minors. Her brother went to prison for trying to bring over a whole boatful of underage girls, but the conditions were so terrible they all died.”

Parker gasps. “I remember this.”

“Yes. It’s terrible, right? Mackenzie did all the books for their organization. Not only did she know what was going on, but she helped them by processing payments for human beings! For girls! I didn’t realize she’d be so brazen as to try to get her hooks into you, but once I heard about it, I had to come tell you even if it meant risking my own safety.” Milly bows her head and lays a small device on the floor. “It’s all on this flash drive. I’ve compiled as much as I could, but I’m sure there’s a lot that never made the news.”

“This is awful. Awful,” cries Parker after Milly has left. Josh brought out a throwaway laptop and plugged the USB drive in. After scanning it for viruses, I started reading. Milly had done quite the job. There were dozens of articles, particularly related to the brother along with crime scene photos of the young girls. It was stomach churning. The Wards had three kids—two boys and then the girl. Mackenzie was seen in a couple of shots with a jacket tossed over her head, going to and from the courthouse.

There were mentions that the Ward princess would be married off to the son of another powerful family, but nothing came of it because one day, the girl disappeared. In the middle of her brother’s trial, she was gone like a puff of smoke. Karin Vieth had stepped in, obviously, although none of the papers would say this, only that Mackenzie was no longer associated with the Wards.

Had Karin spirited Mackenzie away for the safety of the girl or as a bargaining chip against the Wards? Was Milly correct in that Mackenzie knew of all the dirty deeds her family was engaged in and actually facilitated the vile acts?

“You cannot sully the Charmont line with someone like this,” Parker squawks.

“Parker, I want you to know that you, like anyone else, can be replaced,” I say quietly. “You best watch your tongue.” I don’t know what to believe about Mackenzie, but I will not stand for slander of her—even if she is in deep with the Wards. She’s still the woman I want to make mine. If she has a little dirt on her nose, I’ll wipe it clean. The Charmont name is that golden. This information, however, is a tool I can use against Karin if she tries to withhold Mackenzie from me. As for Mackenzie herself, perhaps she sees this as an impediment. It’s time to go confront her personally. I’m tired of waiting.

Chapter Twenty Mackenzie

I rub my tired eyes after shutting down my computer. I know it’s time to head back to my condo, but I don’t want to go. The past forty-eight hours have been so lonely. So much so that I’d come into the main warehouse to work today so I could see Jewels and Paulina. I also keep telling myself I’m going to confront Karin, but I’ve been avoiding that. I think I’m scared of what she is going to say to me. I have a ton of respect for her, and I’m not ready for that to change.

I already have a hole in my heart that is growing by the second. I’m not sure I could handle another. I was confident that when I went with Karin my days of heartache were over. I am only now learning how wrong I’d been. I’ve never been in love before. If the last forty-eight hours taught me anything, it was the fact that I am in love.

The door to the office opens before Karin steps through it. It’s as if my mind conjured her up, giving me no chance to slip out to head back to my place. Well, I guess this is technically what I’ve waited to do all day. It’s better this way because I’m forced to confront her.

“You’re avoiding me.” She walks over, taking one of the two chairs in front of my desk. Everything about her is always functional and in place.

“Yes,” I agree, unable to lie to her. “I didn't want to.”

“I know.” She tilts her head to the side to study me. The tight ponytail she has her hair in sways. “How long are you planning to hold out? He’s going to do something stupid soon and get someone hurt.”

“Please don’t hurt him,” I rush to say, my stomach tightening. I don’t want anything bad to happen to Sov. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“I know that, Mackenzie. You always try and do what is right.” My throat feels tight at her appraisal.

I hope that I do. I’d put my own brother behind bars. My other brother and father are gone. I don’t know if they’re dead or not, but they’ve left me alone. I know Karin made some kind of