William’s gaze didn’t falter. “A girl who comes with blackmail. Just my type.”
I didn’t say anything as he sighed, his hands diving into his pockets. His voice lowered. “Come on, privacy it is.”
I followed Bishop off the balcony and into the sitting room. He didn’t even hesitate to check that I was still following him when he split off down a hallway and into a guest bedroom.
“How did you get it?”
I cocked a brow, deciding that pacing around the expensively decorated room would be the best way to maintain my cool.
“Hey, I’m the one calling the shots here.”
“What are you, a cop or something?” he scoffed. “Chances are your parents’ business is as dirty as mine, Whittaker.”
“I never said it wasn’t dirty.” I smiled.
He muttered something under his breath, revealing how pissed he was growing. “How much?”
“Pardon?”
“How much for you to forget about whatever you know.”
“It’s not money I’m after.”
“Then what is it?”
I had to say, pissed off was a good look for William. In any other circumstance my legs would be jelly and my hormones going haywire. Instead, all I felt was the rage I’d been feeling since last year,
“I want a favor,” I said. “A big one.”
We circled each other, William’s arms folded defensively over his chest.
“I need you to get me into the in-crowd. Arlington’s elite.”
He gave a dry laugh. “You want popularity? How shallow.”
I tilted my head. Maybe it’d be best if he believed that my intentions were shallow. It’d be too late for him when he realized they were anything but.
“That’s none of your concern,” I said smoothly. “But if you want your father’s sneaky politics out of the news, you’ll find a way to get me in.”
William practically crackled with anger as he swiveled to face me, taking my wrist. I scowled, keeping my confident demeanor as I pulled my arm from his grip.
“Do you have any idea what you’re messing with?” he asked, the volume of his voice inching toward a flat-out yell. “How did you even get it?”
“I have my way—”
“Any more of this mysterious bullshit and I promise I won’t do anything for you,” he said in a cool, menacing voice.
“My father is CEO of a major news corporation,” I said, meeting his gaze with venom and omitting as many details as possible. “He stumbled upon some information, and while your family bribed him to keep it safe, you can’t bribe me. Not with money.”
“You’re using multimillion-dollar scandals to fuel your petty high school delusions?” The way William’s stare pierced me made my blood run cold. “There’s more.”
“And that’s my business, not yours,” I reminded him. “It’s your corrupt politics you should be worrying about.”
“My father’s corrupt politics,” he said. “Would you rather talk to him about this?”
I froze. The last thing I wanted was the mayor himself getting involved. Also, as much as he was a lousy father, I couldn’t have my dad getting in trouble for his security slip. “It wouldn’t be difficult, you know. What I’m asking. I’m sure you’d prefer leaving Daddy Bishop out of this.”
At least, I hoped so. I might not be able to fight his dad’s corrupt leadership, but I could overthrow his son’s high school reign.
He paused, his emerald eyes simmering in calculation. “So . . . you don’t want money. You want popularity.”
My chest rose. Was this progress? I’d never predicted it to be easy, but this was draining me. “Yes.”
Silence stretched for what felt like an eternity as William continued to assess me. He tilted his head to the side before finally speaking. “I’ll do it. But if you so much as slip up with that information . . .”
He didn’t need to continue his threat for its severity to register. The Bishop name alone had enough power to tear down anyone his family desired. My shield of blackmail was all I had to protect myself, and I had to hope it’d be enough.
William turned and left the room, and I struggled to match his stride. He was leading us toward the stairs.
“I need time to think this over,” he said. “If you’re serious, then I need to be serious too.”
“I don’t need you to think it over,” I said with frustration. “I want in. Now. Tonight. I’m the one in charge, remember?”
William shook his head before running a hand through his hair. “You don’t understand. It’s a complicated system.”
Trust me, I know.
“You’re going to make sure we do this properly?” I clarified. I needed him to be clear on this. I was depending on him.
“Yeah.” He shrugged, already moving toward the staircase.
“What am I supposed to do, then?” I gritted my teeth. I couldn’t keep waiting for this. I couldn’t depend on him keeping quiet when he had every chance to run.
“Wait. Stay out of their view.” He pointed toward the balcony. “We’re going to need to be careful.”
“How long will this take?” I asked.
William sighed and retrieved his phone. “Give me the weekend. I’ll make sure we talk before school. Put your number in.”
“I want yours,” I said defiantly. We exchanged phones. It felt strange, holding William Bishop’s cell. I thought of all the secrets it could hold.
“Stay out of trouble. You’re already causing enough.”
Oh, just you wait.
William left to return to the others before I could come up with anything else to add. I wasn’t happy that he needed time, and I was especially unhappy that I’d have to waste the rest of the party avoiding the other Level Ones.
If I wasn’t here to do my job, then I had no desire to be here at all. Not when I kept expecting to spot Monica in the crowd—I kept thinking I saw a swish of her red hair among the designer outfits or heard her gleeful laughter as a champagne bottle was popped. Every time I blinked and cleared my vision I realized that she’d never want to come to one of these parties again.
As I grazed my hand along the polished railing of the stairs, I looked curiously over the throng of people, wondering if they even missed her. With my eyes focused below, I failed to notice the figure in front of me until I had almost tripped over her.
“Shit!” her voice slurred drunkenly before she let out a giggle. “You scared me!”
Maddy Danton was a beautiful mess, her curls bouncing around her face. Something had caused her eyeliner to smudge and her lipstick had found its way onto the silk of her white dress. Even though Level Ones were known for their partying, it was unusual to find one looking anything less than perfectly pulled together.
“Sorry!” I said after only a brief hesitation, my voice dripping with the same drunk-girl friendliness. “God, I hope I didn’t hurt you!”
Her eyes darted over me as she did a once-over. “Just watch it next time, bitch! Love your top by the way.”
And with a breathless laugh she trotted away from me like we’d never interacted to begin with. Girls in the Level One clique spoke in only insults and compliments, both often laced with sinister intentions. For now, I’d consider her noticing me as a move in the right direction.