The Heirs: The Silver Knight

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Imogen

I can't stop smiling.

It's been a long time since I remember feeling this light. I come back from my weird, random afternoon with Aleks Sokolov, my cheeks hurting from grinning.

Which is silly.

It's unwise to feel this way. Not just unwise, but dangerous.

I really don't want to like Aleks. I really, really don't want to. But he's making it increasingly harder to dislike him. Especially after what he told me about the threats against Eva. I can understand why he wants to keep the truth back from her and his other siblings, to prevent them from feeling stress – stress that he feels and takes on all himself. While also dealing with Eva being angry with him over things he can't tell her about.

I suppose Aleks isn't all bad.

In fact, he's rather selfless when I think about it.

I don't want to like him. I don't want to like him...

I help the girls prep for the gambling club. We're already set to have a great turnout, and undoubtedly an even better profit. I couldn't be happier for our hard work.

I've hardly had time to go through the footage I've hacked into from the Knights' mansion security cameras. It's slightly hard to find free time between school and the Reeve Club. Plus, I don't want the girls to get suspicious. Luckily for me, I room with Tate and she very often spends the night at Zane's.

So once we finish our planning for the night, I grab some dinner from the dining hall, then set up in front of the computer to look through footage. I can hardly keep my eyes open, and I'm feeling more discouraged by the day.

Feeling all the happiness from earlier dissipate, I crawl into bed feeling defeated, knowing I'm letting Rory down. I grip my necklace and stare up at the dark ceiling. It's around this time of night I usually run through all the scenarios of what could have been. I like to think that if Rory were still alive that we'd be happy – like Tate is with Zane.

He'd walk me to class, take me on dates...

We'd grab dinner together and make memories. My cousins would love him, I just know it. We'd find a way to get him out of the Knights and he could move to Chicago with me. My family would protect him. If they knew I loved him, they'd protect him like he was their own.

We never got that chance.

Hot tears flood my eyes and I force myself to sleep with them still steadily dripping down my cheeks.

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The first gambling club event at the Reeve Club went so well that I'm feeling on top of the world. We made great money, and more importantly, people are talking about "The Donnelly Girls" as actual contenders for power around here. Ari and Sophie were as charismatic as ever, making everyone feel welcomed. Tate and I worked the room in our own way. I got to rub shoulders with some renowned mafia brats.

Even Jemma showed up, looking proud.

"How are you doing?" I'd asked her.

She gave me a look. "If you think you're getting information out of me..."