“Is that a problem?”
“No, I’m just shocked,” she replied.
“Hey,” Mads greeted when we were close enough, flicking her cigarette to the ground and crushing it with the heel of her expensive-ass designer shoes. Mads looked the part of a rich girl, but without the snobbish attitude. She had a bad girl edge instead. I think that was partly why we were drawn to each other. There was a little bit of rebel in both of us.
“You made it,” I said.
She pushed off the light pole, standing a few inches shorter than me, putting her somewhere in between Ainsley and me in height. Her lips turned up into a friendly smile. “Believe it or not, I’ve crossed the tracks a time or two.”
I rolled my eyes. Downtown was what the Academy kids would consider slumming it. They tended to hang out in the newer parts of town, meaning this was the perfect place to hatch the details of operation Elite. “This is my best friend, Ainsley.”
Ains tugged on her skirt, offering Mads a smile. “Hey, Josie has told me all about you. I’m glad she has a friend. It’s been tough since she moved.”
“The Academy doesn’t exactly roll out the welcome carpet for newcomers,” Mads said.
“I’ll say,” I muttered under my breath. “Doesn’t help that my stepbrother is a dickwad.”
Mads and Ainsley nodded in agreement, just as I hoped. I wanted the three of us to get along. It was important to me, a way to merge my old life with my new life. We had a common ground in our hatred of Carter. There were worse things people could bond over. It wasn’t like we were plotting his death.
Mads's eyes twinkled. “Come on, let’s grab a table in the back. We’ve got a lot to discuss. And I’m starving.”
“Who can say no to pizza and revenge?” Ainsley craved both.
Together, the three of us headed inside the pizza joint, snagging a booth in the back corner that was made for evening rendezvous and inconspicuous plotting. We were all a little giddy as we sat, and I couldn’t believe I had agreed to do this.
Even if this plan sucked and I never got the Elite to give me the time of day, it would be worth it just to hang out with these two.
We waited until after the waitress served our drinks and took our pizza order. Then we got down to business.
Ainsley and I sat across from Mads. I rested my elbows on the table and asked, “So, how does one worm their way into the Elite?”
Mads stirred the ice in her soft drink. “Normally, I would say it is impossible, but… I think there is something about you, something that has grabbed not just Brock’s attention, but the other guys’ as well.”
My brows drew together, and I frowned, wondering how she came to that conclusion. It couldn’t just be because I slept with Brock. That didn’t make sense. Why would the other guys care?
“What makes you think that?” Ainsley asked the question that was on the tip of my tongue.
“Apparently, your name has come up a few times during Elite business,” Mads responded.
Did I even want to know what Elite business was? What kind of business would involve me? Unless they were planning on ruining me or something equally as horrifying. I didn’t want to be one of those naïve girls who couldn’t see a guy for who he really was or fell for his bullshit, but Brock didn’t strike me as someone who wasted his time running a girl out of school. Surely he had more important shit to do with his time. “How would you know that?” I took a sip of my drink, my throat suddenly dry.
Mads’s expression sobered. “Grayson Edwards is my cousin.”
I choked on a piece of ice. “Say what?”
“Are you serious?” Ainsley shrilled, her knees bumping into the table as she jumped forward in the booth, an expression of utter shock on her face.
I recovered much quicker and shot off my next question before Mads could explain. “Why didn’t you tell me?” My heart hammered in my chest.
A rueful look passed over Mads’s features. “For several reasons, but mostly because I didn’t want you to get the wrong impression of me. I’m not just some rich girl who is related to one of the Elite. I wanted you to judge me not for who my family was, but for just me. And I was afraid you would think I was on their side.”
Her explanation tugged on my heartstrings, for it was the very same thing I wanted. Not to be judged by where I lived or who my mother married. “Not cool, Mads. How can I trust you?” I could see our plan unraveling before it even began.
Ainsley was scowling across the table at her, and I was half afraid she might throw her fork at Mads.
Mads, sensing the sudden ice freezing in the air between our table, held up her hands like she was waving a little white flag. “Just hear me out. Then you can decide what you want to do. Fair?”
Ainsley and I shared a look. My longtime friend raised a brow, silently telling me that this was my choice. She would back me no matter what I decided. With a heavy sigh, I nodded. “Don’t make me regret this.”