Across town, Max and Lacy plotted against Keeley over quinoa salad. The food was tasty, but their conversation was strained. Max wondered, just once, if he could spend time with Lacy without her demanding something unpleasant.

“I checked; she’s not a scholarship student. Otherwise, I’d get my father to rescind her financial aid,” Lacy grumbled. “I don’t know enough about her to exploit her weaknesses.”

“You act like you’re going to war,” Max replied.

“Haven’t you ever heard that love is a battlefield?” Lacy retorted.

Max sighed. He was living on a battlefield. “Lacy, is this even necessary? There are plenty of reasons they could have been in that closet. Honestly, I got the impression Aaron was threatening her. She seemed afraid.”

“Tons of people fear him,” Lacy dismissed. “I want to know why he keeps approaching her. Someone like that should be beneath his notice.”

“They’re classmates! Maybe they had a group project. You can’t help who you’re assigned to.”

Lacy vehemently shook her head. “Project partners don’t discuss things in closets! Don’t you know anything? People go into closets to make out!”

Max thought her jump to that conclusion was absurd. She claimed Aaron kissed Keeley at the Valentine’s dance, but Max doubted it. Aaron was so reserved; he couldn't imagine him kissing anyone, much less publicly.

Although, Max couldn't deny it was strange that Aaron, usually surrounded by girls, was pursuing Keeley. Girls flocked to him; it wasn't the other way around.

Max wouldn't call Aaron a friend—he saw him as a rival for Lacy’s affections—but they had known each other since middle school. Aaron never needed to pursue anyone; people always sought him out. His pursuit of Keeley was even stranger than her avoidance of him.

What made her so special? She was middle-class—hardly an improvement over a scholarship student! Aaron far surpassed her in status and wealth. Why bother?

“I don’t think they were making out. Why would she cry?” Max reasoned.

“How am I supposed to fathom the minds of the lower class? Either way, she’s too close to Aaron. She needs to learn her place.”

“How exactly do you intend to do that?” Max asked.

Lacy pouted. “I’m not sure yet. She’s hard to track down at school, so it would probably be better to do something subtly. I could start a rumor about her being a gold-digging slut…”

It was relatively subtle and untraceable. “That’s a good idea. Can we enjoy our date now?”

“This isn’t a date,” Lacy sniffed haughtily. “I’m only returning a favor.”

“So you’ve said,” Max muttered through gritted teeth.

His father was as influential as Alistair Hale. Why wouldn't Lacy take him seriously? They were to be engaged in a few years, but she only wanted Aaron, who clearly looked down on her.

“I hope you realize that Aaron Hale doesn’t like you,” Max said.

Lacy glared. “He’ll come to his senses once that commoner is out of the way. I’m the best choice to help expand his network and social standing.”

She did have excellent connections. Her father, Brann Knighton, was highly influential. Lacy herself was trained to be the perfect socialite wife.

She was a great catch—Max's intended great catch. But he didn't want her connections; he wanted her love.

“What if he doesn’t?” Max asked bluntly. “Will you abandon your schemes and marry me like you’re supposed to?”

Lacy’s disbelieving laughter stung him. “Dear Max, if I don’t become the next Mrs. Hale, no one will. Don’t get your hopes up.”

He silently cursed Aaron’s existence. He wasn't right for Lacy. He had to convince her of that. If Keeley was what Aaron truly wanted, it would benefit Max to get them together.

But that was a problem; Lacy would never forgive him if he opposed her plans.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself,” Max scoffed. “Shouldn’t you be focused on becoming his prom date first?”

Prom—that could work. Max had heard of students expelled for drug or alcohol incidents at prom, even near graduation. He could convince Lacy to drug Keeley, take compromising pictures, then deliver the unconscious Keeley to Aaron. No interested man could resist. If Aaron was tipped off, he could easily dispose of the photos.

Lacy would think her plan worked, Aaron would get his girl, and Max wouldn't be in trouble with Lacy. A win for everyone except Keeley, but who cared about her? She was a pawn.

Lacy’s eyes lit up. “You have an idea. That’s your ‘idea’ face.”

He almost panicked but remained calm. She knew him too well. “Yeah, I might have a way to get that girl off Aaron’s radar permanently. If she got expelled because of him, she would hate him forever. His father would never allow him to be with someone with a record.”

“I’m listening.”

Max explained part of his plan; Lacy's expression grew wickedly pleased. Sometimes, she terrified him, but he’d been with her too long to love anyone else.

“You’re terrible! I love it,” she smirked. “Leave everything to me. I have connections to pharmaceutical labs. I’ll find the perfect drug to make her embarrass herself publicly. But what if she doesn’t go to prom?”

“Simple. Snatch her earlier in the day, knock her out, and stick her in a prom dress.”

“I like the way you think. But kidnapping would be difficult in broad daylight. We’d be too recognizable. Do you know anyone who could do it for us?” Lacy asked, inspecting her manicure.

Max’s extended family had ties to private security forces—mercenaries. Getting a few men involved would be easy. “Not a problem.”

“You’re the best, Max.”

He was the best at manipulating her, but he wished she loved him, not Aaron. Still, it was nice to be appreciated. The final sentences about the NovelFire.net website were removed as they are promotional material, not part of the story.