I’ve only just begun.

Next thing on the list: Call Alec. Oh man, she is going to be putty in his arms.

He already knows the deal: Break her heart. Bring her down. Make her pay.

“Let’s go out tonight,” I announce, motioning to the server as I pull out my phone and text our best friend, the heart-crusher. “Can we have three coffees?”

“Of course, Mr. Stone.” He turns to go, but Rue stops him.

“I’m sorry. Make that two. I don’t drink coffee at night.”

“You do now. Make it three. No arguments.” He nods to me and she bites her lip, her eyes flashing. That’s right, fireball. Keep it coming. Get pissed. To Alec, I text: We’re going out. Secret Sister is coming. Be there.

Sean pulls out his phone and looks at his row of latest texts. Unimpressed, he puts it on the table and leans back into the chair, throwing an ankle over his knee.

“Rue, what would you like to do?”

She glances from him to me, and back to him on a shrug. “I have the night off, so…”

“You’re not going back to that shit job,” I chuckle.

Feathers flying, she sits up straighter and ignores the busboy clearing up our plates. “I am, too.”

Sean smiles. I look to see what he’s thinking and he glances my way. I know him like I know myself, and I’m satisfied to find out he thinks her showing up to work graveyard at Ralphs is hilarious, too. “You want to tell her?”

He’s fighting back a grin at her defiant look and inhales deeply, laying his hand on the table in front of her. “Tomorrow your story will be all over the news. All over it. And not just the networks. Millions of Perez Hilton fans will know you’re the illegitimate daughter of Maxwell Stone. In fact, that’s probably already happened. I’m glad you got your hair done today because you look the part now and that’ll soften the blow...” He realizes he’s scaring her, and stops. She looks like she’s about to keel over and die as the reality of his words sinks in.

So I take over. “You won’t be able to walk anywhere without them taking pictures. If you go into work, there will be people there waiting to see you. A lot of people. There’s no doubt they will find out you work there, if they haven’t already.” I run my hand across the air, an invisible headline suspended between us. “Rags To Riches Rue Calliwell Still Working At Fucking Ralphs. If you ever wanted to give them free publicity, this is how to do it. But you will not be able to finish a shift. Go on. Try it. I dare you.”

Rue’s eyes are liquid now. “What am I going to do?” Seeing no sympathy coming from me, she looks to Sean. “I need to give them two weeks notice! I can’t just quit!”

Sean is surprised. Me? It just makes me angry. “Oh come on!” The server, about to place a coffee cup on the table, freezes. I look at him. “Well, go ahead. Put them down.” He hurries as we all wait for him to exit.

I check the text Alec just sent back: Forgot to ask you earlier. Is she hot?

My reply: Yes.

As the server walks away, I lean in and hiss, “Enough with the act. You just won the fucking lottery. You can’t tell me that 1.) You haven’t checked your bank account and 2.) you think you’re going to work at some fucking grocery store in the middle of the night and not look like an idiot. No one is as ‘good’ as you’re pretending to be. Give me a fucking break already. I’ve got some shoes to shine, you want the job?”

Rue jumps out of her chair and takes off for the front door, heels and tight dress slowing her progress. She’s got a nice ass and nice legs; I’ll give her that. I glance to Sean, who cuts a look to me and shakes his head. “Well played,” he mutters. “Pay the check.” He grabs his blazer and his phone, and takes off after her.

Blood boiling, I jerk my hand to the server across the room, and watch my brother exit out the front door after our newest family member. When the check lands in front of me, I grab it. “Took you long enough.”