Paper Princess (The Royals #1)(23)

It’s after one a.m. when we leave the party. Easton finds me in Valerie’s room upstairs, the two of us sprawled on her bed watching So You Think You Can Dance. Valerie downloaded an entire season and forced me to watch a bunch of episodes, insisting I need to try out for the show. I declined yet again.

Easton announces we’re leaving, then stands there rolling his eyes while I hug Valerie goodbye and tell her she’d better find me at school on Monday.

Outside, I realize Gideon and the twins already left in one of the Range Rovers, which means I’m stuck riding back with Easton and Reed. Reed gets behind the wheel, his brother slides in the passenger seat, and I sit in the back while they carry on a whole conversation like I’m not even there.

“We’re gonna crush Wyatt Prep,” Easton is saying. “Half their O-line graduated last year, so it’s pretty much a straight path to Donovan.”

Reed grunts in agreement.

“Then we’re looking at Devlin High—easy fuckin’ peasy. Their QB’s hung-over half the time, and that butterfingers receiver corps of theirs is a joke.” Easton babbles away, his voice animated, his shoulders free of the tension I’m used to seeing. Either he’s drunk, or he’s finally starting to accept my presence in his life.

I try to join the conversation. “What positions do you guys play?”

Just like that, his shoulders are stiff again.

“Linebacker,” Reed says without turning around.

“Defensive end,” Easton mutters.

They go back to ignoring me. Easton is now telling his brother about the blowjob he got tonight.

“It’s like she’s only giving forty percent now,” he gripes. “Used to be a solid hundred, y’know? Going to town on my dick like it’s made of chocolate, and suddenly it’s a few licks and then let’s cuddle? Eff that.”

Reed snickers. “She thinks she’s your girlfriend. Girlfriends don’t need to put in an effort.”

“Yeah, might be time to cut that one loose.”

“You guys are pigs,” I say from the backseat.

Easton twists around, his blue eyes mocking me. “Well, aren’t we all high and mighty, Ms. Sex Worker.”

I grit my teeth. “I’m not a sex worker.”

“Hmmm.” He turns back in his seat.

“I’m not.” A helpless feeling lodges in my throat. “You know what? Screw you both. You don’t know me.”

“We know everything we need to know,” Reed says.

“You know shit.” I bite my lip and focus my gaze out the window.

We’re only about halfway to the Royal mansion when Reed abruptly stops the car on the side of the road. I meet his eyes in the rearview mirror, but his face has zero expression as he snaps, “Last stop. Get out.”

Shock smacks into me. “What?”

“East and I have somewhere else to be. We’re going that way—” He points to the left. “The house is that way—” He points straight ahead. “Time for you to start walking.”

“But—”

“It’s only two miles, you’ll be fine.” He seems to be enjoying himself.

Easton is already out of the car and opening the back door for me. “Get a move on, sis. We don’t want to be late.”

I’m a tad dazed as he yanks me out of the car and pushes me toward the side of the road. Are they seriously ditching me here? It’s one o’clock in the morning, and it’s dark.

Neither of them care. Easton hops in the passenger seat, slams the door and gives me a little wave. The SUV zooms forward and Reed makes a speedy left turn, leaving me in his dust. I can hear their laughter from the open window.

I don’t cry. I just start walking.





10





I eat breakfast in the kitchen alone the next morning. My legs ache and my feet are sore from walking two miles in new shoes that hadn’t been broken in yet. I dreamed that Reed Royal was chasing me in a pitch-black tunnel, his deep voice taunting me in the darkness, his breath hot on my neck. I woke up before he was able to catch me, but I like to think that when he did, I strangled him to death.

I’m not looking forward to school on Monday, and that ten thousand dollars in my backpack is calling out to me. Leave. Run. Start over. But there’s so much more money on the line…

Maybe the Royals are right. Maybe I am a whore. I might not be sleeping with anyone for money, but I am taking it from Callum for favors unspecified in the future. Brooke said he saved her, but I’m guessing from the way they act around each other that she’s definitely sleeping with him.

Footsteps thud in the hall, and Easton walks into the kitchen. He’s bare-chested and wearing gray sweatpants that ride low on his hips. I try not to stare at the hard ridges of his abs. But I do take a long look at the cut on his right temple. It must have bled at some point, but now it’s just a red line, an inch long and marring his perfect skin.

Without acknowledging me, he grabs some orange juice from the fridge and drinks straight from the carton.

Note to self: don’t drink from that carton unless you want oral herpes.

I focus on eating my yogurt and pretend he’s not here. I have no idea where he and Reed went last night or when they got home, and I’m not sure I want to know.