Paper Princess (The Royals #1)(70)

He snickers. “Fine, then watch some porn. But you’re not coming with us tonight.”

“Us?” I echo. “Is Reed going?”

Easton shrugs, and the way he avoids my gaze raises my hackles. What the hell do they have planned for tonight? Panic tugs at my belly. Is Daniel going to be there? Is that why they want to keep me away?

I don’t get a chance to ask the question, because Easton is already dashing off. Sighing, I pick up my book and try to concentrate on the chapter I’m reading, but it’s no use. I’m worried again.

“Hey.”

I look up and find Reed approaching. For the first time today, he actually meets my eyes.

He lowers his broad body into the chair next to mine. “How you feeling?”

I tuck my book at my side. “Better. My head isn’t pounding anymore, but my body still feels kinda weak.”

He nods. “You should eat something.”

“I did.”

“Then eat more.”

“Trust me, I’m stuffed.” A grin springs to my lips. “Valerie shoved an insane amount of shrimp and crab legs down my throat at lunch.”

His lips twitch.

Smile, I beg silently at him. Smile at me. Touch me. Kiss me. Anything.

The smile doesn’t surface. “Listen, about last night…” He clears his throat. “I need to know something.”

My forehead creases. “Okay.”

“Did you…was it…” He lets out a breath. “Do you feel like I took advantage of you?”

“What? Of course not.”

But the intensity in his eyes doesn’t waver. “You need to be straight with me. If you feel like I took advantage, or did anything you didn’t want me to do…you have to tell me.”

I sit up and lean toward him, cupping his face with both hands. “You didn’t do anything that I didn’t want you to do.”

His relief is obvious. When I sweep my thumbs over his jaw, his breath hitches. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” I whisper.

“You know what.” Groaning, he moves my hands off his face and rises unsteadily to his feet. “It can’t happen again. I won’t let it.”

Frustration jams inside me. “Why not?”

“Because it’s not right. I’m not…I don’t want you, okay?” A sneer forms. “I was being nice to you last night because you were hopped up on E and you needed some relief. I was just doing you a solid, but that’s all it was. I don’t want you.”

He marches away before I can answer. Or rather, before I can call him a big fat liar. He doesn’t want me? Bullshit. If he didn’t want me, then he wouldn’t have kissed me like he was a starving man and I was his only source of nourishment. If he didn’t want me, he wouldn’t have worshipped my body like it was the greatest gift he’d ever received, or held me in his arms until I fell asleep.

He’s lying to me, and now my concern levels are at an all-time high. Not just concern, but determination, because clearly Reed Royal has secrets I can’t even begin to decode.

But I will. I’m going to find out everything. Why he keeps everyone at a distance, why he feels unworthy, why he’s pretending there isn’t something between us when we both know there is. I’m going to learn all his secrets, dammit.

Which means…I guess I’m going to another party tonight.





26





I need reinforcements or, at the very least, intel. From what Gideon said, the Worthingtons live down the shore and close enough that you must be able to hear some noise at the Royal property. They also must have kids close in age to the Royal brothers. But that’s about it.

Good thing I know someone who’s gossip central.

Valerie answers on the first ring. “You need more seafood? I told you that the best cure for a hangover is food.”

The thought of even one more piece of shellfish in my stomach makes me want to barf. “No thanks. I was wondering if you were done Skyping with Tam and wanted to come over and spy on the Royals with me.”

Valerie sucks in a breath. “I’ll be right over.”

“Hey,” I interject before she hangs up. “Do you have a car?”

“No. And you can’t ask one of the brothers to pick me up, can you?” she says glumly.

“Don’t worry. Durand will pick you up. Hell, once I tell Callum I want to have a friend over, he’ll volunteer.”

“Oh, Callum. Nice. He’s hot for an old guy.”

“Gross, Valerie. He’s like over forty.”

“So? He’s what they call a silver fox. You know who’s into those?”

“I have no idea. One of the Pastels?”

“Oh hell no. Those girls wouldn’t know what to do with an adult male, let alone one with a few decades under his belt. Jordan’s older sister! She’s twenty-two and constantly bringing home old guys. The last one actually had gray hair and I swear he was older than Uncle Brian. I can’t decide whether she’s super kinky and these are the only guys who know what they’re doing, or if she has daddy issues.”

“My insult to Jordan at her party might have hit a little too close to home then?”