Paper Princess (The Royals #1)(73)

“I don’t think catching him is the problem,” I reply dryly.

“No? Then what is?”

“Keeping him.”





27





Carrying our shoes, Valerie and I walk down the shoreline toward the Worthington place. “What stops people from crashing the party?” I ask curiously. “Can’t anyone just walk down this beach and then up into the house?”

“They’d know you didn’t belong just by the clothes you were wearing. Plus, the only people who have access to this beach live on it, and unless you can afford a ten million dollar pad, you won’t be on this sand.”

“Will we be turned away?” The thought hadn’t even occurred to me because I’ve never encountered parties like this before.

“Nope, because you’re Ella Royal and even though I’m a poor relation, my last name is still Carrington.”

We don’t even get far enough in to be confronted by Brent Worthington, because the five Royal brothers are clustered together at the edge of the property. They’re cooking something up, just like I knew they would. And it’s definitely a scheme to get back at Daniel, because who else could they be targeting?

If anyone deserves to get revenge, it’s me. I stomp right up to their group and they don’t even notice.

“Hey big bro, what’s going on?” I poke Gideon in the back.

Reed swivels around and chastises me first. “What are you doing here? I told you to stay home.”

“So did I.” Gideon looks down at me with a tight-lipped frown.

“Me, too.” Easton tosses in his two cents.

“And you two?” I look pointedly at the twins, both of whom are dressed in identical khaki shorts and white polo shirts with an alligator over their left pec. They blink innocently at me. There’s no way to tell them apart tonight, which might be exactly what their girlfriend enjoys. I’m going to have to mark one with lipstick before the night is over. “Well, newsflash, I’m not a dog. I don’t just sit and stay because you order me to. Why was I supposed to stay away anyway? Are the drinks drugged here, too?”

Behind me, Valerie gasps, which sends five annoyed glares in my direction.

“No,” Gideon says, “but if something bad goes down, Dad wouldn’t be as angry if you were home and tucked in your bed.”

“Or making out with Valerie,” Easton pipes up. “But in bed and at home were the important things,” he adds hastily when it’s his turn to get a number of condemning stares.

“You being here might tip off Daniel that we’re planning something,” Reed says, his scowl deepening.

Valerie steps to my side. “If the plan was to not be suspicious, then Easton should have his tongue in someone’s mouth, Reed should be whispering sweet nothings to Abby”—gag me—“Gideon should be doing college stuff and you two,” she waggles a finger between the twins, “should be pranking people because damn if I can tell you apart.”

Easton covers a laugh with a fake cough while the twins pretend to be looking anywhere but at Valerie. Reed and Gideon exchange a long look. When it comes to the Royal brothers, these two are in charge. At least for tonight.

“Since you’re here, there’s no point in making you go home, but this is Royal business.” Gideon gives Valerie a pointed look.

She’s quick. “Suddenly I feel very thirsty. I think I’ll go shake down the hosts for a glass of champagne.”

After Val leaves, I rub my hands together. “So what’s the plan?”

“Reed is going to start a fight and beat the ever loving shit of out Daniel,” Easton informs me.

“That’s a terrible plan.”

They all turn to me again. Being the single focus of five Royals is kind of overwhelming.

I focus on Reed and Gideon, the two that I need to convince. “You think you’re just going to goad Daniel into a fight?” Both brothers shrug. “And I’m sure you think it’s going to work because all of you would fight to defend your name. But this guy has no honor. He’s not a fair fighter. He’s the type of guy who drugs a girl because he wasn’t confident or patient enough to win her over. He’s a coward.” I wave a hand over Reed’s insanely ripped body. “Reed has twenty pounds on him and fights regularly.”

“She knows about the fighting?” Gideon interrupts. Reed gives an abrupt nod and Gideon flicks both hands at us as if he’s done with our high school asses.

“He’s still going to want to defend himself,” Reed argues.

“I bet you a hundred bucks he’ll laugh and say that he knows you’re going to win. Then if you try to push it, you’ll look like the bad guy.”

“I don’t care.”

“Fine. If all you want to do is beat him up then just go and do it.” I point to the back lawn, which is getting crowded.

“Reed can’t throw the first punch,” Easton interjects.

Puzzled, I look from one brother to another. “Is this some kind of fight club rule?”

“No. Dad caught Reed fighting a few months ago. Said if he caught him doing it again he’d ship the twins off to military school.”

Wow, that’s diabolical. I know that Reed wouldn’t care about going to military school—or at least not care that much, but he’d hate it for the twins. Callum is constantly surprising me.