Cracked Kingdom (The Royals #5)(58)

"If you're talking about Sawyer, then no, you don't. He's going home now to shit, shower, and sleep." I squeeze my younger brother's shoulder with my free hand. I can feel him wilt in relief. The kid's been killing himself here. "You've got me to entertain you. Sawyer said you wanted a blowjob? I can't deliver that, but I do have this." I toss the paper bag onto Seb's lap.

He pulls out the sex toy. "Seriously? I don't want this." He chucks it at my head, but he's so weak it falls to the floor in front of me. "Where the hell is Lauren?”

“She’s at home.” I have no idea, but that’s my best guess.

“You shoulda brought me a prostitute.”

"I checked with Rhonda and she says bringing prostitutes into the hospital isn't allowed." I pick up the toy and set it on the table.

"Like rules have ever stopped you before."

My temples begin to throb. I jerk my thumb at Sawyer. "Time to go."

He gets up and walks toward the door without another word.

"You're leaving me?" Seb yells. "You're fucking leaving me? I woke up like less than twenty-four hours ago and you're skipping out!"

Sawyer freezes.

"Yes, he's leaving, and you get me in his place. Now shut the fuck up and let your brother go in peace," I snap. "Go," I order Sawyer.

He bolts and I don't blame him. I'd run off, too, if I could.

"Who died and made you king?" Seb demands.

"Me." I sit down in one of the empty chairs, tuck my hands behind my neck and stretch my legs out. I've been up for only an hour or so, but my head aches and all I want to do is close my eyes and take a nap.

"What's so tiring about your life? Too many chicks on your junk?" He sounds envious.

I decide to tell him the pathetic truth. "Only one girl and we haven’t even gotten to the dry humping stage.”

That silences him. I pop my eyes open to see what he's thinking and find him staring out the window. I remind myself that he was in a bad accident, was in a coma for two weeks, and is probably stir crazy.

"Did the doctor really say you just need a signature from a parent or guardian?"

"Yes, but Dad’s not answering," Seb replies sourly.

“He’s coming home. It’s a nineteen-hour flight and they have to stop and refuel,” I remind him.

"I know." The sheets curl in his fists. He wants to get out of here so bad.

The phone on the nightstand next to the bed buzzes at the same time the device in my pocket vibrates. Dad must be here. Seb’s eyes light up as he grabs the phone. Whatever he reads isn't good, though. His bright face turns black as he scans the message. With a curse, he hurls the phone across the room. It strikes right in the middle of the mystery meat mark.

"Good aim," I sigh. Seb is one of the top scorers on the Astor lacrosse team.

“Dad’s in London and won’t be here until the wee hours of Thursday morning.”

“What for?” I pull out my own phone and read the message—bad weather is grounding him.

“East.”

“What?”

“You gotta do something.”

I make a face. “Like what? We’re on the second floor. You want to tie your bedsheets together and climb out?”

A crafty gleam enters his eyes. “There’s one person who can help us.”

A firehouse full of alarm bells rings in my head. There is someone who has guardianship over us when Dad’s out of the country—or at least used to. He could sign off on our grades, permission slips, or anything that a minor couldn’t buy without an adult agreement. But that person is persona non grata and Seb knows this.

“No.” I shake my head. “No and no. That’s a bad idea.”

“Why? Because Ella would care? What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, and I won’t tell if you won’t.”

“No, because you don’t want to owe a guy like that anything. It’s like handing your bank account to a drug addict and saying ‘Don’t take anything.’”

“What’s the worst that could happen? He calls us for a favor and we say no.”

That doesn’t sit right with me either.

“Please, East. I wouldn’t ask this if I wasn’t desperate, but I swear to you if I have to stay here one more night, I’m going to end up doing something drastic.”

I clench my teeth together. I don't think Seb's serious, and it's low of him to throw out that threat when our mom actually did take her own life.

I decide I need to take a break before I do something I'll regret.

"I'm going to get you some water," I say, walking toward the door.

"I have water!" he screams after me.

I take a walk down the hall, stopping when I arrive at Hartley's old room. Head injuries are terrible. Hartley lost her memory and Sebastian lost himself. I run a hand over my own skull. We're all so fragile. One bad fall and the whole world can change. Neither Hart nor Seb asked for this, and I bet if they could go back to the way they were before, they'd do so in a heartbeat. I crack my neck. All I can do is be patient. Of course, I suck at being patient, but what are my other options?

I force myself to turn and walk back to Seb's room. He needs me, even if it's just for me to be a target. He's got to vent and I can take it.