Page 27 of Take My Crown

“I don’t know,” I say. “I don’t think there’sanythingwrong with her taste.”

Milly frowns a little. “Okay, you guys. I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but if this is some kind of lover’s tiff, you need to kiss and make up.”

“Oh, we’re not dating.” I rush to correct her.

“But the other day? In the cafeteria? You kissed!”

“That is all for Ally’s benefit,” I explain once again. “Your brother took advantage of me to make a point.”

“And you loved every moment,” Archer reminds me. “Don’t be a little liar now, Ivy.”

“You keep telling yourself that,” I retort with bright cheeks, glaring right back at him.

To be fair, heisa good kisser, but like I was going to tell him that.

“Okay, well I guess that makes sense. I really thought you guys were dating though. There’s definite electricity between the two of you. Are yousureyou’re not seeing each other? You can tell me. I know how to keep a secret if you don’t want anyone else to know.”

“We’renotdating.” We speak in unison and that is the end of it.

“If you say so.” Milly obviously doesn’t believe us, but she wisely let it drop as the three of us walk into the warehouse where the party is being held.

A guard opens the door for us, and I am hit by a wall of sound straight away. Coloured disco lights created psychedelic patterns against the walls while teens jumped about the dance floor.

Archer immediately disappears into the middle of the dancing crowd, leaving me and Milly to fend for ourselves.

“Is that-?” I gasp when I catch sight of the live band playing.

“Deep Space 69?” Milly nods, naming the group which had been top of the charts for the past two months. Turns out, they are crazy good. “Yep. I told you–Romy really knows how to put on a party. Come on, let’s go get something to drink.” She grabs me by the hand and pulls me over to the side where a temporary bar had been set up.

“Two vodkas and coke,” she orders and the bartender immediately sets to making our drinks without asking for ID. I supposed normal rules don’t apply when you are at a gangster’s son’s party. Whatever my dad tells me, I know this isn’t all above board. Something is wrong with King’s Town and it doesn’t take a genius to work out there are secrets buried far deeper than I want to find out.

As I wait for my drink, I gaze out across the dance floor. Suddenly, I see something which makes me feel sick and shock makes my heart pound hard in my chest.

“Is that Declan… andAlly? Kissing?”

Milly glances over her shoulder and shrugs with a strange look of annoyance in her eyes. “Oh yeah. They’re dating on and off. Didn’t you know? You’d think their tonsils would be sparkly clean by now with the amount they stick their tongues down each other’s throats in public.”

Suddenly I’m not in a party mood anymore as I watch them. He kisses her like he kissed me.

The slimy fucker.

Ignoring the drink the bartender offers me, I put a hand to my forehead.

“Do you think Archer would mind taking me home?” I ask.

“Why? We only just got here,” Milly replies, but her eyes are on Declan.

“I think I’ve got a migraine coming on,” I lie to her. “It must be the flashing lights or something. I don’t want to spoil the party for anyone. I think I should just leave.”

“If you’re sure. But the party won’t be nearly as much fun without you.” Milly looks like she is about to cry as I stand on tiptoe, scanning the dance floor to see if I can catch sight of Archer’s distinctive buzz cut.

“Looking for someone? He’s right here.”

I turn to see Romy standing next to me. Romy’s blonde hair is brushed to the side tonight, and somehow he looks too sexy to be real. I can’t help but breathe in how he smells so flipping nice, and his gravelly deep voice does things to me.

“Don’t anyone ever tell you that’s a really bad pick-up line?” I say, going back to my game of Spot Archer.

His hand moves to rest on my lower back, tugging me closer to him and pulling all my attention his way. I want to tell him to let go, but I don’t.

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