Page 36 of Into Ruin

He tips forward, and I yelp again when I fall backward. I hit a mattress, and my brows furrow. This isn’t the squishy, unbalanced air mattress.

There’s a headboard.

“It’s—”

“Yeah,” he mutters, glancing around. “Your room. A real bed. New sheets and comforter, curtesy of Mom. It’s been waiting for you, but you decided to have an extended sleepover with Olivia.”

A lump forms in my throat.

“Mom wants a call back,” he adds.

“Tell me you didn’t mention?—”

“Your stalker?” Royal plants his hands on his hips and stares me down. “No. But you should.”

I should tell you, too.

The good news? The room doesn’t smell like roses anymore.

It takes me a second to fully take in the room. It actually does feel like… well, likemine. This seems to be an invitation to stay. Even if Max never shows his face on the FSU campus again. Even if the flowers were a sick joke by Camden and nothim.

“Thank you,” I whisper. “This was a lot.”

“Damn straight.” He offers his hand, and I let him help me to my feet. He wraps his arm around me. It’s easy to rest my cheek on his chest and forget about the rest of it.

Namely,Camden.

The menace down the hall.

16

HARPER

This is insane.

We’re having a roommates’ dinner this evening. The five of us sit around their kitchen table, eating a meal that Lucas and Connor prepared. Because apparently this is theirthing. Once a week, usually on a Wednesday, two of the four—now five—make dinner for everyone.

They went with a cheesy chicken-broccoli-rice casserole, garlic bread, and a salad.

I’m not complaining. I’m just confused.

“Is it always you two and then Royal and Camden?” I ask Lucas.

He seems the friendliest, beyond my brother. But his mouth is currently stuffed with garlic bread, and I’ve seen him talk with a full mouth too many times to count.

“We usually draw cards at the beginning of the month,” Connor supplies. He glances at Royal. “We’re gonna have to revise that a bit if you’re staying, little Lawson.”

I frown. “It’s Shay.”

“Right.”

“Harper can go with Church next week,” Lucas says.

I stiffen. So much for him being the friendly one.

Royal rolls his eyes. “You guys hate my cooking that much?”

“You just have a tendency to burn shit, man.” Connor eyes me. “You didn’t inherit that same gene, did you, baby Lawson?”

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