Page 13 of The Royal Flame
He offers me an innocent grin. “What? Who says I meant you? Jesus, Maddy. You think a lot of yourself.” He winks at me in the same way he did the bouncer.
I roll my eyes for the millionth time, but a smile pulls at my lips. It’s odd to think after tonight's events that that’d even be possible, but Finn has that way about him.
Turning around, I focus on getting to the restrooms. I push through people making out, drinking, grinding up on each other, dealing drugs—it’s a whole ordeal. By the time we arrive at the doorway that leads to the restroom, Finn is tense, his fingers stiff on my back.
“You’re right,” he mutters as we enter the hallway where the music is less deafening. “This place is sketchy as hell. I think I saw some guy dealing coke right in the open.”
“You did.” I scan the area for the door labeled:Women’s Restroom.
I spot the sign at the end of the hallway with an arrow pointing to the right. I hurry toward it, with Finn following right behind me. As I round the corner, I slam on the brakes.
A man and woman are touching each, right there in the middle of the path to the bathroom door. The woman has her legs wrapped around the guy, her skirt hiked up.
“Sorry,” I mutter as I squeeze by them, my back brushing the wall.
They barely notice me and keep on going. Once we reach the bathroom door, I knock on it.
“Lily, it’s me,” I call out as I knock again.
“How in the hell did you not react to that?” Finn wonders as he stands so close to me, that I can feel the heat of his breath against my neck.
“It’s not the first time I’ve seen two people going at it in a public space,” I tell him with my eyes trained on the door. “I was at this party when an orgy started in the living room. I took off, but I saw a lot of naked flesh before I got out of there.”
“Intentionally?” he teases.
I give him a hardy-har look. “No, I was waiting for my friend to get out of the bathroom. Much like we are now.” I knock again. “Lily?”
A lock clicks from the other side, and then the door cracks open. Lily peers out from the crack, her gaze taking in the surroundings on the other side of the door. The instant she spots Finn and me, relief washes over her features.
“Oh my god!” She throws the door open and hugs the crap out of me.
I awkwardly pat her back because I’m not much of a hugger. The makeout noises have quieted—thank god, so all I can hear is music and the erratic breaths she’s taking.
“Thank you for coming to get me.” She slants back. Tears are streaming from her eyes, which are red and swollen from probably about an hour of crying. Her blond hair that is usually perfectly in place has half fallen out of her ponytail.
Her makeup is smeared, her dress is wrinkled, and she’s missing an earring.
“Are you okay?” I ask and she nods, her gaze moving to Finn.
“Are you going to lecture me?” she asks him.
“Am I River?” Finn responds. “Come here. You look like shit.”
They hug, and Finn tells her everything will be okay.
“Maybe tell me that after we get out of here,” Lily mumbles, stepping back and dabbing her eyes with her fingers.
“Yeah, let’s get the hell out of here,” he agrees, his attention briefly sliding to me.
Then he turns and hurries back down the hallway, motioning for us to follow him. The man and woman that were having sex are gone, and we don’t pass by anyone else until we step out into the bar area. We’re pushing our way out without any issues arising, and I can’t help thinking this is all too easy.
Why would Will lure Lily here to try to drug her, then just bail?
Here’s the thing that I’m stuck on. Lily is a Royal, and Will had to know that. I feel like he was working some sort of angle there, but we haven’t run into him. It doesn’t make any sense. Maybe the sight of Finn scared him? Finn is tall and muscular. One look at him, and it’s clear he works hard to make his body a machine.
I stupidly attempt to convince myself that that’s the reason we make it out of the club without any altercations. Noah and River are waiting for us when we exit, and the cool night air is sweeping around us as we do. The bouncer makes some suggestive comments as we pass by him, but everyone is too relieved that Lily is okay to even notice.
I should’ve noticed.
