Page 50 of The Royal Flame
“Yep. Just like she’s done to me a ton of times. She probably already knows I’m attending The Royal Academy, so I can use that to my advantage. I can make it seem like I came into some money.”
“That’s very devious of you.” His voice is a mixture of impressed and apprehensive.
“It’s how she taught me to be.” I shrug, staring at the floor. “I’m not naturally like this. And I swear I’d never do something like to someone who didn’t deserve it.” I say it defensively, ashamed of my background in that moment.
And most moments.
He fixes a finger underneath my chin and angles my head up to look at him. “I’m not judging you. You are the kindest, strongest person I’ve ever met, Maddison. But I am worried about you doing this. I don’t trust the people that raised you. She left you in jail for gods sake and stole your money. That’s messed up. But if you want to do this, I’ll go with you. You can act like we’re together and that’s where the money is coming from.”
“The idea of pretending that makes me feel icky, but it’s a good idea.” I smile. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me. I didn’t do anything.”
“You’re mixed up this shit show because of me.”
“It’s my choice to be here. And I’d rather be mixed up in this than headed numbly in the direction I was before.” He brings my wrist to his lips and places a delicate kiss on my pulse.
It takes all of my focus to make sure my voice doesn’t wobble. “We’re supposed to be being friends until we can figure out how to get this target off of me.”
“Right. Sorry.” He blinks and releases my hand.
“Not that I mind you kissing my wrist,” I clarify. “But maybe save it for when we’re behind closed doors. Which, maybe you going with me to meet my mother might not be the best idea. What if the paparazzi spots us.”
“I know a place that’s pretty low key,” he explains as he unlocks the door. “If you were doing something else, I’d say go by yourself, but I don’t feel comfortable letting you go meet this woman by yourself.” He pushes the dorm door open and motions for me to enter first.
I step over the threshold, and he follows me, shutting the door behind us.
I face him. “You do realize I was raised by her, right?”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you should’ve been.” He tosses his car keys into a dish that’s on an end table. “You should mention this to Grey too, because he’ll find out anyway.”
I grimace. “He’ll probably tell me not to. Not that that’ll stop me, but it’s so annoying how much of a parent he’s trying to be. I’m used to doing whatever I want whenever I want.”
“It might not be bad, though, to have a parent that cares about you.”
“How can he care about me? He doesn’t even know me.”
“Because he’s putting a lot of effort into making sure you’re safe. I know it’s annoying, but that means something.”
He’s right—I know he is. That doesn’t mean I feel any better about having to check in with Grey, especially when I’m an adult.
However, River is right. I have to tell him where I’m going so his bodyguard doesn’t wonder where the hell I’m going.
I text my mother first, to arrange the dinner. It takes her a while to reply. While we wait, River and I do homework in his living room, which seems oddly ordinary with everything else going on.
Eventually, my mother replies.
Mother: You want to take me out to some fancy dinner? Why?
Me: I need to talk to you about some stuff.
Mother: What’s in it for me?
Me: A nice dinner.
Mother: I want a hundred bucks cash, or no deal.
“Grrr,” I growl out as I read her text.
