Page 64 of Royal
Wilder juts his chin in the direction the Madden siblings headed as he begins to walk away. “Watch our girl. Make sure she’s okay.” With that, he turns and hurries off.
Not a problem. Watching Echo is what I do best. I’m definitely following this fucking disaster as it unfolds. I laugh internally as I sidestep one body after another. This may be the only time I’m glad for a crowded-ass party because they haven’t managed to get very far. Up ahead, she pushes her way through, then turns and glares again. “Leave me the fuck alone, Davis.”
I stealthily edge closer, creeping through the crowd. The image of her flush-faced and upset is burned into my brain. She’s so fucking gorgeous with the heat of anger splashed across her face. I take one breath. Two. She needs me. A burst of adrenaline shoots through me, and I move at a faster pace through the house, dodging dancing fools and sloshing cups along the way. I need to maintain eyes on her. My girl.
At the front of the house, when the crowd finally clears, she marches right along in those sexy-ass heels and an outfit that makes me want to have my way with her in the coat closet. She’s got a purse slung over her shoulder that bounces off that pert ass of hers with every step. Her head swivels left and right as she looks around. Where’s she going? People see the two of them coming and, interestingly enough, get out of the way.
She storms past a bunch of people waiting for the bathroom and dashes into a room at the end of the hall. The door slams shut in Davis’s face. His body jerks as it barely misses hitting his nose, and I gotta say, I jump a bit, too at the loud sound. I step to the side, getting into a line for the bathroom when Davis glances my way.
It’s clear as hell that her brother is far from done with her, and she’s having fucking none of it. They both must have inherited a stubborn streak from one of their parents becausedamn.He pounds on the door, shouting at her.
“Open the fuck up!”
“No, leave me the fuck alone!” comes her fury-filled voice from the other side of the door.
Good for her. She knows her mind. And Davis. There’s something about him. He makes Royal so fucking mad. He fucking taunts him. How the hell did these two used to be friends? I glance over my shoulder in time to see Davis back up and kick the door open with a grunt.Shit.
A moment later, he’s in there with Echo and the door snaps shut behind him. Clenching my teeth, I rack my brain for a plausible scenario that would allow me to listen in and not be obvious that that’s what I’m doing. I have to know what they’re talking about.
Just then, the entire line backs up several paces when three people exit the bathroom. The girl in the center has to be held up, obviously drunk. There appears to be puke down the front of her that they’d tried to clean up. One of the girls with her winces. “Sorry. She didn’t make it to the toilet. Use the bathroom at your own risk.”
Everyone groans as they vacate the hallway in search of another bathroom, and I take my chance, darting to the end of the hallway. Bracing my hands on the door, I put my ear up to it and listen.
There’s nothing at first, and I almost pull away, confused. But then Davis lets loose a frustrated growl. “I don’t get it. What are you doing even talking to him?”
“He came to me tonight, not the other way around. I’m not inviting his advances, believe it or not. He won’t leave me alone.”
“Dammit, Echo. Stay the fuck away from him before you unravel everything we’ve been hiding. What part of ‘don’t talk to him’ do you not understand? You keep saying you want me to back off and keep my distance, but frankly, it doesn’t seem like that’s such a hot idea when you fucking gravitate toward him.”
“Fuck you, Davis. Do you think I asked for any of this? Did it look like we were having a pleasant conversation back there?”
It seems like her brother is hell-bent on protecting her but has no idea what’s been happening if he’s under the impression there’s been much conversation happening at all.
“For fuck’s sake, Echo. Use your damn head. And quit pushing me away. I get it. You’re pissed at me from not immediately telling you I knew he was here. But you know what? I had other shit going on. Not everything is about you.”
There’s a moment of what I imagine is stunned silence, but I could be wrong. I imagine Echo turning her back on him, arms crossed over her chest.
Quieter now, and more determined, Davis grits out, “You will let me protect you, Echo. He was angry with you before, and he’s out for revenge.”
“Davis, this is why I didn’t want you hovering. I can handle him.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? Can you imagine if I wasn’t?”
“I am a grown woman. After everything I’ve been through, don’t you think I deserve the chance to figure things out on my own?”
“Yeah, but we’re talking about Royal, not about you going off to college to gain some independence and do a little living. You know damn fucking well that Royal being here changes everything.” There’s silence for a moment.“Everything.”
Shit.There are so many undercurrents in this conversation, I really wish I were able to see their facial expressions. Sure, I can imagine, but I have a feeling there is a whole fuck ton being said without any words at all.
“I’m taking you back to TZE right the fuck now.”
It’s a good thing I’m not new to this because I feel it coming. They’re about to exit, either with him manhandling her or with her stalking away again. I back up and shut myself into the room across the hall just in time for the other door to pop open.
Faintly, I hear Echo’s response. “You’re not taking meany-fucking-where.”
THIRTY-ONE
WILDER
