Page 78 of Wicked Dreams (Fallen Royals 1)

His.

They collided in an epic explosion when we were ten, and I’m trying to put everything back together. Caleb seems to have healed… but inside, there are still jagged edges.

Am I afraid of those jagged edges? Yes. Get too close and they may cut.

He slows the car, pulling onto a shoulder and putting it in park.

“What are you afraid of?”

I stare out the window, as far as I can see. Only yards ahead of us, the headlights bounce against trees. The rest is darkness.

“Are you afraid of me?”

I dare to look at him. “Do you think I am?”

His eyes narrow. “I don’t know, Margo. Sometimes I think yes. Sometimes I think… hmm, maybe she’s grown a backbone after all.”

“I have a backbone,” I scoff. “You don’t go through the system without developing one.”

“You break too easily.” He reaches out and grabs my face, forcing me to meet his eyes. “You cave. You lose.”

I jerk away from him. “Then why chase me, if I’m so boring?”

He laughs. “Even if you’re fragile, you’re far from boring.” He watches me for a second, then exhales. “Okay. Let’s go to the party.”

I beam, and an unexpected weight comes off my shoulders. I open my mouth, but he cuts me off with a hand on my thigh, squeezing.

“Don’t thank me.”

“Okay,” I whisper. It only means that something worse than his house is coming my way.

I look down at my phone, unsurprised to see a few missed calls and texts. But one stands out.

Unknown: You’re in for a treat.

Somehow, I don’t think they mean ice cream.

I click over to my conversation with Riley.

Riley: Where are you? Amelie is storming around here like an angry bull.

Me: We’re on our way.

Riley: That was fast. *wink emoji*

Me: Nothing happened. We just talked.

Riley: Pro tip: less talking, more kissing. Makes you forget about their bullying.

I frown.

Me: No chance of that.

I put my hand over Caleb’s, which has been slowly creeping higher up my thigh.

He grins. “You like it when I touch you. And you like it when I’m rough. So why stop a good thing?”

“Because we’re about to go to a party.”

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