Page 99 of Wicked Dreams (Fallen Royals 1)

She glances at me. “Sounds nice.”

“Claire’s a wild child,” I say. “Always coming up with harebrained ideas. Hanna and I were more similar. Quiet… grounded.”

Riley snorts. “Shy.”

“Yeah, that.”

We get to the mall in record time. At the food court, I look around eagerly for Claire while Riley breaks away to get lunch. I finally spot her on the escalator.

I wave frantically, catching her attention, and rush toward her. We crash into each other, hugging and laughing.

I pull away first. “It’s been, what, a month? You’re grown up.”

Her blonde hair, long when I first saw it, is short and curled. She has cat-eye sunglasses perched on her head, light eye makeup, and dark-red lipstick.

She manages to seem more adult than I feel.

“I missed you, Wolfe.” She hugs me again. She’s small enough that she can tuck her head under my chin. “We have so much to catch up on!”

“How’s Hanna?” I ask.

“Brilliant,” Claire says. “Foster family loves her, of course. There’s a brother in this one. I’m thinking they might be keepers.”

My eyes widen. “That’s amazing.”

She shrugs. “If they keep me is a whole other issue. They’re infatuated with Hanna—not her adventurous older sister.”

“You two are a package deal.”

“I’d rather her secure a home that loves her. I’ll be fine.”

Riley approaches with a tray of food, and Claire’s head shoots up.

“Who’s this?”

“Claire, this is my friend, Riley. Riley, Claire.”

They shake hands, and we lapse into silence. Riley passes me a carton of food.

“So, how’s things been back at Emery-Rose?” Claire asks. “Run into Caleb?”

I blush. I’ve managed to keep our sex a secret from everyone—Riley, even. But it’s no secret that we’re… different. I don’t even know how to classify us. Are we dating? His possessiveness has ramped up ten degrees. He literally growls at anyone who so much as glances in my direction. Yet, I haven’t seen him outside of school since Monday afternoon.

A stolen kiss or two before class, his hand on my thigh at lunch… other than that, nothing.

“Ooh, Riley, she’s turning red. What is happening?” Claire leans forward.

“They’re dating,” Riley tells her. “After a tumultuous start.”

Claire grabs my wrist. “Really? Margo, that’s great!” She squeezes hard enough to bruise. “After all, you never shut up about him. It’s like you willed this to happen against the odds.”

I smile, pulling my wrist away. I put my hands under the table. She knows about my history with him, but her reaction isn’t quite what I thought.

“What about you?” I ask. “Any new boys at your new school?”

“Where do you go?” Riley asks.

“Lion’s Head.” She grins. “There’s some cute guys there, Wolfe. They’re deliciously rich.”

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