Page 126 of Wicked Games (Fallen Royals 2)

“Ready for the game?” I ask. It’s going to be very Friday Night Lights-esque, I’m predicting. Does Emery-Rose have the skills necessary to take down Lion’s Head on their home turf, for the state championship game? Maybe.

But they also have the ability to fall apart under Lion’s Head’s defensive pressure.

“Ready as we’ll ever be,” Liam answers. “You and Margo coming?”

“Along with half the school.” I chuckle. “She didn’t sound too keen, but then again, the last time we went to a game I made a spectacle of Amelie.”

“You’re not planning on making a fool of yourself again, right?” Theo asks.

“Depends.” I take a sip of coffee.

“On?”

“If you make a fool of yourself.” I smirk. “You know she’s going to be there.”

The tips of his ears get red. It’s slight, but it’s one of his tells. That, and sometimes his jaw tics. Little movements he’s incapable of masking.

Liam sighs. “Fucking hell, Alistair. Do not get thrown out of the game because of some stupid girl—”

“Don’t.” Theo glowers at him.

Once we get to school, the three of us make our way inside. Margo is already there with Riley, telling some story using too many hand motions. She’s eager. Happy.

And then she sees me, and her face falls the slightest bit.

Why?

I grind my teeth. We’ve come this far, I won’t have her backing out. Running away because she’s afraid of feelings. If only she knew how deep into her skin I’m willing to engrave myself.

I leave my friends and go to her. We have a connection. An awareness. I always know where she is, and I’d bet money that she can sense me in a room, too.

The frown still sits on her pretty mouth. I snag her chin in my fingers and tip her head up. She inhales through her nose when I slam my lips to hers, pushing her against the lockers with the force of it.

You’re mine, I tell her with my body. Just in case you forgot.

She resists for half a second, then melts. Her hands slide up my arms, around my neck. Her fingers stop just shy of my hair, which is hiding the stitched-up gash from my uncle.

Her mouth parts, allowing my tongue to slide in. I kiss her until she gives, the tiniest whimper in her throat. First to give in loses.

She doesn’t realize I was the first to give in to her.

I pull away, but her grip tightens on my neck. Her teeth catch my lower lip, and she tugs.

My dick twitches in my pants. Any more of that, and I’d be hard in the middle of the fucking hallway. Her eyes go to my lip, and she smirks.

She fucking smirks.

Kill me now.

“If you don’t stop looking at me like that, I won’t be held accountable for my actions.” I swipe my tongue along my lower lip. A metallic taste blooms across my mouth. She bit me hard enough to draw blood, and God, it’s hot.

Her smirk fades. An expression on my face, maybe. I’m two seconds away from dragging her into the greenhouse and fucking her against the wall.

“Calm down.” She puts her palm on my chest, pushing me away.

“That’s not how this works.” I’m sorely tempted to follow through on my threat, if only to show her who still has control.

Total bullshit, though. I gave up an ounce of control the moment I let her escape me, and then she steamrolled her way into my heart.

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