Page 26 of Vicious Desire (Fallen Royals 4)

Hell, my room was still full of boxes. It was depressing being in that house by ourselves, with Mom in the hospital and Dad refusing to leave her side.

If we were any younger, I’m sure an aunt would’ve come to spend the nights at our house. As it was, Noah was deemed responsible.

Ha.

He disappeared into the crowd almost five minutes ago, and I haven’t seen him since.

The girl’s eyes narrow. “How’d you hear about this party?”

I sigh. “My brother. He’s on the soccer team. He said his teammate invited him. Kaiden…?”

Her eyes light up. “Kaiden West. That explains it. I’m Amelie.”

“Riley.”

I shake her offered hand, and she pulls me forward. Before I can fully grasp what’s happening, she has her arm looped around mine, and we plunge into the crowd.

She flings out names like droplets of water. “That’s Jackie, this is Ian, avoid Caleb and his friends in the kitchen—devious boys. Ah, Skylar, she’s a freshman like you. Her mom and mine are best friends.”

The back of my neck prickles. It’s a feeling of being watched, but there are too many bodies in the room. My gaze swings around, and it lands on a group of boys. They’re all different shades of beautiful, but I skate over all of their features. One is staring straight at me. Different from those boys I grew up with, who hated their crushes to catch them spying, this boy looks at me unflinchingly.

Even when I catch him in the act.

From here, he could be made of stone. He doesn’t move. Blond hair, long on top and short on the sides—a typical asshole haircut—and dark eyes. He’s tall and muscular—

Someone jostles me, and I step toward Amelie. She just raises her eyebrow, waving her hand between me and the girl I think she was trying to introduce.

“Don’t get sucked in,” Amelie whispers in my ear. “They may seem pretty, but…”

I glance at her with wide eyes.

“They’re deadly,” she finishes. “Every last one.”

She doesn’t strike me as the type to want to play with fire, but there’s something off in her voice. Like maybe she’s exaggerating a bit, just to keep me away.

Maybe she has a crush of her own.

“Kai!” she shrieks suddenly, dropping my arm and running toward a boy who just walked in. She jumps up, letting him catch her and twirl her around. Her feet don’t seem to touch the floor for an eternity.

“Skylar,” the girl beside me says. She sticks out her hand. “That’s the introduction we were going for before Amelie got distracted. Did you say Riley?”

“Yep.” I shake her hand.

The back of my neck still prickles, but I force myself to ignore it.

“Come on, you look like you need a drink.”

I don’t bother saying I’ve never had alcohol before, never been to a party. Even this is a rare night off from sitting vigil in Mom’s hospital room. She’s home for now, and Noah begged Dad to let us come.

If I had done the begging, it would’ve been a stern no. But as it was, they recognized Noah’s struggle more than mine. He’s the social butterfly of the family, and me?

More like a recluse.

I imagine for a moment the scenario me asking to go to a party would’ve inspired. Mom might’ve choked, eyes bugging out, and Dad would’ve laughed. He would definitely laugh at you, Ri. In the fourteen years they’ve known me—a pretty long time, considering that’s my entire life—I’ve never been one for big crowds.

Or crowds at all.

Skylar and I squeeze through packed bodies now, inching toward the kitchen. I’m not sure when the house got so full, but suddenly the music’s volume doubles.

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