Page 49 of Vicious Desire (Fallen Royals 4)

Maybe we’ll crash on the living room floor at Jackie’s and come home in the morning.

“You’re practically vibrating,” Amelie says to me. “We have forty-five minutes.”

I take a deep breath. “Right.”

She hands me a flask. “Take a sip of this.”

“If you throw up in my car, I’ll drop you off on the side of the road,” Ian threatens.

I raise my eyebrows and unscrew the cap, taking a tiny sip. It burns all the way down, settling in my stomach. Wow. People like to drink this stuff?

Skylar laughs. “I don’t think she’s a vodka fan, Amelie.”

I hand the flask back and wrinkle my nose. “I’ll stick to… something else. Anything else.”

“Jungle juice,” the boy in the passenger seat says. He twists around. “You can’t even taste the liquor.”

Hmm. “Thanks.”

He extends his hand toward me. “Jake Morrison.”

I tilt my head. The name sounds sort of familiar, but I can’t place it.

“Liam’s brother,” Skylar whispers, her chin touching my shoulder. “Isn’t he cute?”

I snort and take his hand, giving it a firm shake. “Um, right. Nice to meet you.”

I can’t quite make out all his features in the dark car, but he does seem to resemble his brother. Eli’s friend.

“Is…”

“Eli?” Amelie finishes. She smirks. “Probably.”

Oh god. I’d been hoping to avoid him this summer like I’d successfully done all year. It’s amazing how little you see someone when you’re only in school for a few days out of the whole year.

“Maybe he won’t remember you,” Skylar suggests.

“I don’t think he would’ve forgotten,” Ian says under his breath.

I rub my mouth, thankful that I hadn’t gotten around to putting on that lipstick yet. “I’d prefer to not…”

“He’ll leave you alone,” Jake says. “Rumor has it, he has a girlfriend or something.”

My heart gives a painful thump.

A knee-jerk reaction. We literally had one moment together last summer, and here I am… thinking about him again. Isn’t that always the way of it? The assholes are the ones who have a way of worming inside us and staying there.

I settle back in my seat and listen to their chatter the rest of the ride. Things I missed, things I honestly couldn’t give a shit about. It strikes me that I should feel like I missed out on a bunch of things, but the most important thing was staying by Mom’s side. Because what if she did die? How would I have borne that?

So, no. I don’t regret missing so-and-so’s party and the fight and the awesome lacrosse games.

But I can’t exactly say that.

No one knows about the cancer. I gave half-hearted excuses when I was asked why I wasn’t in school, answers ranging from a sick relative to just flat out being unable to come in.

They wouldn’t understand.

“We’re here,” Ian announces.

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