Page 66 of Wild Fury (Fallen Royals 6)

“Down here,” she says, going to the left side. We approach an open door, and she steps inside. “Here’s Lucille Page, sir.”

An older man sits behind an impressive dark-wood desk. He’s bald, with a trim salt-and-pepper goatee. He motions for me to enter, then rises and extends his hand. I shake it and take the seat he points to.

“Do you know why you’re here?”

I glance over my shoulder, but Jess has disappeared and closed the door. “Jess said Sebastian made an allegation.”

Dr. Onofrio nods. “He plays a vital role on this campus. And he came to me just a little while ago telling me you assaulted him.”

“Really?” I gesture to my body. “No offense, but Sebastian is twice my size—both in height and weight. And he came into my room very aggressively—”

“He said he came to your room to ask about his car, which he’s misplaced.”

“Because he was drinking with my underage roommate,” I say in as grave a tone as possible. “That was troubling to me, too. One, that he thinks I would want his car at all when Theo Alistair lets me borrow his, and two, that he’s taking advantage of Hale’s younger sister.”

The dean pauses.

“Oh, did he not mention that?” I lean forward. “Look. You and I both know that Sebastian is just trying to punish me for whatever I did wrong. But you don’t let students—even ones who play a vital role on the campus, as you say—tell you how to do your job?”

“He’s not—”

“My side of the story is this: he banged on our door at an early hour, forced his way in, and shoved me against the wall with wild accusations of me stealing his car. I didn’t, for the record. He’s been harassing me about going on a date with him, and I wasn’t interested. I think he’s upset at that.” I swallow. My gaze lands on a photo on the bookshelf: the dean with a young girl. “How would you feel if it was your daughter, sir? To be facing such allegations from a powerful boy on campus?”

He grimaces, then rises. “You’ve made your point, Ms. Page. I’ll speak to Sebastian about entering residence halls that he doesn’t belong to. And I would suggest keeping this conversation to yourself.”

“No charges, then? Slaps on the wrist?”

“Innocent until proven guilty,” he says drily. “And that applies to both of you.”

I grunt and stand, slinging my backpack over my shoulder. “Very well. Have a lovely afternoon.” Dickbag.

If I had just sat there and kept my comments to myself, he might’ve lectured me about Sebastian, bullying, how vital the football team is to the school. A joke, in essence. The administration at Lion’s Head had taken a similar approach to such mistreatments.

As in, it wasn’t an issue until their star football players were the ones with inexplicable stomach cramps, tender breasts, irrational mood swings… Did I dose their Gatorade with estrogen every day before practice for weeks?

Maybe.

But I had enough quiet harassment to be sick of people. Even with Theo’s apparent ban on anyone picking on me—something equally ridiculous and creative—shit got through. Guys who didn’t fear him—or did it just because of him.

Alistair’s slut, they said under their breath, jostling me in the hall.

Not just the football team, or the lacrosse douchebags.

It felt like half the school had a reason to hate me, but only a fraction had the guts to say something about it. Yet that fraction seemed like an army at times.

“What did he want?” Theo comes up beside me.

I jump. I’m usually more attuned to my surroundings—and in particular, him. But my thoughts are clouded by annoyance.

“Lux?”

“Nothing.” I glance at him. I expect his own brand of anger.

He’s not angry, though. His steps are light, practically bouncing along, and he smiles at me.

A true smile.

It steals my breath right from my lungs, and I stumble. He reaches out and steadies me, his hand solid on my forearm. I’m acting like a complete nutcase, but damn it. His smile lights up his whole face. Crinkles his eyes. A dimple on his cheek emerges. A dimple I never knew existed.

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