Page 27 of Wild Fury (Fallen Royals 6)

Ruby snorts. “Leave my roommate alone, Seb.”

Seb. Bash. Sebastian.

He goes by too many names—like the Devil.

“Now that I know her name, things will get more interesting.” He winks at me.

“Ugh.” I turn away sharply, not wanting to feel this rattled by a little conversation. But I am. I’m like a normal college freshman, flustered by the handsome upperclassman. As soon as I realize how normal it is, it’ll evaporate.

“Lucy, these are my parents.” Ruby comes over and taking my hand. She squeezes twice again. “Everett and James.”

Her dad inclines his head when she says Everett—which means her mother is James?

“Nice to meet you,” I manage.

“My younger sister, Maisie,” she continues, pointing to the girl sliding shirts onto hangers at the bed. “And this is my older brother, Hale. He goes to LBU, too.”

Hale meets my eyes, and I try not to gasp. My initial impression of him being handsome—or even Sebastian being handsome, for that matter—are blown away when he faces me head-on. He’s devastating.

His gaze is cold, though, and he seems to stare right through me. He smiles politely and shakes my hand. I pull away quickly.

He might be scarier than Theo and me combined.

“Luce.” Ruby nudges me. “We were going to grab brunch, do you want to join us?”

I frown. “No, thanks. I’ve got to meet with Felicity.” She had mentioned setting me up with my ID card and helping me find the registration office for classes.

Ruby scoffs. “She’s busy with move-in. Our treat. Right, Mother?”

James nods. “Indeed. Join us, Lucy.”

When she says it, it doesn’t sound so much an invitation as it does an order.

“Great!” Ruby claps. “There’s a fabulous little café down the street. You might want a jacket. It’s chilly.”

I sigh and grab my denim jacket, buttoning it closed and shoving my feet into my shoes. I’ve gotten good at awkward family dinners, but somehow I think this is going to be worse.

“You’re a photographer?” Sebastian asks.

My attention snaps to him. He flips through my portfolio… which I had put in a drawer. Said drawer is wide open.

“Stop,” I demand. The need to keep that part of my life—hell, any part I don’t willingly reveal—private takes me by surprise. The force of it, anyway.

He doesn’t, just turns slightly away from me and keeps going. The creak of the binding is all I can hear for a moment.

I march forward, intending to rip it from his grip, but he easily dodges.

Someone sighs behind us.

“Give. It. Back.” I lunge.

Sebastian holds me back and raises a page. He shows it to Hale, who nods. I feel… unsure. Sebastian’s hand on my shoulder, his fingers bunching my shirt, is startlingly different from any touch that reminds me of Theo. Different, and I’m not totally sure it’s a good or bad thing.

He flips my portfolio book shut and hands it to me.

I’m tempted to smack him with it—but I don’t think my new roommate’s parents would think too kindly of me after that.

“So, brunch,” Maisie says. “I’m starving.”

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