I don’t want to lie to her. “I’m…not ready to talk about it. But I might have overreacted.”
“Why didn’t you come to me?” she asks, the hurt clear in every word.
“I didn’t think of it. I…something happened here and I got in my car, bought a bus ticket and left. The only thing in my mind was getting as far away from here as possible. It didn’t occur to me to come to you. I’m not used to relying on people. I’m sorry.”
She’s silent for a moment. “I’m still pissed at you.”
“You should be.”
“Are you coming to school today?”
“No. I got back late last night, so Callum’s giving me a day to get settled.”
“Fine. Then I’m skipping school and you’re coming over and telling me everything.”
“I’ll tell you what I can.” I don’t even want to think about the Brooke and Reed stuff anymore. I want to forget it happened. I want to forget that I opened my heart to Reed.
“I got shit to tell you, too,” she admits. “When can you come over?”
I check the clock. “An hour? I need to shower, eat, get dressed.”
“Sounds like a plan. Come to the back door otherwise my aunt will wonder why we aren’t at school.”
Val lives with her aunt so she can attend Astor Park. I’ve only met Val’s evil cousin, Jordan, and I guess the day that I play hooky isn’t the best time to introduce myself to the rest of her family.
“Roger. See you soon.”
I take a deep breath and call Lucy next. “Hey, Lucy. It’s Ella. I’m so sorry I disappeared on you like that. Can I come in this afternoon?”
“I’m sorry, too, but I can’t talk right now. It’s busy.” Lucy is curt, and I suddenly regret not going in the moment I woke up this morning. “If you can stop by before two today, I can chat.”
“I’ll be there,” I promise. I have a feeling I’m not going to like what she has to say.
I drag myself out of bed, shower and then throw on a pair of old jeans and my flannel shirt. Ironically, this is essentially the same outfit I wore the first time I arrived at the Royal mansion. My closet here is stuffed full of expensive clothes, but I’m not wearing a single stitch that was picked out by Brooke Davidson. That might be petty and stupid, but I don’t care.
I open my door and stop. Reed is leaning against the wall opposite my bedroom.
“Morning.”
I slam the door shut.
His strong voice easily carries beyond the door. “How long are you going to ignore me?”
Two years. No. For as long as humanly possible.
“I’m not leaving,” he adds. “And eventually you’re going to forgive me, so you might as well hear me out.”
I walk over to the window beside my bed and look down. The drop from the second story to the ground is pretty steep and I’m not sure the whole knotted-sheet thing works in real life. With my luck, the sheets would come untied and I’d crash to the ground, breaking several bones, and be stuck in my bed for weeks.
I cross the room, throw open the door, and march past him without a word.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the Brooke thing.”
You can take your sorries and choke on them.
Halfway down the stairs, he catches me by my upper arm and tugs me around to face him. “I know you still care or you wouldn’t be giving me the silent treatment.” He even has the nerve to flash me a smile.
Oh my God. He is not allowed to smile. First, because he’s insanely hot when he does that. And second, because…argh…because I’m mad at him.
I give him a cold look and jerk out of his grasp. “I’ve decided that I’m not going to waste my time or energy on people who don’t deserve it.”
Reed waits until I’m down the steps before calling after me. “So you don’t care about Easton, then?”
His mention of Easton has me turning back, because other than Val, Easton became one of my closest friends here. “Is there something going on with him?”
Reed descends the rest of the stairs to stand next to me. “Yeah. You ran off and he’s had his whole life full of women he loves abandoning him.”
The guilt makes me flush hot. “I didn’t abandon him.”
I left your cheating ass behind.
Reed shrugs. “Then you’ll need to convince him of that, not me. But I’m confident you’ll win him over.”
What an arrogant ass. I school my features into as sweet of an expression as I can manage. “Will you do me a favor?”
“Of course.”
“Take your condescension, your unwanted advice, your creepy lurking outside of my door and shove it up your ass.”
I whirl around. There’s no grand exit for me, though, because Reed merely follows me into the kitchen where I find the rest of the Royal household, sans Gideon.
“Doesn’t anyone have practice this morning?” I ask warily.
Easton and Reed play football. Those two should be at school by now. Callum’s usually gone to his office before dawn breaks. I have no idea when the twins roll out of bed. This morning, everyone is sitting at the large glass-topped table that’s situated in a nook that overlooks the pool and then the Atlantic Ocean beyond.
“Special day,” Callum says over the top of his coffee mug. “Everyone is participating in this family get-together. Sandra prepared breakfast for you—it’s in the refrigerator. Why don’t you grab it and sit down? Reed, stop hovering and take a seat.”
It’s not a suggestion for either of us, and despite Callum not being my dad and despite Reed’s tendency to not listen to him, we both do as Callum says.
“It’s good to have you back,” Sawyer says as I take my seat. At least I think it’s Sawyer. The burn mark around his wrist that I once used to identify the twins has healed over, so I’m not positive.
“Yeah. It’s getting cold and Reed promised you’d take us all shopping for winter clothes,” Seb chimes in.
“Oh, he did, did he?”
“Yeah, we’re pretty helpless without you.” Reed’s low voice strikes me hard in the gut.
“Don’t talk to me,” I snap.
“I agree,” Easton says. “Don’t talk to her.”
I jolt up in surprise to see all three Royal boys shoot glares in Reed’s direction. His mouth tightens. I tell my stupid heart that it’s not allowed an ounce of sympathy for Reed. Whatever he’s reaping here at the breakfast table, I know he’s sown a thousand times over.
“Morning, Easton,” I chirp. “Have I missed anything interesting in bio?” I want to bring up the strange hug from last night, but this isn’t the place.
Still, I need to know that he’s okay. Easton has a few addiction problems. I think he misses his mom and is trying to fill that gap with everything and finding that nothing works. I’ve been there.
“Yeah, we’re dissecting pigs.”
“Seriously?” I make a gagging noise. “Glad I skipped.”
“Nah.” He nudges me with his shoulder. “I’m kidding. You haven’t missed shit. Assessments are next week, though.”
“Oh crap.”
“Don’t worry. Callum will take care of everything, won’t you, Dad?” Easton sticks his chin out.
Callum ignores Easton’s challenge and nods placidly. “Yes, if you need more time, Ella, I’m sure that can be arranged.”
Because in his world, money buys anything, including extra time to take standardized tests. Maybe I won’t even need to take a college entrance exam. I don’t know whether that makes me happy or upset. Both, I guess. Confused emotions are the standard in my head right now.
Like when Reed takes a seat next to me, my body rejoices, remembering all the pleasure he pulled out of it. And my heart flips in memory of how he filled the cracks in my heart with affection and warmth that I hadn’t even realized I needed in my life. But my head reminds me that this boy was terrible to me. The one concession I can make is that he tried to warn me off, but I kept after him like a lovesick idio
t, telling him that he wanted me and that he just needed to admit it. So I guess we’re both to blame.
He told me to stay away.
He told me I didn’t belong.
If only I’d listened to him.
“Your bagel offend you in some way?” Easton asks.
I look down to see my breakfast lying in shreds on the plate. I push it aside and pull the bowl of fresh fruit, granola, and yogurt toward me. The single greatest thing about living in the Royal house might be the amount of food in the kitchen at all times. There’s no eating one meal a day or hoping that your body doesn’t revolt if all you can get your hands on is a single fast-food taco.
And everything is fresh, bright, green, and healthy.
If Callum had just reminded me of the contents of the refrigerator, maybe I wouldn’t have put up as big of a fight.
“Not feeling the carbs this morning,” I tell Easton.
“So, baby sis, what’re we gonna do today?” He rubs his hands together. “I hear we’re not going to school. Well, the twins are, but that’s ’cause they’re too dumb. They miss one class, they’ll flunk out.”
Both twins give him the finger.
“I’m going over to Valerie’s.”
“Great,” Easton says. “I like Val. Sounds like we’re gonna have a good time.”
“You missed the pronoun I.”
Everyone at the table is watching our exchange.
“I didn’t miss it.” Easton grins sunnily, but his eyes are darting all over. “I’m conveniently ignoring it. What time are we leaving?”
I rap my fingers on the table. “Easton, pay attention.” I wait until his frenetic gaze lands back on me. “You are staying here. Or you can leave, but either way you’re not coming with me.”
“You’re saying words but they’re not really making any sense. When do you want to meet at your car?”
I look around the table for help, but everyone averts their faces. Across from me, the twins are nearly shaking with suppressed laughter.
Callum peers over the top of his newspaper. “You should give in now. If you don’t let him ride with you, he’ll show up at the Carringtons’ anyway.”
Easton tries to look gracious and contrite, but triumph gleams in his eyes.
“Fine, but we’re painting our nails and talking about which maxi pads are the most absorbent. There might even be scientific experiments.”
His smile doesn’t waver, but the twins groan. “Gross,” they say in unison and push away from the table. Sawyer—I’m going with that—taps Sebastian on the shoulder. “Ready to go?”
Seb tosses a napkin on the table and rises. “I guess. I’d rather learn about geometry than maxi pads.”
“Let’s leave in about fifteen?” Easton says to me before bounding out of the kitchen.
I rub my forehead as a pain starts to develop over my right eye.
“Ella…” Reed is so quiet I barely hear him.
I ignore him and stare out the window at the clear, still water in the pool, wishing life were as smooth and calm.
“I’ll leave you two to finish breakfast.” Callum folds his paper noisily. The chair legs scrape against the tiled floor when he stands. “I’m glad you’re back, Ella. We missed you.” He places a hand on my shoulder and then leaves the room.
“I’m done, too.” I throw my spoon down next to my uneaten breakfast.
“Forget it. I’m going.” Reed gets to his feet. “You need to eat and it’s obvious you won’t while I’m here.”
I keep ignoring him.
“I’m not your enemy,” he says, unhappiness coloring his voice. “I didn’t tell you about my past because it was messed up and I didn’t know how you’d react. I was wrong, okay? But I’m gonna make it right.”
He leans down, his mouth inches away from my ear. His scent surrounds me, so I force myself not to breathe. Force myself not to let my gaze linger on his sculpted arm, which flexes as he braces one hand against the table.
“I’m not giving up,” he murmurs, his warm breath tickling the side of my neck.
I finally offer a response. Low and mocking. “You should. I’d screw Daniel before I’d get back together with you.”
His breath whistles between his teeth as he sucks in a breath. “We both know that’s not true. But I get it. I hurt you and now you want to pay me back.”
I look him in the eye. “No. I don’t want payback. It’s not worth the mental energy, and I don’t plan on spending much time thinking about you. I don’t care about you or your girls. I just want to be left alone.”
His jaw hardens. “I’m willing to do almost anything for you. I’d go back in time to change things if I could.” He gazes down at me with determination. “But I’m not leaving you alone.”
10
Easton is sprawled on my bed when I walk in. He’s got a can of pop—not beer, thank goodness—cupped between his legs and my remote in his fist.
“How’d you get in here?” I demand.
“You didn’t close your door all the way.” He pats the empty space on the mattress. “Hop up. I’ll watch ESPN while you call Val.”
“I already called before I came down for breakfast.” I shove a few things into my backpack and sling it over my shoulder. “You guys have a thrift store around here?”
Easton rolls off the bed and joins me in front of the closet. “No clue, but if you’re tired of your clothes, you can donate them during Formal week. They have a charity drive.”
Formal week? I start to ask, and then decide that I don’t really want to know. I’m not attending any stupid Astor Park shit in the future.
“Of course they do,” I mutter. “Callum says I have money. I guess I can access it.”
“What do you want it for?”
“To buy clothes.”
“You have them.” He gestures toward the closet.
“And I’m going to torch these and buy new ones, okay?” Anger and impatience make me ruder than I mean to be. “I don’t see why it’s a big deal that I want to shop. Girls are supposed to like to shop.”
Easton studies me with shiny eyes that are far more intuitive than I give him credit for. “You’re not a regular girl, Ella. So yeah, it’s weird, but I’m putting it together. Brooke bought these clothes. You hate Brooke. These clothes gotta go.”
I cross my arms. “Did Reed tell you or have you known all along?”
“He just told me,” Easton admits.
“Good news. Your balls have been saved.” I push him out of the way and grab a pair of sneakers.
I’m going to build a new life, starting today. It won’t include guys who sleep with their dad’s girlfriends and romance their stepsister on the side. I will also cut any bitch who tries something with me.
Good thing bitch number one, Jordan, is at school today, or I might shove her into her pool with some rocks tied around her neck.
“You have a mean look on your face. It’s crazy hot. Promise me you’ll let me orgasm before you kill me?” Easton jokes.
“You’re going to get slapped very hard by someone someday.”
“I know you mean that as a threat, but honestly I can’t wait. Sounds like a good time.”
Whatever girl takes on Easton is going to have to hold a whip in one hand and a pistol in the other. I think he’s uncontrollable, though.
I pick up the key fob of my gorgeous custom-painted convertible. I’d been really sad to leave that baby behind.
“You think Val will have some food for me?” Easton asks. “I’m getting hungry again.”
“Go downstairs then, because you’re not coming with me.”
“Then it’s gonna be Reed.”
I stop at my bedroom door. “What’re you talking about?”
“Dad’s worried you’re going to skate again, so one of us is on you at all times. Good news is, you get to piss by yourself, but there’s an alarm on your window.”
I throw my keys on the dresser and stalk into the bathroom.
 
; “See the red sensors here?” Easton leans forward and points out two tiny pinpoints of light in the casing of the window. “Dad’ll get a text message if you open it. So who’s going with you to Val’s? Me or Reed?”
“This is insane.” I shake my head. “Fine, let’s go.”
Easton obediently follows me down the stairs and out into the carport. I’m not in the mood to talk, but he has other ideas as I drive through the huge gates.
“I’m the one who should be pissed off. You ran off without a word. I was worried. You could’ve been killed or something.”
I’ve already had this conversation with Reed, thank you. “Seems like I’m not the only one you’re mad at. What’s with you and the twins glaring at Reed during breakfast?”
“He’s being a dick.”
“You’re just now discovering this?”
Easton stares at his sneakers when he answers. “It didn’t matter before.”
There’s no point in responding. Besides, the Carringtons live less than ten minutes away and I’m already pulling into their driveway. I spot Val at the back door and she doesn’t look happy.
“What’s wrong?” I ask when we reach her.
She nods toward Easton. “What’s he doing here?”
“Sorry, one Royal has to be with Ella at all times,” he says. “Dad’s orders.”
Val looks at me incredulously. “For real?”
“No idea, but I promise you if I could’ve left Easton at home, I totally would have.”
“Hey, you’re hurting my feelings,” he protests.
And because that might be true, I plead with Val. “He’s not going to say anything.”
She rolls her eyes. “Whatever. Just get in here.”
“Got anything to eat?” Easton asks as we pass through the kitchen.
“Help yourself.” She waves a hand toward the counter that’s topped by a cornucopia of fruit and a cake underneath a glass case. “You can stay here. Ella and I need alone time.”
“Aw no. I want to come with you.” Easton leans past me. “Ella told me you guys were testing the absorbency of maxi pads. I’m interested in that myself.”
Val gives me a confused look.
“Easton, please. Give us just ten minutes by ourselves,” I beg.