Page 11 of Wicked Dreams (Fallen Royals 1)

Her eyes flash to me, hatred so blinding that I drop my fork.

It clatters to the floor, and I draw eyes. All of them.

“Fuck,” I mutter, diving for it.

When I straighten, Caleb is in front of me.

I have to crane my head back to see his face.

He doesn’t touch me, just stares. I can’t decide if it’s better or worse. “You’re clumsy, Sheep.”

I scowl at him. “I—”

“You—what? No one asked for your excuses.”

“Jesus.”

He grabs my wrist, squeezing so tight my bones grind together. “This is how you hold on to something. Go ahead. Try to break free.”

I stare at him, tugging on my arm.

His fingers hold fast. I stand up and yank, but he doesn’t let go. And then he’s walking me backward, twisting my arm behind my back. A twinge of pain travels up my arm, and I bend to relieve it.

“Caleb—”

“Beg.”

I stare up at him. “Are you serious?”

“You want it to stop?” He pulls on my wrist, inching me closer to him. “You want me to let you go?”

I shake my head. Helplessness crawls along my skin.

He yanks my arm up higher behind my back, until I’m doubled over in front of him. My face is level with his groin.

A sudden shot of fear bleeds through me.

“Please,” I whisper. “Please let me go.”

He drops my wrist, stepping back and grunting in disgust. Something flashes in his eyes—like he’s angrier that I’ve given in to him. And yeah, maybe I should’ve stayed strong. Maybe I should fight the bully next time and make an even bigger scene.

The whole food court is staring at us.

But will they reprimand him? No. He’s Caleb Asher, heir to a Rose Hill fortune. If his business up and moved out of the county, how many jobs would be lost? How many people would that devastate?

Just another thing I learned in my first week at Emery-Rose Elite.

He winds through the tables back to his friends like nothing happened. I glare at his back, hoping he can feel it like I feel his gaze. He’s unfazed. And when he sits back down, he leans into Savannah and kisses her.

Their lips part, and his tongue invades her mouth. They aren’t so much kissing as… he’s invading her.

Conquering her.

He must get off on that shit. Or he’s doing it to drive another nail into my heart, because my whole body feels like I’m drowning.

I glance over at Riley. “We need to leave.”

She smiles sadly. “Yeah, figured you’d say that.”