Page 65 of Wicked Dreams (Fallen Royals 1)
Tears fill my eyes, and he laughs. I sprint out of the courtyard.
Riley calls my name, but it’s easier to just leave everything behind. I run across the playing fields, up a path into the woods. Once I’m out of sight, I stop and lean against a tree.
“That was quite a show,” Theo says, coming up behind me. “Although, to be fair, I only saw it through my phone.”
I jerk around, pressing my hand to my chest. He didn’t come from the direction of the school. I’d seen him walking in with Caleb, but he must’ve peeled away. To come out here...
He stubs out a cigarette against a tree and tosses it into the woods, winking at me. “Our little secret, yeah?”
He flashes his phone screen at me. Ian getting in my face is all I can see, and then he powers it off and stuffs it in his pocket.
“What do you want?” I ask, using my sleeve to dab at my face.
“Eh, I guess I want to know why Ian got such a visceral reaction out of you. God knows Caleb’s been trying to do the same for weeks.”
I shrug and look away. “He just touched a nerve.”
“Your mom.”
There’s a gleam in his eye that I don’t like.
I straighten and face him. “If you run back and tell Caleb that’s my secret weakness, I will destroy you.”
He laughs. Laughs. “I’ve always wanted to hear what it would sound like to be threatened by a toddler.”
I turn away from him. “I came out here to be alone. Not…”
“Accompanied?”
I snort.
“I was just heading back. I should’ve offered you a hit before I tossed the joint.” He comes up beside me, offering his arm. “Besides, isn’t this just what you need?”
I squint at him. Of course it wasn’t a cigarette. Their star football player wouldn’t ruin his lungs like that. Instead, he’s getting high in the woods behind the school.
“Liam was going to make this offer, but I’m happy I beat him to it,” he says. “You want Caleb’s attention.”
I straighten.
“We walk in there together, pretend to date… It’ll get the cheerleaders of my back, and Caleb will put you on yours.” He grins. “Win-win.”
“Pretend girlfriend? That’s kind of a cheesy…”
“It’s a useful trick. Old-school play.” He shrugs, his arm still out toward me.
“Why are you being nice?” I demand.
He snorts. “Who said anything about nice? Liam isn’t the only one who enjoys getting on Caleb’s nerves.”
I haven’t heard him say more than one sentence to me, and now we’re having a full-blown conversation. About… Caleb. The one person I’d rather not talk about.
“Just admit that the idea of him and Amelie is driving you nuts,” he says softly. “And let’s do something about it.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Are you into her?”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you look kind of how I feel.” There’s something in his eyes, and I want to know him more. Is he as monstrous to someone as Caleb is to me? As Eli is to Riley?