Page 120 of Vicious Desire (Fallen Royals 4)

I sniffle. I know she can’t come home, but the pain of it is blinding.

Worse than her cancer, because this is her doing.

I hate you, I think at her.

As if my words actually penetrate, she flinches in her sleep.

“Come on, honey. You need rest.”

You haven’t stopped moving since the meet, is his unspoken phrase.

It’s early—the sun just poked its head out twenty minutes ago, tinging the sky pastel pinks and oranges. It’s too early to do anything except go home and crawl into bed.

“Riley,” Noah says, reaching out his hand.

I have to release Mom to take it.

“We’ll be okay,” he says. “Dad snored all night on a cot in my room, so he’s fit to take over watch.”

The tips of Dad’s ears turn pink.

I still haven’t wholly forgiven him for hitting Eli. It was unexpected and shocking, but maybe I should’ve been able to predict it. I was a wreck for weeks after Eli and I broke up.

He was the one who sat on the edge of my bed and pleaded with me to get out of it.

I should’ve realized his fear was that I was going to become my mother.

“Please go home,” Noah says. “Have someone—Eli, even—drive you home.”

I start. “You’d be okay with that?”

“When he’s not being a dickface, I can tell he makes you happy,” he admits. “But you can tell him I’ll kill him if he plans on being a repeat offender.”

Oh, right.

That.

“I don’t think he will,” I hedge. Casting one last look at Mom, I slip out the door and down the hall.

I call Eli on my way to the elevator, and he says he can pick me up.

Ten minutes later, he pulls up to the hospital, and I climb in.

“That was fast,” I comment. “Especially since it’s barely six.”

“I was actually on my way here.” He points to one of the drinks in his cup holder. “I got you a latte.”

My cheeks grow hot. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Bagel, too.”

Now I’m positively mush.

He gets on the highway, speeding for home, and I automatically reach out to touch his arm.

“Can you take me to the school? I need my car.” I shift, remembering how I left the keys in the locker room in my haste to get outside.

The water bottle is still in my locker, I’d bet.