Page 130 of Vicious Desire (Fallen Royals 4)

She meets my gaze, and her expression is filled with warmth. Her cheeks are red, her hair a wild halo around her head.

“I love you,” she says.

I pound into her, swivel my hips, and her eyes roll back for a second. Her eyelids flutter.

My orgasm explodes out of nowhere, and I bow my head down to hers as I come. Our foreheads are pressed together. She reaches up and cups my cheek, then kisses me again.

Maybe her words are post-coital bliss, or maybe it’s the truth.

I’ll lean toward the truth.

“I love you, too.”

33

Riley

I wish I could say things ended with happily ever after, but that isn’t the case. There’s Mom to deal with, and Noah. Hell, even my father deserves a word or two.

But one change is that Eli is now firmly at my side, and he’s not leaving.

Which is good, because last week I might’ve accidentally left the masquerade mask Margo got for me on my desk, and he spotted it. His face lit up. The next day, a black dress was delivered to my house.

Mom’s seventy-two-hour hold is up, and she’s medically stable enough to be transferred to the inpatient facility Noah went to. He gave it a thumbs-up, so Mom didn’t argue. She didn’t even try.

Eli and I drive together. The facility, Meadowview Wellness and Rehabilitation Center, is just down the street from Beacon Hill hospital. It feels like a quick trip, even though I know it’s at least fifteen minutes from our house.

There’s a ball of nerves in my stomach that won’t relax.

We can say our goodbyes in the lobby, and after that…

I exhale.

Noah’s wounds are healing fine, which meant he was discharged under strict orders to stay home. Preferably in bed.

He told me about the facility last night, sharing details he hadn’t before. I curled up beside him on his bed, and it felt more like he was telling a story than anything else. It was surreal.

“It helped a lot,” he said. “If she trusts the process, she’ll be okay. There’s a part where they can apologize and shit, but before then… no family members.”

It brought to mind the phone call I got two months into his stay. He was sober. He’d earned phone privileges, and he called my parents and I individually. Our conversation was pretty healing for both of us. I had tears running down my face by the end of it.

Maybe I’ll get that chance with Mom, because right now...

“You okay?” Eli asks.

I sigh. “I’m just conflicted.”

“About your mom.” It isn’t a question. He reaches over and squeezes my thigh, then leaves his hand there.

I unbuckle my seat belt and scoot into the center seat, re-buckling and leaning into his arm. “I’m glad you’re here,” I whisper.

He takes his eyes off the road for a moment and kisses the top of my head.

“I’m going to apply to the police academy,” he says suddenly. “Masters said something about being on the other side of the courtroom. But I think it could go even further than that.”

My eyes widen. “Really?”

On one hand, the relief that he’s found something that he wants to do loosens a few knots in my chest. But worry over the danger is ice down my spine.