Page 132 of Vicious Desire (Fallen Royals 4)

“You sure you’re feeling up to this?” Eli asks.

I grin and take his outstretched hand. “Absolutely.”

He helps me out of the truck—a very gentlemanly move, if I do say so myself—and curls my hand around his biceps. There’s a trickle of students heading into the hotel, and we join the parade.

Beside the brilliant gold-and-orange butterfly mask Margo gifted me, and the black, slinky dress from Eli, Dad surprised me with gold heels.

“You’re stunning,” Eli whispers in my ear.

My blush is probably visible even with my mask on.

This year’s masquerade ball is Phantom of the Opera themed. The ballroom has been decorated much like the opera house, with loud colored drapes and a stage where a band is already playing.

There’s a good number of Emery-Rose students here already, decked out in their finest formal-wear and masks. The lights are low, and the mood of the room is filled with palpable eagerness.

Or maybe that’s just me.

Eli and I did it.

It’s been two weeks of trial and error, where we both made a massive effort to forgive each other. We both had to relearn how to trust, even if Eli didn’t do anything wrong. He didn’t cheat on me like Jackie said. The only thing I need to overcome is that he made an introduction between a drug dealer and my brother.

But how was he to know?

Those questions went around and around in my mind until I finally accepted it.

None of it was Eli’s fault.

And to his credit, he forgave me a lot easier than I did.

He pulls me onto the dance floor before we can even get settled, guiding me in a spin that flares my dress out around my thighs.

I grin at him. For the first time in a while, I feel lighter than a bird.

Skylar and her date join us. I don’t recognize him, but he gives us a lopsided grin before whisking Skylar off.

“Don’t look over there,” Eli says in my ear.

I crane around, and he laughs.

Jackie is easy to spot. She’s circling the dance floor with a masked boy in tow. She sunk her claws into the captain of the football team earlier this summer, so it’s no surprise he’s following her now.

“It’s probably the blow jobs,” Skylar says breathlessly.

I raise my eyebrow.

“You’re looking at Hale like he’s an alien. I’m just saying, I’m pretty sure he only sticks around because the oral is good.” She shrugs and flips her hair over her shoulder. “I could do better.”

Eli coughs. “Well.”

“Shush,” Skylar and I say at the same time.

I lean into him. His tie matches my mask, and his own mask is black wings. They’re sharper than mine, and infinitely more sinister, but no doubt we’re together. A pair.

I still don’t have a clue where he found something similar to mine.

Unless…

I punch his arm.