Page 86 of Vicious Desire (Fallen Royals 4)

I lift her higher, and she wraps her legs around my hips. We stay like that for a long time, and some of the anxiety I’ve been carrying fades away.

Some of my residual anger toward her does, too.

It falls off my body like flower petals, dropping and disintegrating.

Tomorrow is a new day. But for right now?

I press a kiss to her cheek.

21

Riley

Dad arrives an hour and a half after Noah is admitted and taken into surgery. Caleb and Margo have been keeping vigil, and Eli…

He hasn’t let go of me.

Or maybe I haven’t let go of him.

We’re on one of the couches, my legs over his lap, my head on his shoulder. I’m so tired, I could fall asleep. But every time I close my eyes, I see Noah coming at me on the sidewalk.

My hands are clean, gently scrubbed with a wet wipe by Eli, but Noah’s blood is on both of us.

“Honey,” Dad calls, and I stand.

Hug him.

My eyes fill with tears for the thousandth time.

“It’ll be okay,” he says. “I talked to a nurse, and they’re closing him up now. He’ll be in recovery for about thirty minutes, then we can see him.”

“He’s okay?”

“For now, yes.” Dad purses his lips. “Did he say anything?”

“He said he got jumped,” Eli offers.

Dad scowls at him. “I think it’s best you head home, don’t you think?”

I freeze, then slowly glance between Dad and Eli. I didn’t consider their feelings toward each other, but it seems mutual.

Hatred.

It clouds the room.

I squeeze Dad’s wrist. “He helped me.”

Dad meets my gaze, and I wince.

Eli tucks his phone in his pocket. “I’m gonna head out.”

Dad appears ready to punch Eli—an uncharacteristic expression for him. I stay beside Dad, wondering if any movement toward Eli would further instigate him. Caleb claps Eli on the shoulder and follows him out.

Margo hesitates, then comes over to me. “We need to head back to the city.”

I sigh. “It’s okay.”

Once it’s just Dad and me, we sit.