Page 137 of Cruel Abandon (Fallen Royals 5)
It takes me a minute to realize what he probably noticed right away: his fucking car is gone.
“I…”
He sighs and hands me the keys to another car. “It’s fine.”
“What?” I stare at him. “Someone took your car and you’re saying it’s fine?”
“I know who did it, and I know where to find her.” His voice is dark.
If there’s one thing you don’t come between, it’s Theo and his precious cars. The guy probably has at least three. And yet…
“How many times has she done this?” I ask him.
I’ve got to know. He might be ready to kill her at this point.
He shrugs. “Lux loves to try and get my attention. I wonder what she wants this time.”
“Wants…?”
He tears his gaze away from the window and focuses on me. “Don’t worry about it.”
I raise my hands. “Hey, man. If you’re gonna kill her, at least tell me before I drive all the way back to Boston.”
Theo cracks a smile. I didn’t think it was possible, but… he seems eager by this.
While Caleb and I have our issues with anger, Theo treats it as his lover. He cultivates it, tends to it. He’s the one I’d never want to cross—and yet, Lucy Page continually does it. Crosses him, pushes his buttons. They’ve done this since middle school, on and off, but it’s becoming more… just more. More violent, maybe? More dangerous?
Why?
“Liam,” Sky calls. “Should we go?”
I nod and reluctantly step away from Theo. Eli’s waiting for me, and he hugs me goodbye. The girls both grin at me, and I take Sky’s hand. In the other, I pick up her bag and mine. This morning, intercepting her nightmare was pure luck. I was already over here to warn her that my friends—our friends, now, I think—were coming over.
The car we’re driving now is black, average-looking, and surprisingly mundane. It might be the only car of Theo’s that Lucy wouldn’t steal. That is, if she’s in it for the glitz and glamour of being a car thief.
But somehow, I don’t think that’s it.
“Where’s the other one?” Sky asks me.
I start the engine and grin. “Lucy stole it, I think.”
“Game on,” she murmurs.
That’s probably the exact sentiment Theo’s thinking.
I navigate onto the street, and Sky’s phone rings. She answers it quickly.
“Hi, Detective McAdams. Oh, um, we’re still out of town. With the school—” She pauses, glancing at me and rolling her eyes. “Right. No, I haven’t heard anything. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help…”
I tighten my grip on the wheel.
“Okay, I’ll let you know.” She hangs up and sighs. “She wants to ask me some questions when we get back.”
“Lucky for us, you didn’t tell her when you’d be returning.” I put my hand on her thigh. “That gives us a few days, probably.”
“How is it already Friday? Only the weekend left and we’ll be back in class like nothing happened.” She frowns. “I don’t know how we’re supposed to do this.”
I hesitate. I highly doubt that what Detective Masters told Sky’s mother got passed along to Sky… which leaves me.