Page 46 of Cruel Abandon (Fallen Royals 5)

“Hey,” he says. “I just got your regular. Where’s all your stuff?”

Abducted, I almost say, but I catch myself at the last second. “Um…”

“Coming, Buckley?” Liam calls. His voice practically resonates in the quiet space.

I wince.

Mitch’s gaze goes from open to shuttered, and he glares over my head. “Right. Excuse me, Skylar.”

“What are you going to—”

“Relax.” He sets down the coffees and pats my shoulder on his way by. “He won’t punch me in public.”

It’s really not public he should be worried about.

I sink deeper into my chair and close my eyes.

“She was sitting with me,” Mitch says.

“She may be sitting at your table now, but I think she’ll be with me in no time.” Liam sounds… bored.

Like Mitch really isn’t a challenge to him. Thinking I might not be able to control my own reaction, I slip out of my chair and leave. I duck down one of the stacks, and then another. The back half of the library is like a maze, and I take advantage.

It isn’t until I reach the metal spiral staircase in the back that I pause. I grip the cold railing, glance around, then quickly climb.

The second floor isn’t accessed by this staircase. In fact, no one ever really ventures so far back into the nonfiction section that I’m not convinced most of the school knows it’s here.

It goes to a cluster of study rooms. There’s an elevator at the end of the corridor, too.

I’m not sure what my plan is. Hang out here until Mitch or Liam leaves?

Fuck that. I’m not Liam’s puppet, jerking whenever he pulls my strings. And I’m definitely not some chess piece to be manipulated between them.

I go back down the stairs.

Liam stands at the bottom, hands braced either side of the railing.

I pause a few steps above. Butterflies erupt in my belly, but I can’t tell if they’re good or I’m just anxious.

“Well?” I demand, since he seems set on just staring at me. “You got your way, I suppose?”

“The idiot didn’t even realize you were gone.” His smile is smug. “He thought he won the argument, collected your bag and books, and when he turned around… I’ll admit, it was the best outcome.”

I take a step down. I’m still a few inches higher than him, and it’s a new experience to be the one looking down. Not particularly a bad one, though.

“Your bullheadedness ran me off,” I say. “I’ll make sure to tell him that when I talk to him next.”

“Fuck that,” he scoffs. “He’s all roses and sunshine, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” I counter. “Which I think is much needed in a time like this.”

He rises a step, bringing us within reach of each other. He’s still got me boxed in. “You think sunshine will save you, Sky? It can’t burn away the dark clouds you have looming in here.” He taps my chest.

I flinch back, but he wraps his hand around my waist and pulls me flush against him.

“Don’t run,” Liam warns.

I scoff. “Don’t make me want to run.”