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Page 49 of Cruel Abandon (Fallen Royals 5)

“Your conversation going well?” Theo asks.

“About as well as I could expect,” I answer. “What are you drinking?”

“Bourbon.”

She’s taking too long.

“I’m going over there,” I tell him. “Feel free to let yourself out.”

He raises his glass to me, and I head right back out the door. I’m halfway to Mitch’s building when she finally responds.

Sky: I’m trying to study.

A witty response if I’ve ever seen one.

Sky: How do you know what’s in there?

Me: What happened to studying?

Sky: Why study when I can interrogate you?

Me: Why interrogate me when you can find your answers probably ten feet away? Unless he has you tied to his bedposts already…

I can practically feel her shudder.

I’d give anything to hear what’s going through her head right now, so I do what any rational guy would do: I call her.

She answers on the second ring. “You’re kidding me, right?”

I chuckle and lie, “I don’t know what he has in his nightstand, Sky. But I’m pretty sure every guy keeps his dirty laundry there—in a manner of speaking, of course.”

“What’s in yours, then?” Her voice is audibly lower.

“A toy,” I answer. “Lube. The keys to a pair of fuzzy handcuffs I had to mail back to a girl. Thought it would be funny to leave the keys with me, but alas… I think she had her own set. Pity.”

She scoffs. “What’s it with you and handcuffs, huh?”

“I prefer rope,” I reply in monotone.

She goes silent.

Leaning into our fear—isn’t that what makes us brave? And Sky might just be the bravest person I know, even if she doesn’t realize it.

And how I hate that she doesn’t realize it.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are.” I lean against the cold brick. Maybe she’s hiding in the bathroom talking to me—wouldn’t that be fun? “Just suck it up. He’s bound to get you in his bedroom eventually.”

I ignore the jealous twinge that travels straight into my knuckles.

She heaves a sigh. “I have to go.”

“Listen, Skylar,” I order.

She pauses, and I shake loose the shock that settles over me. She’s actually going to listen for once?

“Just know that whatever happens next is on you.”

I hang up and put away my phone. I’ll wait until she leaves and see how I’m feeling. I might be frozen to this spot, but she’ll be out sooner than I think.




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