Page 74 of Cruel Abandon (Fallen Royals 5)
But she doesn’t.
“Quite right,” she says. Her attention flips to me. “I simply can’t let you stay here alone, Skylar.”
Whitney breezes by, smirking.
“Mom—”
“You can switch to online. The school will understand.”
My throat constricts. I cannot go home. While I love my mother dearly, I just… I won’t do that to myself. My eyes burn, and I glare at the ceiling. I will the tears to hold back and am half a second from rushing to the bathroom.
Losing it right now is not an option.
“She can stay with me.”
Mom and I both whirl toward Liam. He hasn’t moved into the apartment much farther than the front entry hallway, and he leans against the wall with his hands in his pockets.
“What?” I sputter. Stay with… Liam? No. That might be worse.
“I have an extra bedroom.” He shrugs. “It doesn’t have a bed, but that can be fixed.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why even offer it?”
Mom tsks. “It’s a very generous offer.”
“It’ll help me keep an eye on Skylar.” He’s the picture of charming innocence.
I’ve never wanted to punch someone more.
“I think it’s a great idea. Skylar?”
I grimace. “You’re leaving the final decision up to me?” Of course I’m going to say no. It’s on the tip of my tongue. All the reasons not to flood forward. He hates me. He kissed me. I’m pretty sure I hate him back, even with the kiss counting against that. He has no self-control. Not to mention the time I woke up tied to my own damn bed…
“It’s me or back to Stone Ridge,” Liam says. “And no one’s there except your mom and my parents.”
Evil bastard.
They’re all waiting for my decision. But what kind of decision is it, really? Out of the pan and into the flames.
“Fine.” I cross my arms and glare at Liam. “You win.”
He winks. “Get used to saying that, angel.”
What I had hoped would be a lowkey Monday turns into a clusterfuck. Mom gets on the phone with a moving company and shoos Liam and I out the door. I do my best not to speak to him—it’s better for my anger if I don’t even look at him.
There are so many other options. Solutions. I could’ve moved back on campus! Or found another friend to room with, like Taryn. Or… I don’t know, someone other than him.
He steers me to the coffee shop on the corner. It’s not my favorite—I prefer the one in the other direction—but I don’t say anything. He orders us two coffees and points to a table.
Grudgingly, I sit.
“Tell me what happened,” he says. “Now that your mom has a job to keep her busy, and no one else gives a fuck.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want to.”
He appraises me.
“Stop staring at me like that. I’m fine.”