Page 62 of Royal Havoc

Both of us stand at the same time, facing off – his pleading eyes vs my skeptical ones.

He moves around the table. “Stay with Vex. When Nolan calls, because he will. Don’t believe anything he says. I love you, Onyx. Please trust me,” he begs, offering me his hand.

An epic war rages inside me, anxiety laced with panic, screaming at the foreign feelings trying to slither their way in.

Slowly, I lay my hand in his, tears leaking over my lashes as he squeezes it tight — memories cascade like a kaleidoscope, turning me breathless.

The door opens and shuts. “Sorry, I’m late. Dad said to let you know he’s ready,” Vex’s voice fills the room, breaking the trance I’ve fallen into.

Shutting down every emotion inside me, except for one. Harnessing every ounce of hate I have, ripping my hand away from his. “Know what I’ve learned? Never trust a ghost. Have fun on yourtrip,” I sneer, spinning on my heel, “You can follow him out,” I yell at Vex as I charge past his shocked face.

thirty-three

Teased Confessions

Tulip: 2013 Age: 16

The clue Bolton gave me about the truth hurting me has me completely obsessed. I want answers. I hate secrets as much as I hate lies.

Dan walks beside me down the hall, peering from the corner of his eye at me every few steps. “I’m fine. I promise not to cause any trouble.”

I’m sure I hear him breathe a sigh of relief. “You have your key?” he asks me softly before we reach B’s door.

“Yes,” I whisper, watching him slide his key into the lock. Dan nods as I slip past him into B’s room.

“Tulip?” B gasps, shooting to his feet.

Once Dan’s footsteps disappear, I walk to B’s desk, raising myself up to sit on it. The moon’s shadowed rays are our only source of light.

“Where did you go?” I ask, peering at his face, wishing my eyes would adjust quicker to the darkness.

“It won’t happen again,” he answers hesitantly.

The excitement of our unsupervised meeting fades with each passing second. Instead, the anger of the unknown taunts me, shifting my mood. The secret he’s keeping consumes me.

“That’s not what I asked. Tell me whatitis, so I know whatisn’tgoing to happen again,” I press seriously, fighting off my greed.

He rubs his face and begins to pace, dragging out the heavy moment shadowing us. His silence is close to driving me insane with worry.

I’m about to speak when he abruptly stops in front of me. “I went to Sasha’s room,” he tells me, stepping between my spread legs.

“Why?” I hiss without thinking, completely caught off guard by his answer.

I’ve come to learn The Row demands the truth. Same as Bolton. So, I’ll admit, the cringy stuff he brought up in his officehasbeen affecting me, which is why I’ve been going to the library. There are some amazing things in books. Things I would never dare ask Bolton about. They’re more of a learn-by-doing type questions.

What I’m getting at, is that I didn’t understand why he brought it up at the time. When he said I’d be mad, I thought he meant Brock was leaving. This… what Brock just said has me tripping over my thoughts to catch up.

He narrows his stare. “She gave me a blow job.”

I honestly forget how to breathe for a second. “Why,” I rasp, all thoughts gone as I blink up at him stupidly.

His laugh is full of shock. “Cause I wanted her too.”

“How many times?”

“Does it matter?” he counters jokingly, stormy eyes dancing between mine.

“Yes,” I answer sharply, fixated on the new answer I’m searching for.

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