Page 1 of Royal Sin

Chapter 1

“Iwant to bring home a boy my parents will hate, but one who is strong enough to stand up to them.”

Serena looked at me as if I had sprouted two heads. “That’s ridiculous.”

I smiled. “It’s brilliant.”

“Won’t they just cut you off?” she asked flatly. “Then you’ll be penniless, and no boy will want you then.”

“Penniless?” I shrugged. “Free of their expectations?” Another shrug. “Either way, it’s perfect.”

Leaning over the bench in the boutique designer’s dressing room, Serena flipped the price tag sticking out under my arm. A frown etched her otherwise regal features. Of all the things to come out of my mouth over the years, this was probably the most reckless.

“When I have friends like you, who needs their own money?” I gave her a winning smile.

Those large, brown eyes rolled dramatically. “You don’t havefriendslike me. You only have me.”

“Fair.” I turned in the mirror. “How did your applications go?”

A cloud fell over my friend’s features. She went from disapproving to dismayed in a flash. “I am exploring my options.”

“Oh, come on, Serena!” Another semester without my best friend at my side was unbearable. “Tell your brother you want some higher education!”

But my friend only shook her head. “That’s the thing. I don’t want more school. We just graduated—”

“Yeah, a year ago,” I grumbled.

“I am content with how my life is right now. I don’t need to go to a top ten school, graduate with a fancy degree, and land a prestigious job to prove something.” She slid the blouse over her head, tossing it in the discard pile.

I turned away quickly so she didn’t see my face. She wasn’t trying to hit me where it hurt. Hell, she didn’t know how badly that urge to prove could drive.

“You’re right.” I sighed, smoothing down the silky fabric of the dress I was trying on. “I’m just... it’s lonely without you.”

Serena’s expression softened as she reached for another blouse. “I know. But you're doing amazing things. Your parents might be impossible to please, but they gave you opportunities many will never have.”

“Opportunities that come with golden handcuffs,” I muttered.

“So this boy you want to bring home….” Serena changed the subject with a sly smile. “Anyone specific in mind, or are you just planning to cruise the tattoo parlors until you find someone who looks sufficiently rebellious?”

I laughed despite myself. “I haven’t gotten that far in the plan.”

“What about that guy from the café? The one with the race car.” Serena returned to her own clothing, scooping up the pile of items she planned to buy.

“Jason?” I wrinkled my nose. “You see me with that playboy?”

Serena shrugged. “Well, who, then?”

Someone from money, someone fromourworld. If my family was going to take my declaration seriously, it had to be someone powerful enough to mess with them. And if I was going to spend any actual time with him, he had to be tall and handsome with a sizeable trust fund.

In short, perfect.

“I’ll keep you posted,” I said with a wink. “It’s too bad you can’t come to the country club tonight. You could help me look! Oh, please, Serena! Try to convince your brother?”

But once again, my friend folded into herself. “I don’t want to go to the club.”

Translation: Her brother wouldn’t let her.

Because it hurt her to point out the truth, I let it drop. In the years I’d known her, she had been to exactly one society function, and that was only because it was mandatory for our transition to upperclassman status. Otherwise, my friend was stuck, although she would be the last person to say it. The reason her brother kept her in that gilded cage was for her protection, for as a mob boss, he had many enemies—not that I was supposed to know about his true colors. It was a secret I discovered and kept buried. Not even Serena knew that I found out the truth about her family. I wouldn’t risk losing her friendship if she discovered I knew. She would most certainly cut me out of her life if she felt I was a risk, which I supposed was better than sleeping with the fishes if her brother caught wind of my knowledge. They didn’t call him the Blood King for nothing.

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