Page 65 of Royally Bad

Costello didn’t respond, he just ducked his head and shut the door.

Fuck,I thought to myself.What does it take to get a guy like him to open up?I was incredibly curious about him. For now, I had other things to work on.

Scurrying to my bed, I sat lotus-style on top of it. Costello’s phone was warm—strange, considering how his blue eyes and pale skin made him the personification of frost. Quickly I tapped the screen, calling my mother like I’d said I would.

He’s really so sure I won’t call the cops?It was probably obvious that I wouldn’t. I’d chosen to stay in here to keep Kain from doing anything rash, and involving the authorities would create the perfect environment for tension and nullify my decision.

Yeah, that’s all—it’s just logical I wouldn’t bother.I liked that better than thinking Costello could read me like a damn book.

“Hello?” My mother’s voice was chipper—she always woke up at the ass crack of dawn.

Pushing a smile onto my face to make sure I, too, sounded happy, I said, “Hey! Hi, hi! Morning!”

“Sammy! This is a surprise. You never call so early.”

“Uh-huh. I figured I’d remember what the sun looks like, is all.” Chuckling, I leaned back on my pillows. The sky above was starting to gain a pink-and-blue tint. “How are you?”

“Good, good. You saw me last night, not much has changed.”

Oh, a lot has changed,I thought dryly. “Right. I know, I just thought I’d check in anyway.”

“Honey, is everything okay?”

“Sure! It’s great! Why wouldn’t it be?” On impulse, I glanced at my locked door.

She made a tiny noise. “What are you not telling me?”

Moms didn’t have telepathic powers that I didn’t know about, did they? “Uh. Nothing.” Sitting up quickly, I struggled to change the topic.

My mother was much faster. “That boy last night.”

“‘Boy?’” I had to giggle. “Kain Badd, you mean.”

“What a name,” she said, a little softer than I understood. “What do you think of him?”

My jaw fell open, I saw it in the reflective surface of the metal trellis to my left. “I don’t know. He’s ... loud?”

That made her laugh, and that soothed some of my nerves. “Is he nice to you?”

Thinking about how he’d fought tooth and nail with his own brother and father last night, I leaned into the phone. “Nice enough. Why are we talking about him?”

“I was just curious. I didn’t expect you to show up with someone last night. Especially not ...” Whatever she was going to say, she stopped and recovered. “He rides a motorcycle. It’s very loud.”

I lowered my voice. “Nowyou’renot telling me something.”

“I’m not hiding anything, Sammy.”

“That means you are!”

She scoffed, then I heard her shuffling around. Her couch was notoriously loud. “If you were in any trouble, you’d tell me, right?”

Tiny palpitations attacked my heart. “Yes. Always.” It never,everfeels good to lie to your mother.

Whether or not she believed me, I could tell she was smiling when she spoke again. “I should go. It’s time for my pills. Will you come by again soon?”

The heartbeats got bigger, longer. “I’ll ... try. Work is crazy, you know, and ...”

“Right, right. Well, you just swing by when you want. Don’t put things aside for me, I’m fine.”

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