Page 79 of Royally Bad

I was still chuckling to myself about my insanity when I entered the hall. Clicking Fran’s door shut, I turned ... and then I saw her.

Lulabelle.

What is she doing in Kain’s room?She hadn’t noticed me. Closing his door, she began to head my way. The shoes in her hands were, without a doubt, the ones I’d worn at the wedding. I’d know those hellish glitter monsters anywhere.

“Oh,” she said loudly, as if I’d caught her doing something wrong. “I almost didn’t see you there. Sammy, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me.” My attention dropped to the shoes, then back to her face.

Lulabelle followed my eyes. Smiling, she lifted the heels and gave them a little twirl. “Ugly, aren’t they? Either Kain’s been moonlighting as a stripper with bad taste, or I’m guessing these belong to my dear little sister.”

My fingers twitched at my sides; why did I want to grab those shoes so badly? I’d hated the things. I’d been relieved to chuck them at Kain to get rid of them.

That was almost a month ago,I thought with budding wonder.He kept them this whole time?If I was still angry with the guy, learning that he’d kept my shoes in secret would have been terror inducing.

Instead ...

I found it stupidly sweet.

“Actually,” I said, reaching out. “Those belong to me.”

Lulabelle scanned me from top to bottom, not hiding her confusion. I was sure she was thinking that I didnotlook like the sort who wore shoes like these. And she was right, I wasn’t. They were the worst things I’d ever had to stumble around in.

I wanted them more than anything.

With some uncertainty, she handed them over to me. I squeezed them tight, hugging them to my chest. “Thanks,” I said softly.

“No problem.” Her mouth opened, as if she had more to say. In the end, Lula just pushed her long hair behind her ears and looked at Kain’s door. I was relieved when she didn’t ask why my shoes had been inside. I didn’t have an answer, anyway.

How much did she know about what was going on?

She rubbed her ankle with her opposite foot. “Okay. Uh, good talk.”

On impulse, I stepped toward her. “Wait. Why were you in his room?”

Rocking side to side, she peered at me thoughtfully. “I was hoping to talk to him alone. He’s not in there, though.”

Nodding almost absently, I said, “He’s probably with your dad still.”

“Mm. Probably.” Casting her eyes to one side, she spoke to herself. “Or he’s avoiding me.”

“Why would he do that?”

Her lips twisted up benevolently. “Do you have siblings?”

“No.”

“Then you can’t understand.” Studying me long and hard, Lulabelle walked down the curving staircase. “But you don’t have to. This is between family.”

Family family family.I was starting to think that word was becoming an excuse for their bad behavior. Left alone, I grazed my fingers over the high heels. I was marveling over how he’d hung on to the things.

Kain Badd was the fuckingoppositeof bad. He was kind, dedicated, and possibly—fingers crossed—hopelessly addicted to me.

Because I certainly was to him.

With a bounce in my step, I hid the shoes away under my old pajamas in the guest room Fran had helped me set up. I didn’t want anything to happen to those glittery shoes.

Strolling through the mansion, I walked headfirst into Kain just as he was rounding the corner. Stumbling backward, I was grateful that he helped keep me on my feet. I’d been eager to run into him—but I hadn’t meant it literally.

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