Page 24 of The Royal Flame (The Royal Academy #3)

CHAPTER

MADDISON

I ’m sitting on my bed, staring at my phone, wondering why River hasn’t messaged me back. He hasn’t arrived either and it’s getting let. This isn’t like him, and it has me so worried.

Am I just being paranoid, though?

I’m not sure.

I restlessly tap my foot as I attempt to patiently wait.

I have on my nicest outfit, the plaid dress, heels, and leather jacket I wore to orientation, along with the knee-high socks Lily had insisted I wear.

My hair is pulled up in ponytail, mostly because I know if I end up getting into a fight with my mother—which has happened—she’s a total hair puller.

After a handful minutes tick by, I push to my feet, grab my purse and phone, and head out of my room to head to River’s dorm and see if he’s there. As I’m stepping out into the hallway, though, I spot him walking up the hallway.

His dark hair is styled perfectly, he’s sporting grey pants and a black shirt, along with nice boots, and he has his hands in his pockets. He look so perfect my heart skips a beat, but then my pulse falters at the sight of his pale face and bloodshot eyes.

I approach him. “What happened?”

His gaze drinks me in and normally, I’d be swooning over that, but not when he looks like he’s sick or something.

“I’ll tell you about it during the car ride to the restaurant.” He nods his head as he turns in the other direction.

“Okay.” I walk beside him while eyeing him.

His shoulders are slumped, and he barely looks at me.

My stomach churns. Is he rethinking helping me? If so, I should be relieved. I never wanted him to get mixed up in my shit show of a life. But my chest is trying to crush me to death at the mere thought of him bailing out.

I repeatedly tell myself to be grateful he may be bailing as we make our way outside and down to the parking lot where a limo.

“A limo?” I ask River when I realize it’s for us.

He nods, the wind blowing wisps of his hair out of place, but it only makes him look sexier. “I can’t drive right now, and this was the only driving service available last minute.” A small smile touches his lips. “Besides, I have a feeling you’ve never ridden in one before.”

“Hmmm… whatever made you think that?” I attempt to joke, but my nerves are spiraling out of control and the anxiousness in my tone makes that evident.

He frowns at that, but then offers me his hand. I place it in his and we finish the rest of the short walk to the limo where the driver is waiting by the back door. He greets us as we approach and opens the door.

River has me climb in first, says something to the driver, then hops in. The driver shuts the door and River rolls up the divider window. Then he blows out the loudest breath while rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

“I don’t want to freak you out, but Finn insisted it’s better if you know. And he’s probably right.” He reclines back in the leather chair.

We’re sitting close enough that his leg is touching mine and I have to wrestle back the compulsion to reach out and brush my fingers along his knee.

“What happened?” I ask, rotating in the seat toward him.

He stares up at the roof for a moment before lifting his head and turning toward me. “On my way back from your dorm, someone from the society jumped me and drugged me up.” He glances down at his arm where a bruise is blooming.

“What the hell, River?” I grab his arm. He winces, and I quickly loosen my grip. “They injected you with something?”

He nods, swallowing hard. “When I woke up, I was in this secret room. Eli was there along with other members, and they said I was the sacrifice.”

Blood roars in my eardrums. “They were going to kill you?”

He dithers. “I’m not sure. Finn said he recently learned that every decade or so the society takes a person to some island and leaves them there.

They don’t usually do it to a Royal, and I have no clue if they pick this person back up.

But Finn overheard some members discussing this and that I was the sacrifice because Eli has a damn vendetta against. Finn found me before they could do much and talked them out of using me as the sacrifice. ”

I gape at him. “Before they could do much? They drugged you.” I’m panicking.

How can they keep doing this and getting away with it? Sure, they’re Royals but there has to be a way to make them have consequences for hurting people.

“Maddy, calm down.” River places a palm on my cheek.

“I’m fine, okay. I’m a little tired and honestly, my brain isn’t completely on alert, but I’m alive and fine.

I know all of this sucks, and trust me, Finn and I aren’t going to just let this get dusted under the rug.

But for the handful of hours, we need to focus on talking to your mom and making sure you’re safe while we’re at the restaurant. You messaged your father, right?”

I nod. “I didn’t tell him we’d be in a limo, though, so I don’t know if the bodyguard is following us.” I peer out the back window and note the headlights in the distance. “I’m guessing so, though. But I’ll send him a message anyway.” I hurry and text him.

While I’m doing so, River leans close to me and begins playing with the end of my ponytail, raveling it around his hand. With every soft tug, my stomach swoops. By the time I’m finished chatting with Grey, my fingers are trembling.

I wet my lips with my tongue as I look at him. “What’s with the hair playing, Gothic prince? I thought we were just supposed to be being besties for now.”

He studies me intensely, his dark eyes reminding me of the starry sky outside. “I thought besties braided each other and stuff?”

The corners of my lips quirk. “Braid, maybe. But this isn’t braiding.”

He gives another gentle tug on my ponytail. “Do you want me to stop?”

I sink my teeth into my bottom lip. “No, but… Where is this coming from?”

His other hand lands on my thigh. “I was drugged, dragged into some hidden room, and was supposed to be a sacrifice. If that had happened, I wouldn’t have ever gotten to touch you again and I can’t stop thinking about how awful that would.

I know we need to be friends—I know that.

But we’re sitting back here, alone, and I can’t stop thinking about how amazing you smell, how wonderful it is that I can talk to you about anything, But mostly, I can’t stop thinking about how pretty you are and how much I want?—”

I kiss him. I know it’s wrong—risky—all of those things, but he’s right. He was drugged and almost taken to some island. What if the society had gone through with it. What if I never saw him again.

He groans, his hand slipping up my thigh, his fingers delving into my flesh.

Then he pulls me toward him. I easily go, hitching a leg over him so I’m straddling his lap.

His fingers never leave my hair and with every devouring kissing, he tugs on the strands.

We’ve made out like this before, but never so intensely and never with me wearing a dress.

It leaves me able to feel every grind up his hips so much more intensely.

Between that, the tangling of our tongues, and him pulling on my hair, I feel like I’m falling. And I don’t care.

Let me fall.

And fall.

And fall.

Forever.

I rock my hips against his in response and he reciprocates by placing a hand on my ass and breaking the kiss, but only so he can press his lips against the arch of my neck while raveling his fist through my ponytail.

I cry out as I fly away to the damn stars.

And I never want to return again.

Eventually I do, though. River is staring at me, his eyes wild, his chest rising and crashing.

“God, that was beautiful to watch,” he tells me, then pulls me to him to place a delicate kiss on my lips. “Are you okay?”

I nod. “I’m great. It’s you I’m worried about.” I slant back, my eyes searching his. “Are you still drugged up?” A horrifying worry washes over me. “Wait, did I take advantage of you?”

He promptly shakes his head. “I’m not drugged up anymore.

The side effects have just made me a little exhausted.

I feel more awake now, though.” He combs his fingers through his hair.

“Maddy, I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to be just friends with you.

I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.

I want so badly it aches inside my chest.”

I have to summon a breath in order to keep my voice somewhat even. “I know. I feel that way too. But, you’re the one that drew the friend’s line, remember?”

He places a hand on my cheek. “I know. Because it makes me psychically sick to think that I’d put my own wants before your safety.”

I skim my fingers along the nape of his neck. “I know, but we keep end up like this.” To emphasize what I’m referring to, I roll my hips.

He closes his eyes, softly groaning. I can feel his hard on pushing against my thigh. It makes me want to push him over the edge like he’s done for me.

I allow my fingers to travel downward, along his solid chest, across where his heart is racing, down his lean abs, until I reach the waistband of his pants.

When I slip my fingers underneath, he tense, his fingers wrapping around my wrist, and stopping me.

“Maddy,” he says in a throaty voice. “You don’t have to.”

“River, you should by now that I never do anything unless I want to.” I taste his lips, but then pause. “Do you not want me to?”

He stiffly shakes his head. “No. Trust me, that’s not it at all. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to.”

A smile touches my lips. “Noted.” Then I kiss him again while slipping my hand down his hands.