Page 6 of The Royal Flame (The Royal Academy #3)

MADDISON

A handful of minutes later, River, Finn, Noah, and I are piled into the car.

I’m unsure how River convinced Noah to go, but I’m glad he did.

We’re better in numbers and are less likely to get jumped.

But I am nervous we’ll be attacked, that perhaps Will set this up for whatever reason.

That’s why I have my Taser, knife, and pepper spray.

When I told the guys this, they were shocked.

They may be fit guys, but their naiveness about what we could be walking into has me nervous.

Finn drives like a lunatic, speeding too fast and flying through red lights that he insists are still yellow.

And I get why he’s doing it, but the fact that he doesn’t even get pulled over is crazy.

It’s probably the car. It radiates royalty, which makes parking it in a north side parking garage problematic.

But we don’t have time to figure out another solution.

Lily is starting to panic, something she relays to me via texts.

Someone has been knocking on the door for the last few minutes, and it’s freaking her out.

It could be some drunk rando needing to take a piss, but I’m worried it could be Will.

Not that I tell her that. I’m trying to keep her calm, and I offer to call her, but she’s worried whoever’s knocking will overhear the conversation.

So, I sit in the backseat with River, and he plays with my hair for most of the drive. Noah, Finn, and him are talking about Finn and River’s mother, but I barely hear the conversation because I’m too fixed on messaging Lily.

I feel awful for them, though. Even if their mother took off on her own, the feeling of abandonment is a crushing sort of pain that makes it hard to breathe.

And if their father did something to their mother, well, that I understand too.

I’ve seen the man I believed to be my father do awful things to my mother and vice versa.

And all the abuse, all the scams, the anger—all of the crap I had to endure was all for nothing.

How could Ellie let me go through that? Did she not care? Or was the alternative worse than me suffering through shitting parenting? That thought leaves my stomach churning.

“Are you doing okay?” River whispers in my ear after I let out a sigh.

I nod, glancing up at him. The glow of the lampposts lighting up the streets reflects in his eyes. “I’m fine. Are you okay?”

He brushes strands of his dark hair out of his eyes. “I think I’ll feel a little bit better when we get Lily.”

“Agreed.” This from Finn. He changes gears, the engine grumbling.

“I still don’t get how she ended up in north side,” Noah says quietly.

He’s sitting in the passenger seat with the hood of his jacket drawn up over his head.

He rotates to look at me from over his shoulder.

“You said she met this Will guy, and he brought her to this club? But how did she even meet Will if he’s from north side? ”

I tap my finger against my phone screen. “I honestly don’t know. From what I knew, Lily wasn’t going to North Side tonight. Maybe Will was dealing at the party she was at.”

“Does Lily do drugs now?” Noah wonders with his brows furrowed.

“No,” River replies. At the same time, Finn says, “Maybe.”

Noah’s attention bounces between the two of them.

“She’s eighteen. She might,” I answer for them. “But she doesn’t do it frequently or anything hardcore. Trust me, I know what that looks like, and Lily doesn’t fit the profile.”

“Maddy’s right.” Finn slows down as we near the three-story parking garage I told him to drive to when we first got into the car.

River frowns at the idea of this but doesn’t remark.

We remain quiet as Finn drives into the parking garage, which proves to be complicated when he has to take a ticket to get the bar to lift.

It’s amusing to watch him figure it out like it’s some sort of great unsolvable mystery.

After snickering, I explain to him what to do.

Once the bar lifts, he drives in and parks the car.

The parking garage is close to the club, so it takes us only a few more minutes to arrive at the entrance.

It’s strange to be walking around so late at night in this neighborhood and not feeling totally anxious.

I may give the guys shit about being Royals, but their presence makes me feel safe.

Not that I left my weapons behind. They’re tucked inside my pocket as I stride up to the roped entrance, where a massive dude with bugling, tattooed muscles is positioned in front of the door.

He won’t ask for my ID. He’s supposed to, but it’s all for show. At least, that’s how most clubs and bars in north side are.

“This place is full,” he says as I approach him. He sidesteps, blocking the door with his bulky body. “We’re not letting anyone else in.” His gaze wanders over my head to where River, Noah, and Finn are standing, then lands back on me. “You can try The Zen of North Side.”

“I’m supposed to be meeting someone here,” I lie, batting my eyelashes at him. Maybe I can flirt my way in. “If you let me go find him, I can get him and leave.”

He doesn’t so much as react to my lame-ass attempt at flirting. “Sorry, sugar, but that won’t work on me.” He pauses, rubbing his jawline. “I can let him in, though.” He looks over my shoulder again.

Right at Finn.

Okay, so we’re going to have to work that angle then.

Finn points at himself. “Me?”

The bouncer nods, removing the rope from the bar. His gaze lazily scrolls up and down Finn. “Yeah, baby. You can go right on in.”

Noah looks away, biting back a laugh while River’s brows rise.

The corners of Finn’s pouty lips turn downward as he steps forward. He gives me an uneasy glance as he passes by. Even if he can be charming when he needs to be, he’s out of his element.

“I have to go with him. He doesn’t know what the guy I’m meeting looks like,” I insist, sneaking Finn a press look as I mouth, “ Flirt with him .”

Finn scrunches his nose, but comes through, plastering on a megawatt smile that’s bright enough to light up this pit of a hole we’re in.

“I promise if you let her in with me, we’ll make it quick.” He pauses then says, “Not that I’m quick with anything else.”

Oh my god, did he seriously just say that?

The bouncer buys it and lets us through, muttering, “So damn hot,” as Finn strolls by with a cocky jaunt in his walk.

The instant we’re inside the dimly lit, mildly crowded entrance, Finn says to me, “See. Sometimes my manwhore skills come in useful.”

“Agreed.” I step out of the entrance and into the bar area where an extensive line of people are waiting to get drinks. “Have you ever swung that way?”

“Nah. It’s not my thing.” He follows me with his hand on my lower back as we weave through the people, the sound of chatter and rhythmic music pulsating around us.

Add that to the dancing and flashing lights, and I’m on sensory overload.

“I prefer sassy brunettes with legs that go on for miles,” he whispers in my ear.

I glare at him from over my shoulder.

He offers me an innocent grin. “What? Who says I meant you? Jesus, Maddy. You think a lot of yourself.” He winks at me in the same way he did the bouncer.

I roll my eyes for the millionth time, but a smile pulls at my lips. It’s odd to think after tonight's events that that’d even be possible, but Finn has that way about him.

Turning around, I focus on getting to the restrooms. I push through people making out, drinking, grinding up on each other, dealing drugs—it’s a whole ordeal. By the time we arrive at the doorway that leads to the restroom, Finn is tense, his fingers stiff on my back.

“You’re right,” he mutters as we enter the hallway where the music is less deafening. “This place is sketchy as hell. I think I saw some guy dealing coke right in the open.”

“You did.” I scan the area for the door labeled: Women’s Restroom .

I spot the sign at the end of the hallway with an arrow pointing to the right. I hurry toward it, with Finn following right behind me. As I round the corner, I slam on the brakes.

A man and woman are touching each, right there in the middle of the path to the bathroom door. The woman has her legs wrapped around the guy, her skirt hiked up.

“Sorry,” I mutter as I squeeze by them, my back brushing the wall.

They barely notice me and keep on going. Once we reach the bathroom door, I knock on it.

“Lily, it’s me,” I call out as I knock again.

“How in the hell did you not react to that?” Finn wonders as he stands so close to me, that I can feel the heat of his breath against my neck.

“It’s not the first time I’ve seen two people going at it in a public space,” I tell him with my eyes trained on the door. “I was at this party when an orgy started in the living room. I took off, but I saw a lot of naked flesh before I got out of there.”

“Intentionally?” he teases.

I give him a hardy-har look. “No, I was waiting for my friend to get out of the bathroom. Much like we are now.” I knock again. “Lily?”

A lock clicks from the other side, and then the door cracks open. Lily peers out from the crack, her gaze taking in the surroundings on the other side of the door. The instant she spots Finn and me, relief washes over her features.

“Oh my god!” She throws the door open and hugs the crap out of me.

I awkwardly pat her back because I’m not much of a hugger. The makeout noises have quieted—thank god, so all I can hear is music and the erratic breaths she’s taking.

“Thank you for coming to get me.” She slants back. Tears are streaming from her eyes, which are red and swollen from probably about an hour of crying. Her blond hair that is usually perfectly in place has half fallen out of her ponytail.

Her makeup is smeared, her dress is wrinkled, and she’s missing an earring.

“Are you okay?” I ask and she nods, her gaze moving to Finn.

“Are you going to lecture me?” she asks him.

“Am I River?” Finn responds. “Come here. You look like shit.”