Paper Princess: A Novel (The Royals Book 1) (15 page)

It’s when I start to rise that I spot him—Reed. He’s slouched against the bar, a beer bottle dangling from his fingers. His lips are parted—in surprise? Desire? I’m not sure, but even from this distance I can feel the heat from his eyes as they rake over me.

He’s the hottest guy in the club, hands down. Taller than almost everyone, more muscular, more everything. I can’t help but admire the way his black T-shirt clings to his perfect chest, and I feel a tingle shoot up my spine. Licking my lips, I push to my feet. Val’s hands land on my waist. In our heels, we’re about the same height. I feel her boobs push into my back as she uses my body as a pole to show off her own moves.

The cheers of the crowd below us are growing stronger, but for me, the only thing that exists is Reed Royal. I stare at him.

He stares back.

I stick my finger in my mouth and then slowly draw it out. He doesn’t look away.

I drag the finger down my neck, down the valley between my breasts, down to my stomach. The noise is getting louder and louder. My hand is getting lower.

Reed’s eyes are glued to me. His mouth moves.
Ella…Ella…

“Ella.”

Valerie grabs my waist and leans her head on my shoulder. “Song’s over. Ready?”

I look back toward the bar, but Reed’s gone. I shake my head. Had I imagined that whole thing? Was he ever even there?

“Yeah,” I mumble. “I’m ready.”

My whole body is throbbing. I’m not so inexperienced that I don’t know what the ache between my legs means. It’s just that…I don’t know that touching myself is going to give me the relief I need.

“Nice, girls. Real nice,” the bouncer yells at us when we exit. “Cage is yours anytime tonight.”

“Thanks, Jorge!” Val says.

He hands her two bottles of water. “Any time, babe. Any time.”

“He wants you,” I tell her when we move away.

“Yeah, but I don’t want anyone but Tam.” She guzzles the water and rolls the cold bottle against her forehead. ““But I’m feeling it right now. Know what I mean?”

To my miserable dismay, I do.

“Anyway, I gotta pee. You want to come?”

I shake my head. “I’ll wait here.”

While she disappears into the mob, I finish my bottle of water and then glance around the club. It’s a lot more crowded now, and I notice quite a few interested looks aimed in my direction.

I make eye contact with a cute guy with a punk haircut. He’s wearing jeans, a tight fitting T-shirt, and Converse tennis shoes. A strobe light highlights the piercing over his eyebrow and in his upper lip.

He looks…comfortable. Like I know him. Like we’re cut from the same cloth. I give him a tentative smile, which he returns. I watch as he murmurs something to one of his friends and then starts across the floor toward me. I straighten—

“Hey, little sis. Let’s dance.” Easton pops up out of nowhere, his big body towering over me.

The boy headed my way stops. Crap. “I’m taking a breather.” Should I wave to him to let him know it’s okay? That Easton won’t bite?

Easton tracks my gaze and glares at pierced guy until the pierced guy raises his hands in surrender and returns to his table. “So where were we?” Easton asks innocently. “Oh yeah, we’re dancing.”

I sigh and give in. Easton just made it clear he’ll chase off any other guy tonight. He grabs me by my waist and virtually carries me to the dance floor.

“You look hot tonight. If you weren’t my sister, I’d be all over you.”

“You were already all over me.” I cock a brow at his blank look. “Last night?”

He grins. “Oh right. That. C’mon, let’s dance.”

A few guys slap him on the back as we sway past and shout something like “you the man.” I ignore it because if Easton’s here, then it must be Reed I saw before. Reed who I danced for. Reed who devoured me with his eyes and made me feel so hot my body still feels like it’s on fire.

“I’m pretty sure you’d be all over anyone in the state you’re in,” I remark.

Easton’s hands run up my sides, skimming over my dress and settling on the bare skin exposed by the cut outs. “I’ve got a few standards. Not many but a few.”

“Glad I make the cut,” I say dryly.

He tugs me closer but surprisingly his hands don’t wander. I twine my arms around his neck and wonder what game we’re playing now.

“You put on a good show. I would’ve liked to have seen you strip.”

“You go first and maybe, if you’re good enough, I’ll return the favor.”

His eyes fill with glee. He loves the idea of a spectacle. “Little sis, I can’t show you my goods. I’m so fine, just the sight of me would ruin you for all other men.”

I laugh against my will. “You’re too much, Easton.”

“I am.” He nods solemnly. “It’s why I sleep around. Because no one girl can handle all of me.”

This declaration makes me roll my eyes. “If telling yourself that story makes you feel better, then have at it.”

“Oh I do, don’t worry.” He dips his head near mine and the wave of alcohol nearly knocks me off my feet.

“Jeez, you smell like a brewery.” I shove him a little to put some distance between us.

He smiles, but it isn’t pretty. “I’m an alcoholic, don’t you know? I’ve got addiction problems. I inherited those from my mommy just like your mom passed sluttiness down to you. Aren’t those grand gifts?”

If it wasn’t for the hurt in his eyes, I would’ve told him that I’d rather dress like a slut than drown in a bottle, but his pain is one I recognize, so instead of making some flippant comment in response, I drag his head to my shoulder. 

“Oh Easton, I miss my mom, too,” I whisper into his sweat-dampened hair.

He shudders and clutches me tighter. His face turns into my neck and he presses his lips against a vein. It’s not really erotic. It’s more…he’s seeking comfort from someone who isn’t judging him.

Over his hunched frame, I spot a pair of blazing eyes.

Reed.

And I’m so tired of it. Easton may want to use me but I’m not against using him either.

We both want something…comfort, affection, a way to strike out at the world. I tug Easton’s head up.

“What is it?” he murmurs.

“Kiss me like you mean it,” I tell him.

His eyes darken and his tongue pokes out to run across his lower lip and it’s sexy as hell.

My gaze flicks over to Reed, who hasn’t stopped glowering. “Kiss me,” I repeat.

He lowers his head and whispers, “It doesn’t matter that you’re pretending I’m Reed. I’m pretending you’re someone else, too.”

His words become lost when his mouth hits mine. His lips are so warm. And his body, strong and firm, so much like his brother’s, presses against mine. I give myself over to it. We kiss and kiss and sway to the music until someone breaks us up and we’re dragged off the dance floor.

An unhappy bouncer crosses his arms. “No sex on the dance floor. Time to go.”

Easton throws his head back and laughs hysterically. The bouncer doesn’t crack and instead points to the exit. I look around but Reed has pulled his disappearing act.

“Where’s Reed?” I stupidly ask.

“Probably screwing Abby in the parking lot.”

Thankfully Easton’s distracted by a search for something in his pockets so he doesn’t see how much his words hurt. He finds what he was looking for and hands me a key fob.

“I’m too drunk to drive, sis.”

I track down Valerie, who says she’ll be able to get home by herself. She’s on her way up the stairs for another cage dance. Resigned, I take Easton outside. The alcohol must have caught up with him, because he leans heavily against me.

“Where’d you park?”

He points left. “There. No wait.” He shifts to his right. “There.”

I see his truck and we hobble over to it. Three spots down is Reed’s SUV. It’s…moving.

Easton spots the Rover, too, and slaps the hood. He lets out a sharp bark of laughter. “If the truck’s a rocking, don’t come a knocking.”

The knowledge of what might be going on in that SUV burns me all the way home. At least I don’t have to trade barbs with Easton, since he passes out about five minutes after we get rolling.

At the mansion, I help him out of the truck and up the stairs. He makes a turn into my bedroom and stumbles over to my bed, falling face down. After a couple of unsuccessful tries at moving him, I give up and go to the bathroom. By the time I get back, he’s snoring and drooling on my comforter.

I debate going to his room and sleeping in his bed, then decide I’ll just cover him up and sleep under the covers. I find an afghan and throw it over him. A yawn shakes my entire body as I pull off the scrap of fabric Val called a dress and let it drop to the floor. In just my undies, I crawl under the blankets and let sleep take over.

W
hen I wake up
, it’s to Reed’s angry face. I glance over to the side of the bed where Easton was, but he’s gone.

“I told you to stay away from my brothers,” Reed growls.

“I’m not a good listener.” I start to sit up and then clasp the bedsheets against my chest. I forgot I took my dress off and all I’m wearing are panties. 

“Sex is sex,” he replies darkly. “If I have to fuck you so you don’t ruin my family, I’ll do it.”

Then he’s gone, shutting my door with a resounding
click
. I’m left sitting there in shock.

What the hell did he mean by that?

A
fter
that
rude awakening
, I have no shot at falling back asleep. I don’t bother hurrying after Reed to ask him to explain himself, because I know he won’t, but now it’s—I check the alarm clock—seven a.m. and I’m wide awake. Awesome.

I don’t work on weekends, so I’m dreading this day already. Knowing Callum, he’ll suggest a bunch of bonding activities for us to do and force his sons to come along. Kill me now.

I drag myself out of bed and take quick shower then throw on a bright yellow sundress I bought the day Brooke and I went shopping. From the sunlight streaming in through the curtains, I can tell it’s going to be a gorgeous day, and when I open the window, a warm breeze filters in and surprises me. It’s almost the end of September. The weather shouldn’t be this nice.

Is Gideon coming home today? Last week he came back on a Friday, so it’s unlikely he’ll show up at the end of the weekend, but I kind of wish he would. Maybe he’ll distract his dad and brothers and they won’t remember I’m here.

I leave my bedroom at the same time that Sawyer’s door swings open. The tiny redhead he’d been making out with at Jordan’s party steps out, and he follows her, his hands on her waist as he leans down to kiss her.

She giggles quietly. “I have to go. Gotta get home before my parents figure out I didn’t come home last night.”

He whispers something in her ear and she laughs again.

“Love you.”

“Love you too, babe,” he answers. The kid’s only sixteen and his voice is as deep and raspy as his older brothers’.

“Call me later?”

“Definitely.” Grinning, Sawyer reaches out his hand, tucks a strand of red hair behind her ear and—

Oh my God. That’s not Sawyer.

My jaw falls open. The nasty burn on his hand, the one he got earlier this week when he’d bungled dinner, is gone. But it had been there yesterday—I remember seeing it.

Which means the guy with Sawyer’s girlfriend isn’t Sawyer. It’s Sebastian. I wonder if the girl knows.

She laughs in delight when he kisses her neck again. “Stop it. I have to go!”

Maybe she does know.

As they break apart, they both notice me standing there, and the girl looks uncertain for a moment. She murmurs a hasty, “Hello” and hurries down the stairs.

Sawyer—no,
Sebastian
—glowers at me, then disappears into his—no, his
brother’s
—bedroom.

Okay then. Just minding my own business.

In the kitchen, I find the other twin eating cereal at the table. My gaze immediately goes to his left hand. Yep, the burn is there. Just to test the theory, I say, “Morning, Sebastian.”

“Sawyer,” he grinds out before shoveling more cereal into his mouth.

I swallow a gasp. Oh man. Are these boys pulling twin switches on Sawyer’s girlfriend? That’s ballsy. And twisted.

I pour my own bowl of cereal and lean against the counter to eat it. A few minutes later, Sebastian walks into the kitchen. As he passes the table, Sawyer murmurs, “Thanks, bro,” to his twin.

I can’t help it. The laugh pops out.

They both turn to glare at me. “What?” Sawyer mutters.

“Does your girlfriend know she slept with your brother last night?” I ask him.

His features harden, but he doesn’t deny it. Instead, he issues a warning. “Say one word about this and—”

I cut him off with another laugh. “Relax, little Royals. Play all the creepy sex games you want. My lips are sealed.”

Callum enters the kitchen, dressed in a white polo shirt and khakis. His dark hair is gelled away from his face, and, for once, he doesn’t look like he’s hit the liquor cabinet yet.

“Good, you boys are up,” he tells the twins. “Where are the others? I told them to be downstairs at seven-fifteen.” He turns to me. “You look lovely, but you might want to change into more proper sailing attire.”

I stare at him blankly. “Sailing?”

“Didn’t I tell you last night? We’re all going sailing this morning.”

What? No, he
hadn’t
told me, and if I’d known this, I would have snuck right out of the house with Sawyer’s girlfriend and stowed myself in the trunk of her car.

“You’re going to love the
Maria
,” Callum tells me, sounding excited. “There’s not much of a breeze out so I don’t think we’ll use the sails, but it’ll still be a fun time.”

Me and the Royals on a boat? In open water? I don’t think Callum understands what the word
fun
means.

Easton staggers into the kitchen then, decked out in wrinkled cargo shorts and a wife-beater, with a baseball cap hanging low on his forehead. He’s no doubt hung-over from last night, and I suddenly have visions of the boat bouncing on the waves while Easton pukes over the side all morning.

“Reed!” Callum yells in the direction of the doorway. “Get a move on! Ella, get changed. And wear the deck shoes Brooke bought you—she got you deck shoes, right?”

I have no idea because “deck shoes” aren’t a part of my vocabulary. I make a stab at getting out of this nightmare-scape he’s just painted for me. “Callum, I have a lot of homework—”

“Bring it with you.” He waves a hand and shouts “Reed!” again.

Dammit. I guess I’m going sailing.

T
he
Maria
is everything
you’d expect from a gazillionaire’s boat.
Boat
. Ha. It’s a yacht, of course, and I feel like I’m starring in a rap video as I stand at the railing and sip on the flute of Cristal that Brooke slipped into my hand when Callum wasn’t looking. She winked as she did it, whispering that I should say it’s ginger ale if Callum asks, which he never does.

Callum was right—it’s gorgeous out on the water, and the Atlantic stretches out all around us, calm and beautiful.

I drove to the marina with Callum and Brooke, while the boys took Reed’s SUV. Which was a relief, because the thought of sitting in Reed’s car after seeing it rocking in the parking lot last night made me sick to my stomach.

I wonder who he was with. His sweet, pure Abby, I bet. I’m not sure it satisfied him, though. I’ve heard sex is supposed to leave you all loose and relaxed, but Reed’s entire body has been coiled with tension since we boarded the yacht.

He stands on the other side of the railing, as far as humanly possible from me and Callum without falling overboard. On the upper deck—which houses a dining area and a hot tub—Brooke is sunbathing in the nude, her golden hair gleaming in the sunshine. The weather’s not warm enough for bathing suits, let alone birthday suits, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

“So what do you think?” Callum gestures to the water. “Peaceful, huh?”

Not really. There’s no such thing as peace when Reed Royal is staring at you. No,
glaring
at you, and he’s been doing it for the past hour.

Easton is still downstairs doing God knows what, and the twins are fast asleep in a pair of nearby loungers, so Callum’s the only company I’ve got, and Reed clearly isn’t happy about it.

“Darling!” Brooke calls from the sundeck. “Come rub lotion on my back!”

Callum avoids my gaze, probably because he doesn’t want me to see his sex eyes. “You okay down here alone for a bit?” he asks.

“It’s fine. Go ahead.”

I’m relieved to be left alone, but the relief doesn’t last. The tension rises all over again when Reed moves toward me with predatory strides. He rests his forearms on the railing and keeps his gaze straight ahead.

“Ella.”

I can’t tell if it’s a greeting or a question. I roll my eyes. “Reed.”

He doesn’t continue. Just keeps staring at the water.

I sneak a peek at him, and my heart does that irritating flip it always does when Reed is around. He’s masculinity personified. Tall and broad, his gorgeous features chiseled to perfection. My mouth grows dry as I admire his arms, sleek with muscle, rippling with power.

He’s a good foot taller than me, so when he finally turns to look at me, I have to tilt my head to meet his gaze.

Those blue eyes flick over me, resting briefly on my tiny denim shorts and tight halter top that ties at the neck. They focus on my navy-blue-and-white deck shoes, and the corner of his mouth quirks slightly.

I wonder if he’s about to make fun of my shoes, but his almost-smile fades when a husky moan echoes from above us.

“
Yes
.” Brooke’s throaty voice makes Reed and me cringe.

A male growl follows the request. Callum apparently has no problem getting busy when his sons are close by. I find that disgusting, yet at the same time, I can’t bring myself to hate him, not after his confession that he’s still grieving for his wife. Loss makes us do crazy things.

Reed bites out a curse. “Let’s go.”

His steel grip captures my arm, making it impossible to do anything but follow him toward the stairs that lead below deck.

“Where are we going?”

He doesn’t answer. He pushes open the door and marches into the luxurious main room, which is furnished with leather couches and glass tables. Reed bulldozes past the full kitchen and dining area toward the cabins in the back.

He knocks on an oak door. “East. Wake the fuck up.”

There’s a loud groan. “Go away. My head is pounding.”

Reed walks into the cabin without knocking. I peek behind his broad shoulders and see Easton sprawled on a massive bed, holding a pillow over his head.

“Get up,” Reed orders.

“Why?”

“Need you to keep Dad occupied.” Reed laughs sardonically. “Well, he’s occupied enough at the moment, but I want you up there in case that changes.”

Easton pushes the pillow off his face and sits up with a groan. “You know I’ve always got your back, but listening to that woman is my idea of a nightmare. Those squeaky noises she makes when Dad—” He stops midsentence when he notices me behind Reed.

I can’t see Reed’s face, but whatever his eyes are conveying causes Easton to heave himself out of bed. “Gotcha.”

“Keep the twins away, too,” Reed says.

His brother disappears without another word. Rather than stay in Easton’s cabin, Reed walks next door and gestures for me to follow him inside.

I stay put, crossing my arms. “What do you want?”

“To talk.”

“Then talk here.”

“Get in here, Ella.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

I drop my arms and walk into the cabin. Something about this guy…he issues a command and I obey. I fight it at first, sure. I always fight, but he always wins.

Reed closes the door behind me and runs a hand through his windblown hair. “I’ve been thinking about what we talked about before.”

“We didn’t talk before.
You
talked.” And my pulse speeds up because now I’m remembering what he’d said.

If I have to fuck you so you don’t ruin my family, I’ll do it
.

“I want you to stay away from my brother.”

“Aw, are you jealous?” As Callum would say, I’m poking the tiger, but I don’t really care. I’m tired of this guy telling me what to do.

“I get it, you’re used to a certain lifestyle,” Reed says, ignoring my taunt. “I bet guys were lining up to drill you at your old school.”

My heart stops when he grabs the bottom of his shirt.

“You have needs.” He shrugs. “Can’t fault you for that, and yeah, I haven’t made it easy for you to make friends at Astor Park. Not a lot of guys have the balls to go against me and ask you out. They think you’re hot, though. They all do.”

Where on earth is he going with this? And why—oh my God, why is he taking off his shirt?

I gape at his bare chest. He has a six-pack that makes me drool, and his oblique muscles are tight and delicious. Heat spreads through my body. I clench my thighs together to try to stop the throbbing between them, but it just makes it worse.

He grins at me. Oh yeah, he’s fully aware of the effect he has on me.

“My brother’s a good lay.” His eyes gleam. “But he’s not as good as me.”

Reed undoes the button of his cargo shorts and tugs on the zipper. I can’t breathe. I’m frozen in place as he yanks the shorts off and kicks them away.

My legs start to shake. Everywhere I look I see smooth golden skin and tight muscle.

“Here’s the deal,” he says. “My brother and father are off-limits to you. If you have an itch that needs scratching, you come to me. I’ll take care of it.”

He rests his large palm between his pecs, then drags it lower.

All the oxygen is trapped in my lungs. I can’t do anything but follow the trajectory of his hand. It slides over his abs and stomach, stops just above his groin, then shifts lower to delve past the elastic of his boxer briefs.

Reed’s fingers close around his very obvious hard-on and someone moans. I think it’s me. It must be me, because he smiles.

“You want this?” He pumps himself slowly. “You can have it. Lick it, suck it, fuck it, anything you want, baby. As long it’s just with me.”

My heart beats even faster.

Reed tips his head. “Do we have a deal?”

It’s the calculated note in his voice that snaps me out of my trance. Horror and indignation rush to the surface, and I stumble backward, bumping my shins on the bed.

“Screw you,” I choke out.

He looks unimpressed with my outburst.

I lick my lips. My mouth is dryer than the Sahara and yet I’ve never felt more alive. All my stripping, all my dodging of Mom’s handsy boyfriends, hasn’t prepared me for this. Maybe there
were
guys lined up to sleep with me, but I was focused on working, caring for my mom, and then just surviving. I can’t even remember the face of a single guy I went to school with last year.

The image of Reed standing here—buff, golden, and naked with his dick in his hand—will be burned into my memory forever.

He has everything a girl could want: the hard body, the handsome face that will still look good years from now, the money, and that extra something. Charisma, I guess. The ability to slay you with a single look.

The apple is dangling in front of me, juicy red and delicious, but, like the fairy tale, Reed Royal is the villain disguised as a pretty prince. Taking a bite out of him would be a huge mistake.