Savage Royals (Boys of Oak Park Prep 1)

“You’re a fighter, Talia. I’ll give you that.” His hands moved up my arms, his fingertips drifting over my collarbone and the base of my throat.

It was an oddly tender gesture, and my pulse picked up. I was sure he could see it fluttering wildly in my neck, revealing the truth I would never say out loud.

That he frightened me.

That he affected me, in ways I couldn’t even begin to articulate yet.

“I don’t want to be,” I murmured thickly. “I don’t want to have to be.”

“No.” His eyes shuttered for a moment, but not before I saw the flash of pain behind them. “I don’t think any of us want to be. But you are.”

He stepped back, and my skin felt suddenly bereft, the places where his hands had touched me still burning with fire.

I blinked at him, trying to understand what was different about him. It felt like something seismic had shifted between us, as if the very foundation of our relationship had changed somehow, and I couldn’t quite find my footing on this new plane of existence.

His gaze bounced between my eyes for a second longer, then he dragged in a deep breath and turned for the door.

“Have a good break, Legs.”

And he was gone.

Chapter 15

After the end-of-semester party, I swore I’d never drink again.

Every time I thought about whiskey, my stomach gurgled unpleasantly as the entire awful night played on fast-forward through my head.

I’d been prepared for the Princes’ wrath, but it never came—though it may have been because I barely saw them after that night. Everyone cleared out quickly once the semester was officially over, and I only caught a brief glimpse of Finn heading toward the student parking lot on Saturday.

Jacqueline had insisted I come stay with her and Philip for the holidays. We had two weeks off for winter break, and even though I didn’t love the idea of spending that much time in my grandparents’ stuffy, sterile house, the idea of staying locked up in my dorm like I had been all semester was even worse.

As I pulled up in front of the Hildebrand mansion on Sunday afternoon, Jacqueline greeted me, flanked by two staff members. One grabbed my bags out of the trunk, and the other drove my car around to the garage, leaving me nothing to do but trudge up the steps behind my grandma. I still hadn’t gotten used to being waited on hand and foot like this; it made me feel awkward, spoiled, and useless.

“How are you?” Jacqueline asked, glancing over her shoulder as we walked inside.

“I’m good.” I shrugged, pulling my jacket tighter around me. My blood must’ve been thinning already, because the slight nip in the air made me shiver. “Tired. School’s been busy. I could use the break.”

“I’m sure.” She nodded politely, her face blank. “We should say hello to your grandfather.”

“Um… okay.”

Should we, though? Really?

He never seemed to want to see me, but I didn’t point that out to Jacqueline as she led me down the hall toward what I now knew was Philip’s study. She wore a soft lavender pantsuit, and her heels clicked on the polished floor. Her honey-brown hair and makeup were perfect and classy as always, and even though I’d worn some of my new clothes, I still felt sloppy and underdressed in her presence.

When we reached the office door, she knocked once and then pushed it open.

“Philip, Talia is here.”

He stood from behind his desk as we entered. I wasn’t sure what he did in here all the time, but I assumed it had something to do with running and maintaining the massive fortune he and my grandma had built. His usual glass of whiskey sat on the desk, and I suppressed the urge to barf at the sight of it.

Ugh. No more vodka. No more whiskey.

There was a subtle sheen in his eyes as he picked up the glass and came around the desk toward us, making me think he was already a little drunk. He also looked sort of… chipper, which wasn’t a word I ever would’ve used to describe him before.

I waved awkwardly. “Hey, Philip. How are you doing?”

“Excellent.” He smiled, rocking on the balls of his feet. “It’s almost Christmas; I love this time of year.”