Savage Royals

by Callie Rose

  Mason cleared his throat impatiently, and I shook my head to clear it, pulling my hand back.

  “It’s… it’s really beautiful, Elijah. I love it.”

  “He’s not the only one with tattoos, you know,” Cole grumbled, and I laughed.

  “All right, all right,” Mason said, his keen gaze taking in the three of us. For some reason, I got the sense he didn’t love the looks both Cole and Elijah—and Finn—were giving me. Is he… jealous? “Enough fucking around. Let’s go.”

  Mason led us back through the house toward the kitchen. We grabbed drinks, and the guys smoked as we hung out. Elijah offered me a shotgun hit, but I declined. After the car ride up and the weird tension in the bedroom, my body still felt too on edge, turned on and sensitive, and I didn’t think I could handle him touching me without doing something stupid.

  After a while, we trailed behind a bunch of other people to the back side of the mansion. The lawn was massive, and a small lake shimmered in the sun, too perfect to be natural. I was pretty sure it was man-made, and it was gorgeous. A path made of broad, flat stones led through the lake to a small island in the center. It wasn’t very deep either, and when I dipped my toe in, the water was the perfect temperature.

  Lounge chairs were arrayed around the pond and in shady spots across the sweeping, green yard. We settled into a cluster of them a little distance from the water, soaking up the afternoon sun as we relaxed and drank.

  This is paradise.

  “God, I’m so fucking bored,” Adena whined, and I peeled my eyes open to see her flop onto one of the empty chairs nearby. Her usual posse followed her, sinking into open chairs around us.

  Her bikini was bright red and so small her boobs were practically falling out of it. Her skin was tan, her nails manicured, and her hair perfectly styled. She looked like she belonged here, and the curl of her lip when she glanced at me made it clear she thought I didn’t.

  “Mason.” She threw the cap of her beer bottle at him, and he glanced her way, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I’m bored. Aren’t you bored?”

  “No.”

  The one-word answer was curt, and her lips pressed together in annoyance. Whatever their on again, off again thing was, it’d obviously been off again lately, since in the whole time I’d been hanging out with the Princes this semester, I hadn’t seen Adena and Mason together much at all.

  Rising from her lounge chair, she padded over to him, leaning over so far her boobs were practically in his face. “God. You used to be so much more fun. You’ve really gotten boring in your old age.”

  Her words were both caustic and seductive, like cruelty was her own personal brand of messed-up foreplay, and I watched something flare in his eyes as he sat up a little straighter. A sting of jealousy pinched me, but I shoved it down. Mason wasn’t mine. He could do whatever he wanted with whoever he wanted.

  And was this the sort of thing he was into? Had their relationship just been one long hate fuck?

  Ugh.

  “What do you want to do then?” he asked.

  A triumphant smile spread across her face, and she pursed her lips, pretending to consider it. Then she rose fluidly, swaying her hips as she stepped back. “I know. Why don’t the girls put on a little show for you guys? We’ll go out to those stones on the lake, strike a pose, and you all can decide which one of us is the hottest.”

  I suppressed a massive eye roll. Was this really what rich kids did for fun? I guessed all that leisure time must get really boring, if they were reduced to this.

  “Yeah. Count me out,” I muttered.

  Adena’s gaze shot to me, her blue eyes hardening. She stalked toward me, only cruelty left in her voice now. “What’s the matter, Idaho? Afraid your scrawny ass is going to come in last?”

  Yes. Just like you’re probably hoping for.

  I wasn’t sure if she’d suggested this game as a way to torment me, or if it was just a happy side benefit, but she knew as well as I did that all of us standing up and striking poses would be like playing a game of “one of these things does not belong”.

  But everyone was staring at me, and that uncomfortable feeling I’d lived with all last semester was starting to build in my chest again. If I didn’t go along with what she wanted, she’d spend the rest of the day torturing me to make me pay.

  I shot a desperate glance at the Princes, but Mason just smirked and arched an eyebrow, settling back in his chair.

  A hot stab of anger pierced my chest, and I clenched my jaw. What the fuck? The Princes were supposed to protect me from Adena. They had all semester. Why weren’t they doing anything now?

  Feeling betrayed and pissed off, I surged to my feet, chugging the rest of my drink. “Fine. Let’s do it.”

  “See? Was that so hard?”

  She smirked at me and led the way down to the shore, her minions following along in her wake.

  I wanted to shove her in the water, but instead, I stalked across the stones to one a good distance out and stood with my arms crossed.

  We’d drawn a pretty big crowd thanks to the fuss Adena had made, and nerves prickled my skin as one by one, each girl struck a pose and held it while the guys on shore voted by applause. The poses started off as pretty classic pinup poses, but they got sluttier and sluttier as we went down the line. The cheers grew louder until finally, Adena pushed her hands into her hair and jutted out her tits, dropping her mouth open and licking her lips with a “fuck me hard” expression on her face.

  Catcalls and whoops rang out over the water, and I clenched my jaw in irritation. She straightened and tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder, adjusting her bikini as she giggled and blew kisses to her adoring fans on shore. Then she grinned viciously at me.

  “Don’t fuck up, Idaho trash. Then again, you’re such a slut, this should be easy for you.”

  I turned away from her pointedly, looking out at the crowd gathered around the pond’s edge. Mason, Finn, Elijah, and Cole were near the front, standing shoulder to shoulder like they often did.

  Fine. They wanted to see something beautiful? I’d show them something beautiful.

  But I wasn’t playing Adena’s fucking game.

  I hadn’t warmed up, but I’d been practicing diligently every sixth period, and my strength and flexibility had continued to improve, so I knew my body could handle it.

  Gently, slowly, I floated into an arabesque.

  One leg lifted behind me, creating a long line, and my arms rose through the air as though gravity had ceased to exist. My spine arched backward, curving gracefully as I went up onto the ball of my standing foot.

  I wasn’t en pointe, and a critical ballet instructor could’ve found dozens of little things to correct. But I knew this pose, had done it hundreds of times before. And every time I did, I felt the same way.

  Beautiful.

  Powerful.

  Free.

  A loud sound startled me, and I blinked, my leg wobbling slightly as my gaze flew to the shoreline. The gathered observers roared their approval, whooping, stomping, and clapping. Adena gaped at me in shock, her face nearly purple with rage as her hands clenched at her sides.

  A small, stunned smile stretched across my face as Mason’s loud whistle cut through the noise on shore.

  I’d been pissed at him for not protecting me from her…

  But maybe that wasn’t what had happened at all.

  Maybe he’d unleashed me on her instead.

  Chapter 22

  “Did you know?”

  Mason lifted his head from the back of the couch, glancing over at me. “Know what?”

  “With Adena, and the stupid modeling contest. Did you know that would happen?”

  He shrugged, relaxing back against the plush cushions. “No. I didn’t know what would happen. But you’re empirically more beautiful than she is, so I knew there was no fucking way she’d win.”

  I blinked at the roundabout compliment and took a sip of my drink—something Finn had mixed up for me that
tasted like fruit punch. I’d been a little bit high and a little bit drunk for the past three days, which had sort of blurred into one long stream of drinking, eating, playing games, and lounging around the mansion. Adena had been even more of a bitch than usual since the first day, but with the Princes close by my side at all times, she couldn’t do much more than glare at me.

  The five of us were in a game room downstairs, having escaped from the afternoon heat outside into the cool, dark basement. It was a big space, with a large sectional sofa on one side and a massive TV on the wall opposite. A few guitars were propped in the corner, and a doorway led to a separate room with video game consoles and old arcade games. No lights were on down here, but small windows high on the walls allowed some sunlight to filter in.

  “I coulda told you it would happen.” Finn grinned at me from where he sat on the other side of Elijah. “I’ve seen you practice. You’re fucking amazing.”

  I took another sip of my drink to hide my pleased grin. I’d been so pissed at the Princes last semester, and so determined to avoid other students, that I hadn’t gone to a single football game. I really wanted to in the fall though. I wanted to see Finn play. After spending so much time talking to him about football, and comparing notes on the differences and similarities between our two passions, I wanted to see him in action. I was sure he’d be fucking amazing too.

  “I’m bored,” Mason said suddenly, his voice such a perfect imitation of Adena’s that I almost snorted punch out my nose. I coughed and laughed at the same time, holding my cup away from me so I wouldn’t spill it.

  “You boys wanna have a modeling contest?” I grinned. “I’ll judge.”

  He smirked wickedly at me. “I think you might enjoy that a little too much, little dancer.”

  Fire licked across my skin, and I shifted in my seat, biting my lip but not answering.

  “How about Truth or Dare?” Finn suggested, sitting forward and glancing over at us.

  I chuckled, wrinkling my nose. “What is it with you and games?”

  “I have a playful spirit.” He shrugged. “Come on, Legs. You in?”

  “Yeah, all right.” I settled back on the couch, resting my cup on my stomach. I was wearing a simple white tee over my bikini, the fabric thin and soft. Elijah and Cole were both shirtless, which gave me the perfect opportunity to keep checking out their tattoos. Finn wore a light blue v-neck that made him look even more all-American, and Mason had on a dark tank top.

  I hadn’t played truth or dare since I was ten, and I’d never thought it was a particularly fun game. But as we started taking turns choosing, I realized I’d just been too young to fully appreciate the game back then. There were so many truths I wanted to get out of the Princes. I’d been unreasonably curious about them ever since I’d met them, even when they were making my life hell. And even though we’d been hanging out almost nonstop for the entire semester so far, there were still huge blanks in their stories that I was dying to fill in.

  We started with mostly “truths”, which was fine by me.

  I learned that Elijah had two younger siblings, a brother and a sister, and that Mason and Finn didn’t have any. Cole’s sister was eight, and when I asked him what his favorite thing in the world was, he answered without a moment of hesitation, “Penny.”

  I also learned that he hated his father, though I wasn’t sure why—he answered that question with a one-word answer and then retreated back into himself for a while, passing on the next several rounds.

  We drank as we played, and by the time Cole shook off his bad mood and rejoined us, I’d admitted to being a virgin, Elijah had admitted that he was too, and the others had teased us mercilessly for it.

  When Mason told me that his mother was dead, his green eyes shuttered for a moment, and even though I’d already known that thanks to my conversation with Jacqueline, my heart ached for him. I knew exactly what it felt like to lose a mother.

  “It sucks, doesn’t it?” I asked softly.

  His gaze locked on mine, and for a heartbeat, his whole body tensed, as if the intense emotions bottled up inside him were too much to be contained, like he might tear apart at the seams.

  “Yeah,” he said, his voice a harsh rasp. “It does.”

  I swallowed, not quite sure what else to say.

  He looked tortured. Ruined.

  But a moment later, the tension drained from him. He let out a breath and took another drink, leaning back and spreading his legs lazily. “All right. Enough of this pussy bullshit. Somebody needs to pick ‘dare’.”

  “Okay, tough guy. Truth or Dare?” I teased, leveling him with a challenging stare.

  He cocked his head, green eyes glittering in the dim light. “Dare, Hildebrand. Do your worst.”

  Well, this is too fucking good to pass up.

  I kept my gaze on him, letting the silence settle for a moment while I thought about it. Then I grinned.

  “I dare you to be my footstool for ten minutes. Without complaining,” I added, holding up a finger.

  His eyes widened, then narrowed. “Are you serious?”

  I snapped my fingers, pointing at the floor. “Hurry along, peasant. My feet are tired.”

  Finn howled with laughter, and Mason shot him a glare. Slowly, he rose and walked over to stand in front of me. I wiggled my toes invitingly, and Elijah chuckled.

  “Damn, Mason. She’s got your number. Bringing the king low.”

  Mason threw him an annoyed glance, but then he turned his attention back to me, inclining his head sarcastically. “I live to serve, Princess.”

  Slowly, he sank to his knees. I expected him to go to all fours like the human impersonation of a stool, but instead, he sat on his heels, still facing me. Then he lifted both my feet, bending my legs and resting my arches on his shoulders. I’d been slouching on the couch, so now, with my legs up, his face was less than a foot away from the apex of my thighs.

  The material of my bikini bottoms suddenly felt too thin, too flimsy.

  He was so close.

  Keeping his head slightly bowed, he flicked his gaze up to meet mine, staring at me from beneath his lashes, and my breath hitched.

  Son of a bitch.

  I should’ve known he’d find some way to turn the tables on me. He was obeying the letter of my command, but not the intent. I’d meant to bring him low, like Elijah had said, but instead, he was the one putting me on the spot.

  His hands stayed on my ankles, caressing up and down my legs softly, and I swore I could feel his breath on my core. My breathing shortened, becoming hitched and uneven, and without even meaning too, I shifted my hips on the cushion, needing… something.

  To get away.

  To get closer.

  To find a cure for the overwhelming ache building inside me.

  None of the other Princes spoke, their gazes fixed on the two of us, and the silence became so heavy it felt like a sixth presence in the room. I couldn’t look away from Mason’s eyes, and I saw a dozen emotions flicker through them as he stared back at me.

  When he turned his head and blew lightly on the skin of my ankles, I let out a strangled noise, then glared at him and dug my toes into the flesh of his shoulder muscles. That only seemed to encourage him though, and he repeated the action on the other side, sliding his hands all the way up my legs to rest on my hips.

  “Is somebody… keeping time?” I gritted out, cursing myself for choosing ten whole fucking minutes. My body felt like a live wire, sparking and electric.

  “Yup. You’ve got two minutes left, little dancer.” Finn’s voice was rough too, and it made wetness flood my bikini bottoms.

  Fuck. Two minutes?

  My hands clamped around Mason’s, securing them to my hips, and I wasn’t sure if it was to keep him from touching me anywhere else or to make sure he didn’t stop touching me.

  An eternity seemed to pass in those two minutes, and my entire lower body felt swollen, needy, and hot.

  Finally, Elijah said, “Time.”


  A breath I didn’t even realize I’d be holding rushed from my lungs. Mason’s grin was pure, seductive evil, and he dragged his hands down my legs before lifting my feet from his shoulders.

  “I told you, Princess. I live to serve.”

  He set them on the floor, and I scooted back on the couch quickly, desperate to try to hide my reaction—even though it was probably at least nine minutes too late for that.

  “Fuuuck,” Finn groaned. “Well, I need a cold goddamn shower.”

  When I glanced over at him, he was adjusting his shorts, and I looked away quickly, trying to ignore the way my peaked nipples stood out against the light fabric of my t-shirt.

  “Um, we can play something else. This game is stupid,” I said quickly.

  “Nuh uh, Legs.” Mason slapped my knee lightly as he rose to his feet, and I noticed a definite bulge in his pants too. I glanced down, feeling a rush of both pride and embarrassment that our little battle of wills had affected him too. “You don’t get to bail just when it’s getting fun. You dared me. Now I get to dare you.”

  “I thought I got to pick,” I insisted, reaching for my cup and downing the last few swallows.

  “All right. Fine. Truth or dare?”

  Motherfucker. If I picked truth, I’d be letting him win. But if I picked dare… could I really handle the consequences?

  I licked my lips, mustering up my courage before I finally said, “Dare.”

  “Good girl.” His broad grin was beautiful and dangerous. “I dare you to dance for us.”

  I froze, startled. That was not what I’d been expecting him to say. “What?”

  “You heard me. Finn’s apparently gotten to see you dance a lot. The rest of us never have. And what you did out there on the lake was fucking beautiful. I want to see you dance.”