Reign (American Royals #4)

by Katharine McGee

“I don’t want to go that far from home,” she told James. He didn’t know her well enough to hear the lack of conviction in her voice.

“There’s a media ban on campus, because of Jeff,” Nina said absently, her mind spinning.

She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to melt into Jamie’s arms or kick him in the shins.

Daphne couldn’t help wondering whether Beatrice was as fully recovered as she pretended to be.

As if she cares

“It’s too early to tell whether it’s a boy or girl, right?” Jefferson sounded nervous, yet a bit excited, too. Guilt wedged into Daphne’s chest, which she did her best to ignore.

Your BMI is so low that you might have stopped getting your period because you’re underweight.” She kept talking, saying something about the benefits of healthy fats: avocados, almonds, the occasional piece of dark chocolate.

Lolll

Dr. Carlisle seemed to realize that no one was listening, because she trailed off and swallowed awkwardly.

So Beatrice did what she always did: she folded her emotions away and buried them down deep.

The makeup artist gently tapped the corner of Beatrice’s eyelid with a brush, and Beatrice closed her eyes. At least Lilian and her silent signals hadn’t changed in the past year.

A reporter in a navy skirt suit jumped to her feet like a wind-up toy. Beatrice nodded, mind racing as she tried to remember the woman’s name. “Yes, Miss…” Her hands grabbed the sides of the podium in a death grip. God help her, she simply had no clue who this woman was. “Helen Crosby,” the reporter supplied, seeming hurt.

“Your Majesty. Welcome back.” He bowed, though the gesture was so cursory that it bordered on disrespect.

Beatrice couldn’t help marveling at his phrasing, the way he’d welcomed her to the palace as if it belonged to him.

“Thank you for saying that,” Sam murmured.

“Sam, please,” Jeff started to say, but she turned and ran off, just as everyone apparently expected her to do.

Welp

Her body blazed with tiny flames of anger. It felt shockingly liberating, being so openly furious with him, not having to act polite or sweet.

“I trust you, Daphne.” She started to reply, something flippant or caustic like You should know better, but the words died on her lips. Ethan was looking at her in a way that rattled something deep within her.

“You’ve come a long way from your blue beach cruiser.” Her words were surprisingly soft, almost nostalgic.

Daphne gestured for him to go ahead, and he planted his feet on the ground, abruptly stopping the movement of his swing.

“Just take me home now, please.” Daphne started marching toward the motorcycle before Ethan realized that she was smiling, too.

Colorful murals sprawled over the walls, bright with messages like Love Is All You Need or Don’t Let the Crown Get You Down. Sam blinked, wondering if she’d misread that one, but it was already behind them.

Some part of her must have wanted to share a real truth, because she heard herself add, “I was living at home before this, but my family kicked me out.” “Whoa.” Ben sounded impressed by this. “You must be really rebellious.”

God I wish that were me

Sam felt like she was running from one crisis to the next, she and the other bartenders elbowing past each other as they navigated the length of the bar. Her feet hurt in her strappy heels and she sliced her hand chopping limes and the cut stung when she accidentally got vodka on it. It was exhilarating.

Sam fought back a smile. The cash felt almost hot in her hand, as if it radiated its own energy.

Someone plugged their phone into an aux cord; Amber kicked off her shoes and began twirling a slow circle barefoot, laughing deliriously until Talal came and swept her off her feet. Sam felt a sudden rush of affection for them all.

Beatrice wanted to turn around, pretend she hadn’t seen him, but a cautious smile had already risen to Teddy’s face.

“We got a dog?” The words came out in a whisper.

“We were about to go on a walk, if you want to come?” Teddy added hopefully. “We can take the wheelchair.” “No.” Franklin whined and nudged her leg as if he understood her rejection. Something in Beatrice melted a little, and she sighed. “I mean, no wheelchair. I need to build up my strength.”

Beatrice kept waiting for Teddy to say something, but he didn’t. He let her stroll along in contemplative silence—which should have been relaxing, since silence was what she wanted. But it unnerved her a little that he seemed to sense that. When had Teddy become so attuned to her moods?

For a split second they stood suspended like that, as immobile as the statue behind them. Despite their stillness, Beatrice’s heart was pounding, every nerve ending in her skin flaring to life. She saw the rise and fall of Teddy’s chest beneath his jacket, his breath as unsteady as her own.

“Wait. You’re the hacker?” Daphne asked, comprehension dawning. The girl rolled her eyes. “I assume you were expecting a guy?”

Daphne stared at them. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Ethan so at ease, his body language relaxed, even playful. The knowledge that some strange girl had brought out this side of him was profoundly irritating. “Thanks for meeting us, Rei,” she said, a bit coolly.

Ugh shes such a bitch

Rei nodded distractedly. “This is one of the most intense encryption systems I’ve seen. It’s either government, or someone incredibly wealthy and paranoid about security,” she added, talking more to herself than to them.

“A duke’s daughter?” Rei looked intrigued. “Why would she blackmail you like this?” “Because she’s an awful person, and she hates me.” “She can’t be the only one.” Daphne looked up sharply, but exhaled when she saw the teasing smile on Rei’s lips.

“What do you do if someone stumbles across this website and actually orders a fiftieth-anniversary cake?” Daphne couldn’t help asking. “I order them a cake from somewhere else,” Rei said, as if it were obvious. “I would never ruin a fiftieth anniversary.”

“Why did you ask about Malaysia, anyway? Are you thinking of leaving Washington?” She laughed. “Of course not. Why would I leave? Washington is the center of the world, and everything I ever wanted is right here.” “Of course it is,” Ethan agreed flatly. They didn’t speak again for the rest of the ride.

Who was this so-called friend, and why didn’t Nina know anything about him?

The realization sank into Nina’s chest, warm and solid like a stone.

“The thing is, Dad is still in love with Mom. He’s sort of old-fashioned in that way: once he gave her his heart, it was hers forever, and that was that.

Awww

It struck Nina as a very unique form of power, something only another royal could do, to refer to the Queen Mother and the late king by their first names. She had known them since she was a kid, and even she had never dared call them anything but Your Majesty.

“Gabriella.” Daphne started to brush past, but Gabriella’s next words stopped her in her tracks. “Where did you disappear to? It’s not like you to leave your own party. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were up to something.” There was an emphasis on those last three words that would have been almost comical if Daphne weren’t shivering from apprehension.

“Hi, Daphne. What can I do for you?” Rei’s tone was brisk, no-nonsense. Daphne liked that about her.

Jefferson and Daphne’s engagement party was limping along to its conclusion.

As the third in line to rule, Jeff had occupied a uniquely relaxed and uncontroversial position—until now.

Beatrice trusted Nina to get Sam through anything.

Her eyes drifted to the portrait of their father hanging above the fireplace. “I miss him so much,” she murmured. “Me too. All the time.” It felt like their grief was a physical thing, like they were holding it between them, knees buckling beneath its weight.

Beatrice stood. “We should get ...

Stewie voice

Her first morning at the house, Sam had kept asking what “chores” everyone did—she’d seen enough sitcoms to know the term, and was proud of herself for asking.

They ate the same snacks, buying peanut butter crackers and passing the bag back and forth wordlessly between them.

“Maybe. But a good thing can still hurt.”