Royal just stares at me, breathing hard, his dark eyes full of such turmoil that I don’t think even he can answer that question. He needs a new family. A father who doesn’t use him like a pawn, a mother who isn’t so busy pretending her life is perfect that she doesn’t even notice, and a sister who doesn’t run off and fall in love with his mortal enemy. He needs us to understand.
But how can I understand when he won’t talk to me? I can’t. All I can do is be there for him, support him, and love him. And I haven’t been doing any of that. I’ve been selfishly concerned with my own needs, with my own heart.
“I need you to start acting like my sister again,” Royal says at last. “We’re not the bad guys here, Crystal.”
I stare at him, my fingers shaking. I don’t know how to say this without hurting him. “What if we are?”
“Then you’re on the wrong side,” he says slowly.
“Maybe we shouldn’t take sides,” I say. “Maybe we should all be on the same team.”
“But we’re not,” he says.
“The Darlings aren’t the problem,” I say, squeezing my hands around my knees to hold myself steady.
“What are you saying, Crystal?” King asks, his brows lowering and his expression turning ominous.
“I’m saying, maybe it’s time to put all this behind us,” I say. “The Darlings might listen if you just talk to them. I think they’re ready to make peace.”
“And how do you know this?” King asks.
I tick the reasons off on my fingers, trying to sound more rational than I feel. I’m terrified of his reaction. Royal is unpredictable and moody, but King is steady. He’ll listen to reason. “They’re not fighting you anymore,” I say. “Devlin refused to fight Royal. And you made the team. You’re on. Why keep attacking them? You got what you wanted. Plus, they’re not bothering me anymore.”
“That asshole still hasn’t given us our parking spot,” Duke says.
It’s all I can do not to slap my palm against my forehead. “Are you really that petty?” I ask instead. “It’s a fucking parking spot. Who even cares? Park in the one beside it!”
“It’s not the parking spot,” King says quietly. “It’s what it represents.”
“That part’s true,” Dolly says. “The Darlings have always had that spot. It’s tradition. Their great grandfather got that spot when his family paid to have the lot paved.”
“And it belongs to the top donor,” Baron says. “We’re the top donors. They need to accept that and give us our spot back.”
“It’s not over until they turn over their spot and admit there’s a new rule in town,” Duke says.
“Or until there are none of them left to admit it,” Royal says. “Then everyone will know the Dolce reign has begun.”
*
When I step out of my last class of the day, Dixie is waiting.
“Did you hear what happened?” she asks, her eyes dancing with excitement. It’s nice to see her so enthusiastic about something again, like she was when I met her. After Colt betrayed her, she was so glum, but she seems to have bounced back. Even though she’s still boy crazy, she’s seemed more confident since our dance routine. Being brave looks good on her.
“I heard bits and pieces,” I tell her as we head for our lockers.
“They dumped all the Darling Dolls,” she says. “Took all their necklaces and everything.”
I spot a couple girls from the cheer squad crying at a locker.
“You’d think they lost their boyfriends,” I say, a twinge of guilt going through me. “Not some asshole who only drops into their DMs to see if they’re down to fuck.”
“Being a Darling Doll is better than having a boyfriend,” Dixie says, rolling her eyes. “It means you can date anyone you want.”
“Except a Darling,” I point out. “They don’t date, right? They just hook up.”
“Well, you got Devlin,” she says. “Which means it could happen for someone else.”
“Dixie…”