Broken Prince: A Novel (The Royals Book 2) by Erin Watt

worry. Callum will take care of everything, won’t you, Dad?” Easton sticks his chin out.
    Callum ignores Easton’s challenge and nods placidly. “Yes, if you need more time, Ella, I’m sure that can be arranged.”
    Because in his world, money buys anything, including extra time to take standardized tests. Maybe I won’t even need to take a college entrance exam. I don’t know whether that makes me happy or upset. Both, I guess. Confused emotions are the standard in my head right now.
    Like when Reed takes a seat next to me, my body rejoices, remembering all the pleasure he pulled out of it. And my heart flips in memory of how he filled the cracks in my heart with affection and warmth that I hadn’t even realized I needed in my life. But my head reminds me that this boy was terrible to me. The one concession I can make is that he tried to warn me off, but I kept after him like a lovesick idiot, telling him that he wanted me and that he just needed to admit it. So I guess we’re both to blame.
    He told me to stay away.
    He told me I didn’t belong.
    If only I’d listened to him.
    “Your bagel offend you in some way?” Easton asks.
    I look down to see my breakfast lying in shreds on the plate. I push it aside and pull the bowl of fresh fruit, granola, and yogurt toward me. The single greatest thing about living in the Royal house might be the amount of food in the kitchen at all times. There’s no eating one meal a day or hoping that your body doesn’t revolt if all you can get your hands on is a single fast-food taco.
    And everything is fresh, bright, green, and healthy.
    If Callum had just reminded me of the contents of the refrigerator, maybe I wouldn’t have put up as big of a fight.
    “Not feeling the carbs this morning,” I tell Easton.
    “So, baby sis, what’re we gonna do today?” He rubs his hands together. “I hear we’re not going to school. Well, the twins are, but that’s ’cause they’re too dumb. They miss one class, they’ll flunk out.”
    Both twins give him the finger.
    “I’m going over to Valerie’s.”
    “Great,” Easton says. “I like Val. Sounds like we’re gonna have a good time.”
    “You missed the pronoun I. ”
    Everyone at the table is watching our exchange.
    “I didn’t miss it.” Easton grins sunnily, but his eyes are darting all over. “I’m conveniently ignoring it. What time are we leaving?”
    I rap my fingers on the table. “Easton, pay attention.” I wait until his frenetic gaze lands back on me. “You are staying here. Or you can leave, but either way you’re not coming with me.”
    “You’re saying words but they’re not really making any sense. When do you want to meet at your car?”
    I look around the table for help, but everyone averts their faces. Across from me, the twins are nearly shaking with suppressed laughter.
    Callum peers over the top of his newspaper. “You should give in now. If you don’t let him ride with you, he’ll show up at the Carringtons’ anyway.”
    Easton tries to look gracious and contrite, but triumph gleams in his eyes.
    “Fine, but we’re painting our nails and talking about which maxi pads are the most absorbent. There might even be scientific experiments.”
    His smile doesn’t waver, but the twins groan. “Gross,” they say in unison and push away from the table. Sawyer—I’m going with that—taps Sebastian on the shoulder. “Ready to go?”
    Seb tosses a napkin on the table and rises. “I guess. I’d rather learn about geometry than maxi pads.”
    “Let’s leave in about fifteen?” Easton says to me before bounding out of the kitchen.
    I rub my forehead as a pain starts to develop over my right eye.
    “Ella…” Reed is so quiet I barely hear him.
    I ignore him and stare out the window at the clear, still water in the pool, wishing life were as smooth and calm.
    “I’ll leave you two to finish breakfast.” Callum folds his paper noisily. The chair legs scrape against the tiled floor