Ella Sinclair

Steve clearly doesn't want to talk about Dinah's meltdown, and I feel like I accomplished my mission of getting dirt on Dinah. She admitted to feeling guilty about Brooke's death and their rocky friendship sounded like a motive to me. Could Dinah and Steve be the key to proving Reed's innocence? What else is this happy couple hiding?

Girl, you better not be going where I think you're going. Steve invited me to brunch at the haunted penthouse. This is the best lead I have. Dinah will either have her own idea of who the killer is or she's the person who killed Brooke. You think she might be the killer and you're still driving to her house right now? Look, I'm gonna play nice with Dinah so she'll let her guard down.

On the previous episode of The Royals of Malibu. Do you still love me when I act like a nightmare?

I lose track of time and spend almost all day hanging out with Steve in his penthouse. Once I'm leaving, I tell myself that it was all a part of my strategy. I had to suck up to Steve so he'd feel comfortable telling me all of Dinah's secrets. But the truth is, I had fun hanging out with him. And that fun makes me feel guilty, like I'm betraying Callum somehow by bonding with my biological father.

Oh, God. I haven't checked my phone in hours, and Val has sent me, like, four texts. I send her a quick voicemail. Hey, Val. Sorry, I, um, I wasn't looking at my phone. But I'm not dead. Dinah was a freak, per usual, but less aggressive, so she didn't claw my eyeballs out. Uh, I'm about to drive home, but I will call you later. And I'm sorry for scaring you.

Not used to having to check in with people. Okay, love you. Am I a bad friend? I need to remember to spend some quality time with Val. When I get back to the royal house, it's empty. I can't find any of the boys, only a note scrawled in Reed's messy handwriting.

Then I'll start asking her about Brooke to see if she cracks under the pressure.

I slip through the garden gate and walk toward a bonfire on the royal's private beach. I see a tall, broad-shouldered, familiar figure. It's Reed. When I get closer, I notice a bunch of tea lights in the sand, but my eyes are drawn to Reed Royal. The sun has begun to set, and he's in a white linen shirt, smiling at me. He looks more at ease than I've seen him in weeks. He looks like my Reed.

Why are you always running into the burning building? Trust issues? Codependency? Savior complex?

You have a black eye. Is that from Liam?

Does it hurt?

Reed, I don't like seeing you hurt. What are you doing out here anyway?

Reed places his strong hands on my waist and spins me around to face the tea lights in the sand. They spell out one word and a question mark. Prom? What? I totally forgot about prom. How could I forget?

You still want to go to prom? Even though everyone at the Cove is so awful.

You are way too good to me.

Did your lawyers tell you anything when you met with them today?

And... Yeah?

I've never even thought about going to prom. Is that crazy?

Oh. Yes, Reed. Yes, I would love to go to prom with you.

Mm-hmm. Kiss me, Reed Royal. Reed kisses me and I lock my arms tight around his neck. His hands fall to my hips, pulling me closer. In seconds, I'm pressing my body as close against Reed's as I can get.

I was only gone one afternoon.

It sounds crazy, but he's right. A few hours apart and we're hungry for each other. My hands slide under his shirt and buttons come undone. Callum?

Reid kisses all the way down my body, then kneels in front of me. But he's too far away. I push him back into the sand. I straddle him, his tan, muscled torso between my legs. He grips my thighs, and I can feel our body temperatures spiking.

I know, I know. Bad joke. But hey, I just pulled into the car elevator at the penthouse, so the call's gonna drop. Don't worry. God, I've never been in one of these before. I made it. Val? Are you still there? I guess I'm on my own.

Steve is marching across the beach, his jaw set. Behind him, Callum stumbles through the sand looking... crushed. I climb off of Reed and I feel my cheeks get hot. This can't be happening.

Callum is an amazing dad. You don't get to talk to him like that.

No, don't apologize to him. This is none of his business. It's my body and I can do whatever I want with it.

I'm sorry.

I wait for Reed or Callum to stand up to Steve, but they don't. I see the guilt on their faces. So you both agree with him? Reed!

Okay. If you all want me to go, then I guess I'll go.

I walk through the sand back to the royal house, feeling numb and confused. Everyone agrees the best thing for me is to stay away from the royals and to stay away from Reed. I can feel my heart breaking as I prepare to say goodbye to the only place that feels like home. I don't know what Steve has planned for me back at the penthouse. Tonight, I'll grieve.

But tomorrow, I'll figure out a way to fight back. On the next episode of The Royals of Malibu.

Yes, I'll be nice to Dinah as long as she's nice to me.

You're giving me a curfew? Why did you bring all my stuff over to Steve's place?

Nova, do you want to go to prom with Easton? I feel really sweaty. Oh, she's melting down. Hi, Savannah. Hi, Savannah's mean friends. I want to try out for the swim team again. The Royals of Malibu is a production of Emerald Audio, an imprint of Diversion in partnership with Pod People. Starring Alyssa McKay as Ellis and Claire. Chris Caffaro as Reed Royal. Nick Caffaro as Easton Royal.

Armin Taylor as Callum Royal. Francesca Agramonte as Valerie Gonzalez. Hannah Montoya as Savannah Gonzalez. Daniel Lynch as Steve O'Halloran. Maura Vincent as Dinah O'Halloran. Stephanie Sherry as Lucy. Jillian Kinsey as Nova and Detective Schmidt. Directed by Ashton Carter. Written by Kiana Caddyblue. Produced by Emma DeMuth. Production management by Ashton Carter.

Production assistance by Hannah Rae Leach and Audrey Leach. Story development by Emma DeMuth. Editorial direction by Scott Waxman. Casting by Lindsay Plussard. Sound editing, sound design, and engineering by Morgan Fuss and Carter Wogan. Dialogue editing by Adam Raimonda and Carter Wogan. Theme music by Maddie Noyce. Consulting producers, Chris Caffaro and Nick Caffaro.

Executive producers, Rachel King, Alyssa McKay, and Scott Waxman. For more information, visit diversionaudio.com.

The last time I visited the penthouse, it was spooky, dusty, dark. But Steve's energy has totally transformed the place. The windows are open, the California sunshine streaming in, and Steve looks thrilled to see me, almost nervous. He sweeps me into his game room and sets up a game of pool, which definitely feels like a dad type of activity. Unbelievable! You're a natural, Ella. What a shot.

Look, I don't want to have to pick sides. You already picked.

The striped ones are easier to hit. At first, I was faking my good attitude to get Steve to lower his guard. But now that we're having fun together, I'm starting to understand why everyone loves him. He's charming, funny, friendly. He tells embarrassing stories about his younger days.

No. Then the conversation got more serious.

What?

Well, what happened?

It makes sense why you two are so close. A near-death experience will bond people for sure.

Yeah. Yeah, for sure. So, does that mean I won my first game of pool?

I'll be right back. I walk through the penthouse and head towards the kitchen. My eyes are drawn to the gorgeous view of the Pacific Ocean, and that's when I see... her. A familiar blonde blowout is standing across the massive living room, staring out at the ocean. Brooke?

How could this be happening? Am I hallucinating or is there a chance that this could actually be Brooke Davidson? No, wait, that's not possible. Then the woman turns. Hello, darling. Oh my god, Dinah, I thought you were... from behind you looked just like... Like Brooke.

Sorry, that just... scared me. I guess I'm not seeing ghosts after all. Just evil stepmothers. Oh no! Don't say that. You're... You're not!

Yeah, I'm here to follow up on all your blackmail. Were you still trying to steal my trust or... Very witty. Just kidding. Sorry for not saying hi earlier. Steve and I were playing pool in the... Don't worry, my dear.

What? Some journalist is writing a story about Reed? Hey, Steve. Sorry, I haven't been calling you back. Do you think I can come over sometime? I want to hang out with you and Dinah.

Is that some kind of social club? Um, no.

That would be a first. But I did want to spend time with both of you, now that we're all legally and genetically connected to each other.

Family? Wow. Feels kind of soon to be throwing the word family around, doesn't it?

I'm 17. Oh. Done. You two seem to be getting along. You look super happy. Carefree.

Well, thanks. Steve and Dinah seem genuinely at peace. It makes me think of how much pain Callum is going through and how worried I am about Reed. It's so fucking unfair that Dinah gets to be happy while the royals and I suffer. I came here to play nice with her, to convince her to let her guard down, but I can't take this. Yeah, I don't buy this. You don't buy what exactly?

You two pretending to be a Norman Rockwell painting. I don't buy it.

Stop being so nice to me. And stop being so mushy towards each other. It's making me want to vomit.

Then you went to a few couples therapy sessions and now you're magically healed? You don't fool me, Dinah. You're in denial, maybe, but you aren't healed. You can't be.

For hiding my mother's letters from Steve? You both apparently forgive each other for everything, so what exactly do you want to apologize for?

The only reason you're pretending to be a better person is because you want a guy to like you. Do you realize how sad that is?

I don't understand why you stay with her.

That's insane.

Even murder?

Do you know what you sound like? You sound scared of her, Steve.

Oh, come on. Dinah has generations of creepy old British money. She could have hired a hitman or something.

Steve, you came back from the dead, Brooke faked a pregnancy for like seven months, and Callum the billionaire bribed me into quitting my cam girl job less than a year ago. Nothing is ridiculous anymore.

Oh, no one told you about that?

That's scary. You know, just because you're a big, tough guy doesn't mean you can't be in a controlling and dangerous relationship.

Okay. Just be careful with her. I don't trust her. And I don't like the way she treats you.

I'm complex. I understand a tiny bit of what Reed sees in you.

What? No.

Yeah, Reed and I are just good friends. He's like a brother to me.

Können wir.

Na klar, können wir. Was du aus deiner Zukunft auch machst. Wir können alles, was kommt. Das Handwerk.

What?

What if one moment, you were just trying to survive high school, then next, you're the key to saving an empire in a parallel universe? I'm Ella Jane, EJ to most. I thought I had it all figured out. But one night at a pool party, everything changed. I wake up in a world called Estanasia, an empire on the brink of collapse. Turns out, I look exactly like a missing military general.

Posing as the general is my only shot at surviving. And there's a seriously complicated interdimensional crush involved, too. I never wanted to be a hero, but now I'm stuck in a fight to save the Empire, solve family secrets, survive assassins, and face terrifying beasts. Listen to The Infinite Worlds of Ella Jane on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, or any major streaming platform.

What?

Das Schmerz in Callums Stimme macht meine Augen schmerzen. Er scheint zu denken, dass es eine Möglichkeit gibt, Reed in den Gefängnis zu kommen. Ich kann Reed nicht verlieren.

Ich fühle den Panik in meinem Körper. Ich konnte nicht stehen, in diesem Haus zu sein. Warum denkt Reed, dass er in den Gefängnis gehen sollte? Is there a chance he did get physical with Brooke on that roof? What if she did say something that set him off? I can't stop my racing thoughts. Could Reed really be guilty of murder?

Verdammt, Easton. Also ist das dann wahr?

Machen wir jetzt von uns andere Geheimnisse? Ich liebe dich, aber ich kann meine eigenen Entscheidungen machen.

Sorry for coming so close to closing, Lucy. I didn't mean to make you stay late.

Ich war sicher. Ich habe sogar den Detektor gesehen.

Hey, don't you ever apologize to me, Ella. This is better anyway. Now you can take home all these leftover pastries. The boys are gonna devour these. Almond-Milk-Cappuccino. Decaf. Natürlich. Weil du zu jung warst, um in der Nachmittagszeit Kaffee zu trinken, junge Frau. Danke, Lucy. Also, was ist los, Kind? Es ist schon lange her, dass ich von dir gehört habe.

Ja, die Dinge sind ziemlich verrückt. Ja, ich habe gehört. Ich bin so entschuldigt über Brooke. Wartest du da drin? Ähm... Oh, Schatz, komm her.

Ich versuche, stark zu sein, aber ich weiß nicht, was ich glauben soll. Alle in der Schule denken, Reed sei der Täter und Reed wird mir nichts sagen. Ich bin keine vertraute Person. Ich weiß, dass ich nicht bin.

Sie hat mich in den Gästebüchern gefilmt. Ella! Lass mich nicht schlecht fühlen, okay? Ich habe das Richtige gemacht. Jetzt habe ich eine Liste von allen, die am Feierabend waren, und einer dieser Leute ist bereit, den echten Täter zu kennen. Der Täter könnte sogar am Feierabend gewesen sein.

Glaubst du, Reed hätte Brooke getötet?

Alle sagen, er hätte sie getötet.

Auch die Polizei. Weißt du, was ich denke? Du bist klüger als die Polizei. Du bist klüger als alle anderen. Du hast eine bessere Intuition. Und du kennst Reed besser als jeder.

Was glaubst du, Ella? Hat Reed es getan? Nein, er hat es nicht getan. Wenn ich auf alle anderen Begrüßungen stoppe, weiß ich, dass er es nicht getan hätte. Selbst wenn er sie verletzt hat oder wenn er sie verletzt hat, würde Reed nicht darüber lügen. Er würde es sich umsetzen, wie er es sich um alle seine Fehler umsetzen würde. Reed ist geframt. Ich weiß es.

Aber niemand glaubt an ihn, außer die Reals und ich. Was, wenn er in die Gefängnis geht, Lucy? Ich kann ihn nicht verlieren.

Ich kann es nicht. Oh, Honey. Du hast so ein großes Herz und du bist so schuldig. Aber ich brauche dich, um dich gerade für dich selbst zu kümmern. Ich weiß nicht, wie ich mich fühle, wenn du in einer Beziehung bist mit einem Menschen, der verurteilt wird. Auch wenn er ungewiss ist.

Ich kann ihn nicht verlassen.

Reed hat Lehrer, Geld, seine Familie. Es gibt viele Leute, die ihn kümmern. Wer kümmert sich um dich? Ich weiß es nicht. Am wenigsten kannst du versuchen, dich aus dem legalen Ding zu entfernen. Vielleicht kannst du ein bisschen Zeit mit anderen Leuten, die dich kümmern, verbringen.

Du kannst von den Royals ab und zu eine Pause nehmen. Die Einzigen, die mich kümmern, sind die Royals und Val und...

Und... Es gibt viele Leute, die mit Mayela hangen wollen, auch ich. Ich weiß, du hast deine Mutter verloren, aber hast du eine andere Familie? Ja, ich habe eine. Das ist großartig.

Ich wette, sie würden dich gerne unterstützen. Du hast richtig gesagt, Lucy. Das ist eine tolle Idee. Eigentlich denke ich, ich werde sie jetzt anrufen. Nein, jetzt. Du meinst jetzt. Ja. Ist das okay? Natürlich.

Nimm deinen Cappuccino mit dir. Danke, Lucy. Alle sind in ihrem Latte das und Kohlbrühe das. Was ist mit dem humblen Cappuccino? Oh, du bringst das Cappuccino so zurück. Es ist eine hochwertige Beverage, Emma. Oh, bevor du weggehst, Hund, ich will dich nicht mehr stressen, aber ich sollte wahrscheinlich erwähnen... Oh, nein. Es ist wahrscheinlich nichts.

Aber jemand kam am anderen Tag, um dich zu fragen. Ein klügerer Typ mit den Warby-Parker-Glasen. Er sagte, jemand hat ihm gesagt, du arbeitest hier und er schrieb eine Geschichte. Wie, Fanfiktion? Leider sah es nicht so aus. Er sagte, er arbeitete für die L.A. Times. Was? Ich habe ihm nichts gesagt. In Wahrheit habe ich ihn aus dem Café ausgeworfen.

Ein Journalist schreibt eine Geschichte über Reed? Ich weiß es nicht. Chances are, alle lieben dich und niemand wird dir etwas Schlimmes sagen. Dann gibt es keine Geschichte und es geht nirgends.

Ich kann mir denken, dass es mindestens zwölf Leute gibt, die gerne mit den L.A. Times über mich und Reed sprechen würden. Entschuldigung, ich bin der Messenger. Nein, danke, dass du mir das sagst. Wenn ein Artikel über Reed kommt, Lucy, that could be really, really bad.

Wenn du das so sagst, ja, das klingt gefährlich.

I'm sorry, kid. Forgot I mentioned it. You know I'm here for you. Have fun with your family, okay? I will. I gotta go. Bye, Lucy. Bye, kid.

Jeder sagt mir, dass ich wegstehe und die Polizei die Dinge behandeln lasse, aber jetzt, dass ein Reporter ein Hitspiel über Reed schreibt, weiß ich, dass ich nicht mehr Zeit habe, seinen Namen zu klären und den echten Täter zu finden. Ich kann nicht warten, bis die Polizei oder die Geräte herausfinden, wer wirklich Brooke getötet hat. Ich muss es selbst machen.

Das bedeutet, ich muss ein bisschen Zeit mit der Person, die alle Brooke's Geheimnisse wusste, Dina verbringen. Hey, Steve. Sorry, I haven't been calling you back. Do you think I can come over sometime? I want to hang out with you and Dinah.

For like two seconds.

Reed setzt seine starken Hände auf meinen Hals und spinnt mich um, um die Teelichter in der Sande zu befinden. Sie spellen ein Wort und eine Frage. Prom? Ja, Reed. Ich würde gerne mit dir zum Prom gehen. Ja? Ich brauche dich.

Ich bin sorry. Du hast mir erlaubt? The Royals of Malibu is a production of Emerald Audio, an imprint of Diversion in partnership with Pod People. Starring... Francesca Agramonte as Valerie Gonzalez. Hannah Montoya as Savannah Gonzalez. Daniel Lynch as Steve O'Halloran. Maura Vincent as Dinah O'Halloran. Stephanie Sherry as Lucy. Jillian Kinsey as Nova and Detective Schmidt.

I didn't say anything about you. I would never do anything to hurt your case.

Directed by Ashton Carter. Written by Kiana Caddyblue. Produced by Emma Demuth. Production Management by Ashton Carter. Production Assistants by Hannah Rae Leach and Audrey Leach. Story Development by Emma DeMuth. Editorial Direction by Scott Waxman. Casting by Lindsay Plussard. Sound Editing, Sound Design and Engineering by Morgan Fuss and Carter Wogan.

Dialog-Editing by Adam Raimonda and Carter Wogan. Theme-Music by Maddy Noyce. Consulting-Producers Chris Cafaro and Nick Cafaro. Executive-Producers Rachel King, Alyssa McKay and Scott Waxman. For more information, visit diversionaudio.com Emerald Audio

Yeah, you've said that a hundred times. That's why I didn't want to tell you about the funeral. I feel like I can't be honest with you or you'll panic and flip out.

Nein, ich nicht. Ich fühle mich, als würdest du mich wegdrücken, damit du mit dem Trial selbst umgehen könntest. Ich versuche, dich zu schützen. Ja, und ich versuche, dich zu schützen. Na, stopp! Nein! Hast du dein Geist verloren? Du denkst, weil ich schwarz, jung und blond bin, kann ich dich nicht schützen? Ich bin auch stark, Reed.

Ich werde jeden Einzelnen meiner Intelligenz, Kraft und Selbstvertrauen nutzen, um dich zu schützen. Immer. Das ist das, was Liebe ist. Es ist schwer für mich... Ich weiß, es ist schwer für dich, es zu akzeptieren. Entschuldige, ich habe dich ausgeschlossen, aber ich... Ich weiß, es ist schwer. Es ist schwer für mich auch.

Wir beide wollen alle auslösen und uns selbst kümmern, aber du musst mir dich lieben lassen. Bitte, Reed.

Du hast recht. Entschuldige.

Du musst mir das Lachen lachen, Reed. Okay. Ich will diese Untersuchung nicht ausbrechen. Es wird nicht. Küss mich. Du hast die schönsten Augen. Sie twinklen. Nur wenn ich dich sehe.

Liebst du mich immer noch, wenn ich wie ein Schmerz aussehe? Ja.

Das ist schrecklich.

Du solltest mich ernst nehmen, wenn ich müde bin.

Welche Gedanken?

Hm, du kannst nicht abschneiden. Du musst auf dein bestes Verhalten sein, erinnerst du dich?

On the previous episode of The Royals of Malibu.

Ich glaube, du wirst dich über mich täuschen müssen. Weißt du, jetzt, dass Steve mit Dinah offiziell zurückgekehrt ist, müssen wir nicht so viel wegschneiden. Erhörst du noch seine Anrufe? Ja. Oh, äh, im Sinne von Ehrlichkeit. Oh Gott.

I'm going to have Val help me look up all the names in Brooks' guestbook that I don't recognize. I don't think you should do that.

Thank you for your honesty. You're welcome. We're going off campus for lunch. I'll pass door. I watch Reed shake his head as he walks to class. Then he fades into the rush of students. The moment Reed is out of my sight, the smile slips off my face. I have a feeling Reed still isn't being honest with me. Did something happen when he met with his lawyer yesterday?

Why haven't the charges against Reed been dropped? Oh, sorry! Shit! Savannah!

But they should be looking for the real killer and they're not.

Danke, aber ich wollte nicht mal über das Trial reden. Ich wollte dich zum Abendessen mit uns einladen. Val und alle anderen werden Tacos trinken. Du sollst kommen.

Steve! I'm guessing you didn't tell her you were alive?

Ähm, weil wir alle Freunde sind.

Du willst mich nicht ernsthaft dafür schulden, dass mein Freund meinen Freund unterstützt, während er verurteilt wird? Verurteilt, falsch gesagt, richtig? Offensichtlich, ja. Einfach nachschauen. Schau, ich verstehe, dass du über Easton überrascht bist, aber die Gerüchte, die du über Reed sprichst, sind kaputt.

Yeah, Callum told us to stay away.

Entschuldige. Was auch immer. Sind wir fertig hier?

Er... Ehrlich gesagt, er könnte das machen. Ich denke, Val hat Nova enttäuscht.

Ich weiß es nicht. Ich weiß nichts. Er sagt, er hält seine Hände selbst. Schau, ich will nicht, dass ich die Seiten wählen muss. Du hast schon gewählt. Tschüss, Ella. Savannah stürmt auf und ich bin besorgt, dass einige der Dinge, die sie gesagt hat, tatsächlich wahr sein könnten. Ich habe Easton über ihr gewählt. Die Royals sind meine Familie und Savannah ist... fast... mein Freund.

Bin ich auf die falsche Seite gewählt? Oder verliere ich meine Zeit mit den Royals, wenn... ich mich für mich selbst suchen sollte?

What if one moment you were just trying to survive high school, the next you're the key to saving an empire in a parallel universe? I'm Ella Jane, EJ to most. I thought I had it all figured out. But one night at a pool party, everything changed. I wake up in a world called Estanasia, an empire on the brink of collapse. Turns out, I look exactly like a missing military general.

Posing as the general is my only shot at surviving. And there's a seriously complicated interdimensional crush involved too. I never wanted to be a hero, but now I'm stuck in a fight to save the empire, solve family secrets, survive assassins and face terrifying beasts. Listen to The Infinite Worlds of Ella Jane on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or any major streaming platform.

Ich denke, die Augen der Detektivs sind auf Reed. Und wenn ich nicht herausführe, wer der echte Mörder ist, könnte ich Reed für immer verlieren. Spiraling Downs Reed, du hast schon die letzten 10 Minuten deine Ohren geknackt. Ich meine, es ist ein bisschen heiß, aber ich kann sagen, dass du verpissert bist, also sag es einfach.

Ich bin glücklich, aber... Hasten, bitte! Du hast das Gentleman-Akt übernommen.

Ich wette es. Bin ich im Vorfeld, oder ist jeder andere Student an mir geschaut?

Wie ist das Reed's Fault? Er ist innozent.

Er kann nicht in solche Kämpfe kämpfen, Val. Nicht, wenn er auf Trial ist. Ähm, Ella. Ella, schau. Ich schaue um die Bühne und fühle mich irgendwie noch schlimmer als vorher. Mindestens ein Dutzend Studenten aus dem Wald haben ihre Telefone aus, die Fotos und Videos von Reed nehmen.

I spend the rest of the school day thinking about Reed. I can't get the image of him with blood on his knuckles out of my mind. I hate watching him get into fights. I thought I'd never have to see him like that ever again.

Bevor das Ende des Tages war, wurde Reed in den Headmaster-Office angerufen. Wurde Reed ausgeschlossen? Ausgeschlossen? Ich kann nicht helfen, aber ich denke an die Trial und an den Argument, den er mit Brooke hatte, die Nacht, als sie gestorben ist. Was, wenn Brooke etwas sagte, das ihn auch zerstört hat? Nein, nein, ich kann das nicht so denken.

Ein Mann zu kämpfen ist eine Sache, aber Reed hätte nie seine Hände auf Brooke gelegt. Richtig? Nach der Schule schlägt Easton mich zurück nach Hause, bevor ich in die Gruppentherapie fahre. Je nachdem, wie ich durch die vordere Tür schlafe, höre ich Callum und Reed in einem anderen Raum argumentieren.

I want to rake my hands over his body, even with everyone's eyes on us.

Come here. I tilt my head back, Reed's lips pressed against mine again. He moves slowly, gently, like he wants to savor every second of us together. He pulls away and when my eyes open, he's looking at me like I'm the most precious thing in the world.

Mein Champion. Deine Teamkollegen heute... Reed, das war so unwahrscheinlich.

Okay. Na gut, sie haben viel Champagner und sehr teure Schokolade. Welche Kind von Teenagern trinkt aus Schokolade?

Ich bin müde von Savannah zu hören.

There's no way she hangs out with Selena Gomez, right?

Weißt du, wie du gesagt hast, dass du es feiern wolltest?

I'm bunking with Val, but she agreed to crash with Nova tonight.

Savannahs Warnung aus dem Lockerraum klingelte in meinen Ohren bis zu meinem Hotelraum. Aber wenn wir alleine sind, fliegt die Angst weg. Ich bin nur froh, hier mit ihm zu sein.

Ja, ich auch. Ich liege zurück auf den ägyptischen Kofferböden und Reed steht auf dem Fuß des Beds. Seine Hände schlagen meine übersizhten Jeans auf. Er schlägt sie auf.

Ja.

Ich rühre meine Hände unter seinen Körper. Lauf, bitte. Küss mich. I melt into Reed's touch. Then I climb on top of him, holding his face in my hands as we kiss. He holds onto me so tight that I briefly wonder if what Savannah said in the locker room could be true. Could this be one of the last nights I have with Reed? Is he kissing me like this because he's preparing to let me go?

Ich wünschte, du hättest nicht weggegangen. Es tut weh, nur zu sehen, dass du in der Schule bist. Du bist derjenige, der mich verlassen hat. Ich weiß. Ich bin sorry.

Reed, that's crazy.

I guess. But it's not as important to me as you are.

What do you mean?

It doesn't revolve around you. But you are very important to me. I don't think that's a bad thing.

Das wird nicht passieren. Ella... Du hast nichts falsch gemacht. Ich habe viele Dinge falsch gemacht. Also was? Wir sind Teenager. Wir werden alles verletzen. Aber du hast niemanden getötet.

Du hast mir gesagt, dass das nicht passieren würde. Du hast gesagt, dass du mich nie verlassen würdest und dass du mich immer schützen würdest. Du bist meine Familie, Reed. Ich weiß nicht, was Malibu ohne dich ist.

Even after I popped off at Steve the other day, he still somehow gave permission for me to fly to San Francisco with the swim team. I think we were both sick of dealing with each other. What Steve doesn't know is that the real reason I wanted to go on this trip was to spend time with... This seat taken?

Are you going on the run or something? Going into witness protection like Steve?

He said he was going to talk to the FBI, so did he do that? You can't just give up.

No, you're not!

I'm tired of being strong. You can't leave me. Please, Reed, you can't leave me. I'm sorry. Nein. Ich habe noch nicht von dem Katerer gehört, aber ich kann ihn noch einmal anrufen. Ich kann die Leute, die an Brooks Geburtstag waren, anrufen. Vielleicht haben die Polizei sie noch nicht beantwortet.

Du musst mich gehen lassen. Ich habe die Schriften, die ich in Dinahs Hülle gefunden habe.

Ich habe sie nicht alle gelesen. Ich habe nur die, die an Brooks berichtet wurde. Diese ist an deine Mutter berichtet.

Es spricht von großem Verlust. Etwas über ihre Todesgeschichte und Steve mit ihr zu sein, als sie gestorben ist. Das ist nicht wahr. Sie war allein, als sie gestorben ist.

Warte. Diese Letter sagt, dass Steve ein Verhältnis mit Maria hatte. Was? Lest. Dinah verurteilt sich für ihre Angst vor Maria, nachdem sie herausgefunden hat, dass sie mit Steve schläft. Hier.

It says Steve gave Maria the drugs that killed her.

But what if it is true? If Steve is hiding a secret like that, what else has he been lying about? The police will want to know about this.

Was, wenn Steve für Dinah covert, so wie Dinah für Steve covert? Am wenigsten wird einer von ihnen ein Beobachter werden, denkst du nicht? Nein, Ella, die Investition ist vorbei! Das ist nicht wahr! Es ist!

I'm going to find the real killer and I'm going to tell the police.

You can't give up. You cannot give up on yourself, Reed. Please. You told me we were going to be together forever. You promised me you wouldn't leave me.

The Royals of Malibu is a production of Emerald Audio, an imprint of Diversion in partnership with Pod People. Starring... Francesca Agramonte as Valerie Gonzalez. Hannah Montoya as Savannah Gonzalez. Daniel Lynch as Steve O'Halloran. Maura Vincent as Dinah O'Halloran. Stephanie Sherry as Lucy. Jillian Kinsey as Nova and Detective Schmidt. Directed by Ashton Carter. Written by Kiana Caddyblue.

Produced by Emma Demuth. Production Management by Ashton Carter. Production Assistants by Hannah Rae Leach and Audrey Leach. Story Development by Emma DeMuth. Editorial Direction by Scott Waxman. Casting by Lindsay Plussard. Sound Editing, Sound Design and Engineering by Morgan Fuss and Carter Wogan. Dialogue Editing by Adam Raimonda and Carter Wogan. Theme Music by Matty Noyce.

Reed kümmert mich um und meine Arme wenden sich um seine breiten Schultern.

Consulting Producers Chris Cafaro and Nick Cafaro. Executive Producers Rachel King, Alyssa McKay and Scott Waxman. For more information visit diversionaudio.com Emerald Audio

Ich kann nicht warten, allein zu sein.

Da ist Nova. Nova, wir sind hier. Ella, stopp. Komm, sitz bei uns.

Okay, so this is just for fun.

Cool, so if I suck, everyone at the Cove is going to hate me.

Ja. Sie wird mich bestimmt töten. I didn't realize how much I missed swimming until I dove in. Savannah hat mir die 100-Jahre-Schmerze eingeführt. Ich bin sicher nicht in Form, aber meine Muskeln finden ihre Weise. Ich kann nicht am Ende kommen, oder Savannah wird mich mit ihren Haarextensionen strecken. Ich kann alles für 100 Jahre machen.

Ich fokussiere mich nicht auf die Frau, die neben mir schwimmt. Ich drücke mich so schnell wie möglich. Es fühlt sich an, als wäre ich im Wasser für drei Sekunden. Und dann bin ich fertig. Ich schaue über meine Schulter an die Tore. Scheiße, ich bin zweit! Ein anderer Coveswimmer hat den ersten Platz genommen, aber ich bin aus der Praxis.

Ich hätte nie gedacht, dass ich zweit werden könnte, so spät in der Spielzeit. Du hast mich getroffen, Savannah. Ich hab' dir nur Silber gekostet. Bleib' in deinem Stuhl. Du machst das Relais. Was? Ich war nicht auf der Liste. Ich habe die Liste gemacht. Du machst es.

Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins! Eins Sam. Ihr Name ist Sam.

Während meines individuellen Events war ich nervös. Jetzt bin ich aufgeregt. Ich kann schon sehen, dass wir weit voran sind. Ich muss nur den Vorteil behalten, damit Nova uns Gold freestylen kann. Okay, Nico! Wir haben es, Savannah.

Nova schießt weit vor. Fuck yeah! Oh mein Gott! Oh mein Gott! Oh mein Gott! Oh mein Gott! Oh mein Gott! Oh mein Gott! Sev? Wirst du nicht den Match sehen? Ich will, dass du permanent auf dem Team bist. Ich werde es mir nachdenken. Entschuldigung, ich war noch nicht fertig. Du wirst auf dem Team bleiben, Ella. Was, wenn ich es nicht will? Ich habe keine Ahnung.

Na gut, vielleicht, wenn du es schön fragst, werde ich jede Woche aufhören zu sparen, wenn du mich anrufst. Ella? Will you please stay on the team?

Wie weißt du von meinem Vater?

Verdammt! Du machst dumme Gerüchte, weil du an die Royals verdammt bist oder was auch immer.

Savannah kümmert mich um mich und dann weiß ich sicher, dass sie die Wahrheit erzählt. Ich fühle meinen Mund schließen, als wäre ich wieder im Pool, halte meinen Atem, bis es brennt. Hey! Du machst Scheiße. Ich bin fertig mit dir, Savannah.

Die Jungs-Waterpullover-Match hatte bereits angefangen. Ich habe die Kofs-Team gesehen, wie Reed wie die Plage überlebt. Sie werden ihm nicht passen, sie werden ihn kaum sehen. Ich habe nicht erkannt, dass alle auf der Kampus auf Reed gewechselt haben. I expect to see Reed getting angry, losing his temper, but he doesn't. This is not the Reed that I know. He's defeated, numb.

Does everyone in this room know something I don't? Is time running out for Reed? For us?

The Cove won their Boys and Girls Water Polo matches. We also placed first in the majority of the individual and team swim events. The Cove Kids decided to celebrate by getting completely hammered on Vuv and doing caviar bumps. Why do these parties make me feel so old?

They definitely look like they've worked through their issues. They look like they're in love.

Aww. How's it feel to know Val is more game than you?

You weren't seriously trying to sleep with me back then, were you? I thought you were just messing around.

Yeah, all that.

Easton, das ist so offensichtlich.

Verzeih mir nicht, dass du das zu jemandem wiederholst.

Nein, ich bin in Ordnung. Mit wem gehst du ins Promeno? Ich sehe mindestens sechs Mädchen in diesem Raum, die dich nachschauen.

I love that. So, you're finally done chasing women for validation?

Please tell me you're joking.

You could literally join a sex addicts group.

What is it you do to women that makes them lose their minds?

Nope. Remove your hand from my waist. I am walking away.

Where's Reed? He said he was on his way like 20 minutes ago.

The room goes quiet and everyone's heads turn towards the door. It's Reed. I remember my first Cove party and the way those snobby kids stared at me like I was a fast fashion wearing zoo animal. I can't let him feel the way that I felt that day. Hi. Even when he's frozen in fear, Reed is so unbelievably hot. His white t-shirt clings to his arms and chest.

Did anyone see you sneaking out?

I've been reading about murderers.

Apparently, most murder victims are killed by someone they know. So, the real killer might literally be at this funeral.

Um, just so you know, I get a little weird about, like, death and funerals and stuff. I think it just reminds me of my mom. So if we could talk about literally anything else as, um, a distraction.

Yeah. Sorry, I'm still anxious about Steve.

That is not what misogyny is.

What?

Does Callum know?

He would be really, really proud. You should tell him.

You should want to do therapy for yourself. You know, to process your trauma, improve your quality of life.

On the previous episode of The Royals of Malibu. So, you heard about Brooke and then came back here to... to what?

It sounded like he was seriously thinking about it.

This is the church? It's so modern and big.

I don't see Callum. Let's go. It looks like they're gonna start soon.

Yeah. I'm gonna tell him about all the drugs you used to do.

Come on, let's go sit up on the balcony. It'll be easier to see everyone. Put this mask on. People will just think you're really COVID-conscious.

Uh, Rita's on trial for killing Brooke.

Also, no one on this earth has talked as much shit about Brooke as you.

Maybe a little.

We meet here today to pay our... The ceremony begins, and I'm surprised at how few people are sitting in the pews. I guess Brooke had fewer friends than I realized. I remember the first day I met Brooke, when she took me shopping on Rodeo. At the end of Brooke's life, we were literally at each other's throats, but on that first day, she was my friend. She was looking out for me.

I see Dinah sitting in one of the front pews. Callum is up there too. Most of the other people I don't recognize. Is Brooke's killer here? How am I supposed to know who they are? I don't even know anyone's name.

Maybe that doesn't matter. Maybe he wants us both to go full incognito.

I should have known Callum would give a speech, but for whatever reason, the pain in his voice suddenly becomes unbearable to me. After everything he went through with Brooke, the lies, the deception, he loves her. He still loves her. And she's gone.

What about you? Any news from your lawyers?

I can't.

I need a second.

You stay here. I feel a panic rising in my throat and I try to remember that this is not my mother's funeral. I didn't even like Brooke. There is nothing to panic about. I'm safe.

In the lobby of the church, I see a leather book and I realize it's a guest book. Do one of the names in this book belong to Brooke's killer? Or could it at least get me one step closer to finding the truth? Detective Ella. I turn around and it's the detective. I'm caught.

I was, um, planning on sending, uh, memorial information.

Got it. So I shouldn't be interrogating witnesses on my own?

What if I feel like the police are asking the wrong questions? Or interrogating the wrong people?

Thanks.

I don't think Callum would want me to talk to you without a lawyer.

What evidence do they even have? Just one guy who saw you on the roof?

I watch Detective Schmidt leave the church. Once again, it feels like the walls are closing in around me. Everyone seems convinced that the investigators will find the real killer, but I'm not convinced. I think the detective's eyes are set on Reed, and if I don't figure out who the real murderer is, I could lose Reed. Forever. on the next episode of The Royals of Malibu.

You have to let me love you. I don't want this investigation to break us apart. Nova, Easton is hooking up with swim team Nova. No, not hooking up. I don't know. I don't know anything. Look, I don't want to have to pick sides. You already picked.

Why does Reed think he deserves to go to jail? Is there a chance he did get physical with Brooke on that roof? What if she did say something that set him off? Could Reed really be guilty of murder? The Royals of Malibu is a production of Emerald Audio, an imprint of Diversion in partnership with Pod People.

Starring Alyssa McKay as Ella Sinclair, Chris Caffaro as Reed Royal, Nick Caffaro as Easton Royal, Armin Taylor as Callum Royal. Francesca Agramonte as Valerie Gonzalez. Hannah Montoya as Savannah Gonzalez. Daniel Lynch as Steve O'Halloran. Maura Vincent as Dinah O'Halloran. Stephanie Sherry as Lucy. Jillian Kinsey as Nova and Detective Schmidt. Directed by Ashton Carter.

A motive? Like what? I mean, do you think they know about the deepfake?

Written by Kiana Caddyblue. Produced by Emma DeMuth. Production management by Ashton Carter. Production assistance by Hannah Rae Leach and Audrey Leach. Story development by Emma DeMuth. Editorial direction by Scott Waxman. Casting by Lindsay Plussard. Sound editing, sound design, and engineering by Morgan Foose and Carter Wogan. Dialogue editing by Adam Raimonda and Carter Wogan.

Theme music by Maddie Noyce. Consulting producers, Chris Caffaro and Nick Caffaro. Executive producers, Rachel King, Alyssa McKay, and Scott Waxman. For more information, visit diversionaudio.com.

How long does that take?

Everybody at the Cove loves you. And Callum is basically Malibu royalty.

Yeah. God, the more I think about it, the more I feel sick to my stomach. Everyone knows how much we hated Brooke. And if they got a statement from Savannah, or Isaac, or someone who knew about the deepfake, about my fight with Brooke, about Brooke coming on to you for your 18th birthday... Hey, hey, hey.

But they should be looking for the real killer, and they're not.

You're not worried at all?

No promises.

You're squeezing all the air out of my lungs. Sorry. It's kind of sexy. I like when you hug me right up against you.

I like when you kiss my neck like that. I like when your hands are on my hips.

Yeah.

Who is that?

Ew, ew, ew. Okay, we better get out of bed before Steve wakes up and catches us.

Oh, maybe she wants to garble.

She looks like she hasn't slept in days. I kind of feel sorry for her.

Never mind.

Dinah, you're a terrible friend to Brooke. I'd feel bad if I were you too, but don't put your guilt on us. You ungrateful little wretch. Don't touch me, Dinah.

Ow, Dinah. Let go of my wrist.

Steve. Wow, she fainted. I'm guessing you didn't tell her you were alive?

As much as I hate Dinah, it dawns on me that she probably knows more of Brooke's secrets than anyone else. If I want to find out who Brooke's real killer is, I'm gonna have to suck up to her. Hopefully she won't bite if I get too close.

What? Easton, you're supposed to change for yourself, not for other people.

When Steve finally told Dinah where he'd been this past year, I expected her to chew his head off, but she actually listened to what he had to say.

What is that supposed to mean?

I forgive you. What the fuck am I watching? The Golden Bachelor?

I'm sorry. You two are seriously going to stay together? I thought you hated each other. I literally don't remember Dinah saying a single positive thing about you. And she thought you were dead.

Ew, they're gazing now.

And Steve is an idiot.

I don't hate him, but he's wasting his time with Dinah. He does not love her. I mean, I'm pretty sure he forgot she existed until the minute she showed up at her front door.

The second I'm back in my bedroom, Isaac finally texts me back. Yeah, don't get the wrong idea. I learned my love triangle lesson. His text says, Hey, Al, sorry for the late text. The dude I know who set up a catering for Brooke's launch party was definitely there the night she died.

Hi, I got your number from Isaac. My name is Ella Sinclair. I'm just trying to get some more information about what you or the other catering guys might have seen the night of the Baby Glam launch party. Whatever info you have, or if you just have a second to talk, I would really appreciate it. Okay, thank you.

Easton, what the hell?

Why?

Yeah, Callum told us to stay away.

Easton stares at me, and I know he's right. There's bound to be some kind of clue at Brooke's funeral. Reed asked me to stay far away from the murder investigation, but I can't help myself. I'll meet you at your car after third period, but don't tell Reed.

No.

We can stay in bed for another couple minutes then.

East. She literally introduced herself.

Yeah, East, please choose some other girl to emotionally torment.

What? Easton, you're supposed to change for yourself, not for other people.

Hanging out with Easton and Val did take my mind off the drama waiting for me back home. When I pull into the driveway, I notice a Bugatti parked outside. Standing in front of the tacky, ridiculously expensive car, is Steve.

Yeah. You faked your death and then showed up out of nowhere.

I was so worried about you.

On the previous episode of the Royals of Malibu.

Wow, you rented out the entire restaurant?

You're not worried that the people who work here will tell everyone you're alive?

You want to talk about school?

Nope. Way too personal. We can talk about school.

It's weird when you act like you know me.

We have no relationship. You're a stranger. I've lived 17 years without you and now you're barging into my life trying to act like my parent.

You're too late.

It doesn't seem that hard for you.

And all of that makes you dad material?

I can look out for myself.

Yes.

How did you know about that?

Yeah, and where were you when all of that was happening?

And Reed, well, he's about to be sent off to- I'm not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the royals.

I had nowhere to go, but I stayed in school, I paid my rent, I made the honors list. You better not for a second pretend to know what it's like to be me. You have no clue.

I can see tears in both Reed's and Callum's eyes. The three men hug each other, and once again, I feel like an outsider. The royals love Steve, but I can't help but feel like the stranger is about to change my entire world.

I handled myself better than you ever could have.

What is that supposed to mean?

You can't do that. You're in hiding. You'd have to talk to a judge or something.

Yeah, I don't have to listen to this.

I couldn't stop myself from running out of that club. Steve is in hiding for now, but he won't be in hiding forever. When that happens, he's probably right that I'll have to move back in with him. The idea of being taken away from the Royals makes me sick. And something tells me that Steve, with all his money and influence, has even more power over me than he's letting on.

On the next episode of The Royals of Malibu.

We should be looking for the real killer, and they're not. You ungrateful little wretch. Don't touch me, Dinah.

Steve!

Yeah, Callum told us to stay away.

I think the detective's eyes are set on Reed. And if I don't figure out who the real murderer is, I could lose Reed forever. The Royals of Malibu is a production of Emerald Audio, an imprint of Diversion in partnership with Pod People. Starring Alyssa McKay as Ella Sinclair. Chris Caffaro as Reed Royal. Nick Caffaro as Easton Royal. Armin Taylor as Callum Royal.

Francesca Agramonte as Valerie Gonzalez. Hannah Montoya as Savannah Gonzalez. Daniel Lynch as Steve O'Halloran. Maura Vincent as Dinah O'Halloran. Stephanie Sherry as Lucy. Jillian Kinsey as Nova and Detective Schmidt. Directed by Ashton Carter. Written by Kiana Caddyblue. Produced by Emma DeMuth. Production management by Ashton Carter. Production assistance by Hannah Rae Leach and Audrey Leach.

Story development by Emma DeMuth. Editorial direction by Scott Waxman. Casting by Lindsay Plussard. Sound editing, sound design, and engineering by Morgan Foose and Carter Wogan. Dialogue editing by Adam Raimonda and Carter Wogan. Theme music by Maddie Noyce. Consulting producers, Chris Caffaro and Nick Caffaro. Executive producers, Rachel King, Alyssa McKay, and Scott Waxman.

For more information, visit diversionaudio.com.

Do you guys seriously feel like celebrating?

Steve, you still haven't told us why you lied to everyone and pretended to die.

Why would they kill Brooke?

I'm not falling for this girl power good cop routine. You don't care about me. You just want me to talk. When you look at the royals, you see a bunch of rich jerks, but they're not like that. And I'm not going to let you pin this on them.

So you heard about Brooke and then came back here to what?

I can keep myself safe. I've done a pretty good job of that for the last 17 years. Callum, can I be excused?

What the hell was all of that?

Or a liar.

I'm changing into my pajamas. You really trust everything Steve is saying?

I know I'm generally a mistrusting person, but Steve's story sounds extra insane. Unbelievable, actually. And 17 years of radio silence, now he's dying to be a part of my life? I don't buy it.

Come with me to do my skincare?

We haven't even talked about you going to jail. I'm just so thrown off by this Steve thing. I'm the worst girlfriend ever.

Read. God, you're so hot.

Um, this is not how I thought we'd be having this conversation.

I, um...

Reed, this is serious, okay? Are you okay? Weren't you scared?

Do they think you killed Brooke? Please, Reed. You aren't going to scare me. You can tell me the truth.

Is that Reed?

They were arresting him?

Oh my God. Just because someone saw you arguing with Brooke before she died? We were all arguing with Brooke that night.

David? I thought he was gone.

My breath catches in my chest and I freeze because I'm face to face with someone who I thought was dead. Steve O'Halloran, my dad.

If I hadn't gotten involved with David... Stop. No, none of this would be happening.

So you're not worried at all?

Okay. You were right. Everything always works out for the royals. Towel, Mr. Royal.

I feel like it would be insensitive for me to objectify you right now.

Alexa, turn off light. Reid climbs into bed with me, and I can finally let myself relax. He wraps his arms around me, and for tonight, I choose to believe Reid when he says everything will be okay.

I close my eyes as Reed kisses me goodnight. His arms loop around my waist, pulling me close. I tangle my hands in his still wet hair. My hands slide down his bare chest.

Mal, I don't know if we're gonna find a spot. We gotta leave the house at like 6 a.m. if we wanna park at Zuma Beach.

Relax, sir. Look, I'm going to circle around one more time, and if a spot doesn't open up, you might have to call it.

Well, I'd rather circle this parking lot than sit at home waiting for Reed to get back from the meeting with his lawyer. Oof, valid.

Steve doesn't look like Jesus, okay? He looks like one of the guys from Selling Sunset. Beachy chic meets Botox.

That guy in the Cybertruck looks pissed, but I don't care.

I don't know. He hasn't even mentioned her. That's sketch, right? Steve is sketchy. I thought everyone in Malibu loved Steve. Like, really loved Steve. They do. The boys were all having breakfast together this morning. I bailed, obviously. Why? You don't like Steve? It feels... awkward. I don't know. I didn't grow up with him, so he doesn't feel like my dad.

You're my dad? You're supposed to be dead.

But I can tell everyone, including Steve, wants me to build this close bond with him. I know Dino was the one who hid my mom's letters from him, so for most of my life, he didn't even know I existed. And none of that is his fault, but I feel... I don't know. I feel, like, abandoned. Abandoned? Yeah. Yeah, I feel like he abandoned me. And my mom. Yeah. You were left alone after your mom died.

That must have been hard. When she had cancer, I took care of her on my own. It was horrible. And my so-called dad was vacationing through Europe, eating caviar off supermodels. Now he wants to be my parent, but I went through all the hard stuff already. You know? He's too late. Do I sound like a brat? No way. It's probably super overwhelming. Yeah.

So, I'm doing that thing where I avoid my problems and hope they go away.

My legs are burning.

Uh, Val? She's, like, super pretty. Her long, dark hair, and she moves so graceful like an Olympian. She looks like an actor hired to play a lifeguard, not an actual lifeguard. Mm-hmm. Pretty people can have jobs, too, you know?

Nice to meet you.

Yikes. I did not have a good experience trying out for the swim team.

That is very brave of you. Most kids at the cove either are the bullies or are too scared to stand up to the bullies. Wait, is that Easton?

What are you doing here?

You sneak out to avoid Callum every night.

I don't even know you. Steve sits me down in the foyer, and my mind is spinning. How could this be possible? Did I accidentally take some of Easton's shrooms? That's Callum's car. Reed?

You're telling me you weren't at a girl's place last night?

No way.

Hi.

Why is Easton short-circuiting? Aw, is it because Nova's pretty?

I know that seemed bad, but... That detective thinks you're the killer, Reed. She was staring daggers at you the minute she stepped through the front door.

You are being way too calm about this. You were the last person to see Brooke alive.

What happened on that rooftop?

And I feel... good. I am so fucking proud of you. It's you. I'm choosing you. I will always, always choose you.

You didn't see anyone else out on the terrace?

We could run. Oh. We could pack a bag, run away from Malibu just for a little while. You know, just lay low until the police find the real killer.

I am choosing to trust your optimism, yes. For now.

Reed tilts my chin up and kisses me. For a moment, my anxiety melts away. Nothing exists except Reed Royal. And his lips. And his hands. I slide my hands underneath Reed's shirt. My fingers trace every muscle, every imperfection. Take your shirt off. I need you.

I missed you.

Is everyone on campus freaking out about Brooke? Um, that's a yes.

I'm so sure, Reed Royal. You're mine.

Is Callum crying?

Look, Val, this is not some high school drama anymore.

Thank you.

Last season on the Royals of Malibu.

No, I'm here to tell you that Savannah is freaking out about your little campus tour. Okay, she's making up a bunch of rumors about Reed that could get back to the police officers currently investigating a murder.

You could stay away from girls for a few weeks, Easton. I believe in you.

Wow, I forgot what you're like when you're single.

Who's that? Another member of your rotation?

Easton, what the hell?

Is that Reed?

They're arresting him?

This is my fault. I should have never let him talk to Brooke alone. He did all of this for me.

Oh my god, this can't be happening. Easton holds me in place, and I watch the detective lead Reed to a police car. Reed and I lock eyes from across the courtyard, but there's nothing I can do. I can feel my heart breaking. I have to do everything in my power to get him free. He's gone.

I spent the night pacing the winding halls of the Royal Mansion, waiting for Reed to come home. Callum insisted on going to the police station alone. Easton and Val offered to keep me company, but I felt like being alone with my thoughts. I keep googling stuff like, how does bail work, but it's like they make this shit intentionally complicated. All I can do is wait. Reed?

I rush to the front door and don't even bother to turn on the porch lights. I open the front door and standing a few feet back is... a man. Reed? My eyes adjust in the dark and I can tell that it's not Reed. The man in front of me is someone familiar. Someone I recognize from the framed photos all over Callum's study. Someone with eyes the same color as mine. Are you... Ella?

I'm one of those kids who grew up too fast. Death does that to a person. I was a kid, and then my mom got sick. My world shifted. I look like a teenager, but I feel old. It's hard to remember what my life was even like before the cancer. I feel like I've lived a hundred years since then. I learned how to live without a mother, without a father.

My breath catches in my chest and I freeze. Because I'm face to face with someone who I thought was dead. Steve O'Halloran. My dad.

on the next episode of The Royals of Malibu.

Do they think you killed Brooke?

What is that supposed to mean?

The idea of being taken away from the royals makes me sick. And something tells me that Steve, with all his money and influence, has even more power over me than he's letting on.

The Royals of Malibu is a production of Emerald Audio, an imprint of Diversion in partnership with Pod People. Starring Alyssa McKay as Ella Sinclair, Chris Caffaro as Reed Royal, Nick Caffaro as Easton Royal, Armin Taylor as Callum Royal. Francesca Agramonte as Valerie Gonzalez. Hannah Montoya as Savannah Gonzalez. Daniel Lynch as Steve O'Halloran. Maura Vincent as Dinah O'Halloran.

Stephanie Sherry as Lucy. Jillian Kinsey as Nova and Detective Schmidt. Directed by Ashton Carter. Written by Kiana Caddyblue. Produced by Emma DeMuth. Production management by Ashton Carter. Production assistance by Hannah Rae Leach and Audrey Leach. Story development by Emma DeMuth. Editorial direction by Scott Waxman. Casting by Lindsay Plussard.

Sound editing, sound design, and engineering by Morgan Fuss and Carter Wogan. Dialogue editing by Adam Raimonda and Carter Wogan. Theme music by Maddie Noyce. Consulting producers, Chris Cafaro and Nick Cafaro. Executive producers, Rachel King, Alyssa McKay, and Scott Waxman. For more information, visit diversionaudio.com.

Yeah? Did you miss me?

I miss her, but I can take care of myself better than someone twice my age. I'm proud of that. I'm strong, but there are just times when you need a mother. You need someone who can tell you what you need to do. Callum, what happened?

I didn't want her... I never wanted her to... Ella, stop talking.

I didn't see anything, officer. I heard the music stop, and when I came out here... One of the servers said Brooke had been pushed.

The last time I saw Brooke was in the women's restroom. We got into an argument.

I brought you a water. Savannah said you took a bunch of shots.

I don't know. The whole time he's been over there? How do they know she was pushed?

I don't know what to do. What do we do?

Is this really happening? Brooke's gone? What the fuck?

Why is this witness statement taking so long? Everyone else was done in like two minutes.

Oh, I'm sorry, East.

Of course I'm nervous.

You can't say stuff like that right now.

God, I shouldn't have let Reed talk to her on his own. Do you really think everything's gonna be okay?

Then why do I have such a bad feeling about all of this? He's done. Reed's walking over. I watch Reed walk towards us. The detectives stare at him as he walks away. Reed's eyes meet mine and then flicker away. He looks worried. And he never did say exactly what happened with Brooke on that rooftop.

I feel a sting on my face. It's the scratch Brooke left on my cheek after our fight in the bathroom. It feels so bizarre and shocking to know that she's gone. Just a few hours earlier, she was blackmailing me and the family I love. It might seem like Brooke couldn't hurt any of us anymore, but I saw the way the detectives were staring at Reid after he gave his statement.

Our Brooke problem is far from over. For the next several days, my anxiety wakes me up before my alarm. Callum lets us all stay home from school to avoid the questions swirling around about Brooke's death. Perfect.

Well, I was seeing a guy in San Francisco, and when I moved back here, I kind of never broke up with him. The whole reason I left Malibu and met someone else was because of what you did.

Callum!

I'm still used to barista hours. You want a latte?

Reed's still sleeping. And Easton went for a... run?

Well, he comes home smelling like a different YSL perfume every night, so I assume he's... With a girl. Um, girls. Multiple. Not at the same time, though. So, that's something. Please don't send him to military school.

Yeah, but you weren't forced into it. The last thing Easton needs is to feel abandoned by his family.

We probably all need therapy. How are you, Callum? I haven't seen you drink a green juice in a week. And your Fitbit is covered in dust.

I know your generation is all about repressing emotions, but you can talk about how you're feeling.

No, Callum.

Easy.

I know you want to go back and replay every interaction you've had, try to figure out a way to bring her back, but... You can't, okay? And there was nothing you could have done to save her.

Who's that?

Cool. Thanks. Is there anything else you wanted to share with us? I think we're all a little shaken up. Not thinking straight.

I'm not falling for this girl power good cop routine. You don't care about me. You just want me to talk. When you look at the royals, you see a bunch of rich jerks, but they're not like that. And I'm not going to let you pin this on them. You're smart, Ella. Yeah, I am. We good? I'll be in touch. Great. Detective Schmidt didn't come here to talk to Callum.

She came here to see Reed's reaction to figure out whether Reed already knew that Brooke's pregnancy was a lie. She was looking for a motive. Detective Schmidt has already decided the Royals are guilty, which means she's coming for Reed. And I need to stop her.

I know you're not really pregnant. You better watch your mouth, kid. You have no idea what I'm capable of.

Ja. Valendova hat es gemacht.

Du wusstest, dass sie ein Ding waren?

Das ist okay. Sie wird anrufen. Hast du Euston noch gesehen?

Natürlich ist er es. Tanz mit mir. Reed und ich steigen auf den Tanzflur. Er nimmt eine von meinen Händen in seine und ich fülle die andere um seine Schulter, ziehe mich direkt gegen seinen Körper. Wir können nicht zu weit gehen, aber das ist, wie nah ich gerne bin.

Was?

I turn and see Steve coming towards us. I guess he doesn't care about being in hiding anymore. Steve ist furchtbar, aber ich werde nicht zurückgehen. Ich stehe zwischen ihm und Reed. Achtung, Ella. Was zur Hölle machst du hier, Steve?

Au! Lass mich gehen! Ich gehe nicht irgendwo mit dir!

I'm not your fucking prisoner!

Er ist gefährlich, Callum. Er... Ich wollte nicht, dass du das so herausfinden musst, aber... Du solltest deine Augen schalten! Callum, er hatte ein Verhältnis mit Maria. Er war der, der ihr Drogen gab und ich denke, er war da, als sie gestorben ist. Er könnte... Ich weiß nicht, aber... Er könnte ihr Tod verursachen. Was? Ich bin sorry, Callum. Das kann nicht wahr sein.

Alle fliegen auf den Boden, außer Steve und ich. Er schlägt eine Waffe direkt in die Mitte meines Körpers. In der Kante meines Augen sehe ich Reed starten zu stehen und Steve schlägt die Waffe an ihn. Reed, nicht!

Reed, bitte! Ich will niemanden, der mich verletzt hat!

Ich kann niemals Reed sehen, als ich Steve über den Tanzflur und in die Wälder fahre. Steve führt mich durch die Bäume. Er hält die Waffe in seiner Hand und ich schaue immer nach. Ich war schon mal in gefährlichen Situationen, aber ich hatte noch nie eine Waffe, die an mich gegriffen wurde. Ich fühle eine schreckliche Erleichterung, dass ich allein mit Steve bin.

Ich muss mich nicht überlegen, jemanden zu verlieren, den ich liebe. Reed ist sicher. Es ist nur ich und Steve. Wird das so sein, wie ich sterbe?

Ich glaube, das letzte Mal, als du verloren bist, hat es nichts mit der FBI zu tun, die dich in Befreiung zu stellen.

Dinah hat herausgefunden, dass du Maria getötet hast. Sie wollte dich reinwerfen. Und deshalb hast du in die Hütte gegangen.

Du bist verrückt.

Warum warst du an Brooks Launch Party?

Welcher Freund? Ich habe ein Baby-Glam-Napkin in deinem Schuhzucker gefunden.

Du hast versucht, Dinah auf den Ruf zu drücken, aber es war tatsächlich Brooke?

Also bist du ein Mörder?

Mein Herz schlägt in meinen Körper. Werde ich wirklich von hier aus undetektiert?

I can't let Steve take me away. If he gets me out of the country, he'll kill me for sure. So I kicked him. Hard. And ran. I'm not fast enough. Steve catches up to me and tackles me to the ground.

It's Dinah. Steve didn't explicitly tell me I was grounded from prom, but I'm pretty sure I'm on house arrest. What's wrong with the elevator? Why won't it open? Steve locked it last night. Dinah holds out a key and my stomach drops. Steve is such an asshole!

I hear gunshots, but I don't feel any pain. Am I in shock? Steve is hovering over me, his face completely blank. I feel warm liquid spreading all over my chest. But I look down and it isn't my blood. It's his. Steve collapses to the ground. Standing behind him is Callum holding a gun. Callum!

Reed holds me in his arms and I feel my eyes flutter closed. For the first time since Steve arrived in Malibu, I believe him. I'm safe. I'm safe. Drei Wochen nach dem Promenzen haben die Royals beschlossen, das Ende des Jahres Schwimm- und Wasser-Polo-Team an ihrem Haus zu feiern.

Keine Ahnung.

Eww. Ich will nicht darüber nachdenken, Callum zu verheiratet zu werden.

Schrecklich. Aber das erinnert mich an... Bist du wirklich immer noch Single? Ich fühle mich, als wärst du jeden Abend nach der Prost. Immer noch Single. Hm. Weißt du, was ich denke? Ich denke, du musst eine emotionale Verbindung erleben, bevor du mit der Mädchen ins Bett springst.

Ich habe das Gefühl, du wirst eine Mädchen finden, die dein ganzes Leben verändern wird. Was?

Du wirst verliebt, Easton. Ich nenne es.

Keine Sorge, ich kann es fühlen. Du wirst eine Frau treffen und du wirst verliebt. Bald.

Easton winkt mich an und ich schiebe meine Augen. Obwohl er an den Ecken rum ist, könnte er wahrscheinlich Freundschaftsmaterial sein.

Last night... Yeah, um, the nightmares are pretty bad. I keep having dreams that I'm back at the penthouse with Steve. I mean, I can't believe he survived being shot.

Everyone quiets down to listen to Savannah. In the corner of the room, I see Val and Nova holding hands.

Für Monate wurde Reed verletzt und wie ein Außerirdischer von den meisten der Koven behandelt. He looks at me and his eyes are full of doubt, like he's not sure if he can trust this award or not.

Reed walks to the front of the crowd to accept his award. Savannah holds the MVP award in her hand, looks right at me and mouths, next year. So, I guess I should plan on staying on the swim team after all. He looks so happy up there, accepting his award. For a moment, I can try to forget about Steve and Dinah. I can even try to forget about Easton's love life.

Amen.

Starring... Produced by Emma Demuth Production Management by Ashton Carter. Production Assistants by Hannah Rae Leach and Audrey Leach. Story Development by Emma DeMuth. Editorial Direction by Scott Waxman. Casting by Lindsay Plussard. Sound Editing, Sound Design and Engineering by Morgan Fuss and Carter Wogan. Dialogue Editing by Adam Raimonda and Carter Wogan. Theme Music by Maddie Noyce.

Thank you, Dinah. Ich habe es geschafft. Ich bin frei. Und sobald ich draußen stehe, erkenne ich ein familiäres Auto.

Consulting Producers Chris Cafaro and Nick Cafaro. Executive Producers Rachel King, Alyssa McKay and Scott Waxman. For more information visit diversionaudio.com Emerald Audio

Entschuldige.

Wir müssen in die Polizistation.

Ja, Reed, ich bin in Ordnung, aber wir müssen gehen. Letzte Nacht erinnerte ich mich an etwas. Als ich durch Steven Dinahs Klause letzte Woche suchte, habe ich ein Cocktail-Napkin mit dem Baby-Glam-Logo gefunden.

Ja! Und an der Zeit dachte ich nur, dass es von Dinahs Party übrig geblieben ist, aber das Napkin war nicht in einer ihrer Taschen. Ich habe es in Steve's Tux-Pockets gefunden. Oh, Scheiße. Er war an der Launch Party, Reed. Er sagte, er sei nach Malibu zurückgekommen, nachdem er von Brooks Tod gehört hat, aber das war ein Lüge. Er ist zurückgekommen, um Brooke zu töten.

Ich weiß es nicht. Er ist ein Verrückter und ich wette, er hat über alles verliebt. Mit dem FBI untergegangen, nach Malibu zurückgekommen, um mich zu schützen. Ich wette, es gab keine furchtbaren Verrückte, die nach ihm kamen. Ich meine, all das klingelte so falsch, als ich es hörte.

Wir müssen Detective Schmidt erzählen, damit sie sein Kindeshaus suchen können und ihn verurteilen, bevor er wieder wegkommt. Wenn sie ihn verurteilen lassen oder... oder wenn es irgendwie Beweise gibt... Reed, du musst nicht in die Gefängnis gehen.

Ja. Ja, Reed. Ich werde dich retten. Aber wenn wir in die Polizistation kommen, ist Detective Schmidt nicht da. Und sie antwortet auch nicht auf ihre Telefonnummer. Du musst sie auf deinem kleinen Radio oder was auch immer anrufen und sie jetzt hier holen. Das ist ein Leben oder Tod Situation. Ist dein Leben in Gefahr jetzt?

On the previous episode of the Royals of Malibu.

Bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte, bitte. Wir müssen pretendieren, dass wir nichts über Steve als Mörder wissen. Das bedeutet, dass wir komplett normal sein müssen, bis jemand ihn besuchen kommt.

Richtig. Ich denke auch, wir wären sicherer, wenn wir im Publikum bleiben würden. Idealerweise verbrannt von Leuten, die uns kennen. Weißt du, nur, wenn er versucht, auf seine Pläne zu folgen.

Ja. Wir gehen zur Prom.

Nach einem intensiven Spickern hat Reed beschlossen, seinen Tuck von der Royal Place zu holen, nachdem er mich am Gonzalez-Mansion verlassen hat, wo Savannah, Val, Nova und einige der Schwimmteam-Mannschaften zusammen vorbereitet waren.

Sorry, Savannah. Es war ein verrückter Morgen. Wie schaltest du dein Sicherheitssystem an? Oh, ich glaube, ich habe es.

Ella! Hi, Ella!

Tut mir leid, ich kann nur in Val's Zimmer trinken und... Verdammt, ich habe mein Make-up nicht mitgebracht. Wir helfen dir, Al.

You're a real life Cinderella.

Don't cry your mascara off.

We drive down a long, tree-lined dirt road towards the prom venue. The trees are full of twinkle lights and it feels like our luxury car is driving straight into a fairy tale. Great! Rain muss vor uns hergekommen sein. Er hilft mir aus dem Auto. Er träumt in einem Tux. Sein langes, breites Bild macht ihn aus wie ein echter Prinz Charming.

Wenn ich in seine Augen schaue, sehe ich einen Moment der Verschwörung. Ella, schau dir das an.

Ja?

I love you, Reed Royal.

Reed führt mich durch das Indoor-Venue. Er hält meine Hand fest in seiner. Val und Nova haben bereits abgeholt, wahrscheinlich, um den Tanzflur zu finden. Wir gehen über die Kocheck- und Bar-Area, aber ich stoppe in meinen Tracks, wenn ich sehe... Lucy? Hi, Hund! Oh, oh mein Gott, hast du Reed kennengelernt?

Auf jeden Fall öffnet sich die Indoor-Lobby zu einem enormen, büßeligen Pavillon. Und direkt außerhalb der Türen stehen professionelle Fotografen und glückliche Eltern, die wegschnappen. Bist du bereit?

Reed nimmt meine Hand, aber ich weine. Ich kann nicht von allen Eltern aussehen, die mit Tränen in ihren Augen so liebhaft auf ihre Kinder schaue. My mom raised a strong daughter. I know I can take care of myself, but I wish she was here. And I so badly wish I had a parent who wanted to take pictures with me. Then I feel Lucy grab my other hand.

I know who killed Brooke. A note. This episode contains language and subject matter that may not be appropriate for younger audiences. Please take care in listening. Am Morgen des Proms bin ich früh aufgewacht, habe meine Tasche verpackt und habe auf die Santa-Monica-Penthouse gesagt. Ich hoffe, Steve ist noch schlau, damit ich hier rausgehen kann, ohne ihn zu bemerken.

I take some pictures with Reed and then some with Lucy. No one will ever replace my mom, but when I'm with these two, I really do feel loved.

Kim! You're here?

Ist es beängstigend, dass ich gekommen bin? Ich habe nur... Ich habe das E-Mail gesehen, dass Eltern die Möglichkeit haben, sich für Fotos zu zeigen und... Ich konnte dich nicht in deinem Kleid sehen, Ella. Ich bin so froh, dass du hier bist. Du siehst wunderschön aus. Oh, ich bin so entschuldigt.

I take Reed's arm and step out onto the pavilion. The golden hour sunlight gives everything a magical glow and the fairy lights and tall trees surround us. Over Reed's shoulder, I can see Val and Nova slow dancing in the middle of the dance floor.

Das war das schönste verdammte Ding, das ich je gesehen habe.