Playboy Princes (Royals of Arbon Academy, #2)(53)

He shrugged, but his eyes gleamed with amusement and the vicious slant to his lips held a fraction of a tease. Fucker.

Seconds later—thank all the gods—the door clicked unlocked and opened to admit Jordan… alone.

“Where’s Nolan?” Rafe asked, on the same wavelength as me.

Jordan shrugged, looking between the two of us. “No idea, I came straight here when I got your message. What’s going on?”

Rafe frowned, then looked at his palm reader when another message came in.

“Noles?” Jordan asked him, and Rafe nodded.

“Not coming. Mattie had a few too many drinks, and he doesn’t want to leave her alone when Zach is in the academy.” His gaze came back up to rest on me, then he spared a quick glance for his best friend. “Guess it’s just the three of us then.”

He reached behind him to flick the door lock once more, and my stomach sank.

Locked into an underground apartment with the two guys I’ve been fucking? What could possibly go wrong?

Straightening my spine, I pulled on my big girl panties and shared my death glare equally between them. Fuck it. Own the situation, Violet.

“Alright, first one to answer all my questions gets his dick sucked. And, go.”





Chapter 23





“You okay, girl?” Mattie asked with concern as I slumped in my chair and rested my forehead on the dining table.

I groaned, threading my hands through my hair like I could hide under my own arms. I hadn’t bothered straightening it, but thanks to Mattie’s Miracle Balm—which she kept me well stocked with—my usually wild-birds-nest of curls was just sexy and disheveled.

“No,” I answered. All the words sitting on the tip of my tongue hurt because I couldn’t tell her. I couldn’t tell anyone. Jordan and Rafe had made that painfully clear last night when they’d finally started spilling their secrets.

The resistance. They were part of The resistance. In a very small capacity, and mainly so they could keep tabs on it for their families, but also because they didn’t totally love the way the monarchy ran the world. Nolan was a new recruit, but they seemed to think Mattie didn’t know. Since she didn’t fight, they’d been able to keep this part of their lives from her, even though she clearly had some knowledge of the resistance. My bestie was the kinda girl who kept her ear to the ground, even if the boys around her didn’t notice.

But still, I’d promised to keep their secret, and now I also had to keep something from my best friend. I wasn’t happy about it at all.

I still couldn’t quite comprehend that the three princes were involved with an organization that had been secretly waging war against the monarchies since… fuck, since the Monarch War. And now they wanted me to join them.

No, scratch that. Rafe and Jordan were vehemently against me joining, but the underground fights were entirely run by the resistance—sorry, The Society—and I’d made a splash.

Mattie grunted a pained noise. “I hear that. I haven’t been this hungover in years.”

Despite having the weight of a thousand secrets resting on my shoulders, I snorted a laugh at her. “I heard Noles left you to sleep it off in the bathtub after you vomited all over him.” I raised my head just enough to give her a teasing grin.

Mattie groaned again, screwing up her perfectly made-up face. “Don’t remind me.”

I laughed again, sitting up a bit more in my seat. Seeing her hungover was helping to distract me from all the heavy shit from last night. After the guys had told me everything I needed to know—or everything they were permitted to tell me—I’d bailed, citing the need for time to process.

Instead, I’d just lain in bed staring at the ceiling all damn night, then fallen asleep about five minutes before morning.

“Good morning, ladies,” Nolan greeted us, sitting down in the chair beside me and scooting closer, bumping my arm.

“Ow!” I hissed, jerking away and holding my arm protectively. I’d managed to compartmentalize my pain for the better part of the night, first with Rafe fucking me in the tunnels, then with all the information bombs he and Jordan dropped on me. But when I’d gotten back to my room, the ache had started setting in from where Justice had nicked me with his blade, and my first aid skills were somewhat lacking.

Nolan shot me a sharp look, and I gave him a small headshake. Sure, Mattie knew I'd been fighting, but she didn't need to know I'd been hurt. It was just a surface wound, anyway. No stitches needed... I hoped.

Mattie was oblivious, though, looking up at our waiter with heart eyes as he delivered coffee.

"I know why my darling twin looks like warmed-up roadkill today," Nolan commented, teasing his sister, "but why do you look so awful, New Girl?"

My eyes narrowed. "Gee, thanks."

His grin split wider. "Keeping you humble, gorgeous."

I sighed and rolled my eyes, reaching for one of the steaming coffees. "I was up late with Jordan and Rafe." It was the truth without spilling any confidential information.

"Damn, girl. Nice work," Mattie snickered, sipping her drink. "No wonder you're walking all stiff today."

I frowned, confused, then clicked on what she thought I’d meant. Ah fuck.

"That's not... I didn't..." I trailed off, shaking my head as my cheeks flush with heat. I would’ve liked to pretend it was embarrassment, but there was a healthy dose of arousal in there, too, at what Mattie was implying. Rafe and Jordan... and me... all night.