“Shocker.”
She shrugged, the red straps of her bra moving across the dark creaminess of her skin. “He only thinks he owns this school. We’re the ones who are really in charge.”
Truth. The royals owned everything.
We ended up in a section of the school I definitely had not been to. It was a series of function rooms that all seemed to lead into a gigantic ballroom.
“This is where the dance will be held soon,” Mattie said, no longer whispering. Apparently we were pretty far from the main part of the academy now. “We’re just going to utilize one of the smaller rooms out the back.”
Good plan because the ballroom would hold ten thousand easily. Mattie was popular, but not that popular.
We crossed the huge room to get to this smaller one, and as we got closer to the far side of the ballroom, I heard the music.
“My people set it all up,” Mattie said, already moving her hips. “My door guys will stop any unwelcome assholes. It’s going to be amazing.”
My heartrate picked up, and it wasn’t just the heavy bass pumping from behind the closed door. It was the thought of who might be on the other side.
Mattie opened the door quickly, and two beefy dudes stepped forward as the music spilled out through the gap. The second they caught sight of Mattie, they averted their eyes but still managed to bow their heads. “Princess,” both of them said.
“Nice job, boys,” Mattie said, striding into the room. “Appreciate your hard work.”
They bowed again before resuming their positions at the door.
“Oh, and this is my bestie, Violet. Keep an eye on her too, please.”
She strolled off into the crowd then, leaving me awkwardly standing as two men tried to look at me, but not below my face. They were definitely professional, I’d give them that.
“I can take care of myself,” I said before I abruptly turned and marched after Mattie. I should never have agreed to wear an outfit I couldn’t conceal my weapon in. Although…
A quick glance around told me that no one was concealing weapons here tonight, and at least that was some comfort.
“Tits and ass everywhere, am I right?” Nolan all but slammed into me, smelling of tequila and sexy man. He wore…
“What the fuck are you wearing?” I asked him, my eyes drawn to the tiny pouch that covered his dick and basically nothing else.
Nolan had a ripped-as-fuck body, smaller than Jordan’s or Rafe’s, but definitely sports toned. All of it was on display, except what was covered by the dick-pouch. Even his entire ass cheeks were out there for the world to see.
“You and Mattie suffer from zero confidence issues,” I said drily, and his smile grew.
“Fuck hiding your body from the world.” He ran his gaze across me. “Especially with a body like that, New Girl. I get the hype. I really fucking get it.”
I whacked him across his stomach. “Twincest, remember. Let’s dial it back.”
Nolan threw his hands up. “Just making an observation. Like I said, there’s no room for another dick on your dance card. And that being the case, I’m taking mine somewhere else.”
Shaking my head at the words that came out of that dude’s mouth, I moved further into the party, not sure I’d ever seen so much skin on display. Even at the pool.
The room was dark though, allowing us the illusion of privacy, with strobe lights flashing on the main dance floor. Making my way to the bar, I ordered two cocktails straight up.
“Whatever is gonna fuck me up,” I said to the chick taking my order.
Her lips twitched. “I gotchu.”
She was back in a few minutes with what she called “death by sunrise,” and I smiled in anticipation. She waved away the cash I pulled out for a tip. “All included. Just enjoy and be safe.”
She was gone then, and I downed the first one in about one minute, picking up the second as Mattie found me.
“Dude! You’re drinking death by sunrise. They make the flaming illusions look like soda. I’m super proud of you.”
I snorted, the alcohol already going to my head. “I always wanted a friend who was a bad influence. I’m so glad it’s you.”
Mattie laughed, throwing her arms around me. “I just overheard Zach, the fucking man-whore asshole pig-face, arguing with my bouncers over why he wasn’t allowed in. I’m pretty glad I stuck him on the blacklist. He’ll probably slink off to Drake’s party and bang any chick who will have him, but whatever.” She shrugged like she didn’t care, even though she clearly did. “All in all, Violet Rose Spencer, I think my lingerie party this year is going well.”
“You do this every year…”
My words trailed off as a familiar guy stepped into view. His dark hair was tousled, leading down to that perfect face, broad shoulders, and a pair of tight white boxer shorts that did fucking nothing to hide what he was packing below.
“Jordy,” Mattie shouted, having followed my slack-jawed stare.
Jesus. I was not going to survive. Not with my vagina or dignity intact.
I downed the second cocktail, all the while knowing that was a very bad move. Fuck it. This was my night. One fucking night to escape my shitty reality.
Like it wanted to prove my point, the palm reader lit up on my wrist, and I saw Alex’s name flash across the screen.
Not tonight, asshole.
Heat settled into my veins, the buzz sending me toward the crown prince waiting on the dance floor. He stood there, eyes locked on me, heat in those cognac irises as they traced over my body.
“Wanna dance?” I said as soon as we were close enough to hear over the music. He took my hand, eyes never leaving me as he led me to the dance floor.
The music had a slow, heady beat, and as Jordan laid his hand on my back beneath the silk shawl I wore, tingles chased across my skin. We moved together, and I let every thought leave my head, choosing to focus on the delicious prince under my hands.
Literally.
I traced across the broad planes of his muscled body… Boy was fucking perfection, only superseded slightly by his prickish best friend.
Speaking of…
Heat pressed into my spine, and since Jordan didn’t throw any punches—and I recognized the scent anyway—I knew it was Rafe. They danced with me between them, and when I couldn’t take it any longer, I spun to the Swiss prince.
My breath caught, and all I could think of was fucking him again. “Cinderella,” Rafe rasped, his gaze on the lace panels of my underwear. I’d lost the shawl thing, so he had the full display.
He wasn't in underwear, but he was shirtless, muscles and tatts eyefucking me. All he wore was a pair of black pants, fitted to his body, while the rest was there for my greedy gaze to devour.
He leaned in even closer, breath brushing over my bare skin. “What the fuck are you doing, Violence?”
There was no desire in his voice. It was harsh and abrasive, and this time when goosebumps rose over my skin, some of my fucking senses returned to me.
What the fuck was I doing?
What the fuck?
This was not me. I didn’t parade around in my underwear like a desperate chick needing to attract a prince using lingerie and as much naked skin as I could.
My body went cold, despite the heat of the alcohol still pumping through me. I froze between them, my gaze locked on the ground as a new sense of frustrated anger rose up inside of me.
“I’m hiding,” I breathed, disgust coating my words. “Hiding from the reality of what I have to do.”
It was loud in here, but Rafe heard me. His eyes bit into me, intense, darkly mocking in the way that only he could do.
“What are you going to do about that?” he pressed.
Jordan moved closer behind me. I could feel every hard line of his body, but it wasn’t sexual. He exuded the same intensity that Rafe did.
“It’s time for me to take my life back,” I said, mostly to myself. I’d been in this position before, acting helpless… scared.
No. Fucking. More.
It was time for Violence to come out and play.
Chapter 11
“Nurse Reller tells me you’ve been avoiding her.”
Dean Morgan didn’t fuck around. His beady eyes, like his fucking son’s, bored into me from the other side of his desk.
“I’m not due for my next physical,” I replied, doing my best to keep the disgust from my voice. “There’s really no reason for her to summon me.”
It had only been a few messages on my palm reader through the school network system—easy to ignore. But apparently it was time for them to up their game. Just like Alex had said they would.
“There’s more for her to discuss with you than just your next physical,” he said, reprimand in his tone.
Mattie leaned forward in her chair, uncrossing her legs as she did. “Is this the sole reason for your meeting with Violet? Surely this could have been passed on in a message through the palm readers?”
Her voice was saying don’t fuck with me, you’re not royalty. And I’d never loved her more.
The dean cleared his throat. “No, of course not. I just wanted to make a point to mention that health should not be ignored. The nurse probably has some vitamins or supplements for her to take, and that’s in Violet’s best interest.”
Yeah, sure it was. Probably something to make me the most fertile woman on the planet. As it stood, Alex wouldn't be putting an heir in me unless he could through the power of positive thought.