"I need to talk to him," I muttered, finally finishing my braid. I swung it over my naked shoulder, and turned to find Jordan right behind me.
"Why would you need to talk to him?" he asked, voice laced with concern and a stronger emotion.
Letting out a long breath, I grimaced. "Mr. Wainwright said that Alex will only go to the vote if I personally invite him. Figured it was worth giving him this last little thing if it meant that we could secure enough of the powerhouses to get the people's court approved."
Jordan's hands twitched as he closed his fingers around my waist, pulling me closer to him. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Honestly, I forgot right up until you said Alex was back."
Jordan looked like he wanted to curse. A lot. "Once Rafe hears about this, he's going to murder Alex long before you get to talk to him, so let's not rely on his vote."
I groaned and rolled my eyes. "It doesn't need to be like that. He was really sweet to me once. I mean, before all the creepy shit with Nurse Reller." My cheeks heated slightly with embarrassment as I thought of the sex we'd had, back when Mattie had teased me for describing it as great. Though now that I knew better, I could see what she was getting at.
Jordan gave me a skeptical look. "The shit with Alex isn't just because of you, beautiful. That made it a whole lot worse, no doubt. But this has been ongoing since Jasmine." He grimaced, looking angry and sad all at the same time.
My stomach sank. Jasmine. Alex's deceased fiancée and Rafe's best friend. How could I have forgotten her so easily?
"I sort of got the impression it was King Steve who killed her," I said in a small voice. I didn't want to be insensitive at all. She'd been Rafe's best friend, but she must have been friends with Jordan too... given the boys had been tighter than brothers since they were kids.
Jordan nodded, running his hand through his hair and making parts of it stick up. "Yeah, I think so too. After what you found out about her sleeping with King Steve..." He shuddered in disgust. "That explains why her bruises and shit only showed up when the royals were visiting. We all assumed it was Alex taking out his frustration over his shitty parents on her, but King Steve was always known for being a violent bastard. I loved Jasmine, as a friend. But she was definitely a social climber. If she’d thought there was any prospect of being a queen before her time, she'd have taken it."
I blew out a long breath and sat on the edge of the bed beside him. "I'm sorry you lost your friend, Jordan."
He gave me a sad smile, brushing my cheekbone with the backs of his fingers in the gentle way he had. "So am I, beautiful. But the past is the past. I just don't want Alex taking advantage of any situations with you, okay? Please don't go and see him alone."
I wrinkled my nose. "I think the whole 'come alone' part was pretty heavily implied. I can't imagine it would endear him to the cause to bring my two lovers along."
Jordan scowled and clearly wanted to argue the subject, so I hopped up and grabbed my bag for the day. "Come on," I said, "let's go. Mattie will be bored as shit waiting for us while Noles and Rafe are at practice."
Jordan sighed heavily. "I should be there too."
"You should be taking it easy. Your doctors were dead clear that you could play the game, but no additional practice session the same day." I gave him a stern look, linking our fingers together as we left Rafe's room. Our room, as I was starting to think of it. No one had even given us a second glance when I’d all but moved in earlier in the week.
It paid to be dating the two most powerful students, I guess. Although how that had impacted the rumor mill buzzing about us, I had no idea. Maybe people assumed I was just platonically sharing a bed with two scorching-hot princes? Crazier things had happened.
"Besides," I added when Jordan continued to frown, "if you'd gone to practice, I couldn't have sucked your dick in the shower this morning." I gave him a sly grin, and he stopped dead in the middle of the hallway. Grabbing me by my braid, he tilted my head back and kissed me with an intensity that told me just how much he appreciated that bonus feature of his morning shower.
"Whoa," someone exclaimed, and we jumped apart like we'd been electrocuted. "Uh, sorry. Didn't mean to..." The guy trailed off, his face flushing red.
I didn't recognize him, but I seriously doubted he was panicking about seeing a girl in the boys’ dorm. As affectionate as Jordan, Rafe, and I were with each other, we'd mostly kept any public displays to a bare minimum. Barely gossip-worthy. But this... was concrete proof if this guy wanted to run his mouth all over the academy. And to the world press.
Jordan let out a frustrated sigh. "Jonas, I'm gonna need a word with you." He speared the younger guy with a sharp glare, which seemed to panic him further.
Eyes wide, the guy held up his hands defensively. "I didn't see anything, dude. I swear."
"All the same. I need to walk Violet to the dining hall. Meet me outside the locker rooms in ten minutes, and we can chat." Jordan's voice held a thread of threat, and my eyes widened.
I didn't say anything more, though, until we were well out of the boys’ dorm on our way to the dining room. Even then, I didn't say anything; I just pinned him to the wall of an alcove—behind an actual suit of armor—and showed him exactly how sexy I found that authoritarian tone.
Some minutes later, after we'd gotten thoroughly carried away, Jordan smoothed my skirt back into place and shot me a wink as he dried his fingers on his own pants. "Come on. Mattie will be getting cranky as hell, and I need to go pay off that prick so he doesn't talk."
Flushed and panting, I nodded while trying to force my legs to stop shaking.
"Uh-huh. Yup. Cool." I wasn't quite at the coherent-sentences stage of post-orgasm yet. Then again, I’d definitely come out better in that exchange. Jordan reached into his uniform trousers and rearranged himself with a grimace. I grinned. "Think unsexy thoughts, babe. Nolan in a G-string."
Jordan shuddered. "Yep, that'll do it."
Laughing, he joined our hands once more and escorted me the rest of the way to the dining hall.
Chapter 24
"Fuck," I muttered, "I really wish they weren't playing today."
Mattie shot me a commiserating stare. "It's Honor Cup today; none of them would have missed it."
That made it even worse. My princes hadn't bothered to tell me the full story about this soccer match. I'd heard bits and pieces about the Honor Cup, but I'd been so busy studying that I hadn't really looked too much into it. For all I’d known, this “Honor” was just another team or a special trophy.
But, nope. It was a round robin game that went all day, and teams from around the world were here to honor the fallen monarchs. The fact that Arbon had been the location of the "fall" was ironic. Why the fuck would everyone fly back in here? Trying to get murdered as well?
"If there was ever a day for Uriel to stage a coup," I whispered near Mattie's ear, "it's the damn, freaking fuck of a day that has people from all over the world here."
That was why Rafe and Jordan hadn't said anything to me, because they’d known I'd stress out and not be able to focus on school. It was also, I’m sure, why I'd noticed at least four plainclothes security surrounding me in the stadium, and neither Rafe nor Jordan had left me alone for two seconds all week.
"Senior royals aren't here," Mattie reminded me. "What's left of them anyway. Attacking in a crowd this size would be stupid. Plus, no one important is here; he wouldn’t really have any impact."
Wishful thinking. Very wishful.
“Except Alex,” I corrected her with a grimace, “newly crowned king of Australasia… because he’s such a fucking sports fan.”
Mattie wrinkled her nose. “Right. Except Alex.”
Lifting my palm reader, I shot off a quick message to Rafe. The first game was about to start: Arbon versus New America. At this stage, I didn't know which team Zach was playing for, but either way, it was going to be an interesting match.
You are in big fucking trouble. Why didn't you tell me? I don't even have my W.
Putting anything about a weapon in a message was stupid; these things could be hacked, even if I knew Rafe would have all the tech to stop that. As my worry grew, I sent another message to him.
This is the perfect time for an attack. And I have picked up on four security guards. They're not the best. Maybe I should be guarding them?
I didn't figure he'd reply to the string of messages, each of which got shorter and angrier. Especially as the announcements started, welcoming the two teams out onto the field. They were quicker games than usual so they could fit five or six matches in today.
My palm reader buzzed just as the players emerged onto the field.
Angel: Eight.
I blinked at it, and then shifted my gaze around the perimeter of my attack zone. That's where the security would be. It took me a few more seconds, and I was kicking myself afterward for not noticing, but I identified three fast. One eluded me though, and I decided that was the head of this team.
Rafe was nothing if not thorough, and he expected the best at all times.
"They're starting," Mattie said, and she sounded nervous. Turning to the field, I wasn't at all surprised to see Rafe smirking at me, Jordan staring with worried eyes as he perused the stand around me, and Nolan doing a backflip in the middle of everyone.