Poison Throne: A Dark College Romance(30)

He nailed it too.

"Supposed to wait until you score a goal to celebrate," Mattie said, finally tearing her eyes from Zach long enough to shake her head at her twin. "But Nolan likes to just celebrate life."

I shrugged. "Eh, life is short. I say celebrate waking up every morning."

Mattie made a noncommittal sound, her attention already back on her wayward fiancé.

"Talked to him since he kissed you?"

She worried at her lips. "He's tried, but I keep avoiding him. I don't know what to do with my feelings. Every time I try and unpack them it's such a mess, so I throw it all back into the emotional suitcase."

Surprisingly deep analogy there. I mulled that over in my head. "Maybe you're making it more messy than it needs to be. By not talking to him, you're creating scenarios in your head that probably don't exist."

Zach was in the center of the field, speaking with the lineman. Mattie had her eyes on his broad shoulders like she was memorizing every line. Her breath caught when Zach whipped his head around and nailed her with a look—a long, unreadable stare that said he was not happy. It said other things as well, and I wasn't surprised my friend was squirming where she sat.

"Just talk to him," I told her. "There's something between you, and I think you should explore the possibility that he might be the perfect match for you, even without the genetic testing."

I'd never known her to be a coward in this type of situation. My friend was fierce and proud. This guy had messed her up, and she didn't know how to handle it.

"Fuck," she groaned beneath her breath. The next words she muttered weren't in English, but I got the general idea. She was mad at herself.

Thankfully, the game started, and I went back to splitting my attention between my guys and the crowd, searching for any sort of disturbance. I felt like I should sense Uriel if he were here; that guy always had a negative energy about him, like he sucked the life from a room with his mere presence. Surely I'd feel that.

"Your princes are on fire!" Mattie shouted, jumping up to cheer with everyone else. I'd missed it, but apparently Jordan had saved a New American attempt at goal and shot the ball to Rafe, who'd managed to run it in from the back of the field. The score on the wall read Arbon four, New America two.

"Zach probably wishes he'd changed soccer affiliations as well, right?"

Mattie laughed. "Oh yeah, he hates losing. Especially to his brother." She side-eyed me. "If you married Jordan and I married Zach, we'd be legit sisters."

I snorted. "Nothing legit about those two and their family drama."

"Wouldn’t have to be our drama."

So true.

Arbon wrapped up the first game with a six-to-two win, and I loved the smirk on Jordan's face as he shook hands with Zach. For once, Zach didn't push any agenda, just gave his half brother a nod before leaving with the rest of his team.

"Jordan looked okay, didn't he?" I asked Mattie as the field was filling with the next two teams. "I don't know if he should play again."

"He looked great. Color and movements all perfect. I wouldn't stress about it. He's a tough guy, and he knows his limits."

Loving people was stressful, especially when they were "tough guys."

The next match was between two teams I didn't know, and I spent the time searching the crowd again. Rafe shocked the shit out of me when he appeared twenty minutes in, marching through the crowd as they waved and fawned all over him. Ignoring it all, he leaped over a few rows to land right near Mattie and me. No one was sitting on either side of us, despite the hectic crowds, and I knew that was probably the Swiss heir's doing as well.

"What are you doing here?" I choked out, blinking at him. "Don't you have another game in twenty?"

Rafe sank into the chair beside me, draping his arm around the back of me. Gasps rang out, and I tried not to let the red seep into my cheeks at being the center of attention. No one was even watching soccer now.

This crowd was so much more than just Arbon students, too. Rafe had just basically announced this shit to the world.

"You're the eighth, aren't you?"

It hadn't made sense that I couldn't find the last of his security detail. He smirked down at me, but didn't reply; instead we remained like that, snuggled together for the rest of the game. When there was two minutes to go, Rafe pressed his lips to my cheek, growled something about staying put, and then left in the same flamboyant show of skill and agility, leaping down the stands.

For some reason, my heart slammed against my chest at that simple gesture of togetherness. We hadn't spoken much, but that was the most couple-like thing that we'd done in our entire relationship.

Lifting my palm reader, I sent Jordan another message.

Promise you're okay to play again.

Jordan: I promise. Doctor gave me the all clear, and I feel great. Don't worry, Vi; you're not getting rid of me that easily.

A laugh rocked my chest. That's the thing, Prince Jordan, I don't want to get rid of you. Far from it. Good luck out there.

A second's pause and then one last message.

Jordan: I love you.

I stared at that for far too long, and when Mattie finally looked over to see what had me absolutely floored, her face lit up. "Girl, is that the first time he’s told you?"

"No," I shook my head. "But it's the first time in writing, and seeing those words..."

I wondered how many times I would read that message over and over. Being loved... it was like a drug. One to which I'd grown insanely addicted.





Chapter 25





Arbon won all their matches; New America was second with their only loss to our team. Rafe, Jordan, and Nolan all played like world-beaters today. I didn't really know the rest of their teammates, having had my hands full with the royals I did know, but even they'd all had lifted spirits from the returned princes.

After all the games, awards were handed out, and then there was three minutes silence to honor the fallen. Three minutes for me to worry and stress about when Uriel would make his move. But at the end of that moment, there was nothing except somber conversation and movement as people started to fan out.

"Big party tonight?" I asked Mattie, since that was the norm.

She shook her head. "Nah, Dean Morgan specifically requested no celebrations today. There will be a formal dinner that everyone is to attend. After we're expected to pay our respects at the monuments and then bed."

Lifting my palm reader, I checked the student portal, finding a message there that was almost word for word what Mattie had just said. Yeah, I really needed to remember to check that shit more frequently.

"Are we allowed to head to my room and get ready for dinner?" Mattie asked, well aware of my new set of rules.

I forced my smile not to appear, because I should be annoyed by their protectiveness, but I really wasn't. Maybe Jordan's words were still running through my head, or imprinted on my heart, but at this moment, I'd sit here forever if that kept me safe enough to love them for another day.

"I'm supposed to wait by the entrance," I said, so we got to our feet and started to follow the rest of the crowd. The “secret” security guards had nowhere else to hide now, so they got to their feet as well, following at a safe distance.

By the time everyone was finally out and only a few stragglers remained inside, Rafe, Nolan, and Jordan were at the entrance. Seeing them fresh from the showers, hair slicked back...

Damn.

Rafe's palm reader buzzed before he could say anything, and when he turned away to take the call, Jordan wrapped his arms around me, his bag hitting the ground at the same time. "Great games today," I said, accepting his kiss. Over his shoulder I noticed that the security had faded away with the reappearance of the princes, and I wondered if they’d be back later.

"I missed it," Jordan said, and my full attention was back on him. "Being out there with my team, playing ball, kicking ass." His face was lit up, eyes brighter than they'd been in a long time. Some of the horror from the extremist camp was fading. He hadn't had a nightmare for two days, so it was looking better all around.

"I kicked ass... you just looked pretty," Nolan said. "And you owe me a thousand bucks. Told you I would manage twenty backflips without getting booted from the field."

Ah, that explained all the weird flips he’d been doing whenever he had a spare moment. Jordan just laughed, lifting his palm reader to hit a few buttons before he slammed it against Nolan's.

Their money switched hands just like that, and I blinked at having so much cash you could make thousand dollar bets and not blink an eye.

Yeah, I was so batting outside my league with these guys.

"Next time I'll find something you're not willing to do," the New America prince said. "Just wait."

Nolan looked positively gleeful at the very prospect.

Rafe returned then, and my attention was all on him. His face gave nothing away, but then again, I never expected it to.

"Felipe?" Jordan asked, and I wondered what made him guess that. Were they expecting a call for some reason?

Rafe nodded. "Yep. Everything has gone ahead for the meeting of the monarchs. It's going to be a one-day event, the Society will present their proposal, and then they will go from there. Monarchs can debate and discuss, then vote."

"When?" Nolan asked, just as his palm reader buzzed. Mattie's did the same, along with Jordan's.