Page 192 of Vexatious Queen

“No, probably not.”

I tucked my dick away and zipped up with a sigh.

“Well then, you’d better go get cleaned up…again.”

“Yes, sir,” Theo said, fixing his glasses that had gone askew. He grabbed his book and held it in front of the stain as he headed for the door.

“Oh, and Theo?”

He turned to look at me.

“Go commando. I’m going to use you again later.”

Theo smiled. “Yes, sir.”

With that, he disappeared out the door, leaving it open. The voices of the other guests in the house hit me like a bubble popping.

Walking over to the mirror, I checked myself over, shivering at the thought of Theo on his knees again. There was no doubt in my mind that before the night was through, I’d have him at least twice more.

With a satisfied smile on my face, I left the room and went in search of Ren and the rest of the guys.

MARCH 7 – SATURDAY 5:30 PM

Myles

“Yer killin’ me kid,” I said, and Lip laughed as he took my final card in our game of Go Fish. “That’s five hands in a row you’ve kicked me arse. Yer a shark,” I said, and Lip’s entire face lit up. I lived for that look.

If standing on me head and crowing to the moon while dressed like a penguin would make him smile, then I’d fucking do it. He was ever so slowly coming out of his shell. I’d always known he was smart, but the doctors helping me with him all said he had an eidetic memory. I had to look that up.

It meant that he remembered everything. Every book he ever read, every conversation word for word, right down to what the room looked and smelled like. The night of the shooting and Ella’s death would never fade for him like it would for Ethan or anyone else. Every single day, he would recall it perfectly, right down to the moment Ella grabbed him, told him to hide, and then was shot moments later.

I thought remembering what happened to me was bad, but at least I’d been able to work at letting some of it go. What if I couldn’t? What if I remembered every horrible thing that had ever been done in 4K detail?

All I knew was that I couldn’t be happier that Owen and Lawrence were both dead. And all I could hope was that even if that night remained clear in his mind forever, that at some point, he could find a way to be at peace with it, knowing that there was nothing he could’ve done differently, and that Ella’s death had nothing to do with him. I knew that she would’ve chosen to save him every single time and was smiling down on him now.

“One more?”

“Now yer just getting’ greedy,” I said.

“It’s not my fault. I’m just better than you,” Lip said.

“That’s it.” I leaped across the pillow we were using as a table, fingers grabbing his sides as I tickled him. Cards went flying, and his happy screeching filled the room as he laughed hysterically, trying to get away.

“Well, now, what is happening in here,” Ethan asked.

I stopped my assault and looked over my shoulder.

“Ethan,” Lip yelled excitedly.

Sitting back, I watched as Lip jumped to his feet and ran at Ethan. I expected Blake to leap in the way like a bodyguard, but instead, Ethan slowly kneeled and let Lip run into his arms.

“It’s so good to see you,” Ethan said, his voice raw.

I had to look away as my throat choked up and tears stung my eyes.

“I thought something else bad had happened. Myles kept saying you were okay, but you needed more time to heal. I still worried that he just didn’t want to tell me, or that you didn’t want to see me anymore.”

Ethan gently pushed Lip back and held his shoulders as he looked into his eyes.