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She shrugs as she leans into him. “I have no idea.”
Shutting the door behind me, I’m still smiling as I regard the two of them together. They look so happy and comfortable I don’t even mind that I won’t be able to speak to Maddie while he’s still here. Obviously, they’re having fun, and I don’t want to ruin that.
“What’s going on here?” I ask, amused as I walk deeper into her chambers and perch myself right at the edge of her bed.
Antonio immediately plucks a glass of wine off the nightstand and offers it to me with a slight bow of his head. “Want some? We swiped a couple bottles from dinner.Shhh.”
I laugh. “Do you two do this often?”
Maddie makes her eyes huge at me as she shakes her head back and forth, her rich locks swaying in the ponytail behind her head. “No, this is our first time. We thought we might be going home tomorrow, you know? Decided we might as well get drunk on royal wine at least once. Our version of high tea.”
“A smart decision,” I say, even if I am a touch confused about why she’d have thought this might be her last day. My understanding of her arrangement with Kaz was that she’d stay in the game for a lot longer. Did something happen between them? Or maybe she’s just holding up the ruse in front of the other competitor. Since I can’t ask her, I let it go for the moment. “May I join you?”
“Please,” Antonio says, scooting up even though I’ve already got a space on the bed. “Where are the others? Also, why are you here?”
After sliding my jacket off, I lay it down next to me. “Well, I,uh, I remembered the answer to a question Maddie asked on our date, but it doesn’t matter. How are you guys?”
“Well, there were no knocks on our doors earlier, so we’re good.” Maddie smiles, and it’s so carefree and gorgeous. It feels like there’s a hook behind my heart that’s snagged the organ and someone is now tugging on the line.
Her scent is so strong in here that it’s almost overpowering. While I know Kaz would shit a brick if I make a move on her, I’m dangerously tempted. Deciding that I need backup, I pull my phone out of my pocket and text Wolf while Antonio launches into a whole host of reasons why he’s doing so well. He’s rambling, but I don’t mind. It’s good to see this relaxed side of him just as much as it is to see the same of Maddie.
“No knocks! Can you believe it? I went back to my chambers just before nine to wait, then we heard the knocks and after, I came right back here to celebrate. This wine is incredible. I heard it’s such good quality that it doesn’t even give hangovers. That’s marvelous, isn’t it? Wolf and I had a great time on the horses today. Unlike Maddison here, I didn’t even fall off. She has a bruise the shape of Africa on her butt, did you know that?”
My gaze snaps up as irrational jealousy rips through me. “You’ve seen her butt?”
He presses his hand to his heart like he’d have clutched his pearls if he had any. “Of course not. She told me about it. A bruise the shape of Africa. Isn’t that amazing?”
“Amazing,” I muse, breathing in deeply to tamp down on the jealousy I shouldn’t be feeling so intensely. Although, with her, everything is heightened. More intense. I’ve decided to just…roll with it. “The hangover thing isn’t true, by the way. It’s good wine, but you’ll have a monster of a headache tomorrow.”
“Boo,” he shouts, then he blows a raspberry. Maddie giggles some more before turning back to me.
“How about you? How are you?” She hiccups, then flushes, then hiccups again. “Fuck. I mean, sorry. I shouldn’t be cussing in front of you, should I? No, I probably shouldn’t be. I apologize.”
“For whatfuckingreason?” I ask, emphasizing the word. Apparently, it’s the funniest thing either of them has ever heard because they dissolve into fits of giggles that make me wish I was drunk too.
Maddie leans into Antonio’s side as she laughs, and the jealousy flares right back up again until he sees whatever look is on my face and pushes her off. The jealousy is instantly replaced with concern and even anger that he might’ve hurt her when he pushed her away. He cocks his head at me. “You’re making the Alpha uncomfortable, Maddie-poo.”
I know he’s talking to Maddie, but he’s looking right at me. She frowns at him. “What? Why?”
“Not sure,” he replies, but thankfully, he’s had too much wine to delve into it right now. Eyes still on mine, he gets up, sways, and then sits down again. “Whew, I think I’m going to need help getting to my room.”
Wolf walks in without knocking at that exact moment, hears what the other Omega said, and then turns to me. “Is this what the 911 message was about?”
“Yes,” I say. “I needed backup, and now you know why.”
He lets out a dramatic sigh, obviously wondering what I’m doing here, but then he steps toward Antonio and chivalrously offers him his arm. “Come on, Ramirez. Let’s get you to your bed. Are you always such a lightweight?”
He’s joking, but Antonio’s jaw drops, and he feigns being terribly affronted. “I amnota lightweight. I’ve had at least two bottles of that by myself, thank you very much.”
He clutches Wolf’s arm and then winks at Maddie. “Look at this, we’ve got Royals in our beds tonight.”
“Absolutely not,” I say with a warning look at Wolf, but he simply rolls his eyes at me like I’m being ridiculous.
None of us have touched anyone but each other since the Trials started. While I know it’s been harder on him, I also know he doesn’twantanyone other than us and Maddie right now. Like Kaz and me, he feels off when he even thinks about it. Until he hinted at it, I thought he was trying to behave himself because of the cameras and that was why there haven’t been any Betas around our quarters recently, but now, I know better.
Because I knowexactlyhow he feels. How Kaz feels. We’re all so hot for her that no one else holds even the slightest bit of appeal.
Wolf smirks at me when he pauses inside the door. “Don’t have too much fun in here without me.”
