Page 108 of Damaged Princess (New Orleans Malones)

“Why’re we calling Victor an old gossip?”

She glanced over with a smile as Nico entered the room.

“Nico!” Maxim greeted him, walking over with an easy smile to share some complicated handshake. “I heard you and Liam were extending your stay at Casa Malone.”

“Yeah, Liam’s helping Regent out. So, I’m just lazing around here like a bum.”

“Dude, if you want some more action, come stay with me.”

“You get too much action for me,” Nico joked. He swung his gaze over her as though checking she was all right.

It filled her with warmth, the way the two of them always checked in with her.

“I’m guessing Liam is a bit possessive,” Maxim joked. “Heard he’ll be at the club tonight, so I’ll see you there too.”

“Oh, is he? I wasn’t planning on going.”

“Well, now you are. I’ll stop you from getting too bored.”

“What about Lottie?” Nico asked.

Maxim gave him a confused look. “Lottie? Oh, she doesn’t come to the club. You know that.”

“Lottie, will you be all right here alone?” Nico asked her.

“She won’t be alone. There will be guards.”

Who would barely talk to her. Funny, it hadn’t struck her exactly how lonely she was until it was pointed out. She’d never considered how many nights she spent in this house on her own.

Too many.

But she couldn’t exactly ask them to stay in and watch a movie with her.

“I’ll be fine.”

Maxim was now studying her. “Would you like us to stay, squirt?”

“You? Stay in on a Saturday night?” she joked. “Have pigs started flying?”

“Hey! I’m not that bad.”

They both stared at him.

“Okay, I am. I’m needed at the club. I’m the manager.”

Uh-huh. She wasn’t buying that either.

“But if you want me to stay here, I will,” Maxim added.

“Why would Lottie need you here?” Regent asked. He strode into the room. Victor and Liam were with him. Both Regent and Liam wore suits while Victor had on a black shirt and pants.

“Lottie’s going to be all by herself if we all go out,” Maxim said.

“But that’s not unusual,” Regent said with a frown. “Has something changed I need to know about?”

“Of course not—” she started to say.

“She was trying to go for a walk outside,” Maxim said.

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