Page 142 of Twisted Royals

Seraphina looks to us. “Is it Vivian?”

“Nothing we can’t handle.” Carter hands the phone back to me. “I’ll get Oliver and Colt. We’ll get a plan together.”

“You guys can’t keep me in the dark like this!” Serafina protests.

“Not in the dark, just in the safe zone,” I counter, rising from the couch. “There’re other things involved here. When we know something concrete, we’ll tell you. No need to worry.” I look to Lucas. “I’m going into town tomorrow. Think Dylan can hang back with her?”

Lucas nods. “I’ll let him know.”

“Good.”

“Wait. Can’t I go with you?” she calls at me while I make my way back toward my room.

“Not tomorrow, pet. But soon.” I flash her a grin over my shoulder. “Real soon,” I say to myself.

CHAPTER 12

Seraphina

“Is this what we’re going to do all day?” I follow Dylan into the building behind the house. He called it their ‘home gym’, but when I step inside, I’m not sure he knows what a home gym actually looks like.

This place could put the best gym corporations out of business. There isn’t a piece of equipment made that isn’t in this place.

It’s bigger than any garage I’ve seen, even the one where my father held his fifteen favorite cars.

“Yeah. Pretty much.” Dylan casts me a grin that makes a little crinkle on the left side of his mouth. His beard is just short enough that I can make out the deep crevice.

“Don’t you have work to do? I can help, I won’t get in the way.” I’ve learned so much already with the guys watching them do their different jobs. They all take care of different parts of the security company, but no one is less important than the others.

These seven men aren’t related by anything other than a bond created during the harshest moments of their lives, but they are more of a family than I’ve ever seen.

“I am working.” He picks up a toolbox from a storage closet and brings it to one of the treadmills. “This belt is loose, and the speed isn’t right on it. I’m gonna fix it.” He opens the box and digs around for the tool he needs.

“Am I supposed to just sit here and watch?”

Dylan crouches down to the belt of the machine and looks up at me with a wrinkled brow and raised eyebrows. “Yes.” He nods. “You can sit your cute ass down over there and watch. Or you can sit here next to me and hand me tools. Be my sexy nurse. But for gym equipment, instead of people.”

“Sexy nurse?” I laugh. “Not really in uniform, am I?”

His chocolate-pudding-brown eyes roam over me. His bottom lip scrapes against his top teeth.

“You’re fine just like that.” He points to the step stool along the wall. “Just sit down for now.”

“You don’t want me next to you?” I tease, moving closer to him.

He grumbles something under his breath and shakes his head.

“What was that?” I lean closer. “I didn’t understand you.”

He looks up again, frustration written all over his face. “I said, Seth isn’t home. So, I can’t do anything about it right now, so just sit your ass down before you get us both in trouble.”

“Oh.” My cheeks flush with heat. “You’re not allowed to do anything without him?”

“Not with you. No.” He shakes his head. “I am allowed to bust your ass if you get out of line, though. So, sit.” He points the wrench in his hand at the stool.

A thin veil of excitement falls over me, but I don’t push him. He’s frustrated enough, if I press too hard, I’m not sure I’ll like the consequences.

“So, you and Seth, you’re together.” I fill the silence after it stretches too long. He grits his teeth while working to unscrew something that doesn’t seem to want to cooperate.

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