Page 80 of Victoria's Discovery

“Sooo, why don’t you?”

“It’s not that simple,” she sighed. “They’ve got issues they need time to work through. Aside from that, I’ve no idea how Tirox and Kix feel about it or, for that matter, if Sin and Rellik truly want a relationship.”

Victoria had to bite her lip to hold back a grin. She’d been right! Aria was only hesitating because she needed the men to buck up and stop lollygagging about. Just because she was kick-ass and take-charge didn’t mean she didn’t need a sign of commitment and resolve from the men.

“So, if your mates were okay with it, and Sin and Rellik showed they were serious, you’d be down to give it a go?” For the first time since she’d met her, Aria looked nervous. “You’ll never know unless you try,” Victoria encouraged hopefully.

Amusement crept in to join the hesitation on Aria’s face. She pulled in a deep breath then let it out in a sigh. “Alright. But—” she pinned Victoria with a pointed stare. “you, too. Talk to them. Individually and together. See if I’m right and there’s something there. You’ll never know unless you try,” she echoed back with a smirk.

“Uhh… ”

Aria cocked a challenging brow.

Victoria swallowed hard and squeaked, “Okay?”

“Good. I’ll expect a report day after tomorrow.”

“Wait, what? That soon?!”

Without giving Victoria time to panic and take it back, Aria stood and strolled out without another word.

* * *

Victoria walkedto her room in a sort of daze, not really paying attention, and—as was apparently becoming a terrible habit of hers—almost ran into someone.

“Oh gosh, I’m sor—” When she looked up to find none other than Catty glaring down at her, the apology died on her lips and a spark of fear shot through her.

Shit. Not again.

Glancing at the four hulking males flanking her either side, Victoria swallowed hard and tried to smile but, absolutely positive they’d hear the fear in her voice, decided maybe speaking wasn’t the smartest idea. Instead, she mimicked the gesture Vi’kail had given the giants in her room what felt like years ago.

Three of the men went rigid. Catty’s expression went blank with shock before contorting into a scowl so terrifying Victoria’s heart skipped a beat and the blood drained from her face.

Fuuuck. That was definitely not a hello. If I die, I’m haunting the shit out of Vi’kail.

Snitch went stiff on her shoulder, a low growl emanating from his throat. She saw his color flash red from the corner of her eye, but didn’t dare take her gaze off of Catty, positive that would be a deadly mistake.

Catty, proving she wasn’t as smart as she looked, ignored Snitch and bared her teeth, her hands curling into claws as she started to pounce. Victoria gasped, stumbling back, but the luck fairy proved she hadn’t abandoned her entirely. Before Catty could lunge, the elevator doors hissed open and a group of people exited.

Apparently opposed to murdering in front of witnesses, her expression changed from furious to pleasant in the span of a heartbeat, something Victoria found only slightly less unnerving than the fury.

Positive she’d have nightmares about that look on Catty’s face, Victoria made a getaway while she had the chance. Mumbling something unintelligible, she ducked around the scary female and her bodyguards to join the group of people coming off of the elevator then hightailed it to the safety of her room.

Slumping back against the door, she let out a relieved breath. “We’re going to have to speak with your friend, Snitch. Pretty sure he almost got me killed.”

“Hsss krrt brbrbr!”

“Oh, you can definitely bite him. I encourage it.”

Chapter 40

Thegan paused and let the hammer fall to his side to stare at nothing for what was likely the eighth time in as many minutes. When Thorn bumped into him, purposefully, he blinked and glared at his friend, but it faded quickly, and he was back to feeling… unsettled. And edgy. And damned insecure.

“Courting females is exhausting,” he sighed.

“Gods’ tears, Thegan. Stop moping about like a jiltednorfduland help me. We have only an hour before you are expected back.”

That time his glare lasted longer. “I think she avoids me.”

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