Page 55 of Victoria's Embrace

“Thanks.” Victoria could almost hear Aria’s brow cocking wryly as she added, “Don’t hand my complex off to a sadistic, homicidal lunatic this time, hmm?”

Victoria pulled a face. “Too soon.Waytoo soon.”

Aria just laughed.

Feeling impish, Victoria quipped, “No need for y’all to hurry back if you and Thrasin want to do some…in depthreconnaissance or just happen to find yourselves needing to hide out somewhere private. Secluded.Intimate.” Before Aria could respond, she added, “Just something to think about. Should the situationarise.”

“I’ll… think about it.”

To her surprise, Aria’s voice sounded grudgingly thoughtful, instead of grumbly, at Victoria’s near-constant match-making efforts. Honestly, she wouldn’t push if the stubborn messes would just ravage each other like everyone knew they wanted and admit they were head over heels in love.

She’d hoped the closeness she saw between Aria, Rellik, and Thrasin after they returned to the complex would stick, but it hadn’t. While she understood a lot of that was due to Kix and his worsening condition, some was just plain fear.

For three people who were badass, capable, and could unflinchingly face off against the most daunting of obstacles and opponents, they were scaredy cats when it came to facing their feelings.

“That’s all I ask.”

Hearing the beep signaling Aria had disconnected, Victoria grinned and tucked her comm away then pressed the button to call the elevator.

When the doors opened to reveal Bree, her smile widened.

“Hey, friend! What are yo—”

Eyes wide, Bree hissed, “Shhhh!”

Yanking her inside, Bree popped her head out to scan the hallway before quickly ducking back in and repeatedly smashing the button to close the doors.

“Uhh… what’s up?”

“What? Nothing! What’s up with you?”

Victoria narrowed her eyes. “You’re hiding from someone.”

“Pfft, don’t be ridiculous. I don’t hide from anyone.”

“Says the woman who’s obviously hiding. Eseh?”

Bree blew out a breath, shoulders slumping, and nodded.

Gentling her voice, Victoria reached out and laid her hand on Bree’s forearm. “You should talk to him.”

“I can’t, okay. I just… no. He’s—” She shook her head. “He needs someone better than me.”

Vee didn't pretend to understand the dynamic between those two, but she saw the way they looked at each other and that was all she needed.

“No, he doesn't. He needs and wants exactly you. And you need exactly him. Y’all are fated mates! That’s every girl’s dream!”

Bree looked at her and started to say something but cut short with a frown.

“Hey, did you know you’ve got something on your nose?”

Reaching up self-consciously, Victoria tried to rub whatever it was off. “Is it dirt? I was training earlier and… what? What’s that look on your face?”

Bree’s eyes were comically wide and her lips were rolled under her teeth while she made the weirdest squeaking sound in the back of her throat. Reaching out, Bree grabbed her shoulders and gave her a shake.

“Holy fuck! You’ve got a pea in the pod! When did you find out?”

It didn’t take more than a heartbeat to understand what Bree was saying. Blinking rapidly, Victoria mumbled, “Uhh, right now? I’ve been feeling weird the last couple of days, I just… I didn’t… Holy fuck.”