Page 109 of Vicious Games

“I don’t think fate cares, baby,” I murmur. “After all, it setusin motion.” I wink, trying to lighten the mood.

Frankie smiles at me as if she has a secret, and I know right then and there that I’m beyond fucked.

Goddamn it.

I’ve fallen in love with her.

Some people have a way of getting under your skin. Frankie? She went straight for my soul and made herself at home there.

If I were as smart as I think I am, I would walk away. But with Frankie, walking away doesn’t even feel like a real option anymore. Not when she feels like she might be my destiny.

“Let’s go,” I say, offering her my hand, eager to test that theory. “It’s your turn to get tucked in.”

She lets out a quiet laugh.

“Whatever you’re thinking… don’t. Nothing is going to happen with your parents and family still downstairs. I’ll stay here with Darius. I can crash on the floor.”

“Yeah, that’s not happening,” I mutter, already lacing my fingers through hers and tugging her gently out of the room.

“Lucky,” she scolds as I guide her into the hallway. “I’m not sleeping with you tonight.”

“I wasn’t expecting you to,” I lie.

Okay, maybe a part of me hoped that having her under my roof might increase our chances of jumping to the next phase of her education. But after the sucker punch of realizing I’m in love with her? I’d sleep on the floor beside her if it meant just being close to her.

God, I’m getting soft. What the hell has this girl done to me?

“I’m just going to walk you to your room, kiss you goodnight, and that’s it,” I promise.

“Just a kiss?” She arches a suspicious brow. “On the mouth? Nowhere else?”

Why did she have to go and be so specific?

“Yes,” I sigh. “Just a kiss.”

I hate the relief that washes over her face. But I get it. After almost getting caught by Jude and Mina earlier this week, she’s right to be nervous. And with my entire family still downstairs finishing off Thanksgiving… Yeah, I can’t blame her for being extra cautious and not wanting to get caught doing something that might get her reported back to her precious Sister Margaretta. Not that anyone in my family is a snitch.

Normally, I’d be down there with Remus, living it up and getting plastered when I didn’t think my parents were looking. But not tonight. Not when Frankie’s here. Not when I get to have even a moment alone with her.

Ever since Jude came back from London, Frankie and I had to move our tutoring sessions to the school library, which has zero privacy. It’s been killing me. I’m starving for one real moment with her. One kiss to keep me sane.

“This is you,” I say, stopping outside the room across from mine.

Sure, my mom had originally set up a guest room for Frankie on the opposite wing of the house, next to Stella and Annamaria. But no way in hell was I letting her stay that far from me. Besides, with Darius’s room just two doors down, it made perfect sense to have her here instead.

Okay, maybe not perfect sense, but enough that won’t raise any alarm bells in her head.

“Where’s your room?” she asks, acting casual but not fooling me in the slightest.

She’s curious. I can work with curious.

“This one,” I say with a smirk, pointing to the door right behind me.

“How convenient,” she teases, giggling.

“I thought so.” I chuckle, though I’m dying inside.

“Well, I guess I should call it a night too.”

---