Page 123 of Vicious Games

So, instead, he just looks at me as if he wanted to kiss me, and I look at him, wishing he would.

“Are you two going to make googly eyes all night, or can we go home?” Darius drawls, wedging his head between the front seats like an annoyed little brother.

“I… um… we should go,” I murmur, unable to pull away my gaze from his.

“See you back at school on Monday?” he asks, clearing his throat.

I nod, biting back the stupid smile that is trying to pull at my lips. “You can count on it.”

“Oh, I will. Every last second until then.” He smiles shyly before turning his attention to Darius. “Be cool, little man. And take care of your sister for me.”

“She can take care of herself, idiot.” Darius rolls his eyes.

“Oh, it’s like that, huh?” Lucky laughs. “Where’s the love? I thought we were becoming best buds.”

“It’s going to take a lot more than video games to win me over,” Darius smirks at him.

“Then I guess I’ll just have to double my efforts next time,” Lucky retorts with an easy grin. “How does spending Christmas over at my house sound?”

Darius’ eyes begin to sparkle with excitement, even if he pretends to remain indifferent.

“That might work.” He shrugs before getting out of the car.

Lucky chuckles under his breath, but when he turns to me, all mirth leaves him.

“It kills me that I have to leave you here,” he says in a whisper.

“Where else would I go?”

Lucky’s russet gaze darkens with sorrow at my answer as he gently takes my sore wrist in his hand, lifting it to his lips. He presses a soft kiss on the inside, his mouth lingering as if trying to soothe the ache with nothing but his touch.

“Goodnight,” he murmurs against my skin. “I miss you already, and I haven’t even left you yet. The fuck is that about?” he adds, a shy smile tugging at his mouth as he lifts his head and looks deep into my eyes as if he’s hoping to take a piece of my soul with him.

On bated breath, I watch him, longing coiling tight in my chest, making it hard to breathe.

“I… should go,” I stammer, fearing I’ll do something stupid like kiss him if I stay a second longer. Or worse—gift wrap my love-sick soul for him to take.

“Okay,” he mumbles, the smile on his lips never reaching his sad eyes.

I force myself to step out of the car, knowing Lucky won’t drive off until he’s sure Darius and I make it safely inside. And for a split second, I want to turn around and run back into his arms, straight out of some cheesy, romantic movie. But real life doesn’t work like that. Not mine, anyway.

The orphanage’s front door creaks open, and the familiar scent of lemon polish and old Bibles pulls me out of the dream state I’ve been living in, snapping me back to reality. Sister Agnes is the first to greet us at the door. “Welcome back,” she says, smiling gently. “Did you both have a good time with the Romanos?”

Before I can answer, Darius is already off and running. “They had so much food! And there was this fountain of chocolate and strawberries, and these little spicy meatballs on sticks. And Lucky had a gaming room in his mansion! Like, not even joking, his actualmansion!”

Sister Agnes laughs at his joyous excitement, placing a hand on his shoulder to slow him down. “Sounds like a dream come true. I’m so happy you got to live it.”

I watch him beam up at her as if he just stepped off a spaceship and she’s the first human that understands him. His joy is so unfiltered, so bright, that it’s infectious. I can’t help but smile, even if a part of me is sad that our time with Lucky and his family has ended.

However, not everyone’s smiling at our joy. Sister Margaretta lingers near the staircase, arms folded, her sharp gaze pinning me to the wall as if she could see all the sins behind my eyes.

“And you, Frances?” she says, tone clipped. “Did you enjoy yourself?” I feel her judgment before the question even lands.

I nod, smiling with all the sincerity I can fake. “Yes. Very much.”

“And did you and Dariusbehaveyourselves while you were living it up with the Romanos?”

“Of course.” I swallow dryly. “We wouldn’t have done anything to cause you shame, Mother Superior.” Her lips press into a line so thin it might vanish.

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