Page 50 of Little Bird (Advantage Play 3)

“For taking care of Regina. I was tasked with watching her, and I failed. Without you, she never would’ve made it out of there.”

His compliment makes me pause, and I rest my head against the headrest behind me, contemplating the validity of it. Would she have made it out of there? Did she really need me? And did I end up saving her, or was it the other way around?

“I did what I could,” I admit on a sigh. “But I’m not sure if I crossed the line or not in the process.”

“You mean by sleeping with her?” Stefan suggests.

My eyes pop open in surprise, but I don’t deny it.

“Regina doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to do, man. Trust me. I’ve seen it firsthand. She likes you, and I don’t think you should discount that. Neither should Kingston. Now, we just have to wait and see how it all plays out.”

I roll my eyes, unable to hide my annoyance. “We already know how it’s going to play out.”

“We’ll see,” he says ominously.

And I leave it at that.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Regina

My stomach grumbles, finally getting the best of me until I find myself with my back to the kitchen in front of an open fridge showcasing my snack options. Feeling weirdly indecisive about what sounds good, it hits me.

I hadn’t been able to choose what I wanted to eat for two weeks. Dex simply brought me whatever was available, and I ate it. Things started bland, like the cool soup and tepid water. But soon, Dex was sneaking in Snickers bars and M&M’s in hopes of making me smile while attempting to help me forget about my crappy circumstances for a minute.

And it worked.

Angry, I slam the fridge closed and turn toward the stairway, determined to go sulk in my room a little longer when I run straight into a chest.

A warm, hard chest that smells a little woodsy with a side of—

“What the hell are you doing out here?” Dex’s gruff voice scolds.

With my hands pressed against his pecs, I look up and nearly crumble before realizing the guy in front of me is pissed. And I have no idea why.

“Excuse me?”

“What are you doing out here?” he repeats, trying to soften his tone by removing his initial curse from the question.

“I was hungry….” My voice trails off when I realize his hands are resting against my hips, pinning me in place.

“Do you always walk around here dressed like that?”

Looking down, I find myself in a soft, white T-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts. If I’m being honest, he’s seen me in a hell of a lot less.

“Dressed like what?” I question, peeking back up at him.

With a shake of his head, his jaw tightens. “I can see your fucking nipples, Regina, which means every other soldier in this house can too.”

I look down at my chest, and sure enough, they’re standing at full attention.

Oops….

Still, his tone makes me bristle, fanning the flames of bitterness that have been threatening to take hold ever since he let me walk out of Kingston’s office without bothering to fight for me.

“I’m sorry, what the hell is your problem?” I spit.

His fingers tighten against me. “Nothing.”

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