Page 64 of Rebellion of a Kingdom

I don’t linger for his response as I turn and head back to the house but smile when I hear him shuffling along behind me. He might not admit it, but she’s definitely already one of us and I can’t wait for both of them to realize it.

I spend the rest of the afternoon helping Helen set up for the slumber. We get the guys to push all the living room furniture up against the walls and then drag a few of the mattresses into the center. Max sends one of his guys out to get a big projector with a screen, and Lily adds a few fairy lights for ambience. By the time Taylor arrives, the whole room looks like a giant bed, filled with pillows and blankets.

Cassie is bouncing excitedly between Arthur and Helen on the sofa, as she yells out higher and lower to Zack and Max as they fix the projector to the wall.

“Wow, so when you said sleepover, you really meant sleepover.” Taylor stands awe struck at the door, as she takes in the room.

“Tay, you made it.” I greet her with a hug, and it feels good to be doing something so teenage like.

"Yeah, Owen gave me a ride." She eyes me curiously like she's waiting for me to expand on Owen's presence at her house, but when I don’t, she continues. "This place looks insane."

I laugh, "yeah well, what my daughter wants, she gets." I shake my head at the thought. I'm not usually the kind of Mom to give her things on a whim, but after everything that happened, I can't help it. I realize how precious time with her is.

She smiles, clutching her bag tightly. "I still can't believe you have a daughter."

"You get used to it." Marcus curls his arms around my waist from behind.

"I can't believe you got used to it. That's the most unbelievable part." Taylor jokes, and I can't help the laugh that bursts out of me.

"Miracles can happen." I jest lightly, and that earns me a nip to the neck from River.

“Watch it, little King.” He murmurs into my ear, and I can’t keep the wide grin from my face. These are the kind of nights I want. Fun and light-hearted, surrounded by my friends and family. Nights like this make it all worth it.

"Where should I set up?" Taylor questions.

I nod for her to follow me. "You're over here by Cassie and I. Come on."

I get Taylor settled and then we join Lily in the kitchen to make fruit mocktails for Cassie. Surprisingly, Lily gets on really well with her and it's nice to see a little friendship forming with them.

We watch two princess movies, eat more popcorn than I care to admit and have taken part in more Disney karaoke singalongs than I thought possible, with so many guys here. Tonight, is what we all needed, a reminder as to why we are doing any of this, a reminder of what we could lose.

A couple of hours later, Cassie is snoring softly beside me, tired out from all the fun of the slumber. Everyone seems to have settled in their own little groups. Max and Zack are playing Call of Duty, while a few of his guys watch. Ash is sitting in the corner tapping away on his laptop, Lily is sitting by him and she keeps pointing to things on the screen and he keeps batting her hand away.

Marcus, Lincoln, Jace and Logan all sat by the sofa, they’re laughing and joking and every so often I watch Jace's eyes float across the room towards Taylor and I.

“You think he would make it less obvious.” Taylor grumbles.

“What?” I’m guessing she has noticed the same thing I have, but I want to be sure.

She huffs, “Conrad and his lingering eyes, way to make a girl feel flustered.” She fidgets with her empty mocktail glass and pretends like she isn’t looking back.

“You like him.”I tease, bumping her shoulder with mine and I see the blush against her pale skin.

“What’s not to like? Look at him! He’s a freaking walking temptation.” She slowly flicks her eyes his way, then huffs again when she catches him already staring at her. “No eighteen-year-old should be that attractive. It's unnatural.”

I follow her gaze towards the guys and grumble my agreement. Because she is right. Marcus with his dark brooding eyes, Jace and his tattooed torso, Lincoln, and his little corner of the mouth smirk. Hell, I can even appreciate the sharp line of Logan’s jaw. All of them are ridiculously good looking, yet more than that because they also have personalities that rival their looks. A dangerous mixture for anyone who gets too close, they’re hypnotic.

“So, what are you waiting for?” I wonder. I know Jace doesn’t want her in this, but she’s already in it whether he likes it or not. I mean technically she was one of us before he was.

“A cold shower,” she mutters under her breath before adding louder, “I thought after the dance, when I kissed him.” She shrugs, “I don’t know, that he would make a move.”

I flinch at the mention of that night. Fuck. To be normal and be worrying about something as mundane as kissing a guy and him not reacting to it. She doesn’t even know half of it. Jace probably forgot all about it.

I sit up on my knees and grab her hand, “look, there has been a lot going on, but I know Jace likes you more than he is letting on, so if you like him, then you should tell him.”

She looks at me and then back to him before she also shifts to her knees. “You know what, you’re right!” She agrees, her face setting into determination. “What’s the worst that could happen?” She adds and then before I can say anything, she stands and makes her way across the room to the guys, and I have no choice but to follow.

Because she’s right… What’s the worst that can happen?

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