Page 57 of Into the Woods

“A dog then,” she corrected, sighing dramatically. “Buzzkill.”

“He really is,” Bishop chimed in. “I begged Royal to send Knight with us, but nooo. He had to send Mr. Ray of Fucking Sunshine.”

Becca giggled, the sound doing funny things to my chest while making me pissed that I wasn’t the one making her laugh. Why was it always so goddamn complicated?

Bishop leaned in closer to Becca, cupping his hand around his mouth to stage-whisper at her. “Personally? I think Royal knew—”

“Let’s go,” I snapped as the elevator door opened onto our floor with a chime. I motioned for Becca to exit first, and when Bishop followed, I elbowed him in the ribs.

“Oof,” he hissed, glaring at me.

Becca turned, eyes wide. “Everything okay?”

“Perfect, sweetheart,” I assured her with a smile, stepping up and placing a hand at the small of her back to guide her down the hall to our room. I let out a relieved breath when she didn’t move away from my touch.

“Touchy bastard,” Bishop groused behind us.

“Pretty sure my mom is the one he married,” I pointed out with a smug smirk over my shoulder.

Bishop flipped me off while Becca slapped my stomach with the back of her hand and told me, “Be nice.” She gently shook out her fingers and mumbled something under her breath. I wasn’t entirely sure what she’d said, but it sounded a lot like, “Are your abs made of bricks?”

I fought back a grin and pulled up short at the last door in the hallway across from the emergency stairs. Never hurt to have a quick exit if needed. I reached back and grabbed the keycard from Bishop to unlock the door.

After rapping my knuckles against the door in a quick pattern, I pushed the door open.

“What was that?” Becca gave me a strange look.

“What was what?”

“The weird knocking thing,” she replied, gesturing to my hand.

“To let me know who was on the other side of the door,” Rook said, appearing out of one of the bedrooms.

The hotel room was a decent size for Europe. Not the palatial size of most US suites or even some of the more modern European and Asian ones, but it had two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The bedroom I had was the master, with its own en suite and king-size bed. The other room had two full beds and a bathroom that was also attached to the main living space. There was a tiny kitchenette and a desk that we’d turned into our command hub.

I’d offered to give Rook or Bishop the solo room, but they’d joked they were used to sharing space with other guys and I was the entitled prince who needed his own space.

It was bullshit, but I’d taken the solo room nonetheless.

“Whoa,” Becca murmured, her gaze sweeping the space and lingering on the four computers and six burner phones all plugged in on a couple of power strips.

“Drink?” Rook offered, walking to the small fridge and grabbing a beer.

“Yeah,” I replied, needing something to take the edge off.

“Definitely,” Becca chimed in.

I gave her a look.

“What?” She planted her hands on her hips and glared at me. “I think, out of everyone in this room, I’m the one who has the most solid reason to get shitfaced.”

Bishop laid a hand over his heart. “You don’t have to convince me, babe.”

I resisted the urge to deck my brother, instead focusing on watching Rook pass a beer to each of us. I didn’t open mine until after Becca cracked hers and lifted it to her mouth. She tried to hide it, but there was no missing the way her nose scrunched up and her mouth twisted.

Smirking to myself, I opened mine and chugged half of it. I set it on the edge of the coffee table and carried her bags toward my room. “You can stay in here.” I wheeled her suitcase into the dark room and flipped on a light for her.

She crowded against my side to get a look, her gaze snagging on the solitary bed. Her swallow was audible. “Uh, cool. But I can always get a room of my own—”

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