Like she had the right. Like they had before.
“I was actually hoping you’d find us. About to turn back on my mobile so you could track us.” She pressed into him, sniffing at his neck. “Bloody hell. You smell so goooood.”
Mobile.
I never turned mine off. I was the worst rebel ever.
Lifting my eyes, I caught him staring intently at me over her shoulder, though I couldn’t decipher anything in his expression. All I knew was what was in front of me. Hazel and Lennox. With every breath, reality sank around my feet, twisting my gut.
Theo, my mind screamed at me. You don’t care. You have Theo!
Suddenly I missed him, needing him to clear my head.
“Let’s get out of here,” Hazel muttered into his ear, hands moving over his chest, her voice having no understanding of volume. “Go back to mine.”
He seized her arms, pulling them away from him. “I’m on duty right now.”
Hazel’s attention once again went from him to me with more awareness than felt comfortable, her lips pressing together.
“Bollocks.” Eloise strolled up next to me, her hair tied up in a top knot, her arms folding in a huff. “They found us.” Her attention darted around the room. “Where’s the other?”
“Outside.” Lennox moved away from Hazel. “In the car, waiting for Your Highness. If you ladies are ready to leave?” He gestured to the back door.
“Yeah, why not? You crushed the good vibes anyway.” Eloise brushed a few strands of hair from her face.
“Glad to be of service.”
“How did you even find us? We turned off our phones,” she asked, her eyes not able to fully land on anything.
Lennox smirked his eyes darting to me, then back to Eloise. “I was trained to spy on the deadliest, most deceitful, corrupt men in the world.” He motioned around. “You three are like finding fluffy kittens in a wolf haven.”
His hand pressed into my back, moving us forward.
“Don’t worry, Duchess, it wasn’t your cell that led me here,” he fake-whispered into my ear, letting them hear him.
“What?” Eloise swung around. “You left your cell on? You know they can track them, right?”
“Didn’t even need to ping the mobile.” He shrugged, twisting to unlock a side door with his hip, opening it for us.
“How then?” Eloise asked.
“Next time you steal a car.” He guided us out into the freezing night, my feet instantly absorbing the icy cement, cooling my overheated skin, the air kissing my skin like a seductress. “Make sure it isn’t so noticeable, and the owner doesn’t have a LoJack on it.”
Chapter 24
My lids split open to dull morning light.
Pain.
Throbbing. Cruel. Unrelenting.
I tucked my head deeper into my pillow with a whimper. The jackhammer of agony crashed into my skull and spun my stomach with bile.
Tucking into a ball, I realized I was just in my underwear and bra. Unidentified bruises and stains covered my limbs, and my feet looked almost black with dirt.
What the hell happened?
The night before was almost a complete blur. The event was spotty, and the club felt more like wisps of a dream I couldn’t recall but still could sense on me like a vibration.
Guilt. Excitement. Joy. Desire. Shame.
Groaning, I rolled up slowly, trying to keep my brain from falling out of my head or busting my eyeballs out. I had been hungover several times, but this was different. Between the alcohol and the happy pill, I was in full crash mode, my body rejecting and craving more of each.
Wobbly, I made it to my shower, wondering who put me to bed. I had an inkling of getting into an SUV at the club, but that was it. The ride home, getting to my room, or undressing—I recalled none of it.
Letting the water fall over my face and massage my head, I felt only a smidgen better when I got out, dressing in comfortable clothes.
I didn’t want to do one etiquette lesson, one interview, or one event. Today was mine to recover like a normal nineteen-year-old.
I was longing to go see Landen and Mina and, if not, then horseback riding. To feel the breeze on my face, the quiet of the woods. Everything else could wait. Today I was putting my foot down.
My cell was plugged on the nightstand. I grabbed it, scrolling through the hundreds of texts, voicemails, emails, and notices from social media inundating my mobile. Theo’s missed calls stabbed at me the most, twisting guilt I didn’t understand deep into my chest. I needed to go see him, feel his kiss, his arms and smile assuring me everything would be okay.
Lost in thought, I opened my door. The sound of movement across from me flicked up my head, stopping me dead in my tracks.
Hazel crept out of the room across from mine, wearing the dress she had on the night before, a men’s black T-shirt over it; her cell, bra, and knickers wadded up in one hand. She was completely disheveled. Her hair was mussed, her eyeliner smeared, her lips puffy, her cheeks ruddy.
She looked like she had been thoroughly fucked.
“Oh, bugger!” she hissed, jumping when she spotted me. “You scared the crap out of me.”
My mouth wouldn’t open; I couldn’t speak. My focus went past her into the dark room, to a sleeping figure stretched out on the bed, his back to me, the sheets in a puddle on the floor, leaving him completely on display.
Lennox.
I was unable to stop my greedy gaze from rolling over his entire naked form. Taut. Muscular. The curves of his firm bare arse hitched my breath. Tattoos I hadn’t known about coiled over one cheek and up his side, making my tongue itch to investigate each line. He stirred, his shoulder blades and arse flexing, every inch of his backside on exhibit, setting fire in my veins.
My core pulsed, the need to trace my fingers over him, to feel him everywhere, sparked a memory from the night before—or maybe it was a dream—the craving washing over me like a tsunami. But as quickly it came, the opposite flooded in, drowning me in shame, disgust, and anger.
At myself. At Hazel.
At Lennox.
“I was hoping to sneak out without Theo, the king, or queen seeing me.” Hazel closed the door, cutting my attention back to her. “Could you imagine the humiliation of being caught doing the walk of shame, especially by Catherine?” Hazel rubbed her head with her free hand. “She would not approve. But my lord, if she knew…” Hazel blew out, her expression turning dreamy. “Had no idea he would be that incredible. My god… he… wow…” She fanned her flaming cheeks. “Like he was on a mission… had something to prove. That was by far better than I even imagined. And I have a very detailed imagination.”
I blinked.
“Well, I’m going to slink out the servants’ quarters.” She motioned down the hall. I forgot she probably knew this place better than I did, practically growing up here. “I had fun last night. We should do it again soon.” I’ll bet you did. “Oh, and tell Theo thanks for letting me borrow his car.” She winked. “Probably won’t even notice. Not like he drives it anymore.”
Blink.
“See you later, Spence.” Hazel squeezed my arm before rushing out, leaving me standing in the same exact spot.
I knew I had no right to be mad. She was a lovely person who had full rights to sleep with whomever she wanted. As he did. But no matter what I said to myself, fury and misery weighed my stomach down like cement, pressing down the guilt already sitting on my chest.