Page 79 of Princess of Thieves

“Because we all know whatthatmeans,” Will says.

“How are you feeling?” LJ cuts to the chase.

“Honestly?” I press a hand to my belly. “Starving.” My stomach growls like it’s been hours since I ate, and I feel a little lightheaded.

“Yep, yep.” Tuck nods. “All makes sense. Any of these big energy expenditures and you’re probably going to burn a lot of calories.”

I smile. “Beats exercising, I guess.”

“So that’s why you’ve been feeding her so much, huh?” Will teases, nudging Tuck. “Just trying to replenish her power?”

Tuck blushes bright red, looking down at his feet. “It’s my love language, okay?”

“Hey, I appreciate it,” I put in. “I don’t think I’d have made it this far if you hadn’t made me breakfast that first morning back...”

I trail off, looking down at my hands, my hips. Where the bruises once were from LJ’s hands, now totally gone. They barely lasted a full day, come to think of it, and they weren’t small.

And the slice in my mouth, where I’d bit my cheek with Will and Rob...

Gone.

A smile curls at the corner of my mouth.

So, turns out I can fix things.

Even myself.

Chapter Nineteen

“Turmeric latte,” Tuck says, glancing at me with a soft smile. “It’s restorative. You’ll feel better in no time.”

I sit at the kitchen table a few minutes later, watching as he expertly mixes the turmeric with warm milk and honey, the smell of spice and sugar filling the room. After some stirring and heating, he offers me the mug, and I take a tentative sip. It’s good—earthy but sweet.

After a few more sips, the exhaustion ebbs away, and I feel a bit more like myself. “Thanks, Tuck,” I say, meeting his eyes. “That was...intense.”

Tuck grins sheepishly, sitting down across from me. “It’s promising,” he says. “I’m not sure exactly what we unlocked today, but it’s definitely a start.”

I take another drink as Tuck leans back in his chair, his expression casual but curious.

“What?” I ask, lowering my drink. “Do I have a milk mustache? Or you just wanna ask if it was good for me?”

“No, no, not that.” Tuck breathes out, his eyes finally meeting mine. “So, um, I heard from Will and LJ that there’s been, well, some significant changes for you recently. Financially speaking, I mean.”

I raise an eyebrow, surprised at how delicately he’s approaching the subject. “Oh? You heard that, did you?”

Tuck shifts his weight in his seat, his face flushing slightly. “Yeah, something like that. It’s just, well, they mentioned you might have come into a large sum of money. I didn’t get all the details, but, um—”

No point in hiding it. “They’re right. I’ve got about two million dollars, all told.”

It feels strange to say it, even though it’s the truth.

Tuck’s eyes widen, and he takes a small step back as if the hugeness of the number might physically impact him. “Wow, that’s... a lot. I mean, I knew it was significant, but that’s really quite, uh...”

I can’t help but smile at his awkwardness. “You’re telling me. It’s surreal, honestly.” I cock my head at him. “Why? You need me to spot you a few bucks?”

“What?” Tuck looks confused, then alarmed. “No, no! I was just wondering if it was...anyway.” He shakes his head before he goes on, his tone light. “What do you think you’re going to do with...all of that?”

I take another sip of the latte, buying myself time to answer. Internally, I’m conflicted. Two million dollars. It’s still a number that feels unreal to me, and I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with it, let alone how to even begin making decisions about something that massive. “I... don’t know,” I finally say, truthfully.

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