Page 48 of A Fierce Princess

“It’s the breakfast…oh, shit!” I half yell as I suddenly sit up, knocking my head into his. “Ouch,” I groan. “Sorry…shit, shitty, shit,” I mutter as I jump out of his bed and find my clothes strewn on the floor. I quickly dress. “I’m sorry…I…uh…need to go back to my room,” I say. I look toward his door and then his wall. I grin and give him a wink. He reaches out one hand, and I grab it as he pulls me back into bed and gives me a smoldering kiss before letting me go.

“I wasn’t lying when I said you were amazing, Anna,” he says to me.

I grin at him. “You weren’t too bad yourself,” I say with another wink before opening the secret door and leaving. I hear him laugh and I know he’s shaking his head at me. I giggle to myself as I race down the corridor toward my room. The passageway empties into Auggie’s closet. A slight problem, but I can get around that.

I crack it open and peer toward his room. The closet door is open, and he’s still asleep on his bed, his face buried in his pillow. I creep out and across the floor.

“Walk of shame, already?” he mutters into his pillow.

“Fuck off, Augs. I-I…shut up,” I say as I sprint out of his room and down the hall to my own. I know my face is bright red, and I can hear him laughing as I leave his room. Asshole.

I should warn Logan but there’s no time as I strip and take the world’s fastest shower before changing into another pair of leggings and an off-the-shoulder sweater. I do my hair into a messy bun, throw on lip gloss and head downstairs. I run smack into Auggie as I exit my room. He smirks. I roll my eyes.

“Soooo…do I need to give Logan the third degree?” he asks.

I shove his chest. “Don’t be such an arse,” I say to him.

“Well, it only seems fair considering that one time…” He trails off because I know exactly what time he’s talking about and if he even tries retribution for it, there will be a murder, and it will be his. I may have, as a much younger, immature, annoying little sister, announced the departure of one of his overnight guests. He got the third degree from our father and was sent to visit Auntie Lara for a month. Needless to say, he’s never, ever let me live it down. I glare at him.

“If you even…so help, Auggie…you won’t have any appendage left to require overnight guests, ever again!” I stammer at him, seething with little sister anger.

He holds up his hands. “Fine…fine. Just know, paybacks are a bitch. And karma will come back to bite you in the ass, little sister,” he says with a cocky grin on his face. I sort of want to deck him, but that’s exactly what he wants me to do. So, instead, I turn on my heels and walk quickly down to the dining hall.

Tessa has out all our favorite breakfast foods. It’s her full holiday spread. There are lox and bagels, toast, eggs Benedict, hash browns, cereal, bacon, sausages, and fruit. She always goes over the top when we first arrive. It’s like she’s been saving up, waiting for us to come to visit her, like a little, old grandmother whose grandkids just came for the summer.

I salivate at the smell of her food, and I suddenly realize how starving I am. I grab myself eggs, bacon, and half a bagel with lox, capers, and cream cheese. I’m about to bite into it when Auggie and Logan walk in together. They are talking and laughing, and I feel myself grow hot.

“OK there, sister?” Auggie asks, with a raised eyebrow. I glare at him.

“Why yes, brother,” I say to him. Logan looks between us and takes a seat next to Auggie and across from me.

I’m about to say something when Chris walks in with my dad. I can tell from my dad’s face that he has gotten more news about the explosion, and I can also tell that it’s not good news. He sits and gracefully lays a napkin across his lap before pouring himself freshly squeezed orange juice.

Silence descends upon the room as we stare at him and wait.

Chapter 21

My father drinks his orange juice, and then takes three long sips of his coffee. His eyes bounce from each of us as he does so.

“No news yet,” he states as though reading our minds.

I can hear every person at the table release their breath at the same time.

“I expect a briefing by noon since it’s now the middle of the night there,” he explains.

We all nod, and various conversations ensue at the table. I catch Auggie giving me a knowing smirk several times, and I return it with my best dagger eyes, but I also know Auggie won’t drop this, possibly ever.

I excuse myself first and hightail it to the one place I know no one will look for me, the butler’s pantry on the third floor. It hasn’t been used for decades, so everyone seems to forget about it. I grab my laptop on the way and settle myself in an old wooden chair in the corner. I log in and begin scouring, looking for any sign that M has followed us here. I see nothing that suggests he’s here. I also find nothing to suggest that he’s still in the Bahamas. An unease settles over me. I don’t even notice how many hours have passed until my phone pings.

I look down and see a text from Logan.

Logan: Where are you? I think I’m lost.

I laugh.

Me: Describe your surroundings.

Logan: Well…lots of pink…

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