Page 36 of Protected by the Fallen
Zeke ends our kiss. “Don’t make threats you aren’t willing to follow through with,” Zeke warns, tucking my waist tightly against his body, “You know no one else is as fun as us.”
“Until you are carried away by the diplomats,” Oren says with disdain.
“Lucky for you,” I hear someone say behind me. “I’ve sufficiently distracted our mother and her colleagues. We should have some time to ourselves.”
I spin out of Zeke’s arms, a new smile forming on my face. “Adrian.”
“Hello, Angel.” He wears a devilish grin. “Did you miss me?”
Sixteen
I shake my head,acting like his flirtatious question is ridiculous, refusing to let him see how he makes my heart skip a happy beat.
Adrian wears a fitted tuxedo like his brother. In fact, they match completely. Their midnight blue bowties are the same, except for the fact Adrian’s hangs loosely around his neck. The sight of his slight rebellion makes my smile grow. “Nice outfit.”
He smirks. “Back at you. I knew you’d look great in that dress.” His gaze travels over the sweetheart neckline and form-fitting fabric. Heat gathers behind his brown eyes. Desire, wanton and unveiled, stabs me in the chest. I almost give in to my desire and close the distance between us when a feminine voice breaks the spell.
“Adrian, how lovely to see you.”
I look back at the group. Roxy’s bedroom eyes are locked on Adrian. So, she’s got it bad for both of mybashertens.Undeniable possessiveness threatens to take over, and I have to shove down the ugly emotion. My inner beast wants to claw her eyes out.
“Roxy,” he returns coolly. Unlike Zeke, he doesn’t bother to be polite. He looks at the rest of the group, and his demeanor lightens. “Nice to see all of you. Thank you for coming to the banquet.”
“Did we have a choice?” George asks with a smirk. “The invitation read more like a summons than a request.”
“Ah, yes,” Adrian sighs, moving to stand to my left, closing out the circle with Zeke on my right. “That would be our lovely mother at her best.”
“Her determination to get what she wants is one of your mother’s most admirable qualities,” Roxy replies, killing the levity of Adrian’s remark. I watch as her own determined eyes, once again, land on Adrian. “Tell me, are you avoiding me?” Either she doesn’t notice or doesn’t care that he shows zero interest, or that I’m standing right here.
“Why would I avoid you?”
Roxy tosses her hair over her shoulder. “Oh, I don’t know. I only ask because you’ve been living in the embassy for days, but I haven’t seen you.”
“Our mother keeps us busy,” Zeke speaks up, drying to diffuse the tension both he and I sense building in his brother.
“As does our Angel,” Adrian caresses my arm, and I shiver.
“She’s not an angel,” I don’t think Roxy meant to say that out loud. Her face colors ever so slightly. Then, she lifts a hand in the air and waves at someone behind me. “Oh, look. There’s Zelma. I must go say hello. Excuse me.”
With a dramatic swish of her skirt, Roxy sashays away.
I’m speechless.
George doesn’t have the same problem.
The strawberry blond barks a laugh. “Looks like someone’s finally knocked Roxy down a peg or two. Veronica, welcome to the group. In case you don’t know, we’ve been waiting for you a long time. Please don’t ever leave us.”
The bubble breaks, and the awkwardness dissipates. I peek at Adrian. He’s smirking. A glance at Zeke confirms he’s also amused.
“I second George’s statement,” I’m surprised when Cecilia speaks against Roxy. Being the two females of the group, I’d assumed they were close. “Roxy is too cocky for her own good. It’s about time she abandons her foolish pursuit of you two.”
My eyes are wide as saucers. Did she really just admit Roxy is after my soulmates in front of me?
Seeing my expression, Cecilia explains, “Please don’t think I’m cruel. If you had to watch her embarrass herself for centuries, you’d be relieved too.”
My jaw falls open. I close it and clear my throat. “I-I don’t think you’re cruel. It’s just…” I look at my soulmates. Neither looks like he’s going to intervene. Jerks. “It’s just that I’m surprised you’d tell me your friend likes mybashertens.”
Oren laughs, and speaks before his soulmate can, “She’s obsessed with them, but never fear Veronica, our Roxy has an unhealthy attraction for power. It’s nothing serious.”
