Page 52 of Lords of Misrule
“Yes, and I need you to act happy but like… You just sold your aunt’s painting happy, not we just got away with selling a stolen painting happy.”
She laughs. “I’ll try to control myself.”
“Going to be a struggle, I know.” I grin at her.
“That’s seriously amazing. You saved our asses. Rowan was going to be furious and now we actually will have something to show for it.” She takes a deep breath and lets it out on an exhale. “I think you might be my hero, Hudson.”
And fuck do I want to be this girl’s hero. Tonight and every other night that I can be.
Twenty-Seven
Charlotte
Hudson takes another long chug from the bottle and falls back on the bed.
“Cheers to being a fuckin’ loser.”
He was in an incredibly good mood as we left the party, but it’s dimmed since we returned to the hotel. I don’t know if it’s the alcohol, Sophia, the fact that we’re leaving tomorrow, or some combination of the above.
“You’re not a loser, Hudson.” I shake my head, stepping out of my heels and crawling onto the bed next to him.
I take the bottle out of his hands and put it on my nightstand. At least if it’s farther out of reach for him, he might actually slow down. I can deal with funny and talkative Hudson, wild and weird Hudson, even the very strange suave old money Hudson who I’d witnessed on this trip. But drunk and sad Hudson might outmaneuver me.
He turns on his side, crooking his elbow and leaning on his hand as his eyes dance with the drink. He looks me up and down and then meets my eyes again.
“How do you figure? I just lost my girlfriend. I have no real family who wants me. I fucking ran off to play hockey, and I’m not even good enough to make the cut for the pros. Then I fuck over a childhood friend because I need the money so badly. Now what? I go try to do something with a fucking media degree and charm?”
“Charm gets people a lot of places. You have it in spades. It’s why your friend gave you the money. And I wouldn’t feel bad. The party he threw tonight probably cost as much as that painting. It’s not like he’s worried about the money. Also… I get that you’re friends, or at least friends in the way people in your sort of society are, and I know that’s uncomfortable. But you saved us tonight because of it. Rowan or Finn couldn’t have done that. Don’t underestimate yourself.”
He gives me a saccharine smile that flattens.
“Which reminds me. I’m even fucking odd man out in our house.”
“What are you talking about? We all love you. You’re probably the favorite, frankly. If there was a blind survey, I guarantee it. Finn might lie and say it’s me if he knows I get to see, but it’s definitely you if he’s honest.”
“I’m the one who lays in bed at night listening to the rest of you fuck.”
“Oh. That.”
“Yeah.That.Know how awkward it is for us all to be hanging out one minute, watching a movie, doing our thing, and then the three of you run off to fuck? And I have to go to bed alone. Listen to you through the walls. Cock hard and desperate to fuck someone, and my girl is a million miles away. Then come to find out she’s not even my girl anymore. Hasn’t been for a minute, apparently.”
“Well, she’s a bitch for cheating on you. I can go fuck up her car or egg her house if it’ll make you feel better. And seeing him, I have no idea why she’s chosen him over you.”
“She wanted to get fucked in a used luxury car I assume. Besides… I can’t be too pissed.”
“No?”
“No.” He flops back against the pillow staring at the ceiling. “Cause when I jack off, I tried hard to see her face. Imagine it was her hands and her mouth. But she kept changing into you.”
My heart goes stark still in my chest. It doesn’t beat. I don’t breathe.
“Me?”
“It’s you I hear moaning so fucking loud. You smiling and curling up to watch TV in my lap on the couch. You I’m stuck here with pretending like we’re old fucking lovers selling paintings together.”
“I’m sorry.” I don’t know what to say, so I apologize instead.
“It’s fine.” He looks over at me, eyes glassy. “You should kiss me again though. For real this time. I want to know what’s so fucking good about it that you manage to have them both so tightly wound around your little finger.”
