Page 127 of Tall, Royal Hater
My best friend arched a brow as a smile grew on her face. “What does that mean?”
“He means he couldn’t even if he tried to because he loves you so much,” I said with a teasing look of disgust at Kai through the mirror. “Am I right or am I right?”
The man’s cheeks turned pink. “You’re right.”
Hearts glowed in Esmeralda’s eyes as she placed her hand over Kai’s on her leg, grinning like an overexcited clown. “I love you too. So much.”
“Sickening,” I mumbled, shaking my head.
Esmeralda tilted her head mockingly at me. “Sher, can you control your woman, please?”
Fire torched my cheeks, and my mouth hung open.Oh no, she fucking didn’t.
She snickered. “That’s what I thought.”
I snapped my mouth shut. “I am nothiswoman.” I glared at Shehryar like what Esmeralda had said was partly his fault. “Andhecould never even dream of being able to control me.”
The faintest smirk tugged at one corner of his mouth, but I couldn’t tell if he was claiming he already had, if he was rising up to the challenge, or if he was enjoying Esmeralda’s teasing. “I wouldn’t want the headache of trying to control her either,” he said blandly.
I ground my teeth together as Esmeralda giggled and Shehryar arched a confident brow at me. At least Kai had the decency to try to hide his smile by keeping his gaze trained on the road.
After a second of letting him gloat, I flashed him a wide grin. “Well, it’s a good thing you’ll never have to worry about that, because you’renevergonna get the chance to.” I pointed at Esmeralda. “And you’re a little bitch.”
Esmeralda’s beaming smirk remained plastered across her face. “I am,” she agreed. “Five years you two have made me wait for this moment, so yes, I plan on being a huge bitch about it.”
I wanted to scream that there was nomoment, but I knew my best friend enough to know that was only going to spur her on more, so I bit my tongue and glanced out the window. But my annoyance made me restless, and within seconds, I picked up my phone to scroll mindlessly on social media.
Instead, new messages from my dad caught my attention in the notification bar.
Dad:
Hello how are you?
Dad:
I know you’re still enjoying your vacation and I don’t want to disturb it but I spoke to Patch yesterday and he mentioned the job at the Central Bank has a lot of interest so they’ll be closing the applications earlier than planned
Dad:
I got him to keep it open until 5th Dec but that’ll mean if you want to apply you’ll have to do it as soon as you come back home
Dad:
I’ve attached the job application so you can have a good look at it when you get the chance
Dad:
Let your mum or me know what you think once you have, otherwise enjoy today and don’t forget your mum’s tea! Love you Mar
An invisible hand pushed through my belly and wrapped its spindly fingers around my stomach, clutching and squeezing in a sickening rhythm.
I hadn’t forgotten about the job opportunity my parents wanted me to apply for, but I had done a damn good job of not thinking about it.
Now the door to my anxiety had been wrenched off and I couldn’t find the broken hinges to screw it back on.
Fuck…I needed to tell them. I couldn’t keep struggling with this feeling anymore, but…
“Hey.” Esmeralda’s soft voice yanked my focus up. “What’s wrong?”
