Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 174632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
“Are you all right? That was quite the fall. You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?” Pippa asked.
Maggie shook her head, uncertain of what to say. That didn’t happen to her very often, so it was weird.
“Oh no, thanks. I’m right as rain. Hunky-dory. Fit as a fiddle.”
And ready to die of embarrassment.
“Uncle Willy, are you ready to go?”
Her uncle gave them all a curious look before nodding and holding out his arm to her. She breathed a sigh of relief. Sometimes, he missed social cues. But this time, he seemed to understand her sense of urgency and that she needed his help.
Wrapping her arm around his, she let him take a lot of her weight.
“We’ll talk later, William,” the queen said. “Margaret, I hope you feel better.”
Maggie smiled and bobbed her head. That was all she was capable of at this point.
Just when she’d thought she’d gotten away, Jack appeared beside her. He was carrying the equipment she’d dropped.
Crap.
He spoke to her quietly. “How hurt are you?”
“I . . .” Shit.
“Hurt enough to need a doctor?” he asked.
“No, no, I’m fine. Thanks.” She stared up at him, trying to give him a reassuring smile.
For a moment, he didn’t look very happy. But then he smiled back. “Well, I’ll just walk with you anyway.”
Awesome. Her own personal escort.
“But I can give you some easier suggestions for the next time you want to get my attention.”
She groaned. Dear. Lord.
“Young man, are you flirting with my niece?” Uncle Willy demanded.
Jack looked over at Willy with a smile, before he reached over to take the equipment from him. “I am.”
“Good.”
She stilled, giving her uncle a shocked look. “Good?”
“Yes. You could use a bit of flirting. Some fun. Even a few dates.”
“Uncle Willy!”
By now, they were at the car, thank God, and Beck had opened the door. She glanced up at him, to see whether he’d taken any of this in, but his face was void of all emotion.
However, she could almost swear she saw his eyes twinkling.
“I’d be happy to flirt with your niece anytime,” Jack said with a grand bow. “Just send the word.”
Marvelous. This was just blooming marvelous.
6
Ian watched her walk away with a frown.
Something stirred inside him. Something that felt like worry.
But that would be ridiculous, right?
Why would he feel concern over that pain in the ass? She was a mess. A brat.
Definitely not someone he should worry himself about.
Only . . . was she limping?
Had she hurt herself when she’d fallen? She needed to take more care. What if she’d been seriously harmed?
“Ian, that wasn’t very nice.”
He almost jumped at the voice from behind him. Alarm and anger flooded him as he realized he’d forgotten his primary job. To guard the princess and her friends.
Instead, he’d been obsessed with watching that brat.
She’d distracted him.
A cardinal sin.
“Excuse me?” He tried to act like he hadn’t just been caught out. Turning, he stared down at the women he was charged with protecting.
They were the job.
Not the misfit.
“Why were you so mean to Maggie?” Alina asked, looking worried. She yawned. She needed to go home for a nap. His Daddy Dom instincts pushed at him.
But she wasn’t his Little. And he had no doubt that one of her men would soon be here to take her home and fuss over her.
He wondered if the misfit had anyone taking care of her?
Nope. Not your concern.
Besides, she had her uncle. And Jack.
Ian wasn’t sure what Jack’s play was. He’d rarely seen him take an interest in a woman like he was with Maggie. He could just be doing it because he knew she rattled Ian.
Jack could be an asshole like that.
“You should be nicer to her, Ian,” Pippa said, chastisement in her voice.
He turned to stare at her in surprise. “I wasn’t mean to her.”
Had he been?
Sure, he wasn’t gushing over her like Jack was, but he hadn’t been mean.
Right?
“Just . . . try to be kinder,” Chloe said. “I think there’s something going on with her.”
“Like what?” he snapped.
They all stared at him in shock and he tried to rein himself in. Fuck. The last thing he should be doing was getting upset with the four of them.
Vivi grew pale before turning and running off.
Fuck.
“Vivi? Is she all right? What’s going on?” he asked.
Alina rushed off after her.
“Um.” Pippa bit at her lip.
“I’m calling Caleb.” He drew out his phone.
“Wait.” Pippa reached out to grab his hand. “Not yet.”
The sound of retching hit him. Fuck. Vivi was obviously ill. He gently but firmly removed her hand from his. “I need to call him. Vivi isn’t well and he needs to know. She’s his.”
Pippa sighed but nodded and walked back into the room as Vivi continued to throw up.
Chloe stared at him.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I know you have trouble opening up with people and showing them who you are. I’m not asking you to do that. But just remember that some people don’t show their pain. They hide it.”