He hadn’t appreciated when I slapped the back of my hand against his forehead to check his temperature, either.
And that shit had been funny.
But then, I was also still on cloud nine after my night with Kingston, so I reined in my sunshine and rainbows and went to check on him for real.
He’d huffed and said he didn’t want to talk about it, and that had been that. I read the room, held in my misogynistic joke about it being his time of the month, even though Camelot Courtwasthetarget audience for that kind of joke, and I followed him out of the room.
After stomping down to Camelot Courtyard, he’d grabbed one of the two large bins waiting atop one of the bistro tables and started tossing hunks of fabric at us.
When I let mine hit my chest and fall to the floor, he snapped his head up. I propped my hands on my hips and narrowed my gaze on him, but he was too pissed off to come to his senses over some attitude.
When I whipped off my shirt to change, he cursed and stormed away.Thatreally worried me.
Because my sports bra was cute.
I changed quickly into the jumpsuit and watched for his return while Landon continued handing out the outfits to the girls as they showed up.
Max came back in eventually, slightly calmer but still acting strange. But Vivian didn’t pick up on his mood and continued to give him shit.
I thought he might lose it, so I intervened. “Vivian, the jumpsuits suck, but we all have to wear them.”
“Just because you’re used to wearing rags, Quinn, doesn’t mean the rest of us are.”
My exaggerated yawn turned a few heads. “Oh look, another joke about me being poor. How original.”
She rolled her eyes and stomped to her room to change.
I shrugged off the interaction and refocused on Max.
Iwasgetting a little tired of comments suggesting I was beneath everyone here. That was for damn sure. But during all that, Max had released some of the tension driving his shoulders up to his ears. He mouthedsorryand shook his head like he was trying to clear it, so that was good enough for me.
For now.
It reminded me of the things he’d said to me, about wanting me for me, and seeing the truth in my lies. So, I’d give him grace to have a bad day without dragging him over the coals for it.
Later, I might even see what I could do to helphimde-stress.
See if that loosened his lips for talking.
Or whatever else he wanted to do with them.
“Alright, Ladies, listen up!” Max barked from behind us. “For the third escape room, you’re all stuck in the same space. But you’re split into two groups.”
While Landon led the way to the largest cabin on the lake, I waited for Max to give us more details. Like I was new here. As if it was my first day at Camelot Court, back when I’d believed I’d get answers as soon as I arrived.
I chuckled to myself the longer Max stayed silent.
Because, of course, he explained nothing else.
Landon looked back at him, and my head swiveled to Max right as he shot Landon the bird. Then back to Landon, who rolled his eyes and filled in the details.
“Ladies, for this challenge, Max, myself, and a few of the other Knights will be your guards and fellow inmates. Your goal is to escape D’Arthur Prison, a high-security penitentiary for vicious criminals. You were all thrown into prison for crimes you didn’t commit, and once we divide you into your groups, your four allies will be your prison gang. Which means betraying each other will only get you shanked, and crossing paths with the rival gang, or consorting with the enemy, will get you in a fight. Fights get you thrown in lockup.”
“Seriously?” Vivian snapped. “Who came up with this?”
Landon ignored her. “Anyone placed in lockup has to wait twenty minutes before being released.”
“What if our group figures out how to escape while we’re in there?” Morgan asked, tossing her auburn hair into a high ponytail. “Can they leave us?”
