Page 121 of Vexatious Queen

“Can I ask you a question? You can tell me to go to hell if it’s none of my business.”

“Okay,” I said, a little wary.

“How do you all make this work? I just can’t picture being in a relationship with four other guys and having to share my girl.”

That seemed to be the main question from everyone.

“Communication and respect,” I said, putting my backpack down on the bed. “That’s all I’ve really got. We talk…a lot about everything. Not that I’m complaining cause I’m not, but even just watching a movie is a matter of taking turns and being fair. It’s why I have clothes in all their rooms and try to spread out evenly where I sleep.” I shrugged. “It’s not always easy, but there are a lot of positives, and…it’s us. We just work.”

He nodded. “Thanks for answering. See you later.”

“No problem.”

Rory left, and I closed and locked the door.

Wandering over to Nash’s desk, I looked for my notebook amongst the clutter. I kept one in all of our rooms, strictly for homework, so I wasn’t always looking for them. It was nowhere to be seen. Squatting, I checked under the desk and growled at the disaster Nash’s room had become. It was impossible to find anything in here.

Frustrated, I stood and marched into the bathroom. I went to grab my hairbrush after flipping on the light, but it wasn’t in the holder.

“What the hell is going on?”

I searched under the sink before walking back out into the bedroom and staring around. It was such a mess that it was hard to decide where to start.

Damn Nash and his chaos. Clean and dirty clothes were flung everywhere, and every available flat surface was covered with takeout containers and plates from the cafeteria. My husband was a pig.

Forget studying, I needed to clean up, or I would never be able to focus. I stayed with the other guys for a few days, and this was what he did? I might kill him after all.

I spent another fifteen minutes combing the room for my missing hairbrush and notebook, but it felt like I was chasing the infamous sock in the dryer. It never made sense to me that two could go in, but only one came out. It wasn’t like either of my missing items was expensive, and my notebook was literally all school notes, but not being able to find them was just irritating.

Speaking of, I looked over at the two piles of laundry beside the very fully hamper. It was official…adulting sucked.

FEBRUARY 11 – WEDNESDAY 9:45 PM

Nash

Tonight had been a disaster. Everything from me knocking over a case of very expensive wine and smashing the entire thing. To my whiskey order being shorted and having to fight with the supplier. Then as if someone throwing up all over the floor in the men’s bathroom wasn’t bad enough…Nora suddenly booked time off work for a few days. Which she was entitled to, but I didn’t have a backup plan in place other than myself.

Luckily, Volatile was closed until Friday, and she said she would be back to work by then. But the gym was still under construction at night, and I had to be there to kick the gym rats out and let the contractor and his crew inside.

On top of that, I had a board meeting scheduled at Collier Enterprises. The shareholders were still uneasy without my father at the helm. Go figure. Ethan hadn’t been to any of the meetings, and Emmett was doing his best to keep the skittish flock at bay. But it was time I stepped in and gave them a comforting speech, backed by numbers. Then they might leave me alone for another month or two.

All I wanted to do now was find Princess and drag her into my bed.

My car beeped when I locked it, and then my phone rang. Apparently, this day wasn’t done with me.

Pulling it out of my pocket, I answered right away. There were handful of people I never ignored, and Mr. Genovese was one of them.

“Mr. Genovese, hello.”

“We’ve been over this, Nash. It’s Edmundo. We are family now.”

“Sorry, sir. Some habits are hard to break. Are you back from your trip,” I asked, stepping onto the lit path that led to the front doors of Wayward.

“I am.”

“Did you find what you were hoping for?”

I held my breath for the answer. Not sure that I wanted to know.