PLAYBOY PRINCESS (gxg) ✓

28. Rory Preston

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                "WHERE IS SHE NOW?" RORY ASKED.

                 Simon shook his head. "I don't know—she disappeared when she realized you weren't there. She might be on her way here, but that's a landmine. Too risky. As long as you're here, you'll be safe."

                  Rory let out a breath—relief.

                  "This problem isn't over," Simon warned. "Amanda is Billie's sister. And ever since Billie passed away in that car accident, she's been waiting for this moment. Revenge."

                  The car accident hadn't been Declan's fault, but Billie had been drunk when it happened. A way to cope with the pain, her doctor had said. The pain of the trauma.

                  Now, since Declan and Billie were gone, Amanda was taking it out on Rory.

                  Rory shook her head. "It's Christmas, and I'm safe. We're safe. Let's just . . . let's celebrate the good stuff, alright?"

                 Something eased in Simon's chest, and Rory knew he was thinking of Alec.

                "Go on," Rory said, laughing. "Go find him. I know you want to."

                 Simon scowled. "Paris is waiting for you in the common lounge upstairs."

                 The common lounge. 

                 Rory thought of the roaring fireplace and the woven carpet and the hot chocolate machine. 

                 There was one thing she had to do first, though—a detour.

                 As Rory climbed the stairs two steps at a time, she passed by Ophelia. Who reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

                Rory wanted to shake away the royal secretary's touch, but she became perfectly still.

                "Your Highness," Ophelia said sweetly.

                "Ophelia," Rory said through clenched teeth.

                "Headed off to see your . . . girlfriend? Paris Young, right?"

                "Right," Rory said. "Anything you wanted to tell me?"

                "Oh, just a message from the king you can deliver to Paris," Ophelia said. 

                 Rory knew better than to believe anything Ophelia said, but she still grimaced. What message would her father need to deliver to Paris?

                 With a saccharine glint in her eyes, Ophelia said, "The king would like to ask Paris why she is not yet tamed."

                 Why who isn't tamed yet? 

                 Was she talking about Rory? 

                 Rory shook her head. It didn't make sense.

                 "Whatever," she said tightly. "I'll tell Paris."

                "See that you do," Ophelia said, her green eyes glittering, and she continued down the stairs. 

               Rory watched her for a moment, trying to puzzle out what the message meant, and then she brushed it off. Whatever it was, there was no reason to believe Ophelia. She trusted Paris.