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“Oh my god…” Her words drift off as Lex passes them, heading straight to the garage. “Tell me that’s not for—"

“The gender reveal,” Lex finishes with a glower. “They’ve been here for three days. It’s like we’re hosting a state dinner or something.”

“Yeah, if you thought the masquerade and Valentine’s Day were a big deal, then get ready.” I snort, head shaking. “Father’s been preparing for this day for twenty years. It’s going to fucking suck.”

Once inside, we dodge staff dressed in white and black, carting in enough food and drink to feed an army. When we pass the ballroom, she gets a horrified glimpse of the explosion of pinks and blues. Not exactly subtle, but when has Rufus Ashby ever been accused of that? He’s notorious for his extravagance, but not for actually having any real taste.

Ducking around the heightened security, Danner stops us at the end of the stairs. “Your suits are waiting for you in your room,” he says, then turns to Verity. “And the Princess’ team is in her suite. Welcome back, Miss.”

“Thank you,” Verity sputters, watching Danner bow. “Team? There’s a team?”

“Hair, makeup, stylists. Your handmaiden is already organizing them.” He looks down at the container. “Shall I put that in the refrigerator for you?”

Her grip tightens, fully aware that if the pudding goes into the kitchen, she’s never getting it back. I reach out and snag it out of her hands. “I’ll take that.”

“Wick!” she grabs for it, but I hold it over my head, taking way too much satisfaction in the way she hops.

“Chill, Red. There’s a refrigerator up in Pace’s room. I’ll keep it safe for you there.”

She frowns but exhales in resignation. “Fine, but you better not eat it.”

I wrinkle my nose. “You really don’t need to worry about that.”

Upstairs, she parts from us outside our room. Pace looks up as she passes, dark eyes lifting from the screen where he’s been watching us until now.

Down the hall, Verity stops in her doorway. “What the—”

There’s no doubt what she means. Over the past three weeks, we’ve overtaken her bed, dragging in our own pillows and bedding, not the least of which being my Egyptian sheets. Lex brought in the fan that helps him block out the sound of Effie in her cage, his pile of parenting books and hair ties growing on the bedside table. In the bathroom, I’ve added my bottle of conditioner and shaving gel on the marble shelf next to hers. Pace hasn’t brought it up yet, but there’s a new monitor, still in the box, that I just know is going to make its way in there eventually.

Her room has, with varying degrees of embittered defiance, become our room.

She looks down the hallway at the three of us, her lips pressed into a thin line, but says nothing before stepping inside.

“How much time do we have?” I ask, stepping into the room and securing the food container in the refrigerator. I grab a bottle of beer and sit on Pace’s couch. Popping the top, I take a long swig, knowing it’s not enough to get me through the night. I reach for the box on top of the coffee table, but Lex’s hand comes down on top of mine.

“No weed. Not tonight. We need to be present. No slip-ups.” He looks toward the door. “Forthem.”

“Them?” I ask, but the confusion is short-lived.Her and the fuckling. Groaning, I fall back onto the couch. “Seriously?”

I look at Pace for a little help, but he shrugs. “He’s right. Everyone is going to be under a lot of pressure tonight. A clear head is probably for the best.” Lower, he angrily mutters, “Reckless bullshit. Can’t even vet all the people coming through here. Security this week might as well be a wet paper bag.”

Running my fingers through my hair, I look between them. “Who the fuck are you people?”

That sets the tone for the rest of the afternoon. We dress quickly, andsoberly, pulling on our tuxes and tying ties, until we’re waiting out in the hallway for Verity to get this night over with.

She emerges from her room in a white, lace dress that hugs the swell of her belly like a glove. The neckline is low, giving an appropriate but all too enticing peek at her tits. I swear to god, they doubled in size while she was over in West End.

My brothers both react to the sight of her in their own way. Lex is strung tighter than my cummerbund, the shell of his ear a glowing, blushing red. Pace stares at her like a heat-seeking missile, raking his bottom lip through his teeth. There’s no doubt in my mind he’d fuck her right here if he could.

How did I become the least horny fucker of the three of us?

Pace is the first to crack, stalking forward to meet her. His hand is curled around her neck before he even stops, hauling her into him for a hard, audibly wet kiss. Her fingers grip his shoulders hard, like she’s caught off guard, trying to stay balanced.

I run two fingers under my collar, trying to get air.

This night can’t end soon enough.

“You look…” Lex falters when Pace finally releases her, reaching up to rub his blushing ear. “Er, you look nice.” His gaze is fixed right to the swell of her stomach. After a beat, he adds, “Pretty.”