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“Sure thing, Mum,” he said, his voice dripping with false sincerity.

She shook her head in amusement and let him lead—and half carry—her to their dorm building. When they reached her empty room, Jordan helped Alex over to her bed where she sat down andfinallykicked off her heels, wiggling her toes with relief. She found a note on her pillow from D.C. saying that she and Bear were in the Rec Room, but there was no way Alex had the energy to meet with them. She would just have to bring them up to speed about everything tomorrow.

“In you go,” said Jordan, pulling the covers down so she could slide in under them.

Alex didn’t care that she was still fully clothed. Now that she was lying on her comfortable bed, she wasn’t going anywhere. But she did at least have the presence of mind to remove Fletcher’s coat and drape it over her bedside table.

Lying back with her eyes closed, Alex felt Jordan lean across to tuck her in. When he was done, he bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“Love you, Alex,” he whispered.

Her eyes snapped open and Jordan burst out laughing.

“Calm down,” he said between guffaws. “I don’t meanlove-love. But you’re one of my closest friends—you’re myfamily. Of course I care about you.” His tone quieted as he admitted, “You really freaked me out tonight. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you.”

She was almost brought to tears by the emotion in his eyes. “Love you too, Jordan. In the same way. And I’m sorry I scared you.”

He reached out and squeezed her hand before a mischievousgrin spread across his face. “Speaking of the ‘L’ word… What’s going on with you and Kaiden, huh?”

Jordan wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Alex couldn’t stop the blush she felt spreading across her cheeks.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she mumbled, looking away.

He shook his head in amusement. “If that’s how you want to act, I can play along.”

She scowled at his knowing expression. “I’m under doctor’s orders to get some sleep—something that you’re interrupting.”

“Fine, be that way,” Jordan said, grinning. “I’ll see you in the morning. And don’t worry, this can be another one of our little secrets.”

“I have nothing to hide,” she told him, and then with a smirk she added, “unlike you.”

“Me?”

She nodded slyly. “I have eyes, you know. I’ve seen how you look at Dix sometimes. I should be the one askingyouwhat’s going on.”

His startled expression was all the confirmation she needed.

“I knew it!” she cried, sitting up excitedly. “How long have you liked her?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Alex.”

“Aw, come on, Jordan,” she begged. “You know I won’t tell her anything.”

He ran his hands through his hair and dropped down onto the edge of her bed.

“Look, it’s not like anything will ever come of it,” he said wearily. “She’s… well, you know who she is.”

A princess. Thatwasproblematic. But still, not impossible.

“You’re not exactly a beggar on the street, Jordan,” Alex pointed out. “As much as you wish it wasn’t the case, youdocome from a high-society family. And even if you didn’t, Dix ishardly the kind of girl who’d place conditions on her heart. You know that.”

He looked at her. “It’s complicated, Alex.”

“Yeah, well, so is life,” she said bluntly.

He rolled his eyes and said, “Don’t you have a bedtime schedule to keep?”

“But we haven’t finished talking,” she said with a Skyla-like pout.