23 A Lot More Than a Dating Show #2
Up to this point, she’d been terrified of humiliating herself on Love Galaxy .
Had abhorred the idea of what people might think of her, had worried about what would become of her reputation, had been scared she wouldn’t earn the money her family needed.
But this was the first time she’d feared for her life.
That night, bloody eyes haunted her dreams.
Temmi woke to blinding sunlight and a pounding headache. A heavy coil of dread pressed on her chest, making it hard to breathe and impossible to sit up. She stared at the ceiling through squinted eyes, bunching her blanket inside her fists.
She’d survived her first day and night on Expan Proper. But would she survive another?
Her CB vibrated. Words visible to only her eyes populated in the air.
Spie: In all fairness, there are probably a lot of things wrong with my brother, but he’s my brother, so I won’t be acknowledging any of them.
A second message followed.
Spie: Why? What’d he do?
Temmi sat bolt upright. In all the turbulence of Kya’s murder, she’d completely forgotten about her kiss with Nix.
She hovered her fingers above her CB, her instinct urging her to ask the princess about last night.
But Kalvin’s words burned in her mind as hot as the necklace beneath her shirt: not a word to anyone.
She drafted a response. Sent it.
Temmi: Nothing. I was drunk. Forget it.
Through her window, Temmi could make out two pairs of armed guards stationed at different points, the first to the right of a massive bubbling fountain and the second camouflaged at the opening of a forest path.
Had they increased the guard since last night?
Or was Temmi more inclined now to notice their presence?
As she slipped out of bed, her CB vibrated again.
Spie: What? No witty comeback? Now I know something’s wrong. I don’t remember you being drunk last night. Where are you, anyway?
Three other messages, all unread, flashed at her. The first was from Kalvin over an hour ago.
Kalvin: I hope you were able to rest. Remember I’m here if you need anything.
The second was from Manny.
Manny: Morning babe. Hair and makeup in the great room. Otherwise, you’re on your own.
The third was from Justine.
Justine: Congrats on surviving night one! Team Justine is gonna go all the way. Today’s call time is eleven. Group filming over breakfast in the ballroom. Don’t be late. Hair and makeup in the great room beforehand.
Temmi glanced at the time. Four minutes to eleven.
Great. She was definitely showing up late.
Across the bedroom, Arbora’s bed was unoccupied, her covers neatly made up, her belongings unpacked and stowed.
In contrast, Temmi’s side of the room was a mess of haphazardly fallen suitcases, her bed a disaster of sheets and blankets.
She bent to tear through her nearest suitcase—making an even-bigger mess—and fished out one of the jumpsuits Spie had given her.
As she was standing back up to change, a soft knock on her door made her jump.
She fully tripped over her suitcase in her rush to answer it.
Nix paced anxiously in the corridor.
“Your Highness.” Temmi blinked in surprise. “I didn’t expect—”
“You’re okay.” His thick hair was disheveled and a layer of makeup had been applied to minimize the dark bags beneath his eyes. “I was so worried.”
“Why? I’m fine.” A complete lie. Did Nicky know about Kya’s murder? Was that why he’d been worried? Temmi smoothed a hand over her baggy grey tee shirt, feeling suddenly self-conscious. Her hair was a matted mess and she’d forgotten to remove her makeup from the night before. “Are you okay?”
Nix braced one hand on the door’s upper wooden paneling and leaned close. “Can we maybe—” He jerked his chin at Temmi’s room.
“Oh, yeah, of course.” She opened the door wide.
He stepped through, running his gloved hands through his hair and pacing to the room’s center. Temmi closed the door but remained standing beside it. Nerves swam in her belly. Nothing felt safe anymore. Nothing and no one.
“Um, so.” He pulled at the fingers of his right glove, sliding it off then tugging it back on and repeating the action.
“I’m sorry I freaked out last night. Had a bit of an, um, well.
Sometimes, I just get so nervous, I feel like my nerves hijack my brain, you know?
But I wanted you to know the kiss was really nice.
I was up all night thinking about you. You must hate me or think me really odd. ”
“It was a fucking weird reaction. Er, sorry.” Temmi wrung her hands.
Took two steps toward him. Their kiss might not have been a magical rewiring of her brain, but it’d been nice enough, and he was achingly beautiful, standing there looking all apologetic and tortured.
And anyway, he was still her best shot at getting out of there with loads of cash.
If she got out at all.
An image of Kya sprawled across the toilet flashed through her mind. Fuck, it was suddenly hard to breathe.
“You’re honestly feeling okay after last night?” From across the room, his gaze roved over her face.
“Other than a minor hangover?” Could he tell she was trembling?
“I’m fine.” She wasn’t fine. “What about, um, Ambassador Ep-Kmin?” The words were out before she could stop them.
Kalvin had told her not to tell anyone, but he hadn’t said she couldn’t ask careful questions.
“I heard she wasn’t feeling well last night. ”
“Kya?” Nix frowned. “I’m not entirely sure, to be honest. Kalvin sent Spie and me a message about her having a bad reaction to the atmosphere.
She was transported to the nearest hospital.
We decided to send her home last night. No need for her to stay and suffer, although I doubt she was super pleased about the decision. But safety first, always.”
He doesn’t know, Temmi thought. Kalvin didn’t tell him. That or Nix was the best liar on the planet. Could he be a part of the cover-up? Unlikely with how anxious he got over something as simple as a kiss.
Temmi’s head pounded. Her CB vibrated. She looked down. Three new messages.
Justine: You’re late. Blessing Stone is gonna wring my neck if you’re not down here ASAP.
Justine: Never mind. I’m on my way to drag you out of bed myself.
Kalvin: Where are you? Do I need to send someone to check on you?
It was like having two producers.
Nix glanced at his own CB. “And that’s Kalvin.
” He laughed softly. “When I didn’t see you at breakfast, I left.
Didn’t tell anyone where I was going. Blessing Stone is less than pleased.
I’m gonna hurry back now—let you get dressed.
” There was a moment of hesitation, and then he leaned forward to plant a kiss on the top of her head. “I’ll see you in there.”