The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 68

“Because,” Daphne says, giving a happy little sigh and taking a long sip of her wine, “you’re

–

right the boys here would throw themselves at my feet just because I’m the only girl here

– at least, the only admitted girl here.”

I raise my glass in toast to her, conceding the point.

“But,” she continues with a shrug, “I’m not going to throw myself at the first boy I find myself attracted to – fall in love, get wrapped up in a marriage I haven’t really considered, find myself ten years from now tied to a life that I didn’t want. I want to be more careful than that.”

I nod, understanding. “So, you want to choose your boys carefully. Clever work, Daphne.”

She grins at me, accepting the compliment. “Seems a waste sometimes, though. All these boys for the pickings and I just….leave them on the vine.”

“A job perk left unused,” I murmur, agreeing. “Is the job worth it, besides that? You seem really isolated here.”

“I am isolated,” she says, shrugging before grinning at me, “which is partially why I’m so

–

glad you’re here now seriously, you’d better make it through to the spring semester, I’ll be desolate if you leave me after only a couple months.”

“I’ll do my best,” I say, nodding seriously, “just for you.”

She laughs along with me but then I tilt my head to the side, considering her again, wondering about her past. “Daphne, how did you end up here?”

“My uncle got me the job,” she says quietly. “He was the tailor here before me he brought me in two years ago, when his heath started to fail and he couldn’t keep up with the work. And then when he died, they gave me his spot, because I’m fast, and I work hard, and I know the uniforms inside and out.”

“I’m sorry,” I say quietly, realizing that she really is all alone here now that she’s lost her

uncle as well.

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like all that. And the Academy pays incredible wages, so it’s well worth being alone for a little

mean to you?” I

she sighs, her eyes going a little far–off at the idea. “I don’t need a big mansion or

sound nice.” I say quietly, considering that…well, I never even thought of that as a possibility for myself. Total freedom, a

along if you want,” she says quietly. “But…I

stretching my leg across the bed and giving her a

–

crush on Rafe Sinclair since he hit puberty. That height? Those shoulders, those eyes?” she sighs, leaning

he’s so cute

not even that would be enough. I sigh because I mean, I know Rafe’s reputation

guess I’m just too close to it. “Poor Jesse,” I sigh, resting my head against

“Something tells me your Jesse needs to have his heart broken a bit, doesn’t

know his heart. is

Chapter no

loyalty, after all. “Jesse’s not a bad guy, Daphne, I don’t want you to think that. Just a

little too easy to fall in

Rafe?” I ask,

–

grinning at me. “Nobody actually expects Rafe Sinclair to look their way. You cousin

about this side of my brother and my cousin that I hadn’t thought of before, but certainly unnerved by

and smacking me on my knee. “Tell me everything. Ari – how the hell

story continues, I see her perk up a little, her intuition tingling, when Luca’s name starts to be

suddenly, interrupting my own sentence to lean forward and give her another

laugh and grabbing the bottle to refill my glass of wine, just a little bit. “Just…you

I protest,