A Rogue For The Quadruplet Alpha's. Chapter 92: Flirting

Maria.

I had barely stepped out of Noah’s room when the door closed behind him, his presence lingering in the air like warmth that refused to fade. I could have waited, could have lingered a little longer in the quiet of his space, but restlessness crept into , light and fluttery. I felt... full. Too full to stay still.

So I left.

The surprise he had given sat heavily, and sweetly, in my thoughts, sothing precious that needed to be enjoyed in private, savored slowly like a secret ant only for . Just the idea of it sent a small smile tugging at my lips, one I didn’t bother to suppress.

I walked down the hallway toward my room, my steps lighter than usual, almost buoyant. A soft, disbelieving laugh escaped as I shook my head.

Soone cared for . Genuinely.

The thought felt unreal, like a fragile dream I might wake up from if I acknowledged it too loudly. For so long, affection had co with conditions, expectations, or pain tucked neatly behind it. But this, this felt different. Clean. Warm. Honest.

I pressed my lips together, smiling sheepishly at myself as I walked. My heart felt light, my chest warm, and before I realized it, I was almost skipping.

I jumped once, then again, unable to contain the happiness bubbling inside , when suddenly...I collided with soone.

"Oof!" I gasped, stumbling back slightly.

"See who looks so happy!"

I looked up, startled, only to et Vincent’s amused gaze. He stood there with an easy grin, arms folded loosely, eyes bright with curiosity.

My surprise lted instantly, replaced by a smile just as wide as his.

I smiled back at him, genuine and unguarded. For a brief second, I felt the urge to tell him everything, to spill the joy, the surprise, the warmth Noah had wrapped in monts earlier. But the thought stopped just as quickly.

Noah.

So things weren’t mine to share.

So I swallowed the words and tilted my head instead, playful.

"Doesn’t happiness look good on ?" I teased.

Vincent’s grin widened as he studied openly, his gaze lingering longer than usual. "Of course it does," he said smoothly. "You’re radiating like the sun right now. Honestly, the sun should probably cover its eyes ..can’t compete with you."

I blinked.

"I guess stunning is the word for soone as pretty as you," he added, completely unbothered.

Heat rushed to my cheeks instantly.

"Oh...stop it," I said, embarrassed, laughing as I lifted my hand and lightly hit his chest. "You’re impossible."

He clutched his chest dramatically, staggering back half a step. "Ouch," he groaned. "That hurts."

I rolled my eyes, but before I could reply, he straightened and looked at , really looked at . His playful expression softened, his gaze intent, almost teasingly serious.

"Now you’ve got my heart beating so loudly for you," he said.

My breath caught.

My ears burned, my cheeks flushed hotter, and suddenly I was acutely aware of how close we were standing. My heart thudded, not in the way he described, but fast enough to make uncomfortable.

Why was Vincent suddenly flirting with ?

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, he raised his brows, clearly enjoying my reaction.

"And what do you say to my beating heart, Maria?" he asked.

I scoffed, grateful for the humor that ca naturally to in monts like this. "Co on, Vincent," I said, shaking my head. "I didn’t hit you that hard. If I did, you’d be on the ground by now."

He laughed, the sound warm and infectious. "Ah, so you admit you could knock down?"

"Easily," I replied, smirking. "You should be careful."

"Noted," he said, still smiling. "But I’ll gladly risk it if it ans seeing you like this, happy."

The words softened sothing in .

I looked away briefly, my smile fading into sothing quieter, more thoughtful. Happiness still felt new, delicate. Like glass that might crack if handled too roughly.

"Well," I said lightly, lifting my gaze back to him, my lips curving into a playful smile, "don’t get used to it."

Vincent let out a soft chuckle, low and warm, the kind that seed to linger in the air even after it faded. "Too late," he replied easily. Then he turned his face upward, eyes drifting toward the open sky above us as if he were searching for sothing written there. "How about my heart," he added, his tone teasing but oddly gentle, "should it get used to you?"

The words settled between us, fragile and unexpected.

I didn’t answer.

For a mont, silence stretched, not awkward, not heavy, just... full. I stood there, unsure of what to say, unsure of what I was even supposed to feel. My fingers curled slightly at my sides, my heart fluttering in a way I didn’t quite understand.

Then Vincent laughed softly, shaking his head. "I was just kidding," he said quickly, turning back to and flashing the brightest smile I had ever seen.

It was dazzling.

The kind of smile that could light up even the dullest room, the kind that made you forget, just for a second, that the world could ever be cruel. There was sothing effortlessly radiant about him, sothing that drew people in without him even trying.

I found myself staring.

If I were still at the academy, I thought distantly, I was a hundred percent sure Vincent would have ranked second, right behind the Quadruplets. Not Darren. Vincent. He had that presence, that quiet charm mixed with confidence and warmth.

I was still lost in that thought, still staring at his smile, when suddenly his hand reached for mine.

Before I could react, his fingers wrapped around my wrist, not roughly, not forcefully, just firm enough to guide , and he began pulling along the hallway.

"Vincent..." I started, startled.

But he was already moving, leading forward with long, confident strides. I stumbled slightly before matching his pace, my heart thudding in confusion.

"Where are we going?" I asked, breathless, trying to keep up.

He didn’t answer right away, only glanced back at with a grin that told he enjoyed this far too much.

I had to take the dicine Noah had given . The thought surfaced briefly, tugging at my conscience. But as Vincent continued pulling along, laughter in his eyes, I pushed the thought aside.

It could wait. Just a bit.

He led through a familiar passage and then out into the open air. The scent of flowers and fresh grass imdiately filled my senses as we stepped into the garden.

Vincent finally stopped and turned to face , spreading his arms slightly as if presenting the place. "Look," he said, his voice softer now, calr. "Don’t you like the scenery?"

I looked around.

The garden was peaceful, bathed in soft light, the flowers swaying gently as the breeze passed through them. It was beautiful, serene in a way that made my chest loosen without realizing it.

But if I were being honest, it wasn’t the garden holding my attention.

It was Vincent.

His smile was still there, bright and open, so alluring it was impossible not to respond to it. There was sothing contagious about it, sothing that made smiling feel natural instead of forced.

I nodded slowly.

His smile brightened even more, as if my small reaction alone had pleased him greatly.

"Maria," he said quietly, still holding my hands now, his fingers warm against my skin. He tilted his head back again, eyes fixed on the sky, his voice carrying a strange sincerity. "I want you to be happy at all tis. Always happy."

The words struck deeper than I expected.

I felt my lips curve into a smile, small, genuine, but it didn’t last.

Because suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the calm of the garden like a blade.

"Maria, what the hell do you think you’re doing?"

My heart lurched.

I turned just in ti to see Aidan striding toward us, his movents fast and aggressive, his expression dark with fury. Before I could even react, he was already upon us.

In a split second, his hand shot out.

He yanked my hand free from Vincent’s grasp, pulling back toward him with such force that I stumbled.

"Aidan!" I gasped.

But he wasn’t looking at .

His gaze was locked onto Vincent, eyes blazing with a single, unmistakable ssage—back off.

The air between them turned sharp and tense, the peaceful garden suddenly feeling suffocating.

I stood frozen between them, my heart pounding violently in my chest, my fingers still tingling from where Vincent’s hand had been ripped away.

What just happened?