The Royal Contract

"Oh, payback time," Troy stated with a wide grin. "Have you fallen in love before?" 

"Yes." It was a simple answer, so Jacky felt relieved that she did not have to drink again.

The game went on, as everyone was being chosen by the bottle randomly. Some of the questions were relatively easy to answer, some dares were not that complicated to do, and if they don't want to do it or answer, all they had to do was drink the shot.

It seemed so simple, but not when some of the players were starting to get tipsy. That was where the problem began.

"How many sexual partners have you had in total?" Troy asked Jacky, who was getting drunk every time Troy asked the questions or made her do things.

"I think I need another drink," Jacky said as she dodged again another of Troy's questions.

As the bottle turns, again and again, questions and dares flew among them.

"Do you want to continue to date, Jacky?" Alex asked Sebastian, wanting to get a gauge if he was another Marcus or Lance. Or someone in between the two.

"Definitely. I want to get to know Jacky more." Sebastian answered him. That was his whole purpose of being here with her and even joining this game.

"How serious are you about marrying Dani?" Sebastian was the one asking the question when it landed on Alex this time. He heard that the two were already engaged to be married, so it was an appropriate question.

Alex was still sober since he answered and did the simple dares that they asked of him. But this question took him aback. "I am very serious." He said, holding Dani's stare. He was sure that Dani was also surprised by the question, and she was probably waiting for his answer.

He was not sure if that was the truth. Or if he was only saying that because of the game. Not this game, but the contract that they had signed. For the first time, he remembered that he still had to marry someone. But was he ready to marry Dani?

Then, the game was back on again. Another spin of the bottle and landed with one of the boys again. "Truth." He answered.

"Do you like Dani?" This time it was Alex's turn to ask the question.

He wanted to know the truth, but he was unsure if the man would honestly answer his question.

"Yes, I do like her very much," Troy answered him, his eyes unwavering as he stared at Dani. "If you are not going to marry her, then I will." Troy openly answered him, daring him to tell him to shut up. 

"But we both know that it is only you Dani wants, so I am settling to be a good friend to her." He immediately retracted his answer, not wanting to drive Dani away from him. "I'm just saying that she is a good catch, and any man could easily fall for her."

As of now, he had to accept that Dani wanted Alex in his life, but if an opportunity for him to sweep her off her feet presented itself, then he would have no qualms to grabbed it.

He would steal Dani away from him because from the moment he saw her, he wanted her. It was just unfortunate that somebody beat him to her.

"Yes, she is. I am a lucky guy that she chose to marry me." Alex could not help but rub it off his face that Dani was already his, and nobody could take her away from him.

He just wanted to make sure that Troy should know his place. He should not cross a boundary that he was not welcome. Because if he did, Alex had no problems beating him into a pulp.

"I think it is time for us to go." Dani could feel the tension in the room just went up another notch. "It was a lovely party, and happy birthday again, Troy."

What started as a friendly game was turning out to be a disaster waiting to happen. Dani did not want another scene like the other time, so she would end it now before it escalated to something more.

Besides, it was clear that Jacky was already intoxicated. She had to bring her home. 

"We're going. But it is still very early." Jacky said with a slight slur in her speech.

"I think it is better if we go home now," Sebastian answered Jacky, seeing that she was not in any condition to continue anymore.

It appeared it was only her who drunk most of the tequila. She refused to answer most of the questions and do the dares.

None of them had much to hide, and Troy answered everything asked of him. Whether all of them were true, nobody knew but him.

"Dani, I am sorry. I did not mean to say anything to offend you." Troy said in a low whisper near her ear when he came closer to her as Alex helped Sebastian with Jacky.

"It was nothing. I know you were joking around." Dani answered him, not wanting anything that happened this night to affect their friendship.

In her opinion, she could stay friends with him as long as he did not cross any line. So far, a declaration that he like her did not mean that he was acting on it. Or was she being naive about it? She questioned again, herself. 

Troy finally excused himself to join the rest of his friends who were celebrating on the other side of the club.

"Shall we go?" Alex stood by her side and wrapped his arms around her waist. He guided her out of the club with Jacky and Sebastian in front of them.

Every step they made going to the exit, so was her wish to leave the place. She could not shake off the feeling that someone was watching her. Then, a tingling sensation had her hair standing up. 

As if there was something off about this evening. Was Dani just paranoid, or was there a stalker in their midst?