by Kat Mizera
“Shoot.”
“There’s no way in hell I’m not making love to you every night… Am I sleeping here or are you coming to me?”
I laughed. “I think it’s safe to say I’m way too high-maintenance not to have all my stuff. You’re coming here.”
“Deal. I’ll bring a few changes of clothes tonight so I don’t have to run around to get ready in the morning.”
“Perfect.” I got up and moved around to where he was sitting. I leaned down, resting my hands on his shoulders. “Thanks for being so patient with me. I know I’ve been a mess lately, but I really want to explore whatever this is between us.”
He pulled me onto his lap and kissed me, his mouth firm but gentle as he coaxed out my tongue, one hand around my waist while the other dug into the hair at the back of my head. By the time we pulled apart I was breathing hard and his boner was poking the backs of my thighs.
“Time to go, Pretty Boy,” I whispered, chuckling.
He set me on my feet and adjusted himself as he got up. “I’ll be ready in a minute.”
We grinned at each other as he got ready to leave.
I spent the day working on my presentation about the next phase of the education bill. We’d passed emergency funding to get more schools open and teacher salaries raised, but we needed a dozen more schools to open in the fall, a budget to buy new buses, and of course we had to hire more teachers, more drivers, more school employees in general. Parliament had been pushing back against how much all of this would cost, but Erik insisted it was a priority, so I’d been crunching numbers for months. I had a virtual assistant who typed everything up for me, and I’d sent her my notes before we left Tahiti. I’d just printed them out to read through them when someone knocked on the door.
“Come in!” I called out.
“Hey.” Lennox poked her head in. “You have a minute?”
“Sure.” I looked up as she and Casey both came in, grinning like idiots.
“So.” Casey sat in the chair next to my desk, her eyes glittering. “You and Xander.”
“Tell us everything,” Lennox whispered, even though she was just being dramatic since there was no one to overhear her.
“You guys, I have work to do,” I complained, though I was chuckling.
“You better talk,” Casey said firmly. “Or I’ll tell the king and you know how scary he is…”
We all laughed since that was so far from the truth. “My cousin doesn’t scare me, but fine. What do you want to know?”
Lennox rolled her eyes. “Everything!”
“We fell into bed together and now I can’t get rid of him.” I shrugged as if it was a great burden.
“You’re so full of shit,” Casey laughed. “Tell us the truth.”
“He’s great,” I said with a more serious voice. “There’s a lot more to him than just his pretty face.”
“I told you,” Lennox said.
“He’s kind and gentle and smart. He’s strong but also tender, sexy but not at all selfish in bed, and though we tend to butt heads a lot, he makes me smile. Which hasn’t happened with a guy in a long time.”
“Sounds wonderful,” Casey said. “I’m happy for both of you.”
“We’re taking it slow,” I said quickly. “I mean, don’t start planning any weddings or anything. I just want to enjoy having a man in my life again, someone who gets me and doesn’t want anything from me.”
“Xander is good people,” Lennox said softly. “I saw all those parts of him when we served together, and again once we both started working for Joe. We’re too much like brother and sister for there to be a sexual attraction, but I can’t think of a man other than Sandor that I like and respect as much as Xander.”
“That’s good to know,” I said. “My friend Samaria in Tahiti, she loved him too.”
“And you know Erik wouldn’t have him working at the palace if he didn’t like and trust him.”
“He wouldn’t be part of the Royal Protectors if he wasn’t someone special,” Lennox said softly. “That’s why we’re so short-staffed, because Erik and Sandor refuse to allow anyone on the team unless they fit exactly what they’re looking for, which goes way beyond bodyguard skills. There are elements of trust, loyalty, kindness, bravery…things that are harder to find than your everyday soldier or mercenary.”
“Xander has all of those things,” I said softly. “I’ve never met anyone like him. I keep discovering new things about him, like how he speaks American Sign Language because of his deaf brother, and I like him more every day. It’s kind of scary to feel like this.”
“I’m familiar with that sensation,” Lennox chuckled. “Just enjoy the ride, girlfriend. Don’t overthink it and screw everything up like Sandor and I did. Luckily, he came to his senses, but you Gustaffsons tend to overthink everything… Look at Daniil and Jesper.” My brother and his husband were divorced after Daniil had hidden his ties to the CIA from Jesper.
“I know.” I bit my lip. “But I’m going to try to be better.”
“Okay, we’re going to let you work,” Casey said. “We’ll see you at lunch for the wedding meeting.”
“Maybe this time next year it’ll be your turn,” Lennox said, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Bite your tongue!” I told her.
“It wouldn’t be so bad, would it?” Casey asked, cocking her head as she got up.
“No, but I see what Lennox is going through and I feel like it’s a big charade we put on for the people, instead of for ourselves, which is what a wedding should be.”
“It’s still for me,” Lennox said thoughtfully. “There’s definitely an element of pomp and circumstance that I wouldn’t want if I had a choice, but the fact is, I’m marrying a prince. That’s part of his life and for me to love him the way I do, I have to accept all of him. The same goes for you. Any man who loves you will embrace your royal standing, or he’s not the right guy for you.”
“The problem is more me embracing my royal standing,” I said, laughing. “I got really used to being a commoner while we were in hiding. Being thrust back into it like this has been…harder than I imagined.”
“It might be helpful for you to sit down with Erik,” Casey suggested. “He’s had to weather huge changes, going from undercover CIA to the king of a European country, and even though he hides it well, I know how much of a struggle it’s been for him too. Really, stop by his office sometime and see if he can’t share some of his experiences.”
“Thanks.” I smiled at her. “I will.”
“See you later.” Lennox waved and then they were gone.
I had a lot to think about, but not now, since I had to prepare both this brief and my speech for tomorrow. It was never-ending, but it didn’t seem as daunting anymore.
21
Xander
I got to the daily security meeting a few minutes early and poured myself another cup of coffee. I had no idea if Lennox had told anyone or if anyone else had already figured out that I’d spent the night with Elen, but I was prepared to be calm, cool and collected. She was okay with people knowing, even though neither of us were thrilled with the idea of our fledgling romance being front and center in the place we both lived and worked, but it wasn’t a huge deal to me. Guys tended not to gossip that way, so I was hoping they’d all be on their best behavior.
“Morning.” Joe looked up. “You’re tan. You must’ve been able to mix some pleasure with business while you were in Tahiti.”
“Got some surfing in,” I said, leaning against the table. “Waves were pretty tame, but a good time all the same.”
“Elen surfs?”
“She does.”
“Awesome.” Joe got up and filled his own coffee cup. “Never been one for the beach myself, but my ex loved it. He was from Miami, where the waves are basically shit, but he used to get up there like a boss. I’d be on the beach watching him and laughing at those six-inch waves.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, Miami isn’t exactly a surfer hot spot,
though they try.”
“Morning.” Sandor and Lennox came in holding hands and I wondered briefly if that would be Elen and me in the future, walking around like a normal couple.
“Good to have you back,” Axel said, joining us and fist-bumping me.
“Good to be home,” I told him, “though I have to say, Tahiti is awesome. Elen’s friends that we stayed with, they’re fantastic people, and their hospitality was incredible. I definitely would like to go back.”
“She talks about them a lot,” Daniil said, coming in with Jesper behind him.
Jesper Vanta was Erik’s chief of staff, so though he wasn’t a Royal Protector, our schedule was directly linked to Erik’s. He joined us a few times a week and we synced up our calendars to make sure we were all in the loop.
“Ace is on his way back to Germany,” Joe said. “He’ll be commuting back and forth until Shannon finishes her school year there, and they plan to move here permanently at the end of June. Until then, we’re still operating on a skeleton crew and everyone needs to be on alert after Elen’s encounter with Omar in Tahiti.”
We all settled around the conference table and once Joe started talking about Omar, I forgot about my worries about my relationship with Elen. Omar’s blatant threat was alarming on so many levels, and the fact that Lennox had predicted this told us a lot about where his mindset was. She was a woman and had sensed it, and now we had to deal with it.
“First and foremost is Elen’s safety,” Sandor said. “Xander, I need you with her all day, every day. Which shouldn’t be a problem, from what I hear.” His eyes twinkled with mirth.
“That fucker won’t get anywhere near her,” I said, ignoring his attempt to get me to acknowledge our relationship. “I’m more concerned about his threat to the king.”
“That’s why this is such a big deal,” Joe said. “I don’t like any of it, and with our team spread out all over the world, as well as wedding-planning in full effect, I’m not sure how extreme we want to get, but my gut says we need to amp everything up. This guy isn’t going away and unless and until someone can take him out…” His voice trailed off and we all looked at each other.
“We need a team,” Erik said, looking directly at Sandor. “And someone needs to go after him. He’s not going to rest until I’m dead and I’ve already been dead. I’m done with that bullshit. He has to be eliminated, period.”
“Ace.” Joe spoke quietly. “Ace is all we need. We just need to give him the go-ahead.”
“I don’t think he’s willing to go that deep undercover right now,” Sandor said. “He and Shannon are packing up and getting ready to relocate here in two months’ time. He’s not going to leave her for an indeterminate length of time until she’s settled here and he knows she’s safe. We already discussed this and it’s not going to happen until after they’re here.”
“This is a problem,” Joe responded. “I’d like Omar eliminated before the wedding.”
“I can—” Sandor began.
“Don’t even think about it,” Lennox interrupted, giving him a look. “You are not making me a widow before we’re even married. Don’t make me kick your ass.”
Sandor chuckled and leaned over to kiss her. “Yes, dear.”
“He thinks I’m kidding,” she muttered.
“I can do it,” Axel said.
“Or me,” Marcus said firmly.
“This is a highly specialized op,” Joe said. “While all of you are skilled, you’re not assassin-level skilled, which Ace and Sandor are. I am, too, of course, but at my age… I’ve slowed down a bit so I’m probably not the best person for this job.”
“Then we hunker down until Ace is available,” Erik said reasonably. “In the meantime, Elen is never, ever alone. Not even here at the palace. Xander, are you able to handle this?”
I cleared my throat. This was it. “I spend a lot of time with her already,” I said after a slight hesitation. “So yes, I’m able to handle it.”
“So it’s true?” Sandor asked, glancing at me. “You’re together now? When did this happen?”
“Tahiti.” I looked around the table. “Okay, go ahead and get it all out now because this is the one and only time we talk about my relationship with Elen.”
“It’s serious?” Sandor asked.
“It’s new,” I responded. “But yeah, with serious in the plans.”
“But I thought…” Sandor looked so confused I almost laughed.
“You’re going to need to relax,” Lennox told him, laughing. “She’s happy. He’s happy. It’s none of anyone else’s business.”
“But are you going to be distracted?” Joe asked pointedly. “And I’m not being an asshole. I’m serious.”
“I’m going to chime in here.” Erik spoke up before I could. “I promise you, I love my wife more than my own life, and there are many distractions when we’re alone together, but not to the point that anyone could get to her when she’s with me. Out in public, maybe, because I’m just one man and we’re both targets, but at home? Not a chance in hell. And I have to believe it’s the same for Xander.”
“Absolutely. We have multiple lines of defense here at the palace and my phone is always right next to me. I’m always armed and she’s never going to be away from me unless there’s a situation where someone else, like Lennox, is watching out for her.”
“I think you need to go on the ladies’ trip to New York,” Sandor said.
“I think we need a full security detail,” Lennox said. “Which includes you, big guy.”
Sandor made a face but nodded. “I suppose you’re right. With Casey going, she’s going to need you, but because you’re the bride, you’re going to be pulled in a lot of directions so I guess it makes sense that I would go too.”
“I want you, Xander and Axel to go,” Erik said. “And if possible, maybe Chains can fly out from Vegas too. I don’t want any surprises.”
“Agreed.” Sandor nodded.
“Okay, so before we go back to the security briefing…” Daniil’s eyes filled with humor and he turned to Sandor. “Do we need to vet this guy? I mean, he’s dating our sister.”
Sandor looked serious as he thought about it. I wanted to roll my eyes, but opted to wait, see where they would go with this. I already knew, deep down, that they wouldn’t have a problem with Elen dating me, although I didn’t know Daniil nearly as well as I knew Sandor.
“You guys know that Elen doesn’t give a flying fuck what her brothers think when it comes to dating, right?” Lennox asked, chuckling as she looked from Sandor to Daniil.
“It’s still our job as her big brothers to protect her,” Daniil said.
“I think you’re a wanker,” Jesper said to his ex-husband with a laugh. “And busting his balls because you can.”
“Shhh!” Daniil laughed, nudging him. “Why do you have to spoil my fun?”
“I think we need to mind our own business,” Erik said lightly.
“Fine.” Daniil leaned back in his chair, but glanced over at me. “I’m trusting you to take care of her, though. The idea that Omar has his sights on her, well, I’m not happy about that at all.”
“And that’s what we’re going to talk about,” Joe interrupted. “If you guys are done busting Xander’s balls.”
It was late before Elen and I met up in her suite. I’d packed a small bag of things to move over there and she’d cleared a drawer for me in her dresser so I could put socks, boxers and undershirts away. I hung a suit and my cargo pants in the closet, leaving my sweatshirts on a shelf. I left workout clothes in my bag on the floor of the closet and put my toiletry bag in her bathroom. It was weird, settling in like I did this regularly, but everything with Elen was pretty natural. We’d fought a lot before, and I figured we would again, but this was probably the honeymoon period where we were both on our best behavior.
“I hear you’re coming on the New York trip with me,” she said after she’d kissed me hello.
“I am. Is that okay?”
“I know how you feel about anyone hovering or cramping your style.”
She laughed softly, moving into my arms. “Xander. If your presence bothered me, you wouldn’t be here. Not like this anyway.”
I kissed her, long and deep, savoring her taste and the way it felt to have her in my arms. She was different now that we were together. Softer. Sweeter. More thoughtful. Samaria’s comments about her being lonely, needing a friend, rang true now that we were a couple. I was glad to be what she needed, but a small part of me was worried that I’d been convenient. Where else would she meet men? Guys like Rycliff weren’t her type and definitely not someone like Omar.
“I have to make sure I’m ready for my speech tomorrow,” she said after a minute. “Can we eat dinner here, instead of with the family, and just chill? Tomorrow’s going to be long and stressful.”
“Anything you want.” I pulled off my sweatshirt and kicked off my boots. “Will it bug you if I watch TV, or should I put my headphones on and watch on my laptop?”
“In general, TV wouldn’t bother me, but I need it quiet tonight to practice my speech. Is that okay?”
“Sure.” I smiled and got out my laptop. “You can order whatever for dinner. I eat almost anything.”
“I’ll take care of it now.” She grabbed her phone and I watched her for a moment, glad to see her so content, but still a little worried. I’d never been insecure in relationships, but it had been a while and Elen wasn’t like anyone I’d ever dated. Some deep-seated sixth sense told me this was the calm before the storm. The problem was figuring out just what kind of storm was coming.
22
Elen
I hadn’t been to the temporary Parliament House in several weeks and it felt good to be back to work, despite my trepidation about today’s presentation. Everything was on schedule for the new school, which meant I could focus on this new proposal. Kids in some areas were traveling more than thirty kilometers to get to school and we needed to change that. Hopefully, the bill would be discussed, updated, and signed off on so I could shift my attention to a few other matters.
