Page 53 of The Queen's Denial

“Hmmm… you can let me worry about that, too.” Andy cocks a grin as I shove the last bite of omelet into my mouth, and he practically picks me up off the chair to bring me into the bedroom. “But I guess we’d better hurry. Just in case.”

Chapter 26

Andy

On the ride back to Chi’s house, after what was admittedly (and only to myself, I’d admit this) the most glorious night and morning of my entire adult life, the tension in the car is palpable. I sense a new energy coming from Chi, but it’s so hard to figure out. I can’t tell if she’s overjoyed or about to cry. Emotions are fucking baffling sometimes, but I can kind of understand why hers might be both at the moment.

We had an amazing night. A night that we will probably never have again. A night that she probably never thought she would have at all. Honestly, I never thought I would have it, either. With the way we both live, there isn’t a lot of space for feelings like that. They can be confusing at best, deadly at the worst.

But right now, they are just… there. We know there’s so much we aren’t saying, but also that what we have said in itself could ruin so many of our plans. For ourselves and for our futures. Even admitting what we have already is going to make this all so much harder in the end.

But maybe Chi can’t allow things to be happy like this anymore, because by the time we get back to her mansion, she’s changed into her cool, detached, social media persona.

“Okay, so I’ll see you tonight. If you want.”

My eyes slide over to her. “Yeah, sure.”

“You know,” she studies her nails, barely glancing up at me, “you don’t have to come to my room every night if you don’t want to. You can go do your little gardening or whatever. Your plants might need you, too.”

I blink. “Okay.”

She spares me a small side glance, then her eyes flutter down to the floor of the car. “Okay, cool. Because, you know, I don’t want to keep you from doing anything important. I don’t want you to feel like you have to babysit me or anything. We’re just doing this, ya know…” She takes a deep breath, barely even attempting to commit to this little act of hers at this point.

“Well, anyway, do whatever you want.” She opens the door and jumps out, but I follow quickly behind her.

“Chi, I’m going to come to your room. And I’ll come to your room anytime you want me to. For as long as we can do this, I’m in it.” I take her hand and squeeze. “Okay?”

She grits her teeth, and I see the very beginning of a trembling lip. I’ve figured out that she’s just trying to push me away as reality creeps in, but I don’t want her to do that. Maybe it would be easier for her — for both of us. But I don’t want us to be like that.

She sniffs. “I just… don’t know what I’m gonna do…” She looks down at her feet and nods her head, finally. “Okay,” she says with acceptance.

I put my hand on her cheek and turn her face up to mine. I’ve kissed her in front of Daiki, in front of my men, hell, probably in front of her own father when I didn’t realize he was there. Everyone knows we’re fucking. But this feels so different. Brazen, in some new way that it wasn’t before.

Our moment is interrupted by the clearing of a throat, a sound I know all too well. We both wrench apart from each other like two teenagers caught under the bleachers.

“Sir. Hi. I mean, good morning, Akio.” I do a strange little head bow and immediately hope he doesn’t think I’m mocking his culture’s greeting.

Chi’s father is dripping with disapproval, looking between both Chi and I, back and forth. I’ve never felt so naked before in my life. I glance at Chi from the corner of my eye and see the blush high in her cheeks, her eyes cast down at her clasped hands, standing like the apologetic princess he expects her to be.

“You may go, Andy-san.”

I feel like I need to say something to back Chi up, or at least give her some sort of boost before I leave her side. “Sir, I,” I clear my throat in discomfort. “I just want to say, I initiated that. It wasn’t her idea.”

“I see.” He nods his head. “And how about last night? You went to a safehouse, correct? And it was just the two of you. The driver didn’t stay?”

I’m surprised by his apparent irritation. I honestly thought Akio knew about us. “No, sir. But it was still… all respectful.” It’s painful how untruthful I actually sound. I might as well be admitting outright that we fucked at this point. I know I’m digging a much deeper hole for poor Chi.

“All right, Andy; that is more than enough from you. You are dismissed for the time being. I will talk to you when I’m ready.”

I shoot a side-long glance at Chi, and she returns it with one that can only mean, Get the ever-loving fuck out of here and let me handle this. So, I give a curt nod and walk uneasily away.

Chapter 27

Chi

“What was that, Chichi-chan?”

I swallow hard, and I’m certain my father senses my anxieties. I’m sure he’s known deep down that there was something between us, but he has never brought it up so plainly before. I don’t like lying to him, mostly because it never really works, but I see no other option in this instance. “Nothing, father. He is just concerned for my wellbeing, like any of the guards. And, you know, we are both young…”

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