Page 36 of Sovereign Oaths

It was in Em’s hands now.

CHAPTER 9

Emilia

The hardest part of the plan was staying in bed for as long as possible. I rarely lazed around in the mornings, especially with Alessio. We’d smile and cuddle for a minute when we woke up, but then it was on to coffee or showering.

Pretending to sleep in, then slipping over to his side to wrap my arms around him until ten was bordering on painful. We didn’t talk very much, but he dropped kisses on the top of my head while he scrolled through his phone. I rested my head between his shoulder and chest.

He wasn’t even looking at anything interesting or useful, just his various social media accounts. Judging by his algorithm, we would never make it as a couple in real life. Lifestyles of the rich and famous were less interesting to me than political conspiracy theorists, which also showed up too frequently.

The clock ticked over to ten fifteen, and I decided I’d waited long enough. I rolled onto my back and stretched.

“Do you have anything important today?”

He lowered his phone and smiled. “Did you have something in mind?”

I propped my head up on my hand and smiled. “The guard at my building is always talking about this place for brunch, but I haven’t had a chance to check it out. We’re usually busy when I stay over, and it’s such a hassle coming from my place in the morning.”

I cursed the choice to live on an island with only boat access every second of this stupid mission.

“Well, let’s go.”

I sat up. “Really? You don’t have somewhere you need to be?”

“You’re where I need to be.” He leaned over and kissed me. “What’s the name of the restaurant? I’ll have my assistant call and get us a table.”

“First Light, but let me take care of it.”

“It’s no problem.” He picked up his phone. “I’ve heard good things too.”

I touched his wrist and squeezed, giving him my brightest smile. “I want to do something for you for a change.”

He laughed. “Okay.”

“Do you still have some of my clothes from––”

“Millie, I didn’t get rid of anything.” His brown eyes held too much tenderness. “I didn’t touch anything. Your side of the closet is still full.”

I smiled and hurried to the bathroom. I knew it was only a few days, but I didn’t know how he had reacted to me needing a break. He could have thrown everything I ever touched away. He could have returned all the gifts he bought me. He had every right to destroy my memory from his home, but from the wounded look, the thought never crossed his mind.

He never stopped caring for me, even when I left him in the middle of the night. When I told him I couldn’t do it anymore. When I told him I didn’t trust him.

Either he was overly confident or overly hopeful.

Or he believed what we had was real.

But it wasn’t, no matter how sweet and boring he could be in the morning.

Don’t break, Em. Focus.

What-ifs were a dead end. For both of us.

He wasn’t what I wanted, and if he knew what I was doing here, he wouldn’t want me either.And losing the morning cuddles would be the least of my problems.

I stepped into the shower and let the cold water shock me back to reality. I had to play my role perfectly this morning. I couldn’t look for Martin. I couldn’t even react if I spotted him before Alessio.

My shocked and concerned expressions were dialed in. They had been for years. Millie mode engaged again; everything was in place.

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