Page 10 of Princess For All

She leaned her head on my shoulder for a moment and then seemed to realize it was me and that it was awkward. She cleared her throat and thanked me, glancing over at Vitor. “Okay, let’s get the people we trust most up to Boston to start going through ships. There’s too much crazy. We might need Adam and Lorenzo to help us there.”

“Joel Hart and his whole clan are all about ships and fishermen,” he told me with a smirk.

Several people chuckled when Inez raised an eyebrow.

But I defended her, feeling her hurt. “I wouldn’t have thought big black bear shifters would risk being caught out on a boat orshipfor long durations. How do they explain that? People think they see dogs or shadows all of the time, but there is no blinking away a fucking bear as a mistake.”

“That’s where my head was,” Inez agreed, looking relieved like someone didn’t think she was stupid.

Never. Even when I didn’t understand and we missed each other’s meanings, she was never stupid.

“Good point, but I believe they were their own bosses and such,” Vitor told her. “Somewhere that naturally had black bears.”

“Got it, well, tell him we need to get ships to our allies and figure out a way to start getting crappy ones out of the water and broken down,” she muttered. She was flustered and embarrassed and mumbled that she was going to visit the kitchen.

I went with her and waited until we were alone. “I wanted to run something by you if you have a moment. Otherwise—well, it’s two things. One is for us—something I would like for us to do. If you want.”

She seemed to swallow a sigh and turned to face me. “I’m glad we’re discussing ideas with all of this chaos and not risking any more issues.”

“I do try to learn from my mistakes,” I whispered. “But I panic, Inez. You’re sand slipping through my fingers and I panic to grab you and hold on.”

“Not sure how that works when you seem to avoid me, but I understand the panic,” she grumbled. “What was the idea?”

Wow, she was going to make me really work for this, okay then.

“I would like to learn to fly a helicopter, and I was—I thought you might want to also. I was hoping that—”

“Did you hear Darius and me talking?” she asked with a frown, searching my face.

“What? When?”

She winced. “Oh, no, sorry, go ahead.”

I got frustrated and just spit it out. “I thought we could take lessons a couple days a week and have lunch after. Catch up on things instead of in big meetings. Talk more.”

“Darius had the same idea and we’re going to start tomorrow,” she told me gently.

I took a step back from her. “I’d never steal someone else’s idea to—”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” she sighed, scrubbing her neck and wincing at whatever was on my face. “I didn’t. I’m sorry. I thought maybe you caught the idea of helicopter lessons and—”

“No, I thought you’d like to ride in a hot air balloon because you probably never have and you need to have a reason to smile and have some fun especially after what’s happened now,” I said angrily, hurt and annoyed that this wasn’t working out. “But that seems too fragile given the threats against you and you love the chopper. I want to learn, and—I’ll tell you my other idea later.”

I walked off, flustered and hurt that she thought I could really try to sabotage someone else’s idea or take it. I was an asshole. I knew that. I’d messed up a lot and—my behavior was inexcusable.

I knew that.

Iknew that.

But it was never intentional.

She found me later sitting outside smoking a cigar and the shock on her face was amusing. “I had no idea you smoked.”

“I’m not a smoker,” I clarified. “I like a good cigar now and again.” I stared at it before holding it out to offer it to her. “It’s more nostalgia. My gramp smoked them. I always used to sit with him when he did, and—I loved listening to him talk. He was a smart man and…” I frowned.

“What?” she asked quietly as she sat next to me and took the cigar.

“Don’t inhale your first time,” I warned her. I chuckled when she looked at me like that was stupid and didn’t make sense. I took the cigar back and showed her how to puff on it but not actually inhale.

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