Page 13 of Princess For All

I nodded, fully understanding how people went too far or jumped to conclusions when she was hurt. I thanked him and went to her tower, ignoring the looks I got that I wasn’t exactly welcome there.

Kristof was a ball of every emotion possible as he tried to not let it leak over Inez.

“She doesn’t want to be disturbed,” Vitor said as he blocked me. He sighed and moved when Kristof waved for him to, but I thanked him for the warning.

He should protect Inez that way.

“Could everyone just fuck off?” Inez grumbled when she felt me on her custom bed.

“I’m glad you’re taking the day off,” I told her honestly, glad I’d said it when she opened her eyes and seemed shocked. I nodded. “You’ve been through a lot and need it, Inez. Take today. Fuck, sleep it away if you want.”

“Really? You’re not upset?” she whispered.

“No, fuck—you do more than ten of us in a day. Rest.” I waited until she let out a long breath and nodded. “But you can’t not eat or drink. You know things will get worse if you do that. That’s why people are freaking.”

She looked away from me. “But I’m not hungry. I’m not thirsty.” Tears filled her eyes and leaked onto her cheeks. “I just want to be left the fuck alone today. Is that really too much to ask?”

“No, not at all,” I promised her. “It’s just not—it’s a big shift from when you went to bed last night, so people love you and are worried.”

“Okay, well, don’t worry and leave me alone,” she said with a cute huff.

Yeah, that wasn’t going to work and would probably make things worse. “How about you go set up in the lounge and—I always feel bad about myself when I’m depressed and just bum in bed. Making the choice to take the day for myself is—it’s about framing. I need more sleep, so I’ll nap, not be sad and not get out of bed.

“And I know that feeling of being numb and nothing sounds good. Sometimes it’s just the right thing being put in front of me that I want to eat then. Or drink. We can just leave stuff on the coffee table for you. If you want it, eat. If not—someone here always will eat it.” I waited until she met my gaze. “But you have to eat, Inez. You’re too powerful not to.”

She seemed to consider that a moment. “Can everyone stop fucking hovering and making me feel crazy if I do that? It’s making everything so much worse, Jaxon. It’s making me colder.”

And that was the last thing we all wanted, the others in the room looking like they’d been kicked in the nuts for her to say that.

4

I woke with the sun like normal and didn’t want to get up. Not just I was tired or I didn’t want to do something on my agenda.

No, I didn’t want to get up.

And like I wasn’t sure if I cared if I ever did again.

I didn’t care about any of it. I didn’t care about breakfast or what I was supposed to do. I didn’t care about the people who were waiting on me or if I worried people.

I just didn’t care.

I went to the bathroom and didn’t even want to look in the mirror or brush my teeth. I just wanted my bed.

So I went back to bed.

“Inez, you getting some more sleep?” Sisay asked from the door, probably my morning shift guard.

“No—I don’t know. Leave me alone,” I grumbled and pulled the covers over my head. I curled into a ball when he muttered to someone, probably to go find Kristof. I wasn’t upset that he wasn’t there. He had been all night and probably had something to take care of right as I was going to get up anyways.

Right as I had dozed back off, I felt him pull me against him. “What’s wrong, my love?”

“I’m tired. I just want to sleep,” I mumbled. “I’m not mad. You were with me all night. I just—can’t I just sleep?”

“Of course, but how about you eat first? Then you can rest again or—”

“I don’t want to eat,” I argued. “Just let me sleep.”

Apparently, that was thewrongthing to say because he got upset and kept pushing me what was going on or to talk to him. Others came and I heard people arguing and asking who did what.

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