Page 35 of The Crownless King
“Tracy, why didn’t you tell me I was fucking up?”
Tracy paused with her sandwich halfway to her mouth. She sighed and put it back on the plate. “Amaya.”
A lump formed in her throat. “I was, wasn’t I? Living on the edge of poverty, starving myself and neglecting my mother’s care just to prove I could do it alone.”
“You did what you thought was right.” Tracy gripped her hand. “No one can fault the way you care for Aunt Anita. Your focus was on taking care of your mom and this job. When was the last time you took time for yourself? How many times did you decline my help? The family’s help?”
Tears crested her eyes. “She would’ve wilted away on the compound.”
Tracy nodded. “Fair. That didn’t mean you couldn’t have taken any help. Girl, I had to sneak groceries into your house while you were working. That’s ridiculous.”
Her heart stuttered. “I thought Uncle Paul…”
Tracy scoffed. “Bitch, please. Your uncle is a bum.”
“Ouruncle,” Amaya corrected with a watery laugh. She put her head down on the table. “I thought I was doing a good job of keeping it together.”
She was realizing that even before the shit Paul had pulled, she’d been days away from burnout. Had that contributed to her giving her life over to Levi? It probably had something to do with it. She’d been exhausted and at her wit’s end.
“Listen, Maya. I’ve kept your little situation with King Dingaling of the Bayi quiet, but say the word and I’ll alert the elders.”
The laugh that escaped was cathartic. If Tracy did nothing else, she was going to make Amaya laugh.
“King Dingaling. I’m gonna call him that,” she joked.
“Chile. Your mouth too damn reckless for me.” Tracy stole another glance at Bronx. “So, besides living in a mansion, being followed by a sexy shifter, and eating room service for the past few weeks, how has it been?”
“Why you said it like that?”
“Because that’s how it sounds,” Tracy pointed out.
“I was kidnapped,” she whispered.
“Technically, you’re a hostage at best. Recalling all the facts, you willingly gave yourself over to King Levi to save Uncle Paul, so no kidnapping involved.”
“Ain’t nobody ask you for technicalities,” she snapped.
“All the same, cousin.” Tracy waved off her irritation. “How long does this play out?”
Amaya shrugged, a petulant frown tilting down her lips. Tracy hummed but said nothing else. They ate in silence until she couldn’t take it anymore.
“Let’s say I managed to get away from King Levi. Do I just wait around for the next thing Uncle Paul does to get us in trouble? Do I give up entirely and show up to the compound, bags and pride in hand?”
Tracy gave her an empathetic look. “Okay, but let’s say you leave the king and return home. What’s left there for you? Work? The constant care for Aunt Anita? What time does that leave you for yourself? When do you get to live your life?”
“I could just make the best of the situation,” she slid in, avoiding Tracy’s eyes.
Her cousin snorted. “You like that man. I don’t know why you trying to pretend you don’t. Shit, the next vampire that bites me finna get the ride of their life.”
Bronx coughed and choked, proof that he’d been listening to their conversation. Amaya groaned, praying that he didn’t report it all back to King Levi. She changed the subject.
“Have you seen Uncle Paul around?”
“He’s been hanging at the compound more, looking like a whipped puppy. My mom and Uncle Dean are taking bets on how long it lasts. The food here is banging, by the way. We should do this more often.”
Clearly her cousin was done talking about her situation and Amaya was happy for it. She needed to really evaluate her life and the decisions she’d been making lately, and she wanted to do that at home…sulking. Taking a deep breath, she looked around the airy café tucked into the back of the Archive. The place was busy, the quiet murmur of voices soothing. Normally, she brought her own lunch and ate it outside. But with Bronx swiping Levi’s card, she’d been hitting them up since she’d started back at work.
By day three of Bronx watching her and realizing she had been skipping lunch, he was on her ass. After that first awkward day, they had relaxed around each other, and the shifter had no problem fussing at her for not taking care of herself. According to him, Levi refused to allow her to go all day without eating, which was rich. But she wouldn’t argue.
