Page 36 of Royal Omega

“I tried to get in touch with him, I did everything I could think of, but...” I swallow. “Can we be done yet?”

“Sorry, no, I still have some questions.”

I sigh, rubbing my forehead in exhaustion. “Honestly, I don’t know what you want me to say about Conrad. I haven’t even had the time to process the fact that he’s here, so I’m not sure I can come up with a good sound bite for him right now.”

Lily shifts in her chair like she’s trying not to get frustrated with me. “I get it,” she says. “I really do. But the faster we walk through your history together, the faster you get out of here.” Her eyes snap, determined, and I realize that she’s far more experienced than she has let on.

“Ok,” I say weakly. “Let’s talk about it.”

***

TWO HOURS LATER, Ifinally limp up the stairs to my suite. My arms are trembling, my body feels weak, and my nerves are utterly frayed. I step inside and close the door behind me, leaning against it and struggling to hold onto control. I can’t lose it yet; not when I can feel the lenses pressing in on me from the corners of the room.

I need to make it to the shower. I’ll be able to crumble then.

Pushing away from the door, I kick off my heels and make my way down the hall.

“Hi there, roomie,” says a cheerful voice from the couch.

I stop in my tracks and turn to see Beatrice reclined on the couch in a set of lavender-colored silk pajamas. She blinks up at me with dark eyes, her expression more serious than I’ve ever seen it.

“They didn’t tell you I would be here?” she asks, tilting her head to study me.

“No,” I say with a sigh, sitting down across from her in a plush chair. “But I should have figured. The other suite is pretty much full, after all.”

Beatrice’s grave eyes scan my face. “You wanna talk about it?”

I open my mouth to say no. To say that I’m all right, and I just got done talking about this shit with Lily for two damn hours. But instead of words, a wail escapes my throat. I clap a hand over my mouth as tears start to roll down my face.

Beatrice stands up and walks to my side, pulling me into a hug. “I know we don’t know each other well,” she says softly. “But I’m here, and I can be an ally, if you’ll let me.”

I don’t think I’ve ever been more relieved. I clutch her shoulders, pulling in waves of her warm cookie scent as I sob out every emotion in my soul.

Chapter Sixteen - Henry

“Where is he?” I demandof Ransom.

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