Page 14 of Royal Protector

She laughs until she snorts, and I can’t help but join her. “Yes, I have made myself ‘feel good.’ I feel like we are in school trying to talk about grown-up things in a way that they don’t overhear.”

“Trust me. I spent all of my high school years focused on ‘feeling good.’” I smile down at her, and it doesn’t feel forced anymore. “You know that moment when your whole body is tense, and you know that, uh, ‘feeling good’ is going to happen soon, but you almost feel distressed from the tension?”

She nods, and I continue with my insane metaphor. “That’s what it feels like when you’re not around me. That almost painful tension, that’s what it is like being away from you. I know happiness and ecstasy and pleasure are just around the corner, but I’m not there yet.”

“And when you’re with me?” she whispers hopefully. I gaze into her eyes, taking strength from the way her body presses against mine, the way she sways into me as we waltz around the room.

“Then I feel good, baby,” I say. “I feel so damn good.”

She lets out a barely audible gasp, and her eyes fill with both lust and sadness. “I’m sorry, Antoine. I truly am.” Her hand tightens where it rests on my upper arm. I pull her closer, inhaling her sweet perfume and unique scent.

As I look down into the eyes of my forbidden Mate, I shake my head at her. “Me too, Isabella. Me too.”

ISABELLA

Last night ended without any excitement whatsoever.

It’s hard to be in a situation like that when danger is possible, but you can never know for sure. Your muscles tense, your body is on high alert, and your mind races. And though it’s the wanted outcome, when nothing happens and you’re safe again, it feels like you missed something important.

Antoine and I danced for the entire gala. If it weren’t for the heartbreak hanging over us like a thundercloud, it would have been the best night of my life.

We didn’t speak anymore of the Mate bond. Instead, we commented on the other dancers, talked lightly about our childhoods, and even tested each other on the security setup in the room.

I spotted one more hidden camera than he had, and he looked down at me like I had won an Olympic gold medal. Naturally, I bragged about it for the rest of the evening.

When we returned to the village, he escorted me to my cabin door. As soon as we stepped through it, he was back to business, barking orders into his phone to set up a night watch outside my place.

I stared at him afterward, willing him to kiss me, but he didn’t. He merely muttered a curt goodnight and left me alone behind a locked door.

Now, it is morning and the first day of our conference. Today’s meetings will primarily be rehashing what’s already on the peace treaty, as well as the state of each group. Agendas will be set, and obligatory speeches made.

And my job? I just sit there and look pretty until they need a neutral party. The hardest work I’ll probably do today is to make myself stay awake.

I’ll listen in, of course. I love politics, but I can do nothing but playact in my role. If there were a way that I could actually be part of the discussions, then I would eagerly join the debates, playing with and against the others like a game of chess.

A knock sounds on the door, and my breath catches. If I had a Mate bond, I’d know if it was Antoine or not. But instead, I have to answer the door like any normal person.

“Good morning, Isabella,” says Martina, looking professional and put together as always. I don’t even think she suffered any jet lag. I, on the other hand, have had three cups of coffee, and I still haven’t gotten ready, which she notices immediately. “What are you doing in your pyjamas still? We need to leave in thirty minutes.”

“I can be ready in thirty minutes, I say, and she glares at me.

“Anyone else can. You need to take time. You need to look perfect today.”

Sometimes I want to take scissors to my hair just so she can see howimperfectI can be. Thirty minutes is plenty of time for hair, makeup, and clothes. It’s the perfectionist in her, the way she criticizes my every movement, that ends up delaying us.

She ushers me into my bedroom, and between the two of us, I am prodded, poked, and covered in makeup and hairspray for thirty minutes. She even watches me brush my teeth, tutting under her breath if I don’t scrub exactly the way she wants me to. Then, when I finally measure up to her expectations, we head outside.

Antoine and Bastien will accompany us today, since Maura and Grady did a double shift last night. So until the next gala tomorrow night, I’ll be protected two on two.

Antoine admitted he hadn’t yet found any reason to suspect anyone of less than honorable intentions, but it was clear he wouldn’t rest until the week was over. Of course, at that time, I’ll be off on a plane, and he’ll be . . . somewhere.

“Martina,” I ask as I slip on my high heels, trying to keep my voice nonchalant. “What happens when an Untouchable’s Mate is found?”

“Why would you ask that?” she asks sharply, suspicion taking over her expression.

“No reason,” I lie. “Just watching the Alpha and his Mate these past few days. I was curious.”

Martina’s shoulders relax a fraction. “I’ve told you this before. You need to pay attention when I teach you things.

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