“Be that as it may,” Ingrid replies, “I know my daughter, and your position may require more diplomacy than you were told.”
“Your daughteris sitting directly across from you,” Freya hisses, losing some of her control as her irritation comes to the forefront. “She can speak for herself.” She turns to me, her expression hard. “I need a protection agent, not a politician. As you are certainly not the latter, I will kindly request that you focus on the former while the position is yours. You will wait out in the corridor, Mr. Reid.”
I look to Queen Ingrid, wondering if my orders still come from her or if my responsibility has officially shifted to the princess. Ingrid nods subtly, and I can practically feel the shift in tension in the room when Freya sees the nod as well.
I wanted excitement—I definitely have it now.
“Outside,” Freya commands, her expression growing harder.
Nodding my acknowledgement, I return the tablet to the Council member and slip out to the hallway to take up my post at the door. Rather than continuing in English, Freya begins speaking in rapidCandoran before the door closes, and while I only pick up pieces, it’s clear she isn’t happy about any of the day’s topics.
“Derek,” I mutter, grabbing my phone and dialing his number. “What have you gotten me into?”
The line connects after two rings, and Derek speaks without greeting. “You are aware that it’s four thirty in the morning here, right?”
“I distinctly remember you telling me this job would be easy,” I reply, just as bluntly.
He laughs lightly. “I never said that. I said this job would be the perfect thing to help you unwind and settle into something new.”
“I cannot stress how tightly wound I am right now. She hates me, and some pretty-boy politician thinks he can be king.”
“Which part of that do you think you can’t handle?”
That question stuns me into silence. I can’t really say that I know Derek well—his dad and mine never interacted—but ever since we first connected about a year ago, he has constantly surprised me. Whenever we talk, he seems to understand more about me than I’ve ever understood about anyone. Now is no exception.
“I didn’t say I couldn’t handle it,” I mutter.
“So what’s the problem?”
“The problem is your princess friend is more likely to give up her claim on the throne than she is to keep me on, and I’ll be unemployed.”
Derek laughs again. “I think you’re overestimating Freya’s willingness to hire yet another bodyguard.”
“Comforting.” I sweep my eyes over both ends of the hallway to make sure this part of the palace is empty, though it’s unnecessary. The palace has exceptional security measures, to the point where I don’t know why Freya needs a bodyguard in the first place since she rarely ventures outside the walls.
Gregor, the man who trained me, said she has become increasingly more noticed around the world since becoming friends with Derek, andmost of my protection duties will come into play during her frequent visits to California.
But what about the rest of the time?
Ineedto stay busy. If I don’t, my thoughts inevitably stray to the past and the mistakes that still haunt me when I’m not on my guard.
“I have a meeting with a producer in a few hours,” Derek says, pulling my attention back to my phone. “So I’m going back to bed. Give things with Freya some time to settle, and you’ll work things out between the two of you.”
“Are you always this confident?” My question is genuine, though my grumbled tone suggests otherwise. I’ve seen some of his movies and watched interviews, and he is always unfailingly sure of himself. Even on those rare occasions we’ve hung out, I’ve never seen him anythingbutconfident, and it’s eerie. Having come from a position where hesitation could lead to deadly consequences, I get it, but Derek’s not a soldier. He doesn’t need the level of control he has over his life.
Chuckling, he takes longer to answer that question than I expect. “When it comes to my friends? Usually.”
Which means hedoeshave moments of doubt. It’s nice to know he’s human.
“You’re always welcome to reach out, Elliot.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” It’s not that I don’t believe him, but I’m not one who seeks out conversation. Today was uncharacteristic, and only because I hoped Derek would have some insider knowledge of the princess. ‘You’ll work things out’isn’t all that helpful, and the stuff I really need help with—the stuff that led to me being here—isn’t the kind of stuff a guy like him can fix.
That’s all on me.
“You good?” Derek asks, his words hesitant.
“Yeah. Sorry to bother you.”
