“I thought I’d be back sooner. I misjudged how long it would take to find what I was looking for.”
Theo isn’t breathing, but he takes a step toward Jax, and the prince shakes his head ever so slightly, like a silent conversation is passing between them.
Theo’s throat bobs, and his eyes turn glossy. This man, who always seems to be full of humor and witty remarks, looks like Jax has absolutelyguttedhim. Destroyed his heart, his soul, every damn part of him.
Then, he’s gone, slamming the door behind him, and I don’t have the faintest clue what happened, but then Jax’s gaze falls back to me.
He was in another country. That’s why he’s been away. But even so…
“I saw you,” I say, my throat feeling tight. “With those women. Didn’t really seem like you were taking meetings in Bragunda to me.”
His expression changes. Anger morphing into something else…and suddenly, I want to bury myself alive.
“Nova,” he says, his voice thick and gods-damned intoxicating. And for the first time, I curse the nickname he gave me and the way it makes my stomach flip and my chest ache. “Are you…jealous?” He raises a brow, stepping toward me, but I take two steps in the opposite direction.
“Of course not.” My words come out far harsher than I intended.
“Liar.”I suck in a breath, my eyes darting around the room because there’s that voice again. The same one that woke me up a few days ago, but after looking at Jax, it’s clear he didn’t hear it.
“You sure about that?” He takes another step toward me, but this time I don’t move, his proximity drawing my attention back to only him.
“You promised not to say stupid things anymore.” I cross my arms, refusing to meet his eyes, and he lets out a long sigh.
“And you promised not to leave this room,” he reminds me, and now I really feel like disappearing becausehe’s right.
I did promise that.
And I don’t have any right to be mad at him. He doesn’t owe me anything. Not his time or his explanations.
My shoulders sag, and the walls I had built up to make myself seem stronger start to crumble.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him, and I do mean it. “I shouldn’t have left. I was just…” I cringe because I hate when people apologize only to follow it with an excuse. That’s not an apology, and in this particular instance, Jax deserves one.
“Lonely,” he finishes for me, his golden eyes holding mine in a way that makes me feel seen.
I nod, but then my nostrils flare because he may see me, but I don’t see him.
“You know me,” I say. “I’ve told you things, and now you know me. At least part of me. But I knownothingabout you.”
“And you want to?” He tilts his head.
“I do.”
“Noted.”
Then, that’s it. He doesn’t say a thing, and neither do I. But we don’t stop staring at each other.
Finally, he clears his throat. “In order for this to work, you’re going to need to ask me some questions,” he points out, and my lips part because today has been nothing if not embarrassing and somehow it hasn’t stopped.
I search my brain, so many questions emerging all at once, but I need to be careful with what I choose to ask. There are things he won’t tell me. Things he’ll continue to keep hidden, keep secret,like who gave him those scars.But then finally, my mind lands on one thing I’ve been desperate to know.
“Why don’t you ever smile?”
His brows raise, both of them, as if surprised, but then he schools his features.
“Princes don’t get to wear smiles.” His tone is steady, his eyes reading mine.
“It’s a shame,” I say, pressing my lips together. “I quite like yours.”
