I tighten my arms around him, kissing him with every ounce of affection I have.
When he finally pulls back, his mouth lingers on mine. "We're good?"
I nod against his lips. "We're good."
He kisses me again.
And just like that, the fracture between us seals. All my hours of worrying fade away.
Brax presses one more kiss to the corner of my mouth, slow and lingering, before pulling back to stare at me. His gaze sweeps over my flushed cheeks and damp lashes with an expression that makes my stomach tighten in a way I don't dare to examine yet.
Then his phone buzzes.
His jaw tightens. The muscle in his cheek jumps. He doesn't look away from me as he groans.
I step back, adjusting the mask box in my hands. "Liam?"
He checks the screen. "Yep. He's been calling all morning. I can't ignore him."
"I know. Go ahead and take it."
He swipes the phone, kisses my forehead, and answers, "Yes, sir." Within seconds, his face falls further. "On my way." He hangs up.
"Duty calls?" I say, trying to hide my disappointment.
"Yeah. But when I get back, we're starting where we just left off," he declares.
I softly laugh. "Deal."
He kisses me again, then murmurs against my lips, "This meeting makes me nervous. I'm sure the council members will be on edge because I'm not there. Stay safe, Minx."
"I will," I assure him.
He hesitates, then kisses me again and retreats. His eyes narrow playfully. "Kirill and Fiona will be your bodyguards."
I shoot back, "They're both cutthroat and married. That's more like babysitter energy."
He chuckles, but then his face turns serious. "Minx, stick close to Kirill. If anyone starts running their mouth, let him handle it."
"I'm capable of handling myself."
"You're capable of starting an international incident."
"Sometimes those are necessary," I tease.
He smiles, then adjusts my hair behind my shoulder. His fingers graze the nape of my neck. "Just humor me."
"Okay," I concede, rubbing a hand down his chest. "But if Kirill tries to drag me around by the elbow like I'm his rebellious cousin, I'm stabbing him with my new accessory."
Brax replies dryly, "That's partially why I gave it to you. In case you decide to enforce manners at the Royal Council."
I laugh.
His phone goes off again. "Jesus. I'd better go." He pecks me on the lips and disappears.
The moment he's gone, the condo quiets in a way that makes everything inside me reorder itself. The whirlwind of uncertainty that's been buzzing around my rib cage for days finally settles.
The rest of the day passes in a haze of Underworld projects, two long calls with Cassian, and one irritating email from my condo association about not giving my keys to people I don't trust. Then they have the audacity to tell me building security isn't for personal issues.
