“Shit.” I’m already moving, nearly running from the gym, from him, from everything I can’t allow myself to have.
His voice follows me, “You can’t run forever.”
Watch me.
7
RANGI
Istay on the mat for a long time after Leo flees, staring at the ceiling and trying to get my breathing and body under control. My lips still burn from his kiss, my body aching where his pressed against mine.
Well, that went exactly as expected.
With a groan, I push to my feet. The palace gym feels too empty now, the space where he should be a void I can’t ignore.
A soft cough draws my attention to the door. Princess Charlotte stands there, one eyebrow raised as she takes in my dishevelled state.
“Good workout?”
I consider lying, but there’s something in her expression that suggests she knows exactly what transpired. “Your brother,” I say instead, “is the most stubborn man I’ve ever met.”
“Mmm.” She walks further into the gym, settling onto one of the benches. “Did you know he requested to be transferred from your unit?”
That pulls me up short. “What?”
“Oh yes.” She watches me with those knowing eyes that remind me so much of her grandmother. “It was after the picture of him in that nightclub leaked.” Her lips turn down. “That’s the problem with being a royal—no privacy. Leo should have had time to discover his sexuality and share it himself, not have it splashed upon the pages of a gossip rag.”
“It was horrible,” I agree as I grab a towel, wiping sweat from my face. “But that was years ago. Why bring it up now, Princess?”
“Lottie,” she corrects, taking a seat on one of the weight benches. “And I raise it because here you both are, circling each other like wary cats.” She soothes her dress. “You know, I used to think duty meant sacrifice. That loving someone meant giving up who you are.”
Her hand drifts to her wedding ring—turning the modest gold and sapphire piece.
“What changed?”
“I realized that duty without love is obligation. And obligation without heart serves no one.” She moves toward the door, then pauses. “He’s probably gone to the meditation arch. He always does when he’s trying to convince himself he’s doing the right thing by being noble and self-sacrificing.”
I stare at her. “Why are you telling me this?”
Her smile is gentle but determined. “Because he deserves happiness despite his fear. And don’t mistake me—that is exactly what he’s feeling right now. He’s worried that the nightclub incident and following scandal will occur all over again.” She rises from her seat. “He’s worried about everyone but the personhe should be concerned most with—himself.” She tilts her head to one side. “And, perhaps, you.”
Her smile is small when she sees my expression. “Don’t give up on him, Captain. He may be scared now—but he has the greatest capacity for love I’ve ever seen. Scale his walls and you’ll be well rewarded.”
She leaves me with that thought, her quiet footsteps fading down the corridor.
Scale his walls.
I look down at my hands, remembering the feel of Leo’s pulse racing under my fingers. Remembering all the times in the field when he had my back, all the nights we shared stories and songs, all the moments we pretended meant nothing more than simple friendship when the air between us practically burned.
Right path, I’d told him.Even when it’s hard.
I linger in the gym a while longer, giving myself time to cool down—both physically and emotionally. In the field, rushing headlong into a situation was how soldiers got killed. This requires strategy, patience.
I shower quickly in the adjoining facilities, changing into the casual clothes I’d brought with me. As water sluices away the sweat of our encounter, I find myself replaying our kiss, the way Leo melted against me before panic took over.
This isn’t the first time he’s run. An echo of memory surfaces—a night in the mountains during our deployment, huddled around a dying fire as our unit slept nearby.
“My grandmother would have liked you,” Leo had said, his voice barely audible as we shared night watch. “She always said I needed someone who wouldn’t let me hide.”
