Page 25 of Fit for a King

Gabriel winked at me, nothing but mischief on his face, and closed the door behind him.

The silence was deafening as Noah remained standing by the table. From the looks of it, they’d been mid-game, the tiles scattered on the board.

I should’ve dismissed him and reminded him that my brother’s friendliness did not erase the rules of the house. That my private rooms were not downstairs game rooms, and that he’d already managed to stumble into enough inappropriate situations in his short time here.

But I was curious, probably a little out of my mind for even considering saying what was on the tip of my tongue, but I found myself doing it anyway.

“Sit down,” I said, gesturing to the chair he’d leapt out of.

Noah’s eyes widened. “Your Majesty?”

“You heard me.”

“I’m…on duty, sir.”

“You’re in my private library. I am the duty.”

“Yes, sir.” He took the seat opposite mine, his shoulders just as rigid as when he’d first noticed me, and something about that stiff posture irritated me.

“Relax,” I said, and when he didn’t move, I gestured with my hand. “Sit back in the chair.”

He smirked as he moved into the position I’d ordered him to.

“Is something amusing, Bennett?”

His eyes found mine across the game board, and as he gave the first full smile he’d ever aimed my way, I noticed the soft lines around his eyes and felt my heart beat a little faster.

“No, sir. It’s just…”

“Yes?”

“It’s difficult to relax when you’re ordering me to do so.”

“Oh.” I glanced down at Gabriel’s pieces. I had a feeling Noah had the advantage. “In that case, sit there and feel uncomfortable. Maybe then I’ll be able to correct Gabriel’s poor game.”

“He wasn’t doing too bad,” Noah said, and when I arched a brow, he shrugged. “Compared to our first game.”

My stomach twisted, and I wasn’t sure if it was over the fact that Gabriel had been in here with Noah much longer than I’d first suspected or because of the way Noah had just said, “our game,” like the two of them were some kind of item.

“I didn’t realize you had so much free time on your hands.”

Noah’s hand froze in midair as he raised his eyes from the board. “I don’t. But when His Royal Highness asks something of me, it’s my place to obey unless I’m otherwise occupied.” He placed the tile down and then had the temerity to ask, “Is it not?”

It was, of course, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. The last thing I needed was Noah getting comfortable around Gabriel, growing used to his warmth and charm, only to resent having to come back and serve me.

“It is⁠—”

“And I made certain all my other duties were complete before I accepted.”

“I’m sure you did,” I stated, and suddenly felt as though I should apologize for questioning him. Instead, I lowered my eyes to the board and cursed at the tile he’d placed—two red dragons. It was a good move.

I glanced over my tiles, wondering why Gabriel had been so jovial before leaving, because he had shit for choices here. But when I looked over to see Noah reclined in his seat, his eyes focused on the board and his fingers steepled in front of his mouth, I had a pretty good idea.

Noah Bennett was a lovely distraction. With his thick hair swept back from his attractive face, I could see his thoughtful gaze clearly now as he looked down upon the board. His expression gave nothing away, except for the intelligence behind his eyes as he contemplated every possible scenario for his next move.

“Where did you learn to play mahjong?” The question was out of my mouth before I’d even realized I was going to ask it. But his obvious skill at the game had to have come from somewhere, and I was curious.

“My mother and father,” he said without hesitation, that smile from earlier returning, much warmer and brighter this time. “Whenever it rained, they’d pull out the mahjong and chess boards and we’d all play as a family.”