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I tugged the door open, and Lavee’s eyebrows shot upward as she looked at me. “Do you always answer the door like this?”

I glanced down at myself.

Naked again.

Shit.

Slamming the door shut in her face, I ignored Namir’s cursing as he rolled out of bed and followed me into the closet.

“We need to talk,” he warned me.

“You need to stop getting mad every time I accidentally flash someone,” I growled back.

He flung his hands into the air. “What am I going to do with you, woman?”

“You could start with apologizing for last night.” I tossed a hand toward the bed. “I had a perfectly nice time, and you ruined it.”

He scoffed. “I know I ruined it, Diora. Why do you think I was so pissed?”

“No, you ruined it by getting frustrated with yourself, not by biting me. I fucking loved it when you bit me.” I spun to face the clothes, and grabbed the first dress and undergarment I saw, tugging them off their hangers.

His hand was gentle as he set it on my arm. “How could you love that after what you survived?”

I shoved his hand off me, snarling, “You haveno ideawhat I survived, Namir. You don’t get to assume you know what I’ll like, dislike, or hate just because of whatever you think I’ve lived through.”

“Then tell me.” His hands spread wide, his shadows dancing off his skin almost… angrily. They were reacting to his emotions, and if I hadn’t been so frustrated, I would’ve been enthralled by them.

“No.” My voice went flat.

I yanked my underclothing up my body, reaching around to find the zipper. Namir stepped behind me and zipped it up for me without asking or waiting for me to ask.

He let out a slow breath. “Alright, Love. I’m sorry for pushing. I shouldn’t have let my emotions get the best of me.” He released the zipper and stepped away “Lavee can’t expect me to train this early. Is she here for you?”

“She’s cutting my hair,” I said stiffly.

The sex conversation would not be mentioned. Not even maybe.

“That’s nice of her.” He gave me a small, playful smile, but I was starting to see through the show he put on for his kingdom. He wasn’t always happy, like he wanted people to believe—and he wasn’t always laughing.

“It is.” My emotions were too much of a mess for me to bring up his façade, so I didn’t.

“I trust you’ll be safe with her.” One of his hands slipped into his pants’ pocket. “Don’t leave the castle without me, please?”

“Mmhm.” My voice came out clipped.

“Thank you.” He caught my hand and lifted it to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of my palm. “I’m sorry for whatever you want me to be sorry for, Love. I just want you safe, and secure, and happy.” His words were genuine, but I was still frustrated.

And still unsure how much of his behavior was just his princely mask, and how much was his genuine attitude.

When I nodded, he released my hand, and then slipped out of the closet while I tugged my dress over my shoulders.

Namir murmured a greeting to Lavee as he opened the door, him stepping out of the room while she strode into it.

She lifted an eyebrow toward me as I came out of my closet, tugging my hair out from within my dress. “That didn’t seem like the Namir I know.”

“I know,” I grumbled, gesturing her toward the bathroom.

Namir had a few different pairs of dirty pants in the hamper, so I tossed a damp towel over the top of them to hide them. He must’ve brought the spare towels in himself, or known where they were stored; I’d only ever noticed the robe before.