Page 22 of Tech Prince Troubles (Runaway Prince Hotel #6)
Chapter Twenty-Two
SAM
allowed to have fun
A dri’s eyes filled with longing as he watched the reel play over and over. Not just longing, but loneliness. What did he see? What was it he wanted? Maybe I shouldn’t have shown him.
But Adri kept watching and watching. It gave me the sense he wasn’t ready to talk or didn’t know what to say. As the silence stretched on, I felt an urge to lighten the situation with a joke, and before I realized it, I blurted out, “So do I call you Your Highness?”
Adri dropped the phone onto the table, and his face just closed up. Shit. I swallowed and closed my eyes for a moment, running my hand through my hair. “Sorry. I’m sorry. I tried to make light with a joke. It was wrong. I shouldn’t have said it. Maybe I should go.”
I rose, but when I grabbed my phone, Adri wrapped his fingers around my wrist. He shook his head, and I sat back down, but he still didn’t let me go, as if he was afraid I’d leave if he did.
I needed to be patient. This seemed so much easier when my kids were involved.
Why did I keep putting my foot in it with Adri?
I took a deep breath and leaned my elbow on the table.
Not very comfortable, but Adri needed time.
So, I’d give him time, even if it meant sitting in such an awkward position.
Adri said, “My mins are the High Energies of the Niren, what humans would call the ruling family. We don’t have set titles, but humans started calling our ancestors kings and queens, so we adopted the same terms.” He took a breath.
“Our society isn’t very hierarchical. So, no, you don’t have to call me Your Highness. No one does.”
“So what does being High Energies mean?” And did mins mean parents? I was sure he’d mentioned it before.
“Our family brokers the connections between our people—and NiraTech—and the outside world. We meet with royal representatives, country leaders, foreign dignitaries, and heads of companies to secure contracts, business opportunities, and exchange programs. Anything you can think of.”
“So, that’s your job?”
Adri shrugged. “Yes. And no, I’m a tech mage. So, I spend most of my time designing, testing, and programming the systems NiraTech builds, including full-scale environmental projects.”
“Like what you do here, on a grander scale.”
“With fewer glitches.”
I hoped so. “But not always?”
Adri shook his head. “Since I became of age, my duties expanded. At Frank and Kaia’s engagement party, it was my responsibility to talk to guests, mostly foreign dignitaries and royal representatives, about our Bee Restoration Project.
Since Quinn follows Kaia’s podcast, you might’ve heard about it. ”
He explained it to me, anyway. The way he spoke about the details, the knowledge—it all sounded fascinating, and told with heart. I could listen to him describing every little detail for hours.
But when he fell silent, he seemed self-conscious .
“Wow. That is so interesting. You can really tell you know every tiny detail. If someone came into my café and talked to me like that about a machine they were selling, I’d buy it. Immediately.”
Adri blushed. “Thank you.”
“So, how did you end up here?”
Adri gave me a wry smile. “I ran away.”
That reminded me of what that kid had been yelling about Layla harboring princes. Layla never denied it. “You ran away? But why? You seem great at your job.”
“I’m the only tech mage in my biomancer family.
They find it easy to talk to people, easy to connect.
They like vivid things. I don’t feel comfortable around too many people, and I’m sensitive to noise.
I feel most comfortable when I’m alone, puzzling out problems, solving glitches, programming systems.” Adri pointed at my phone.
“You saw me in those reels of the engagement party. I looked awkward. As if I didn’t belong.
And then someone handed me a card. It said if I needed a place to hide away, I should go to this hotel and ask for Layla.
I didn’t understand why he handed it to me. ”
If he’d appeared as miserable as he did now, I completely understood. And he had seemed out of place in the reels. What boggled my mind was a card advertising the hotel as a hideaway. No wonder there were so many rumors about runaway royalty at the Renversé Hotel.
Adri continued, “I was so tired, and everything was so loud, I wanted somewhere quiet. When I saw an image of the hotel, the plaza… your café, I wanted to be there. Your café made me want an espresso. The one I had there was bad, Sam. Watery. Flat. So, I took a bus and have been here ever since.”
We looked at each other—his eyes begging me to understand—but I didn’t know what to say. I thought about my family, the café, the kids. They were my responsibilities, but they brought me joy, made me feel alive. How could he leave his life behind so easily?
“But you’re still working. Why?”
“Those are Layla’s rules. She offered me a place to stay in exchange for working for her. I told her I could pay for the room, but she was right when she said it would leave traces. I didn’t want my mins to find me.”
“You said they… pinged you? When it looked like you’d fainted. Does that mean they found you?”
“Yes.”
The relief on his face confused me. He was happy they found him?
“The glitching energy messed with my system. I’d been shielding and rerouting their pings since I left.
But after I keyed in my ID for the grounding check…
” He blinked and shook his head. “Sorry, too much tech-speak. My ID told them where I was, but the glitches enabled them to break through my shields.”
It was still too technical for me, but I thought I understood what he meant.
Despite the seriousness of our conversation, the way he talked about his body—glitches, energy, pings—was endearing.
It made me want to browse that site again, because while Niren appeared human on the outside, they were clearly very different on the inside.
I liked him. And damn if I didn’t want him to fuck me again. Or fuck him. I had a feeling he might be up for that too. But running away? I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.
“So now your family has found you. What are your plans now?”
“Make sure the ballroom is fixed in time for the Masquerade Ball. It’ll be tight, but once the energy is back to a reliable level, I expect no more glitches.
” Adri smiled. “I’m here until after the ball, at least. I’ve invited my mins, and Min-Tess said Frank and Kaia would love to support the Vocational Center. ”
Min-Tess. The way he so casually dropped Queen Tess of Niralen’s name felt…
surreal. It helped me understand that mins did mean parents.
And the way he added her name, the singular form probably meant mother, father, or parent.
I’d have to remember that. “Quinn will be over the moon when they hear Kaia is coming. My family always buys tickets to the event, so they’ll demand photos and complain about not being old enough to attend. ”
“I’m sure Kaia wouldn’t mind spending a few minutes with Quinn if I ask her. She always has time for her fans.”
They’d be ecstatic. “I’ll think about it.” He made it sound so simple, so casual. “What about after the ball? What happens then?”
Adri cast his gaze to the table. “I’ll go back home. As Min said, we all have duties.”
A month. He’d be leaving in a month. I took a breath.
And another one. This was his life, his decision.
Not mine. While the running away part didn’t sit well with me, he’d worked hard on the renovations.
Those night shifts weren’t easy, even if he didn’t need as much rest as us humans.
He was a hard worker. And the way he’d been with Quinn—patient, kind—that meant the world to me.
I was judging him for being a prince, holding him to an unrealistic standard because of it. Fuck. That made me no better than that little shit from IT.
“Can we do this again?” Adri asked, raising his eyes to meet mine.
I wanted to. We’d been good together. And he was bold. And so damn gorgeous. Why was I hesitating?
Adri leaned forward and kissed the tips of my fingers. “I understand if you don’t want to be with me. I’m leaving in a month, and you have your family to consider. The café. But I’d love to see you again. ”
Did I mention bold? How could I say no to that? Yes, I had my family to think of. The café. But they were going on vacation this Friday, and I’d be alone for three long weeks. Evan would be the first to tell me I was allowed to have some fun. And what was it Tammy had said?
“Just give him a chance.”
Of course, we hadn’t known Adri was a prince then—a runaway prince at that. But why not have some fun? We were consenting adults.
I rose, pulling Adri with me. “Yes. We can do this again.”