Page 19 of Wanted

“He’s joking,” Alex quickly added, glaring at Fylox. Alex’s hand connected with mine, and I felt compelled to stare at the union of our skin.

“I really am not,” Fylox muttered under his breath.

“Well, you’re lucky we’re not on Katantia. You could be executed for threatening my life over there,” I informed him. My name meant nothing here. My title was meaningless. I was a nobody now. I relied on my friends now more than ever. Were these people even my friends? I removed my hand from Alex’s grasp, and I crossed my arms in front of my chest in frustration.

“There’s something wrong with the outside door if you haven’t noticed. Dad wouldn’t want us to be this careless,” Alex told Fylox. “Can you fix it?”

Fylox scowled, leaving us alone.

“Let’s go back to doing nothing.”

I couldn’t resist the invitation.

KAMILA

A strong arm was curled around my shoulders as I woke up from a night of no dreams.

Opening my eyes, I stretched my neck out of the heavy hold. I lifted my upper body from the sofa only to see Fylox sitting in the corner of the room, watching us. It wasn’t my intention to fall asleep in Alex’s arms, but who could resist such a handsome man when he suggests watching a funny movie with him just to lighten the mood a little? We fell asleep at some point.

“We didn’t touch each other,” I blurted out. Fuck, I needed to brush my teeth pronto.

Nonchalantly, Fylox retorted, “Nobody asked.”

“Do you always gawk at your best friend when he’s sleeping?” I responded.

“I do when he’s close to danger.”

I raised my eyebrows at the suggestion. “I’m dangerous? That’s funny. You two could knock me out in a second. I have no chance. I’m in a foreign country where people shoot at each other freely.”

Kamila, it is your job to lie. I know you don’t want to. It goes against everything I’ve ever taught you, but being a princess requires sugarcoating the details. You cannot allow anyone to see you fall. You stand proud. Do you hear me? Don’t ever let anyone break your spirit.

Fylox’s mirthless laugh made me shiver.

Alex heavy sleeper because our little discussion didn’t cause him to lose sleep.

“Get ready. Today, I’m teaching you some basic self-defense skills,” Fylox uttered, and I rolled my eyes.

“I don’t need self-defense,” I stated. I’d never slept next to a man who hadn’t touched me before. I didn’t want to leave Alex’s side. I could lay here and stare at him for a little longer, inspecting the details of his kind nature.

“You need an outlet. You keep shaking and going off at anybody in your way.” I could think of an outlet that included both of these men… “Training will take your mind off of things.”

“I have guards to protect me. I’m the Princess of Katantia,” I reminded him. I’d never in my life watched a human being breathe before. Alex’s deep breaths calmed me. The movements of his strong chest were hypnotic.

“You’re in my space. Here, you are a princess of nothing. You don’t exist. You’re a nobody, and you will be treated as such,” Fylox commented as if it was a sentence he’d explicitly memorized for me.

“Can you come up with something new to say? All of that is getting tiring. I might not be a princess in this space, but my name…”

Cold, he interrupted me, “Get. Up. I won’t repeat it. Alex needs his sleep, and you must come with me.”

“Whatever,” I responded. I smuggled myself away from Alex’s warmth, leaving him in his peaceful sleep. He didn’t look quite as joyous when asleep. I wondered where he traveled to in his dreams.

“Who’s gawking now?” Fylox asked from the other end of the room as he passed the doorframe to the hallway.

“I like pretty views. Leave me be.”

I picked up my pace, following Fylox out of the living room. I got ready for my day, and once again, all the products had no odor to them. Was Fylox allergic to it? There was only one dominant scent around him, and that was citrus. Occasionally, there were spicy wood elements, but I figured that only happened when he shaved. He hadn’t shaved in a couple of days, growing a stealthy five o’clock shadow that contrasted his bleach-blond hair.

The dark roots of his hair were starting to reveal themselves. He should go to the hairdresser’s, seriously. Okay, no. His fucking hair was brilliant the way it was, not too long and definitely not short. It was gelled back on top of his head and trimmed on the sides. I bet his hairdo wasn’t a result of a hairdresser; he dyed his hair on his own.