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Fleetingly, I thought of Odette and her sneering eyes, her mocking tone. Before I could rouse any mention of her, Nyx continued. “I haven’t been able to focus without you. You’re all I think about. You’ll be doing the kingdom a service if you come and stay with me.”
There was a teasing lilt to his words, but I had already decided, even before his jaunting.
We have a connection. It’s real. Why am I self-sabotaging?
“Okay,” I breathed before I could say something to screw up the dream I was living.
“Okay?”
I turned and looked at him. “Yes. I’ll move into the castle with you.”
The two weekswere an absolute whirlwind of activity, adding to the surreal nature of the situation. I had to put my notice into the building, which turned out to be a bigger pain than I’d anticipated.
“You have to give at least three months’ notice, but if I can’t fill the unit, you’ll be on the hook for the entire year,” the property manager warned.
I moaned about the injustice of the contract to Nyx that night as I lay in his arms. He hadn’t been joking about my accommodations in the castle being bigger than the unit I had left behind. All of my must-haves and necessities had already been moved out of the space and into the palace. The bathroom alone in my suite was larger than my entire apartment in downtown South Havenmire.
But that was nothing compared to the entire third floor that Nyx occupied in the castle, ensuring that he had every amenityavailable to him without having to venture to the main floor if he didn’t want to.
“He can’t do that,” Nyx told me flatly, raising his head onto a fist to peer at me from his spot at my side on the double king bed. “It’s illegal. You gave your notice. I’ll pay out the two months he’s entitled to, but he can’t hold you responsible beyond that, whether or not he finds a tenant.”
“He’s insisting,” I sighed. “And I’ll pay it out. I don’t expect you to do it. I’m the one breaking the lease, not you.”
He slid closer to me, his naked leg draping over mine as his strong arm pulled me toward him. “When I said I’d take care of you, I meant all of you. That includes dealing with shady landlords. I happen to own a few properties in the city myself, so I’m well versed in the bylaws. Don’t worry about it. I’ll have it handled today.”
He kissed the top of my head, and I melted against him, a tiny smidgen of guilt overcoming me. It felt wrong letting him do so much for me, but I soon learned that he was nowhere near finished.
“Let’s get dressed,” he suggested, surprising me. I’d thought we were going to lounge in bed a little longer before he rushed off to work again. “I have a surprise for you.”
I fell back to peer at him. “Don’t you have to go to meet with the Council of Ministers this morning?”
“I don’t have to do anything. I’m taking the day off. Come on.”
He rolled out of bed and flashed me one of his brilliant smiles, ambling toward the ensuite, his perfect ass captivating my attention as always.
Biting on my lower lip, I could only admire him, shaking my head.
“You can use the other bathroom if you want,” he suggested, nodding toward the hallway.
There were three bathrooms on this floor as well as a small kitchen, theater room, and small kitchen and bar. In my wildest imagination, I couldn’t have concocted the opulence that surrounded Nyx in his palace.
He disappeared into the ensuite, and I slowly rose, the top sheet falling away from my nude form. I looked for something to cover my nakedness, knowing that the guards would be outside the doors of the suite when I padded through.
Locating one of Nyx’s oversized robes, I wrapped myself in the soft material and made my way into the hall. As I expected, two Royal Guards stood in position, neither of them acknowledging me. I tried not to take it personally. They had a job to do, after all, but I couldn’t help but feel like they were staring at me, judging me.
I shook off the uncomfortable sensation and headed into the closest washroom to my right. A six-piece marble experience with a steam shower and sauna awaited me here, but I didn’t linger on the luxuries this morning. I was eager to see why Nyx had taken the day off and what he had planned.
Showering quickly with fancy, lovely-smelling soaps and shampoo, I reluctantly pulled myself out of the luxuriant bathroom and headed back into the main bedroom, where Nyx stood fully dressed in a pair of jeans and casual button-down shirt that accented every muscle in his torso. My heart skipped to look at him, and I idly wondered if I would ever get tired of looking at him like that.
“Are you going out in a towel today?” he teased, catching my eye in the full-length mirror as he ran a hand through his dark waves. “Not that I’m opposed to it.”
I shook my head and scrounged for the clothes I’d been wearing the night before. I found them strewn in all corners of the room—except for my underwear.
Biting on my lip, I scoured the entire bedroom as Nyx howled hysterically at the sight.
“Just leave it,” he finally gasped, snaking his arm around my waist. “One of the servants will find them, and it will make her entire day.”
I wasn’t so sure that was true, but I didn’t argue with him when he pulled me out the door and down to breakfast.
