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We both nodded, as Ramses joined us both. He had his hands in his pockets at this point and took a second to glance between myself and the dark prince. He eyed him. “This isn’t going to be a problem with you being down the hall from each other, right?”
The question was one hundred percent directed at Dorian and something totally a parent would say.
A dad.
A flutter touched my chest, and though I hadn’t gotten to talk to Ramses one on one, I wanted to. He seemed so nice. Both of them.
Dorian worked his fingers through his hair. “No, sir. I was actually just saying goodnight to Noa.”
Noa…
Only he called me that, the muscle inside my rib cage squeezing again. Especially when that dark gaze fell on me. “Goodnight, Noa.”
“Goodnight.”
And with that, Dorian left us both. Shaking his head, he muttered something to himself. I couldn’t hear it, but he seemed to be chastising himself about something. He’d said we had a lot to talk about, and we did.
“Irony is something else.” Ramses had his hands tucked under his arms, his smile on Dorian. “I was pretty much in love with his mother in high school.”
I had to do a double-take, thinking I didn’t hear him right, and Ramses chuckled.
“The universe obviously had other plans,” he said, his smile on me now. “It’s a good thing too. Otherwise, I would have missed out on meeting the love of my life.”
It was hard not to see that today, the amount of love and affection he gave Brielle. It matched the amount of thought and attentiveness he gave her, but she hadn’t been the only one to receive it. He’d said we’d all get through the chaos of this situation, and he’d extended that to my brother. He’d made sure to look out for him, and I hadn’t even asked.
He’d just done it.
“Thank you for what you did today,” I said, his head tilting. “For what you said to Bru and including him.” He had done that, all day he’d done that. There wasn’t a moment where Bru hadn’t been invited to be a part of the conversation, and Ramses had stayed at the helm of that. He included him. No questions asked, and he wasn’t even his own.
Ramses pocketed his hands. “You both are so important to this family. Important to Brielle and me.” His voice thickened, and it was hard to watch him struggle. He seemed to be the peacemaker in the craziness today, the one with the reassurances, but he had his own battles. I mean, how couldn’t he?
He’d lost a child too.
“I want you both to feel welcome,” he said. “Things are difficult for you both, and it’s important you two feel safe.”
I swallowed, nodding. “Thank you.”
“No ask is too big, all right?” he continued. “If you or Bru need anything at all, you let Brielle or me know. We’ll get you anything you need. Do anything you need.”
He really was nice, kind and so quick to make sure others were feeling good. He did, and to the point where it felt like he was ignoring even himself and what he was no doubt going through like the rest of us.
“But I feel like you’re a lot like your dad.”
The dark prince’s words struck me in that moment, and I shook my head before I did something stupid. Something like cry or worse, and I’d been doing so good today. I’d managed not to cry at all in front of strangers.
I’d managed not to cry in front of him too.
Dorian being there today had done so much for me, and my emotional reserves only worsened in front of Ramses. Ramses rubbed his hands after what he said. Like he didn’t know what to do with them, and I wanted to thank him for something else. He and Brielle had had so much patience with me today. They’d give me space, and there were moments like this where I noticed it. Moments where it looked like it took every fiber of their beings to resist and give me that space.
When all they really wanted to do was something else.
I felt like some of that was in me too. Like there was a compulsion within me to run to these strangers and cry my eyes out, both for them and with them. Unlike myself, they actually remembered me…
Where I’d been fortunate enough to be spared.
I eventually did find my bedroom that night, and because I hadn’t expected anyone to be there, I know I had tears in my eyes.
She saw them.
