“I don’t want to see another psychologist. Antonio hired a dozen to work on me. I don’t want another.”
She keeps moving her fingers through my hair—steady, slow—keeping me calm even during my least favorite conversation.
I shift from her chest and settle my face on the pillow, turning to see her. Her eyes are red-rimmed, the skin beneath them swollen from crying. Guilt wraps around my ribs, cinches tight, and starts to suffocate me.
She presses her soft palm to my cheek.
“What are you thinking?”
“All I seem to give you is tears.”
She frowns. “That’s an absurd thing to think. Downright ignorant. You’re forgetting about the orgasms.”
“That’s not enough, Princess. I want to give you smiles and laughter. I want to keep you happy—the way your father has, all these years.”
She smiles. “You just made me happy. Saying all that with your straight, grumpy face.”
She brings her face closer. Our noses brush.
“I’m happy as long as I get to see you. Touch you. Kiss you. And have sex with you.”
She presses her lips to mine. “I love you, Salvario. I don’t need anything else. Just your love.”
She sighs. “And a way to communicate with you, so I don’t have to spend hours in the park waiting for your handsome face to appear.”
“I can’t communicate with you without your father finding out.”
I can listen to her surroundings. Watch her through her phone. With the help of the virus I planted in her phone. She doesn’t know about that. And if she finds out the other purpose of that virus, it will ruin everything.
My everything.
“So you’re saying you’ll just disappear again? Not tell me how long you’ll be gone?”
I trace my thumb over her pursed lips.
“I’ll see you at your next concert.”
Her lips curl downward, I feel the movement under my thumb. I pull my thumb away and replace it with my lips, kissing her slowly.
“I’ll talk to my dad.” She says it with breathy determination, the moment I release her mouth.
“I’ll ask him to forgive you and accept you as my boyfriend.”
I know she’ll convince him. But that would mean I can’t move against them. I wouldn’t be able to take my revenge onAlexander. Once I’m part of their system, they’ll know my every move.
“Not yet. Just wait.”
She frowns. “But why?”
“It’s not the right time. Zloban and Matleon want me dead.”
Her eyes widen. “How do you know?”
I shift onto my back. “I wouldn’t have survived this long without knowing things like that, Princess.”
She settles her head on my chest. I stroke her silky brown waves, fingers trailing along the curve of her shoulder.
“Tonight, Avi said maybe Dad caught you. I was so scared.”
