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“Probably since the sixth grade when I tried to kiss Tommy Campanella by the swings after I’d just been asked to a Sadie Hawkin’s dance by the girl who’d been crushing on me since I could remember.”
“That would do it,” I said, chuckling.
“How about you?” he asked. It felt like Shy had just handed me a key. A question I’d never been asked before, and one I so desperately needed to answer.
The floodgates had been opened.
“I’ve always known… I’ve always felt a pull. I went to an all-boys school and never quite got along with anyone, and that’s because I felt so out of place. While everyone talked about the girls they’d want to date, I was picturing myself with my classmates. Never speaking about it, and painfully reprimanding myself in the beginning for even letting myself think the things I’d been thinking. It was shitty, but it seemed to have worked for a while. I started dating girls, and the thoughts, they never disappeared, but they did subside.” I shook my head and took a deep breath, feeling like even my lungs were trembling with emotion. “Only for a little while, though. I couldn’t keep my true self down, no matter how hard I tried. I remembered the day I met the American president’s son, and it had just been the two of us, and I had felt something spark. Nothing happened between us and he’s married now with two kids, but still, it had all resurfaced that day. I wondered if maybe I was bi, but I realized I couldn’t find any romantic feelings for any of the women I’d ever been with, and the sex didn’t really do it for me either. I would look at openly gay men and find myself feeling jealous. Hatefully so. I wanted what they had so badly. And I thought I’d never get it… Shit. I still feel like I might not get it.”
“You will get it, Nick. You deserve it, just as much as everyone else. Just by saying all this out loud, you’re one step closer.”
“It does feel like I am. Like I got this massive weight off my chest.”
I noticed a glint of something in Shy’s brown eyes before he wiped it away. “You don’t have to feel the weight again. Even if a picture or two leaks, you have keep that weight from settling back.”
“On that note… I actually need your help. You said you worked at a detective agency, right?”
“Mhmm.”
“Well, I need to find out who took and leaked that photo. I need to stop them from sending anything else they might have. Or from taking any more of us. Because, trust me, I don’t plan on staying far from you.”
Shiro’s brows scrunched together. “That sounds almost like you’re ready to throw someone overboard.”
“No, never.” I shook my head. “I’ve dealt with this before. The paparazzi, the ones who scrape from the bottom of the barrel, they can always be bought. I have the bank account of an entire crown behind me. I can make sure no more photos of me get out.”
His expression shifted from one of apprehension to something bordering on excitement.
“All right,” he said, clapping his hands together and sitting up a little straighter. “Let’s figure out who the hell is snapping shots of us.”
“So you’ll help?”
“I’ll take your case, Prince Nick.”
I smiled. “Perfect.” I kissed him then, as if I were unable to stop myself, like the excitement had come over me in a tidal wave.
“I’ll keep my eyes open for anyone suspicious, but let me ask you a couple of questions so I can figure out what I’m looking for.”
“Shoot.”
He walked over to the bedside table and grabbed the black leather notebook sitting next to a miniature Christmas tree, shiny red ornaments hanging off its tiny branches. “Did you come on the ship with anyone?” he asked, walking back to the bedside, pen and notebook now in hand.
“The head of my security team, yeah. Her name’s Luna. She’s been watching me for the last fifteen years, though. I trust her with my life. Quite literally.”
I could tell Shiro still had a few question marks over his head. He wouldn’t be a good detective if he didn’t.
“What’s she look like?”
“Tall, with short brown hair. A pointed nose and a kind smile. Blue-gray eyes… Actually, forget it, I’ll just introduce you two.”
“Perfect. I’d like to ask her a couple of questions, too.” He jotted something down, clicking his tongue to the roof of his mouth. “Did either of you tell anyone about this trip? Was it planned way in advance?”
“We bought the tickets weeks ago and told no one. I wanted it to be as quiet as possible. Even my father didn’t know, which is a rare occurrence.”
“And you haven’t recognized anyone on the ship so far, right?”
