Page 51 of Retrograde

I mentally swore. I had a fight that night. I gave her a worried look. “Myriam has to cancel something for me.”

She nodded and promised she’d handle it.

Onyx was waiting for me outside of the room when we exited.

“I didn’t like that you left,” I admitted, not able to look at him. People couldn’t leave when the shit hit the fan.

That was most of my life after all.

He cupped my cheek and made me look at him, studying my eyes carefully. “Okay, I’ll do my best to try and not do that, but sometimes I have to. I came right back. I’ll come back faster—I’ll always come back, baby girl. I won’t ever leave you to handle the storms alone.”

That was mostly what I needed to hear and leaned against him.

He lifted me in his arms and headed for my suite. “Let’s just snuggle and process, okay? I need—I wasn’t ready for this. I’m sorry I didn’t handle it like I promised and I’m a mess.”

I nuzzled his neck and waited until there were less ears. “I appreciate you trying. I just don’t think—I asked Fraser to go and remind them he had diplomatic immunity.”

And unlike other countries, that didn’t matter in their own country, it did in Thovudin. The royal family had diplomatic immunity, and it took all the Alphas agreeing someone had abused it for it to be stripped. It had happened, but rarely, and it was a huge thing.

Mostly because the royal family policed themselves. Harshly. None of us ever risked that because… It was an ace up our sleeves we couldn’t lose.

Lydia was actually off shift and waiting for me with a worried look. “I could use some fun, Your Majesty. Your friend said you needed something to eat since you skipped breakfast. There’s this great place that has these massive donuts and even uses them for breakfast sandwiches. Just opened and I’ve been dying to try it.”

“You’re a gem,” Onyx praised her and nodded for her to come inside. He got me settled on the couch and pulled out his wallet, handing her cash and a card.

“Why are you buying?” I wondered.

“You’re kidding, right?” theybothasked me with matching expressions of disbelief.

Oh right, yeah, it was Onyx’s family doing this to me.

“Carry on,” I agreed. “Noodles for lunch, okay? I want noodles and skewers again. Those were nom nom.” Eloise realized she was giving too much away and listened to Iris.“Tired. Healer said exhausted.” I leaned my head on the back of the sofa and closed my eyes.

“Yeah, anyone would be exhausted, Your Majesty,” Lydia said sadly. “I’ve got this. I’ll handle it.”

“You are going to feed me too, right?” Onyx checked as I heard the door open again.

She let out a long breath. “Take care of her like you should after what they’ve done to her and fine, I’ll get you some too.”

“I love her loyalty, but there are so many I’m having to get approval from,” he grumbled when she was gone. “Let’s start with getting something else for you to wear, okay? Bum days don’t have work suits.”

Fair, but I just sighed.

He came over to me and teased my hair. “What’s going on, baby girl? Talk to me.”

I finally confessed what I’d been hiding because there hadn’t been a point with my finances. “A bunch of my boxes and suitcases never arrived from school. I asked Raquel and she got upset that everything they received was brought to my room.”

He frowned. “How bad?”

I snorted. “Check my closet and wardrobe yourself. The staff has been talking about how I like what I like but…”

“The levels to which you have been abused and neglected chaps me so fucking bad,” he seethed and then went into my bedroom. It was a few moments before he bellowed that I didn’t have any fucking clothes besides some suits and now what Andra had added.

He came and gave me a kiss, saying to not get mad, but he’d go get me some damn lounge clothes and handle it.

“I have training clothes,” I muttered.

“No, tight isn’t what you need right now. Trust me?”