The Alpha King Call Boy
Chapter 86

Fiona

Sunday morning brought with it a feeling of dread.

It was hard to ignore the reality that Alexander would be walking out of the palace with me the following morning, heading off for the airport while I went to work. Especially since the itineraries that Kayden had just sent me for their travel plans did not include a return flight.

The idea, Alexander told me, was to spend one day traveling and one to two days searching for this witness he and Kayden were attempting to track down. Then there was the return trip to add onto the back end. If they were successful early, they would return early. Should they have less luck, they'd be coming back on Thursday whether or not they had the witness with them.

"I will update you every chance I get," he told me. But I knew the area of the country he was traveling to was not liable to have cell reception in just about any part of it, and it was more likely I would not hear from him until he'd touched down at the city airport on a return flight.

My rational mind determined to disregard the possibility of an early return. It was easier to just assume Alexander would be gone all week, and make my plans accordingly.

I had woken up before him on Sunday and found myself lying in bed a while, thinking deeply and watching the regular rise and fall of his chest.

He was asleep on his back and I was curled up beside him. One of his big, strong arms laid heavily atop my leg, his sleeping fingers curled around the inside of my knee. I let my cheek fall against his shoulder, breathing in the scent of him and wishing dreamily that he wouldn't do this. Wouldn't take this long and maybe even ill-advised trip, and leave me here alone all week.

I knew it was important to him, though.

The story he had shared with me about his mother's death possibly having been an assassination was troubling indeed. Alexander was searching out the truth about something terrible that had been huge in his life. I could see that this was something he needed to do. Especially knowing everything that Kayden had told me about the impact his mother's death had on Alexander when they were away at war.

Alexander stirred, and I realized I had woken him up. I'd been lost in thought and was not fully conscious of the fact that my eyelashes were batting against his skin every time I blinked, tickling him awake.

His hand squeezed my leg softly as he came to, and then turned to look at me with sleepy eyes.

"Morning, gorgeous," he said, his lips curling into a little smile.

I pressed my lips to his shoulder. "Morning."

Alexander reached over with his other hand and stroked my hair, his fingers combing through it gently. "How are you feeling today?"

"Good." That was the truth about my physical condition. "How about you?"

His smile drifted up one side of his mouth. "I'm great," he said. "Come here."

He shifted his weight, rolling onto his side. I adjusted my head up onto the pillow, having lost his shoulder for a headrest, and then let him pull me very close to his body.

He kissed the top of my head, then buried his nose in my hair and remained there, breathing deeply.

It felt more than good, everything about that moment.

But then the dread crept in, mixed itself up with the good feeling, and left it tinged blue.

Alexander

Fiona's alarm went off at five a.m. on Monday morning, a soft windchime sound that woke us both easily. We'd hardly slept, but I wasn't tired and it did not look like she was, either.

I'd asked her, the day before, what she wanted to do, and we made some plans. The only one we wound up sticking to was me making her breakfast.

After that we laid down for a nap. And then the other ideas for how to spend the afternoon and evening went forgotten. Fiona soaked in a bubble bath in the evening, and I used the break to take a walk with Kayden and go over our plans one last time. Then I brought dinner back to the room and we ate in bed. And stayed in bed.

My waking thought upon rousing to the windchimes was a strong temptation to laze there a little longer still. But Fiona didn't give me the opportunity.

She got out of bed swiftly and began her methodical morning routine, same as she did every workday. I didn't disturb her. I let her do her thing and swapped into the bathroom for a shower when she disappeared into her dressing room.

I'd packed for the trip days ahead of time while she was at work, just to be done with it and ready. My bag was in my office. I dressed, then went and got it out. I was shrugging on my jacket when Fiona came back into the room, her hands on her ears as she hooked in a pair of dangly gold earrings.

"Well, I guess this is it," she said, walking toward me and frowning.

I sighed. "I'm sorry about this, Fiona."

She shook her head, losing the frown in the process. "I know. And I do understand. I know this matters to you a lot."

We walked together in silence out to the parking lot where both our rides were waiting.

Kayden had the engine of my SUV running, and was waiting in the driver's seat. Fiona's car was idling at the curb. Her driver hopped out when he saw us approaching, hurried around and began to open the back door for her. I gave the man a curt shake of my head to send him away. Fiona turned to me, pressed her hands to my chest and looked up. My hands fell to her waist.

"Travel safely," she said, "and come back to me soon." She kept her pale blue eyes on mine, her gaze penetrating, and slid her hands up my chest softly. Then she fidgeted with the collar of my shirt, pressing it straight, before her hands came to rest at the base of my neck.

I wanted so badly to lean in and kiss her lips.

But that was still against the rules.

I kissed her neck instead, making her head go limp and fall to the other side. I heard a little rush of air escape her mouth as I slid my lips up and down her soft, fragrant skin. Her scent was like lavender, but sweeter. Her cool hands slid across the back of my neck and sent a tingle down my spine.

I had to pull away. Fiona could get me started quickly with a touch like that.

As we pulled apart, though, I almost slipped. Almost made a big mistake. My mouth drifted up and over, drawn towards her parted lips. For a split second, I could have sworn she wanted it, too. A real kiss.

But I'd had that thought before, and I'd always been wrong.

I caught myself and planted a little kiss on her forehead instead, and then took a step back.

"Oh, I have something for you," she said then, as if recalling an afterthought, and reached into her purse.

Out came a small, flat, white box. She handed it to me.

"Don't open it now. Later." She took a step closer to her car.

I opened the door for her, helped her in and told her, "I'll see you soon."

She looked up at me with a tight, sad smile that I took to mean goodbye.