Chapter 29

Chapter

Twenty-Nine

Ruune

I stepped out of the bathroom, the plush towel barely clinging to my hips, and nearly collided with a broad-chested Valorian in a crisp, military uniform. Bits of silver streaked his dark hair, adding to his air of authority. In all this time, my family had never sent royal security after me, and the sight of the guard startled me.

"Commander Dex," I said, forcing a smile. "Good to see you."

Dex's eyes flicked to the closed bathroom door, where the sound of running water was unmistakable. I waved him toward the sitting room, desperate to keep him away from Olivia. "Let me get dressed. I'll join you in a moment."

He reluctantly allowed me to lead him back to the sitting area, then I ducked into the bedroom, heart pounding as I quickly donned my Valorian attire. The familiar weight of the fabric felt strange after days in Earth clothes. As I fastened the last clasp, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever lecture Dex had in store.

Entering the attached space with a pair of plush chairs and a sofa in the same neutral tones as the rest of the hotel, I tried for casual. "So, Commander, how can I help you?”

Dex's face remained impassive. "Prince Griff has been called home immediately. I'm here to ensure you accompany him."

This was not what I’d expected. There was only one reason that Griff would be summoned so urgently. "What?”

"We expect him to ascend to the throne very soon."

Sadness washed over me, almost buckling my knees. My uncle, dying. How long had it been since I'd seen him? Since I'd bothered to check in on my family at all?

Dex's voice cut through my thoughts. "You need to disentangle yourself from your—” he slid his gaze toward the bathroom “—amusements and prepare to leave." His eyes darted to the bathroom door again. "Unless, of course, you've chosen a mate who needs to be vetted."

I stiffened. The idea of subjecting Olivia to the intense scrutiny of the Valorian court made my stomach churn. Not when I wasn't even sure what we were to each other. Not when whatever was between us was so fragile and new. Not when I didn’t know if she viewed this as more than fun.

“I have not chosen a mate. Like you said, this is nothing but an amusement.”

Dex gave a curt nod, seemingly satisfied. "Very well. I'll return once you've packed." With a sharp bow, he strode from the suite.

As soon as the door clicked shut, I collapsed onto the sofa, my head in my hands. How had everything gone sideways so quickly? Just this morning, I'd been looking forward to spending the day with Olivia, to figuring out if what we had could be real. Now I was being whisked back to Valoria for the passing of my uncle the king.

The sound of the bedroom door opening snagged my attention. Olivia stepped out, fully dressed, her damp hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. Something was off about her expression, but before I could puzzle it out, she spoke.

"Hey, I've got to run," she said, her voice oddly cheery. She crossed the room and planted a quick peck on my cheek. "Thanks for being such a great fake boyfriend."

I blinked, stunned. "Olivia, wait—"

But she was already at the door, tossing a casual wave over her shoulder. "See you around, big guy.”

And then she was gone, leaving me sitting there, shellshocked at the sharp turn of events. Had I been wrong about Olivia? About us? The way she'd breezed out, you'd think the past few days had meant nothing to her. That last night had never happened. That I'd been nothing more than a game. Usually, a female uninterested in attachment would have been great news for me, but I felt hollow.

I slumped back on the sofa, surrounded by the opulent trappings of the hotel suite that suddenly felt cold and empty. I'd been a fool. A fool to think I could escape my duties, a fool to think I could find real connection, and most of all, a fool to think that someone like Olivia could ever fall for someone like me.

The worst part was, I couldn't even be angry with her. We’d both known the rules from the start. We'd both been playing parts. I'd just been foolish enough to start believing in the fantasy.

With a heavy sigh, I stood. It was time to pack, time to face the reality I'd been running from for so long. As I moved around the suite, gathering my belongings, I couldn't shake the image of Olivia's face as she'd left. There had been something in her eyes, something that didn't quite match her breezy goodbye.

But it didn't matter now. In a few hours, I'd be light-years away from Earth, from Olivia, from everything that had made me feel alive these past few days. And as I zipped up my bag, I realized that the ache in my chest wasn't just about leaving Earth or even Olivia, although the thought of not seeing her again made it hard for me to breathe.

It was also about leaving behind the version of myself I'd discovered here—a version that, for the first time in years, I'd actually liked.