House of Royale (Secret Keepers #4)(24)

I was a burden for my parents. It eventually caused them to resent me. I’d made myself a promise I would never be that for anyone else, ever again.

Xander paused, and when he spoke again his voice was rougher. “You’re not a burden. In another life….”

He trailed off, and even though I was desperate to hear the rest of that sentence, I didn’t ask. But I did quit fighting him, relaxing against him again. By the time I was calm enough to function on my own again, the flight was half over. Xander didn’t say anything more as he left my seat, returning to where he’d originally been sitting. But I did feel his eyes on me.

A middle-aged man dressed in a suit paused at my side. “Would you like anything to eat or drink?” He rattled off an entire selection of food and my stomach rumbled in response.

I decided to order a few things, hoping it would be a good distraction. When the steward hurried off, I leaned back and reached for the headphones, which were wrapped around the armrest. A television popped up with the press of a button and I flipped through the millions of movies. I wasn’t one to watch television much; I couldn’t remember the last time I even went to the theaters, but … maybe there’d be something here.

“That one is great!” Emma said, walking back from the bathroom. She dropped into the chair next to mine, picking up a second set of headphones.

“Callie and Daniel are in one of the bedrooms,” she explained. “Maya and Chase have another. They’ll try and sleep for a few hours. I’m too amped to sleep right now, so let’s watch a movie.”

“Okay,” I said, excited. “You think this one?”

She laughed. “Oh yeah, the remake is better than the original. I laughed so hard.”

Funny sounded like the exact remedy for what I needed.

The next few hours were killed watching movies and eating food. Emma was one of the easiest people I’d ever talked with, and when Maya joined us, it was just as relaxed.

“Do you think Callie is okay?” I asked, feeling the loss of one member. “She’s slept almost the entire flight.”

We’d checked on her a few times. Daniel had assured us she was just asleep. But the look on his face wasn’t as reassuring.

“We’re due to land in forty minutes,” Lexen said. He had Emma in his lap, his arms wrapped tightly around her. Both of them looked content. “She’ll make it to House of Imperial, no worry.”

“We’re about to start our descent. Please return to your seats.”

The pilot’s voice spurred us all into action, and as I slipped back into my squishy chair, I tried really hard not to think about landing. It had to be better than taking off, right? Ocean washed across my senses and I turned as Xander dropped into the seat next to mine. Our eyes met, and I expected embarrassment to hit me, but there was none.

“Thank you for before,” I said, wanting to express my gratitude. “I really appreciate your help. I’m not sure what would have happened if you weren’t here.”

Xander shrugged. “You seem like a strong, independent sort of person. I have no doubt you’d have managed it on your own. But … just in case, I’m here if you need me.”

If you need me….

I really wished he hadn’t said those words, because the mental images that sprang to life had nothing to do with flying and everything to do with sex. I was not a virgin; the surfer community was free and easy with more than just riding the waves, but I did tend to be on the more conservative side. I’d had a few casual relationships. One semiserious one. But nothing for the last six months. Just surviving had been hard enough.

But right now, in this very moment, all I could picture was climbing into Xander’s lap. Pressing my lips to the bronze, hard muscles lining his chest. Running my fingers through his perfect strands of blond hair. He turned me on in ways that should be illegal. Especially when he wanted nothing to do with me.

Gold flared in his eyes, and the blue went dark enough to almost be black. “You need to stop looking at me like that,” he warned, leaning in close. “You and I might not be the soul mate types, but I am attracted to you. You’re extremely beautiful, and right now I can think of nothing except stripping your clothes off and tasting every inch of that stunning body. But that’s where it would end, and something tells me that wouldn’t be enough for you.”

Irritation pricked at me. “You don’t know me,” I returned, keeping my voice as low as he had. “I’m perfectly capable of handling a casual affair.” Despite my calm word, my mind and body were on fire. I couldn’t get the visual he’d painted out of my head … or the fact that he was feeling the same level of attraction as me.

What the hell is happening?

His jaw tightened. “Something you’re familiar with?” he asked.

“Isn’t it the Royale way?” I shot back. “Not settling into long-term relationships.”

He shook his head. “It’s more complicated than that. For starters, overlords are together long-term. The energy of an overlord facilitates a proper bond. And more of our people are starting to build long-term family units. We’re changing.”

Except Xander clearly wasn’t.

“Maybe I would be the one who could walk away and you’d be the one wanting more,” I suggested casually. “Maybe that is what has you worried.”