Guarded King (Empty Kingdom #3)

Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHLOE

T he engine purrs quietly as Phillip navigates the big car through heavy traffic.

Roman is silent beside me. Tense. It’s a different kind of tension than what I’m used to sensing from him. There’s no simmering anger, no undercurrent of energy humming in the air between us.

He’s probably nervous about the birth, and with good reason. From what I’ve gathered, this will be the first child for any of the three brothers. It’s heartwarming really, that he’s concerned. Who would’ve thought Roman King would be a nervous uncle-to-be?

My boss is full of surprises.

“Thank you for your efforts tonight.”

The deep baritone of his voice breaks the silence, and I fight back a shiver as the words seem almost to vibrate against my skin.

“Do you think you’ll make it to the meeting with InnovaCore tomorrow, or should I reschedule?”

He runs his hand down his face, his body loose with exhaustion. He still has a long night ahead of him too.

“I’ll make it in,” he says.

I shouldn’t be surprised. The man’s a workaholic, after all.

As we pull up outside the hospital, he looks out the window, then back to me. “Phillip will drop you at home and I’ll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early.”

I smile softly at him and, on instinct, touch the back of his hand. “I hope everything goes well.”

He looks down, but before I can regret my impulsive decision to touch him, he turns his hand over and wraps his long fingers around mine. “Thank you, Chloe.”

His tone is pitched so low, it’s like dark velvet dragging over my skin. I can’t stop the shudder of need rippling through me.

His fingers tighten, and then he’s releasing me and climbing out of the car.

When the heavy door slams shut behind him, Phillip eyes me in the rearview mirror. “Where to?”

Shaking off my reaction to Roman’s touch, I’m about to give Phillip my address when I catch sight of a shiny black object on the dark leather seat.

I snag it and hold it up. “Roman left his phone. Let me see if I can catch up with him.”

Without waiting for a response, I push the car door open and jog to the doors Roman entered a few seconds ago, cursing my heels the whole way.

Inside, I scan the large open space, and when I don’t see him, I make my way to the security booth in the center of the atrium.

“Can I help you?” the woman behind the desk asks.

“My boss just came through here. Roman King.” I hold his cell up. “He left this in his car. Can I take it to him please?”

The woman arches a brow and scrutinizes me. “Do you have some identification?”

I unclip the security pass I’m still wearing on the waistband of my skirt and hold it up. It has my photo and lists my position as Roman’s assistant on it.

She picks up a phone and, after tapping a few buttons, speaks into it. Once she hangs up, she nods in the direction of a door on the far wall. “There’s a private family waiting room through there.”

“Thank you.” With a grateful smile, I turn and head toward the door. On the other side is a short corridor, and at the far end, a set of double glass doors with a sign printed above indicating it’s the waiting room.

For the first time since I stepped out of the car, nerves tangle in my stomach. Roman is waiting beyond those doors, but so is the rest of his family. Suddenly, I’m second-guessing the idea of barging in on them at a time like this. My hesitation melts away quickly, though, knowing Roman will want his phone. He’ll go crazy sitting still for hours if he can’t work.

I push through the doors and step into a large room. The floor is covered in luxurious carpet, and the couches and chairs are all plush and inviting. Beautiful paintings in calming blues and greens adorn the walls, and at one end, there’s a coffee machine and a bar fridge. This isn’t like any hospital waiting room I’ve ever been in before. Then again, I’m not a billionaire.

“Chloe.” Roman’s deep voice comes from the corner of the room.

I turn and find him standing with Tate and a pretty woman with light brown hair. On one of the couches nearby, an elegant, older blond woman sits, her expression impossible to read.

As nerves crawl up my throat, I take a breath and steady myself. Then, I walk over to them, plastering on the most professional smile I can manage.

Roman’s expression is enigmatic as he watches me. Does he resent me intruding on him and his family, or is he only surprised to see me?

“You forgot your phone, Mr. King.” I hold the device out to him. He’s told me more than once tonight to call him by his first name, but it feels wrong in this setting. As if I’m claiming an intimacy I don’t have any right to.

He takes it from me, his fingers ghosting over mine. “Thank you, Miss Callahan.” It seems like he has the same thought as me.

“Chloe, right?”

The woman standing next to Tate gives me a warm smile. She must be his fiancée, Violet. She’s gorgeous, her long brownish-blond hair falling around her shoulders and her blue eyes bright.

“That’s right.” I return her smile as I take a step back. “Sorry for the intrusion, I’ll head off now. I hope it all goes smoothly, and you don’t have too long to wait.”

Roman’s mom sniffs, drawing my attention. She’s still seated on the couch, staring down at a half-full coffee cup. “I hope so too. I don’t know how much of this awful coffee I can take.” She looks at Violet and lifts a brow. “You should start supplying to hospitals. Good coffee would make these types of long waits much more pleasant.”

That’s right. Sophie told me that Violet owns True Brew, a sustainable artisan coffee shop that’s developed quite a cult following recently.

“Some of those delicious pastries of yours wouldn’t hurt either.” Tate hooks his arm around his fiancée’s waist and pulls her tight against him so he can drop a kiss on her forehead.

I swear there are hearts in her eyes when she smiles up at him, and wistfulness washes over me.

It’s hard not to wonder what it would be like to have a partner like that. A partner who had my back, who I could share my highs and lows with. A man I knew I could turn to when things got tough.

Maybe Dad’s right. Perhaps it’s time for me to get out and start dating. I sneak a peek over at Roman again. Maybe it would get rid of my pesky attraction to my boss as well.

Shaking away the longing threatening to overtake me, I school my expression. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Mr. King.”

One corner of his mouth tips up. “Get some sleep. It would be nice if at least one of us is awake during the meeting.”

I do my best to suppress my smile. We both know that, sleep deprived or not, he’ll be wide awake and on the ball at the meeting.

With a small self-conscious wave to the rest of his family, I turn and walk briskly to the exit and out to the waiting car.

As I climb back in, Phillip turns in his seat. “All sorted?”

“Yes.” I rub at my eyes, suddenly drained of all energy. At least I’ve got a comfortable bed to go back to, unlike Roman and his family.

The car pulls away from the curb and I’m once again readying to tell Phillip my address when I spot a twenty-four-hour donut shop, lit up and beckoning to me.

“I’m sorry, Phillip, but could you pull over here?” I point at the shop.

He peers at me in the rearview mirror, his eyes dancing. “Need a sugar hit?”

“Not me,” I say. “But I know a few people who probably have a long night ahead of them.”

His brows rise, but without a word, he parks in front of the shop. Inside, there are several people in line, but the servers working behind the counter move quickly, and in minutes, I’m ordering. I know how Roman likes his coffee. But I don’t have a clue about the others. Along with his, I buy three additional long blacks and ask for a container of cream to go with them, and a variety of sweeteners. I order a box of donuts and throw in a few pastries as well. I’m not sure Roman’s mom is the type to willingly bite into a donut, but hopefully she’ll find something suitable. It’s not a gourmet meal, but the coffee is fresh. That has to count for something. With any luck, the caffeine and sugar will keep Roman and his family going until the baby is born.

As I exit the shop with the bag and the tray of drinks, Phillip leaps out of the car and comes to my aid.

“First pizza, then donuts,” he says, chuckling. “Not the boss man’s normal fare.”

“I guess he shouldn’t have told me he likes surprises then.” I flash him a grin.

“You know, I think that might be a new thing.”

“What do you mean?” I ask as he opens the door for me.

His lips quirk. “Roman doesn’t generally make time in his schedule for surprises.”

Frowning, I slide in. “Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose anyway?”

“Not when he thinks the purpose wastes his time.”

I look down at what I’m holding. “Somehow, I think he’ll have more than enough time for this one.”

His laugh is cut off when the door between us is shut. A moment later, he’s climbing into the driver’s seat. “Back to the hospital?”

“Yes please. Then I promise I’ll let you take me home so you can have a break.”

“You don’t have to worry about me,” he says. “I get plenty of downtime.” He makes a U-turn and parks near the hospital entrance again, then comes around to help me out.

“Thank you.” I hand him a paper bag with a single donut in it. “This one’s for you.”

Grinning, he takes it. “That will hit the spot.”

As I’m pulling the bag of treats from the car, Phillip clears his throat.

“It’s nice what you’re doing. Nice that you’re looking after him.” He rubs the back of his neck. “It might not seem like it, but Roman could use someone caring about him.”

I blink, tilting my head. “It’s my job.”

“Some of it is.”

There’s a weight to his words that I don’t quite understand, and it leaves me feeling strangely exposed—like he knows something I don’t.

Unsure how to respond, I just give him a smile. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

Once I’m inside the hospital again, I stop by the security desk and hold up the bag. “I’m back. Just dropping off some supplies.”

Without a word, she nods toward the same door I went through before.

I ease my way through, careful not to spill the drinks. This time, I knock on the glass door to the waiting room rather than barge in on them a second time.

Tate appears, his eyes lighting up when he sees what I’m carrying, and pulls the door open wide. “You’re an angel. I knew my brother made the right move when he kept you on. Come in.”

I maneuver past him, scanning the space until I catch sight of Roman, reclining on one of the couches, long legs stretched out. As expected, he’s got his phone in hand, but his sharp gaze is fixed on my face, the intensity there causing my pulse to race.

I suck in a deep breath and steel myself. God, I wish he didn’t affect me in such a physical way. Sometimes, when his eyes are on me the way they are now, I feel more like a giddy schoolgirl than a woman in her mid-twenties with a job to do and responsibilities to think about.

I make my way over to the coffee table in front of him and put the bag and tray down on it. “I thought you could use some fuel to keep you going.”

He doesn’t look away as I hold his cup out to him and he takes it from me. “An angel indeed,” he says, his low voice sending a prickle of warmth over my skin.

A moment later, his family has crowded around. Even Roman’s mom appears at my side. “Thank you, dear,” she says, with a slightly wintery smile. “Very thoughtful.”

“You’re a lifesaver,” Violet gushes as she bends down for a cup.

My cheeks heat. “I’m sure it won’t be as nice as yours.”

“Don’t tell anyone, but I may stop by this place on occasion when I’m out and about,” she fake whispers to me, her blue eyes sparkling.

I laugh. “I’ll never tell.”

When she grins back, I’m hit by a sense of camaraderie. As if, were we to meet under different circumstances, we might even be friends.

When I glance back at Roman, he’s still watching me with that enigmatic expression. I hold his gaze, hoping I haven’t overstepped. But though he’s unsmiling, I don’t sense anger or annoyance radiating from him.

“Remind me to find a way to thank your very excellent assistant. Because I doubt you’ll remember to,” Tate says to Roman, bringing his coffee to his mouth.

Roman frowns, his dark brows drawing together. “I’m more than capable of thanking Chloe myself.”

The sound of my name sends a little jolt through me. Will I ever get used to hearing him say it? I clear my throat and go for unaffected. “I was more than happy to do it. The only thanks I need is hearing the good news that there’s a new happy, healthy baby in the world.”

“I’m sure even Roman can manage that.” Tate smirks at his brother who scowls back at him.

Call me sentimental, but I enjoy watching Roman interact with his brothers. Being an only child, I’ve never experienced that kind of relationship. Tate’s irreverent personality is the perfect contrast to his older brother’s serious demeanor. Though I think I’ve developed a thing for the dark, brooding type.

A part of me is dying to find out what lies beneath Roman’s impenetrable exterior. But now isn’t the time. Not wanting to overstay my welcome. I say my farewells and leave. It isn’t until I step out of the room that the long day catches up with me and exhaustion pulls at my shoulders.

Phillip once again opens the car door for me, and this time I give him my address and settle into the seat as he drives me home.

Half an hour later, after checking in on Dad, I’m tucked into bed and trying very hard not to think about Roman as I drift off.

The beep of my phone wakes me early the next morning. Groggily, I grope for it and open the message from an unknown number.

I have to blink at the screen a few times before I can make out the words. The text itself merely says thank you , followed by a winky face emoji, which tells me it’s probably from Tate. I can’t help but smile as I read it. The photo below it, though, makes my heart trip over itself.

The image is of Roman, his dark head tipped down, his focus on the tiny bundle cradled in his arms. One finger is softly touching the baby’s pink cheek, and a small, almost tender smile curves his lips. It’s a completely unguarded moment. One I can’t tear my eyes away from.

I’ve had far too much going on in my life, and far too few relationships, to have spent any time thinking about babies. But there’s no questioning the way warmth blooms low in my stomach as I study the picture, radiating through me in waves.

Sinking back into my mattress, I press my phone to my chest, where my heart is bounding wildly. Not that I can blame it. It knows just as well as I do that I’m in trouble.