Guarded King (Empty Kingdom #3)

Chapter 55

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

CHLOE

I swirl dark paint on the canvas, a lock of hair hanging over pale gray eyes flanked by smile lines. As I sit back to inspect my work, my heart thuds painfully.

It’s been a week since I left King Plaza. Since I walked away from Roman. He messaged me that first night, but I was too confused, too full of conflicting emotions, to talk. I told him again that we should take some time apart. He seems to have taken me at my word. And I hate it.

I hate not talking to him, I hate not seeing him every day, and I hate the distance between us. But more than all of that, I hate that I’m a secret he has to protect. I don’t want to be a risk to his goals, and I can no longer wait around, hoping his priorities will change.

Yes, I can find another job. If I do, then maybe, given time for the world to forget I was ever his assistant, he’d be okay with shedding light on our relationship. But I don’t know if I’d ever feel completely confident in the strength of it, knowing he’ll always put the King Group first.

Working at Wright Construction has been… different. I’m in a similar role but reporting to one of their VPs. When Ethan dropped by on my first day, our conversation was a little awkward, considering how our one and only date ended. But apparently, he’s in a new relationship and happy, so we moved past that pretty quickly.

I miss seeing Sophie at work too. The last time we talked, she told me the official story is that I was moved so that a person from the King Group who was familiar with the joint project could be on hand for support. I’m not sure how many people actually buy it.

I wipe my paintbrush on an old rag, then set it down and head out of my room.

When I walk into the kitchen, I find Dad and Carol locked in an embrace and immediately stumble to a halt.

They don’t notice me right away, but when I clear my throat, they leap apart. I almost laugh at the expression on Dad’s face. He looks like a teenager being caught by his mom.

I cross my arms, playing up the role. “Care to explain yourselves?”

“It’s not what it looks like,” Dad says.

That sends me over the edge, a snort escaping me.

Carol covers her face with her hands, breaking into a fit of giggles. “Please don’t ground us!”

Her laughter is so infectious that it sets me off too. Despite the constant ache in my chest, seeing the two of them together makes me happy.

Dad looks between us, his brow furrowed. “You’re not mad?”

I catch my breath. “Why would I be?”

“Because it’s just been the two of us for so long.” He inhales deeply and lets it out again. “I hoped that since you seemed to be getting serious with your mysterious boyfriend, it wouldn’t be so much of a shock.”

My heart clenches. “Actually,” I hedge. “I’m not sure how that’s going to work out.”

Dad’s and Carol’s faces both fall.

“What happened, love?” he asks.

I can’t get into it right now. Not without falling apart. “It’s just one of those things. We have different priorities.”

“Does this have anything to do with your new job?”

There’s no hiding the way my breath catches.

Dad and Carol share a look, then Carol gives me a sympathetic smile.

“I’ll put on the kettle.”

While she goes to the kitchen, Dad shuffles over and pulls me in for a hug. “I saw the way you looked at each other. It wasn’t hard to guess who had you glowing.”

My eyes sting. “Are you angry?”

His brows shoot up. “No. Why would I be?”

“Because I got involved with my boss. Because I risked my job. I risked my ability to pay for your treatment.”

“Oh, love.” He lets out a heavy sigh and takes my hand, then guides me to the table. “It’s about time you started taking risks. It’s my fault you’ve been reluctant to do that before now.”

I shake my head, but he holds up his hand to stop me.

“It is. I relied on you when you were far too young for that burden. And I’ve been doing it ever since. It’s time for you to take risks, to spread your wings and soar. I want you to follow your dreams, whatever, or whoever , that might be.”

Emotion tightens my throat. “How do you know if a risk is worth taking?”

His gaze goes unfocused for a moment before it flickers to Carol, who’s moving around the kitchen. “I would say that if there’s even a small chance of achieving true happiness, go after it. Life’s too short to let something so precious slip away.”

When he looks back at me, I can’t help but give him a shaky smile. Despite how painful my days are, it warms me to see such contentment in him.

“Does he make you happy?”

“Yes,” I breathe out. “But I’m not sure I do the same for him. At least… not enough.”

Dad frowns, his brows pulled low. “What do you mean?”

For a moment, I’m silent, collecting my thoughts and watching as Carol places a tray with three cups of tea down on the table and puts one in front of me, then sits next to Dad.

“Thank you.” I take a steadying sip, still unsure of how to verbalize all the emotions roiling inside me.

“Why do you think you don’t make him happy enough, sweetie?” Carol asks.

A vision of his expression when I sketched him flashes behind my eyes, and my heart aches. “Because our priorities aren’t the same. Love isn’t what he wants most out of life.”

Dad’s jaw firms. “If he’s not prepared to make you his priority, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

My eyes sting. I shouldn’t be surprised by his support, but I get choked up all the same.

“He has his reasons, and they’re good ones. I just don’t know if they’re compatible with mine.”

He squeezes my hand. “You’ll always have me. No matter what. Just like I’ve always had you. And one day, you’ll meet a man who’ll realize his world doesn’t revolve around the sun, it revolves around you.”

I squeeze his hand back. “Love you, dad.”

Sitting back in my chair, I muster a weak smile.

“So, do I need to start looking for an apartment of my own?”

Carol’s eyes widen and she shakes her head. “This is your house, not mine.”

“Your home is here for as long as you want it,” Dad says. “But you’ve already given up so much for me, love. It’s time to put yourself first. If you want to stay, I absolutely want you here. If you want to enjoy being young and free again, then I’ll be behind you all the way. Whatever you do, I hope you’ll keep painting. Because you’ve been happier over the last few weeks than I’ve seen you in a long while.”

I nod, even as the truth presses into me, heavy and inescapable. I’ve loved painting again, but my happiness had just as much to do with Roman as it did with art.

And I’m not sure how to untangle the two

I take a sip of my coffee and let out a contented sigh.

Lola grins. “Sounds like that was just what you needed.”

“It really was.”

“I’m so glad you called.” Sophie sits across from me at the small wooden-topped table, sipping her own coffee.

The smile I give her is small, but it’s genuine. “Me too. It’s about time my two besties met.”

When Lola called and said Jamie offered to look after Christopher for the morning so we could catch up for a girly brunch, I asked if I could invite Sophie too, knowing they’d get along well.

Sophie takes another sip and surveys the pastries at the table before selecting a Danish. “I miss catching up at lunch. The other day, I was so desperate for company, I asked Samson to join me. Never again. That guy spent the whole time talking about how amazing Cole is and how he wants to be like him one day. He has a serious man crush.”

Lola and I laugh, but Sophie’s expression turns serious. “How are you feeling about things now? Have you and Roman been talking?”

Even though it hurts to talk about him, having the ability to open up to both my friends is a relief.

“I’m okay. And no, we haven’t talked. I needed the space to really get perspective.”

“That makes sense,” Lola says.

“But it’s not easy.” I swallow, willing the ache inside me to subside. “Realizing you might not have meant as much to someone as you thought you did. It hurts.”

“Do you really think that’s the case?” Sophie rests her elbows on the table and leans closer. “Honestly, I was surprised at first that Roman actually made a move on you. For him, that’s a pretty epic statement. I can’t imagine you aren’t important to him.”

I run my finger up and down the smooth surface of my cup, keeping my gaze averted. “It’s just… I don’t know. He made it clear that the King Group has to come first. I understand where he’s coming from and why it’s so important to him, but gambling with my heart and livelihood, hoping that will change, that he’ll ever put love above work …” I shake my head. “Regardless, he needs to focus on getting through this, and I don’t want to make things worse for him.”

Sophie presses her lips together and studies me before speaking gently. “I don’t know that he’s focusing all that well, to be honest. Yes, he’s throwing himself into the EcoTech acquisition, but he seems… off. Like he’s there, but not really. It’s obvious he’s not okay. Even Tate seems worried.”

It makes my heart ache. “I miss him. But I need to protect myself. I don’t want to be a secret he hides from the world. Especially not one that threatens everything he’s been working toward his whole life. I want more. I need more.”

“You deserve more too.” Lola arches a brow and sinks her teeth into a croissant.

Sophie picks up her Danish and nibbles one corner. “It’s unfair how things turned out.”

“It isn’t fair.” Lola sets her pastry down and wipes her hands on her napkin. “But maybe this is a chance to find yourself again. With your dad feeling better and Carol in the picture now, this is the perfect time to figure out what you want to do with your life. What you really want to do, not what you think you should do. And you’re painting again. That’s the silver lining. I love the portrait of Christopher you’re doing.”

My heart lightens a little. I sent her a progress photo a couple of days ago. I’m rusty, so there’s definitely been some trial and error involved, but so far, I’m happy with it. When I’m painting, I forget about all my troubles. Well, except when I work on my portrait of Roman.

“You’re right,” I say, doing my best to ignore the pang in my chest. “I need to focus on what makes me happy.”

“Maybe this is the push you need,” she says. “Have you thought about getting your own place?”

“It could be a fresh start,” Sophie chimes in. “Maybe it’ll help the pain over Roman ease a little. If it’s meant to be, it’ll work out. But for now, you can focus on you.”

I dab at a flake of pastry on the plate in front of me. “I’ve thought about it. It’s too soon to move out. Not when this thing between Dad and Carol is so new and he’s still improving with his medication. But yes, if things continue to go well there, I might look at getting a place of my own. Somewhere with great light so I can set up a little painting space.”

Lola raises her coffee cup. “To new beginnings and rediscovering old dreams.”

Sophie lifts hers as well, joining in the toast. “To strong women taking control of their own destinies.”

I follow suit, tapping the rim of my cup to theirs, a chaotic mix of emotions swirling through me. “To happiness, in whatever form you find it.”