Chapter 20
Twenty
CAMILLO
“You’re different.”
I spun in my chair just in time to catch the ball flying at me. Usually I missed, but today, my fingers caught on the rough rubber, and the ball slapped against my palm.
Erik’s brows lifted. “Damn.”
I shrugged, trying to hide my grin as I passed the ball over to Sam and wheeled toward center court. Erik was quick behind me, and I allowed myself to be distracted for the rest of practice by the squeaking sound on the polished floor and the rhythmic slapping of the ball on the hard ground.
By the time our coach blew the whistle, I’d had two shots on the basket, and one had gone in. It was my first point-getting throw in months. The guys were all definitely less annoyed with me now, though apart from a few high fives, they kept their normal distance.
This time, it hurt a lot less to be held at arm’s length. This time, I had someone waiting for me.
“Okay. What Wheaties have you been eating?” Erik asked, knocking his wheel into mine.
I laughed and shook my head as I followed him into the locker room. I swapped into my everyday chair since I always left my sport one at the center, and I followed Erik toward the showers.
“Not gonna say?” he prodded.
My gaze flickered around at the guys, who were all doing a shitty job at pretending not to listen. “Let’s grab lunch after this.”
He looked surprised. It was rare when I suggested lunch. Usually, it was him asking me to do something and me refusing.
“Where did you have in mind?”
“You choose. Somewhere private,” I added.
“Your café? We could get something sent up to the apartment.” It was obvious he’d caught the meaning of my nervous gaze.
My ears burned a little at the suggestion. The apartment made me think of Aleric and all the ways he’d touched me. The way he’d kissed me. The way I felt at home in his arms like I never had before. God, I missed him.
It had been a week since I’d seen him. A week without being on set. A week of text messages and a few phone calls. Christoph’s assistant had sent mine an email letting me know I wasn’t needed this week, which was fine. I knew I wasn’t going to be around for everything.
But it had been my excuse to see him every day, and I didn’t know how to bridge the gap and ask for more. Even if I knew that’s what he wanted.
“Yeah,” Erik said, interrupting my flow of thoughts, “we’re definitely meeting at the apartment.”
I said nothing, following him to the showers since this was the first time I’d gotten actually sweaty, and sat on the bench to scrub my pits and the back of my neck. I didn’t sweat below my injury, and my upper body seemed to want to overcompensate for it.
It was nice to have actually done something physical after being sick that wasn’t PT or lifting weights. I’d gotten my heart pumping, and more than that, I’d had fun. I let myself relax, which was something I was starting to realize I never, ever did.
That was a problem I needed to fix because if I was going to crack and allow Aleric into my life properly—for good—I didn’t want him stuck with some stick-in-the-mud asshole who didn’t know how to have a good time. I didn’t want to see disaster everywhere.
I wanted to be someone who was his safe space. But not only that, someone who allowed him to let go of all the bullshit at the end of the day.
“Want to ride with me?” I asked Erik as we headed back into the main room to change. Most of the guys had gone after realizing they weren’t getting any hot gossip, but I didn’t trust there weren’t ears listening in.
He grinned as he slid into his non-sport chair and adjusted his feet in the rests. “Lead the way.”
It was nice that he knew better than to try and make overly personal conversation until we were truly alone. And he didn’t bother with small talk as we headed down the street and across town toward the café.
I could see Cillian behind us a few paces, but when it was obvious where we were headed, he turned right, and I hoped that if anyone was following us, hoping for a photo, they’d follow the royal car instead of mine.
We seemed alone on the street, so I pulled into the back lot, and Erik and I took our time getting out.
“I’ll call down for food unless you want to order at the counter,” I told him.
“Nah. I can’t afford to be tempted by all those pastries. I have a tournament coming up, and you know how carbs fuck up my system.”
I would never be into his whole fitness culture thing, but I could respect it. I led the way to the elevator, and it wasn’t long before we were behind the apartment door. It smelled like it normally did, except I swore I could still catch a hint of Aleric’s cologne, even if that was technically impossible. My eyes strayed to the sofa where he’d sat, and I shivered at the memory of feeling him pressed against me.
“Okay, you’ve got that mooning face on again. Tell me everything.” Erik rolled out of the kitchen with a bottle of water and one of the café’s homemade protein bars and came to a stop by the window.
For some reason, I was wildly relieved that he didn’t move to the sofa. I didn’t want to lose that spot to anyone else. Not yet. Not until I was sure this thing with Aleric was going to be for good.
“Aleric King,” I said.
Erik was clearly fighting the urge to roll his eyes. “He can’t still be that bad, can he?”
My ears flushed hotly. “Ah…no. No, he’s not.”
Erik’s brows flew up high on his forehead as the left side of his cheek bulged with the massive bite he’d taken. “Wait.” He began to chew, and it took a short forever for him to get through it. “Oh my God, what’s in this?”
“Dates,” I said. “Anyway, so the asshole director of this show?—”
“Oh, no. No. You’re not changing the subject.” He rolled a little closer and leaned over his thighs. “You and Aleric had sex.”
There was not a chance in hell my face wasn’t as red as a beet. “Um.”
He clapped his hands together loudly. “Oh my God, oh my God .” He moved even closer. “How was it? This place isn’t bugged, right?”
“It’s not bugged. That’s not a thing. And it was…good.”
He raised a single brow.
“Fine. It was amazing. Mind-blowing. He made me feel—” I stopped. There weren’t really words for it.
Erik’s whole body softened, and he nodded. “I get it. Safe. Sexy?”
“Really sexy. But not in the way that other people have made me feel.”
Erik understood. He hadn’t had someone as bad as Hugo, but he’d had his fair share of people with a fetish. He was married and had kids now, so he didn’t have to deal with it the way he did when he was still single. But he remembered navigating the dating world.
“He wasn’t what I expected,” I went on. “I thought he was going to be some asshole diva who didn’t want me messing with his…I don’t know…flow or whatever.”
“So, all that complaining?—”
I scoffed. “Some of it was warranted. He was a real dickhead at the beginning, but he got better. He learned.”
Erik tilted his head to the side. “And you fell for him. Or he fell for you?”
“Both,” I said. I hoped. “He understands me in ways I didn’t expect him to. He’s been through a lot. He doesn’t talk about it, and he doesn’t share details, but I know he’s been through it.” I knew more than I was letting on, but I didn’t want to tell Erik that without Aleric’s permission.
“There are rumors,” Erik said quietly.
My heart began to pound in my chest. “What kind of rumors? I mean the drug stuff, that’s all bullshit.”
“I figured.” Erik’s smile was small and sad. “There’s been a few exposés about what kids went through in that era of acting. They were given drugs and alcohol when they were barely older than toddlers. They were spoon-fed uppers and downers. They were manipulated by directors and producers…and worse.”
And worse. I said nothing.
“This one article exposed Aleric’s parents for abandoning him to his production studio, then literally stealing all of his money. When that whole thing happened and he left acting, he was flat broke.”
I knew that. Well, most of it. I’d seen his shitty little apartment, and I knew what his parents had done to his savings. What really upset me was that others knew about it and did nothing. Media had turned into ways to sell subscriptions to their blogs and shit, but no one bothered to do anything to help a man who deserved it.
“I think I’m falling for him.”
Erik’s eyes widened, and his smile brightened. “Invite me to the wedding.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“And yet, I’m going to start making plans. I know so many amazing venues with accessible ballrooms. I’ll make some calls.”
“Or, you can take a breath because you know I have people for that sort of thing. But, ah. If I did get married—like a big, royal marriage—I wouldn’t say no if you’d be my best man.”
His cheeks reddened, and he glanced away.
“You can say no,” I told him in a rush. “I get that something so huge could be a terrible invasion of privacy, and you have kids, and?—”
“No, I—” He stopped and cleared his throat. “Shouldn’t your brother be your best man?”
“It doesn’t really work like that,” I told him. “He’s the crown prince, so he’s not technically allowed to stand behind me like that. Not even for a wedding ceremony.”
“Fucking ridiculous.”
“It is. And I do love Carlo, but you’ve been more of a brother to me over the last several years. Carlo’s been trying more,” I added, because I had to be fair to him. He was doing better. But that didn’t change the years of him ignoring who I was for the sake of his own comfort. “I appreciate him, and I always will. But I love you like family.”
Erik cleared his throat. “When’s the wedding?”
“Don’t.”
“I’m serious.”
My stomach sank. “We’re just figuring out if this will work for us. He’s been through so much, and inviting more cameras, more invasive journalists and articles and TV specials into his life…” I trailed off and shrugged. “I want to give him time to think about it. I?—”
My phone began to buzz, cutting me off, and I quickly pulled it out of my pocket. It was Christoph’s assistant.
“Hang on,” I told him, then answered. “Yes?”
“Your Highness? This is Eliza.”
“How can I help you?”
“We just wanted to let you know that your services with us as consultant are no longer needed.”
My face went numb, and my vision went foggy in the corners. I was being fired? “And why is that? I have an agreement with the studio that?—”
“We understand, but it was only until Mr. King fully understood the role, and Christoph has come to the conclusion that it’s no longer necessary.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Your Highness? Please hold. Christoph would like to speak with you.”
I glanced at Erik, who seemed both concerned and curious. ‘Sorry,’ I mouthed.
He waved me off and looked like he wanted to grab a bucket of popcorn.
“Camillo,” Christoph said. He was obviously testing me.
I didn’t bother correcting him on his lack of title use. “I’m being let go?”
“No, no. Nothing like that,” he said. Fuck, I hated his voice. Smarmy piece of shit. “I think we’re going to go in a different direction, and we’d like to extend you an offer for a new role.”
“I told you I’m not interested in being on camera?—”
“Of course, and I heard you. I meant a role in the company. After some deep self-reflection, my team and I decided you were right from the beginning. This role really does belong to a person who can understand the experience of being wheelchair-bound.”
I cringed hard at the phrase, and my usual lecture jumped to the tip of my tongue. But I knew Christoph wouldn’t hear me. If he knew that phrase upset me, he’d only make sure to use it more. Gritting my teeth, I took a breath, and then what he was saying hit me.
“You want to let Aleric go?”
“It seems only right. We have time to reshoot the episodes we’ve already done, and I have a list of actors who came in to audition for the role. We’d love to have you work with casting to choose the right fit to play you.”
The numbness spread from my face to my chest. “He’s got a contract. You can’t fire him without just cause.”
“The just cause is your vehement objection to his casting and his inability to actually respect the disability he’s supposed to be representing.” Christoph’s words were sharp and cruel. He knew that by hurting Aleric, he was hurting me. Especially by offering me what I had wanted in the beginning.
What a bastard.
“I’m afraid I don’t have an objection though. Initially, I was disappointed in who was cast, but getting to see him work on set and understanding the work he’s put in to give my story life, I have to say he’s the perfect one for the job. No one has ever understood me the way he does.”
Christoph hummed. It was a trap. I just didn’t know what it was yet. “So you’re saying that as he is right now, he’s perfect for the role? You don’t think another wheelchair?—”
“I don’t think another wheelchair user could do better,” I interrupted. If bound came out of his mouth again, I was going to find a way to reach through the phone and punch him. “Aleric is perfect.”
“If that’s the case, then I don’t think we require your services. If he’s learned what he needs to know, then I think our business has concluded. Don’t you?”
Ah. There it was. I swallowed hard. I could either insist that I remain on set, which would allow Christoph the motivation to fire Aleric—and eventually me—or I could allow him to terminate my position.
“You’re absolutely right.”
Christoph was silent for a beat. “So…you agree?”
“I do. And if anyone questions Aleric’s integrity or ability to do this role, please let them know I am willing to speak on his behalf. Publicly. To anyone.”
Christoph cleared his throat. “I see.”
“I suppose I won’t see you on set again, but I appreciate the work you’ve put into telling my authentic story.”
He choked a little. “Mm. Of course, Your Highness. That’s always been my main priority.”
What a fucking prick. “Have a good night.”
I was shaking by the time I hung up the phone, and I spun my chair to face Erik, who no longer looked entertained. He pushed himself a little closer to me like he wanted to reach out but didn’t know if he should. Or could.
“Well?” he asked after a beat.
“I was just fired.”
His eyes went wide. “You what ? Can they fire you?”
“I suppose they can if they determined that my services were no longer needed.” He stared at me, so I told him exactly what Christoph said.
“You should fight it. That’s bullshit.”
Bowing my head, I shook it. “No. He trapped me in a corner, and I took the bait willingly. If not showing up on set means that Aleric can do his job, then so be it. I trust him.”
“How’s he going to react when you tell him?”
And that was the other problem. I knew exactly what Aleric would do. He’d quit in protest. He’d burn every bridge he had in cinema and ruin his chances of ever coming back to work in film, all to defend me. He’d set himself on fire if it meant I’d never get a chill, and I couldn’t let that happen.
“He’s not going to find out.”
Erik laughed. “Um. Isn’t he going to find out when you don’t show up for work?”
That was a potential problem because I also wasn’t going to lie to Aleric either. I would not start whatever this was on dishonestly. All I could do was hope that Aleric would be too afraid to ask why I was no longer on set. He’d think it was his fault—but I could correct that once the season wrapped.
“There’s only a few weeks of filming left.” Eight. There were eight weeks. If I wanted to avoid seeing him in person for eight weeks, I’d need a miracle. “I think he’ll be too busy to care.”
I knew that was bullshit, but I also knew that the truth would ruin him, and I couldn’t have that. Not when he deserved so much more. This might break us, but if it meant him getting his career back, I would do it.
I was worth the sacrifice.
He wasn’t.