“I’m not in love,” he said swiftly. Fiercely.
That would be pointless.
“In love, on the way to it…don’t split hairs. You’re an addict, jonesing for a fix. What’s going to happen when you can’t get it? When you can’t have her?”
There was utter silence in the room while they both pondered that.
When he couldn’t bear it any longer, Elias asked, “Are you going to remove me from her detail?”
“I shouldn’t have to. The Captain Trebanti I trust with my life, with my sister’s life, would know the right call to make.” Then Christian walked out.
Elias followed him.
Because that was his job, his calling. His reason for being.
The Villanis. The crown.
Above everything—and everyone—else.
Chapter Nineteen
Mallory stretched out her legs on the padded rubber floor of the gym and grinned over at Kelsey. “This is the most at ease I’ve felt since we got here.”
Slowly, Genevieve turned just her head—like an animatronic figure—to face them from her spot against the wall. “You’re about to be schooled in how to defend yourself against an attacker. Either you’ve got a strange kink I do not want to know about, or you aren’t fully cognizant of the serious nature of today’s lesson.”
Funny how the Moncriano accent sounded sexy in Elias and Marko and yes, even in Christian’s voice. But it just made everything Genevieve said come off as snippier. Bitchier. More condescending.
Or maybe it was that it was always going to be one step forward, three steps back with her.
For once, Mallory—who had turned obsequiousness and dignified respect into an art form over the past two weeks—didn’t just nod and try to blend into the metaphorical curtains. She crossed her legs into a Lotus pose. Settled her wrists on her knees and breathed deeply. Then she turned to Genevieve.
“Nobody’s judging us, for once. We’re all wearing workout clothes—a level fashion playing field. And I’ll be learning to take control of a dangerous situation. That’s empowering, and puts me at ease. Perhaps you aren’t fully cognizant of how good it feels to revel in your own strength.”
It was a long-winded smackdown, but a smackdown nonetheless. One point to the American team. Not to mention the extra point Kelsey awarded herself for resisting the urge to high-five Mallory.
The twisted grimace that Marko aimed at Elias made it look like he was trying to hide a grin as he clapped his hands for their attention. “Your Highness. Your Highness. Miss Wishner. Today we’ll cover basic defensive maneuvers.”
Genevieve looked at him from beneath slitted lids. “You mean the basic ones I learned years ago?”
“Yes. But remembering how to do something and making your muscles actually do it are very different processes. I requested your presence today precisely for that reason. It has been years since you’ve done this.” She opened her mouth, but Marko shook his head. “I checked with your entire rotation of bodyguards. They’ve asked, but nobody’s been allowed to train with you.”
Genevieve’s cheeks turned the same mottled red that afflicted Kelsey. “I…I don’t want people who work for me pawing at my body. Knowing what it feels like.”
“Of course not!” Kelsey couldn’t help but rush to her defense. Under the fancy clothes and fancier jewelry, they were still both women. “You wouldn’t ask a CFO to let the people who report to her graze her boob or squeeze her ass. That’s insulting. Inappropriate.”
Eyes wide, Genevieve said in a near-whisper, “Thank you.”
Marko bowed his head. “My apologies, Your Highness. It did not occur to me, since you have two female guards, that it would be a problem. Clearly an oversight on my part.”
“I trust my team, but…I can’t wholly trust anybody,” she murmured. “One unintentional joke after a few beers about the size of my bra cup could spread like wildfire. Make international news. I have to guard my privacy as fiercely as…well, as you all guard the rest of me.”
Elias stepped forward. He’d stationed himself at the opposite side of the room from Kelsey. Genevieve was the only one in there who didn’t know the two of them were together…and they intended to keep it that way. “I’ll make sure that for our next training session, we use officers not on rotation for the immediate royal family. Will that be acceptable?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Kelsey tried to catch Elias’s eye, to give him a smile of thanks for smoothing it out. But oddly, he wouldn’t look at her.
“Would you like to skip today?” Marko offered as he removed his shoes and socks.
“No, I’m all right with you and Elias.”
Mallory said, “I’ll partner with you, Your Highness.”
Again, Kelsey bit back a grin. No doubt Mallory would enjoy having a legit excuse to slam Genevieve into the ground. Or shove an elbow in her belly. Probably both.
“We’ll all be switching off with each other. Good practice to try everything on different heights and body types. Now.” Marko raised his hands to get them to stand. Elias joined him in the middle of the floor. Kelsey zipped her gaze away. It was far too tempting to ogle the man in the tight tee that showed off every ripple of his abs, pecs, and biceps. “If everything goes right, you’ll never use what we go over today.”
“Unless we move back to New York,” Mallory said under her breath. “This’ll be as useful against muggers as assassins.”
Damn it.
How was it that reminders of the decision Kelsey had to make were coming so often now? She wanted an hour, sixty little minutes, to go by where she was not confronted by Destiny with a capital D. To not think about all the ways her life could change.
It had been all of maybe seven minutes. On the way down here, Elias had informed her, in an oddly formal, factual manner, that Sir Evan would have two draft statements for her to review when they finished. Both acknowledged that she was, indeed, Princess Valentina. One version embraced her journey to get to know her birth country. The other was a goodbye, of sorts, in case she chose to go back to New York. Kelsey had to approve them before they went on to the king for his approval.
The only part of this she approved of was not having to write them herself.
Elias shouldered in front of Marko, eyebrows furrowed into an almost single line. “No. He’s oversimplifying, which isn’t safe. You can’t assume that things will go right, no matter how much faith you have in your protection team. That’s sloppy, dangerous. Better to always assume that things will go wrong.”