Chapter 1
Felix
Felix Jamison held his sides at Malachi—or Kai, as he was now known to his friends—and Jason’s identical expressions. “You should see your faces,” he sniggered, trying to breathe through his laughter. “You really thought Hilary and Wally were a couple?”
“They were hugging!” Jason exclaimed.
“And they kissed!” Kai added.
“Oh, my god. So much for you being a reporter.” Felix shook his head. “Bloody hell. No. Wally is with Donovan. Hilary just helps them out with babysitting when they want a night out.”
“But I thought Wally was Donovan’s kids’ nanny?” Jason said.
Felix nodded. “He is. From what Oscar told me—being his best friend and all—Wally had been pining for Donovan since the moment he went for the job. Oscar got fed up and manufactured a meeting where Donovan overheard Wally’s feelings, and they kissed. The end.”
“Sounds like the plot of a romance book.” Kai sighed.
Jason nudged him. “Maybe you should write the story now you are all loved up and as you believe in fairy tales.”
Kai snorted. “And you don’t?”
“I never said that. I just can’t write about it.”
Felix listened to their banter, enjoying their company even as his heart pined for what they’d both found. He wanted to have someone to go home to, someone to care for, someone tolove. But he’d never have that because the only person who had ever turned his head was out of reach and always would be. He needed to move on, but he couldn’t find the energy. He spent most of his time fighting the need to wrap himself around the man, to both protect and be protected from the world.
Pushing aside the thoughts before he spiralled into depression, he glanced around the cafe. Book Drunk was a wonderful place for those who loved a drink with their books, or a book with their drink, depending on their preference. Walking in the door, the first part of the space was the coffee shop, but then, to the side, were rows and rows of shelves filled to the brim with books of all kinds. Felix loved reading as much as the next person, but it wasn’t his favourite pastime. No, give him a computer any day of the week.
He leaned his elbows on the table and looked around, his inner bodyguard unable to stop from checking they were safe, despite knowing another two guards were there—one of which was his occasional replacement for watching Oscar because he was so caught up in the tech side of things lately, he didn’t have time to guard him, and he hated that. He missed their close friendship.
His gaze caught on the window. Prince Christian was making his way across the road with his bodyguard following him. Felix swallowed but couldn’t look away. Tracking them as they pushed open the door and entered the coffee shop, he noticed Christian glance around them—the man was as much a guard as the rest of them.
But what caught his attention the most was Christian’s guard. Their one and only boss.
Brett.
Even just thinking his name sent heat and butterflies through his body. He thought Brett might feel something for him, too, but he couldn’t be sure, and he wasn’t willing to risk it all byconfessing and getting turned down. That would just make life difficult with them working together. He still couldn’t figure out how Brett balanced everything. He was Head of Security for all the bodyguards and Christian’s personal guard. Felix couldn’t be Oscar’s guard all the time when he was doing his tech stuff.
He shook his head. Brett was a built differently; he could do it all, Felix was sure of it.
“Hey, stop staring. You’ll get a crick in your neck,” Jason said, nudging his arm.
“I’m not staring. I’m observing,” Felix replied. It was not the best-kept secret that he had a crush on Brett, and he would not deny it if anyone had the guts to ask him to his face. His friends might one day, but that day didn’t seem to be it.
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” Kai asked Jason.
“I’m taking Lucia and Blake to the cinema. No idea what we’re going to see. Just whatever is on the screen when we get there.”
“You spoil your siblings far too much,” Kai joked. “Or not enough.”
“Definitely not enough,” Jason said with a grin.
“Do you get spoilt, Jason?” Felix asked, knowing the answer but asking anyway.
Jason’s smile widened until he was beaming. “Every day. Darius lets me get away with murder.”
“And don’t we know it? We’ve helped to hide the bodies, after all.”
Felix shook his head, his attention going to Brett again when he settled against the wall where Oscar had set a stool for the bodyguards to use whenever they came in. It was the perfect spot to see everything in the coffee shop. From what Oscar had told him, even with the reserved sign above the stool, people tried to use it and then complained when it wasn’t a decent spot because there was no table or anything to rest plates on, just a small ledge wide enough for a small cup or glass. Oscar had saidhe’d lost count of how many times he’d explained that the seat was reserved for someone else. The locals knew, but it was the tourists who didn’t either read or care.