Royal On The Run (unedited)

Twenty-Seven

Amara

My breathing was heavy as I stared up at the ceiling. The room was warm and so was the man next to me who was also catching his breath.

"I really did miss you, Amara."

So he's been saying.

His fingers began trailing up and down my body. I couldn't deny how I felt when he touched me, I felt overwhelmed by him in the best of ways. I'd missed this feeling ever since the day he went off to do his own thing, taking a break from his job as instructor, passing it off to someone else. Having it back was bittersweet considering the circumstances unfolding around us.

I sat up, his hands falling to the bed between us. I said nothing as I clutched the sheets closer to my body. I didn't regret sleeping with him, perhaps that was the worst thing off all, but I did feel off. My actions were hurting someone else and that was burning inside me.

Anthony caught on, sitting up next to me. He had no shame, letting the sheets fall from his body, showcasing the abs that hard work in the military brought. He saw my side-eyed glance and grinned, even seeing how I wasn't smiling.

"You feel regret."

"No."

"You feel like you're hurting her." A pause. "Brooklyn."

Yeah, that was the feeling. A part of me couldn't help but go back and reflect on the argument we had. The words she'd said to me, the fact that she wasn't understanding why I was doing what I was doing. I was doing it for us. Wasn't I? Or was she right? Was I doing the wrong thing? Was sleeping with Anthony the smartest choice I'd ever made? It wasn't, but why didn't it feel wrong, it only felt right.

I put a hand to my head as Anthony put a hand on my back.

"I don't know what to think right now. I talked to her down in the cells, she just yelled at me, over and over. I could barely get a word out; she wouldn't let me. And Natalie just stayed silent." I shook my head, now was the time to act, time to act annoyed and feel as if I had genuine hatred for her. "I'm turning my back on Brooklyn and I don't know how I'm supposed to feel for it."

"Why'd you go down to them?"

I turned to him. "I may be trying to help you, Anthony, but those are still my friends." I huffed, "Or they were."

He kissed my shoulder. "Were, my dear. You'd do well to remember that."

He climbed out of the bed and I watched as he got redressed. As he pulled on his pants, he turned to me, tossing me a shirt of his.

"Are you telling me to get out or something?"

Anthony smirked. "I'd never do that to you. Just don't want you to freeze, it's quite cold outside."

"Are we going somewhere?"

"I am." He replied, turning back to a mirror, adjusting his military jacket with his new insignia. "I have plans that we must begin implementing."

"Such as?"

Anthony observed me for a moment before letting out a short chuckle, heading for the door instead of answering me. Just as he reached the door, entering the hallway, he looked back at me thoughtfully. "While I did miss you and I'm enjoying our reunion my dear, you haven't quite made it to the level of clearance to hear those plans. You'll have to wait a little while longer for that, have patience my dear."