Page 42 of Our Final Game

“What’s wrong with that? I think they’d be proud of you no matter what. Besides, don’t feel bad. My dad thinks I’m a disappointment no matter what I do.” I chuckle. Rohan looks over at me, his eyes shifting across my face.

“Are you going to eventually work for him?” he asks.

“Well, I kind of have to.”

“Why’s that?”

“My dad uses my little brother against me a lot. If I don’t go along with his games, he punishes him instead, knowing he can’t really get to me. Also…” I sigh, running a hand through my hair. Am I really spilling my guts out to Rohan right now? The look in his eyes is just so comforting, like he really cares. I haven’t had that in a while.

“It was either work for him after my internship or be married off in some shitty business deal … And I couldn’t let him take away that choice from me.”

“Your dad sounds awful, Ty…” Rohan says, looking down into his lap.

“Yeah, he is pretty awful…” I laugh a bit.

“Well, why’d you get so many piercings?”

“Unlike you, I think it was to purposely disappoint my dad.” I nudge him with my shoulder, he chuckles.

“Did it work?” Rohan mutters.

“Yeah, he slapped me the first time he saw them,” I say, like it’s a distant memory I’ve already become numb to.

Because I have.

Rohan’s head snaps toward me. “What? Tyson, that’s not okay. He’s definitely awful.”

“I know,” I say, looking down at him, his eyes almost look glossed over from here.

“I’m alright, Rohan,” I whisper into the small space between our bodies. “Let’s get into the sauna.”

“Okay. Yeah.” Rohan bites his lip, his brows are still pinched.

I get up first before pulling him up with one arm. He gasps when his chest crashes into my body closer than he expected, than we both expected.

“Sorry,” Rohan says, stumbling back and turning to go to the hot spring’s mouth. I chuckle before following him, taking off my cape and shirt as I go. He looks back at me just as the shirt is pulling over my head. And I know he’s staring. I can feel the heat of his gaze. It’s not the first time I’ve noticed it either.

Though he thinks it is.

“Are you gonna stand there or get in?” I smirk, having already stripped the rest of my clothing and stepped into the hot water.

“Turn the other way,” Rohan says, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Whatever you say, kitten.”

“Tyson. Don’t call me that.”

“Sure, hurry up. I’m getting lonely.” I see him roll his eyes right before I turn my body towards the waterfall.

With my back still turned away, I can hear the soft splash as Rohan slowly lowers his body into the water, the water we’re now both naked in. Not that it matters. But I guess to my racing heart it does.

“Can I turn around now, Your Highness?” I ask.

“How about you just stay like that,” Rohan answers, his voice low.

I swiftly turn back towards him, not expecting him to be that close. Rohan tumbles back, the brush of my movement almost knocking him into the water. I catch him just in time.

I hate that holding him always feels so right.