“No, it’s not.” But since my post-revenge glee had lasted a full ten seconds and I was back to just feeling nothing, I could use some excitement. “And don’t worry, you and everyone else will be paid what you deserve if anything happens to me.”

“Have you lost your mind?” He gaped at me.

“Probably. But you’re forgetting something. I’m more than capable of defending myself and there are no weapons in my room that James will know about or be able to get his hands on.” It wasn’t as if I slept much either, because I still sometimes had nightmares of my family’s death and I didn’t think that would go away any time soon.

Hugo had trained me to get myself out of all kinds of situations, and that included being choked to death. I was sure James had been trained to fight and kill too, but he wasn’t Desmond’s firstborn and nobody had thought he’d ever get to rule the Ezzati empire, so my training might’ve been better.

“I already ordered that everything that can be used as a weapon should be removed, and all the secret weapon compartments react only to my fingerprints, so if he manages to bypass all that, then good for him. Truly, I’ll be impressed,” I said.

“Why are you doing this? We won. You should celebrate, not look for a way to join your family sooner.” He gave me a hard look.

Was that what I was trying to do? Get myself killed? Maybe, because then my pain and the emptiness inside would finally end, or would they? “This will show everyone that I’m not afraid of anything, and that the Ezzatis have truly been defeated this time.”

“You’re making a mistake. Don’t tell me that bastard’s pretty face wooed you already.”

“Oooh.” I placed my hand on his cheek. “Are you jealous? Is that it? You know our hookup came with no strings attached.” Since I had to be protected all the time, I couldn’t date or even go out on my own without my guards. It was impossible for me to find someone, and I’d already reconciled myself with the fact that someone who lived a life like mine couldn’t find love. Not that I thought I was capable of it. My heart had died along with my family. Brent and I were just fun, nothing else. A way to scratch an itch. But now, I didn’t think I had the desire to continue that either.

He gritted his teeth and swatted my hand away. “If that son of a bitch is going to be in your bed, then forget about us ever happening again.”

“So you are jealous.”