The Devil is in the Details (Book 3)

Distance

-Prince's POV-

Hit. 

That felt good. 

I look at Dominic and she's giving me a proud smile. "You seem to have come back to your senses," She tells me, unwrapping her bandages which I mimic, knowing this to be the sign that today's training would be over. 

I think she knew better than anyone how horribly I was performing lately, it was embarrassing but for the longest time, there was no way for me to control the nightmare my body had put me through but now, it seemed to have calmed down slightly. I was getting a sense of normality back again, being able to sleep, to eat, to focus. It was refreshing, unknowing why but being satisfied for now. 

"I think I've finally gotten over my temporary insomnia," I joke just as Blake enters the training room. 

"I think that means we're finally set to go?" He asks looking over at Dominic who smiles and nods. 

I furrow my eyebrows at them. "Go where?" I ask, a sudden feeling of anxiety forming within me. 

As Dominic reaches the mini-fridge she answers, "We're going to Australia for a month for our annual check-up of the bars based there."

"We had planned the trip for a few weeks ago but Dominic was concerned over you so we postponed," Blake continued, leaning against one of the desks in the room. 

"I wasn't concerned," Dominic straightens. "I just had to make sure he gave Xavier a good performance before we left." 

Xavier? Did that mean-? 

Suddenly the man walked in with someone under his arm. Xavier was laughing as he confidently walked in. I knew him, of course. He was Dominic's trainer, the strongest man before her and although I'd sometimes see him here with Dominic and Blake, I had never actually gotten the chance to speak to him. 

My eyes were then drawn to the person he had under his arm, the one person who could make me forget about everyone else in the room despite them all being the people I would have given my limbs to meet a few years ago. 

Amelia. 

She was comfortable in Xavier's hold, despite most others I'm sure would have been afraid to be in that same position for fear over their necks. She nodded at her parents in greeting, a small smile on her face, one I hadn't seen in over a month. The last I remember seeing her was during the poker tournament, not recalling much of it since I got drunk but her smile wasn't present there either. 

And then her eyes travelled over to me. 

If it wasn't for the fact that I had everyone in the room to impress, I would have found it incredibly difficult to look her in the eye but I did anyway. It was only for a moment before pain and guilt waved over me and I looked back down at the bandages in my hand, putting them on the table beside me as some type of distraction. 

I caught a glance between Dominic and Blake to which she shook her head slightly before breaking the silence that almost consumed us. "Speak of the devil," 

"Now now, don't say my name in vain," Xavier replied which instantly relaxed the room with humour. 

"You must be the boy Dominic's been paying attention to," 

"I'm Prince," I extended a hand as he approached me, leaving Amelia behind. He reflected my actions and got ready to shake when I suddenly see his hand change into a fist targeting my stomach. I was glad I was able to react in time and held his fist before it made contact. 

Out of shock behind the situation, I wasn't able to say anything but I didn't need to. 

"Hah," Xavier grinned, "You made a good choice Demon! We'll be sure to have a lot of fun!"