Chapter 13

Damn! She is so beautiful.

He could not stop staring at her. Her face illuminated everything around her. Her eyes showed him new ways of looking at things. Her lips spoke of words he had never considered before.

She is a breath of fresh air.

He held her tight as they swung together in sync with the music. He had never felt like this before. She was not what he had expected. She was so much more.

In his eyes, she was intoxicating, while her energy was contagious. He had never felt more alive since he had met her. He wanted no one else but her.

"Don't you just love this music?" But the Princess's voice snapped him back to reality. The vision immediately turned into an illusion, eventually vanishing into thin air.

Fuck it!

He was dancing with the Princess, but all he could think about was her, watching her as she moved around the ballroom, serving her drinks.

He thought he was dancing with her, imagining it was her who was in his arms and not the Princess.

Damn! What was wrong with him?

He had never acted like this, a love-sick puppy who could not take his eyes away from her. If he had a choice, he preferred to be by her side.

"Yeah, it is one of my favorites." He answered the Princess, who was only trying to make a conversation.

Suddenly, he felt guilty for ignoring his fiancee, but he was never great at pretending. He hated to admit it, but it was clear that they had nothing in common and no connection.

Besides, he did not want to give her false hope that their fake engagement could mean more to him than just an arrangement.

"I know this is just an act, but we can be friends. Our relationship does not need to feel awkward." He told the Princess, hoping to ease their situation.

"I agree. Friends then." The Princess did not seem to mind. But he had always known the Princess was never interested in their impending marriage, just like him.

"I like that. Do you like sailing? Maybe we can have lunch one of these days on my boat." He suggested. He thought it would be nice if they could get to know each other on neutral grounds.

"Sure, I love to. But can I bring a friend with me?" The Princess implied that she was bringing along a date.

Of course, he did not mind. "I would love to meet your friend." But before they could discuss more, something else caught his attention.

The incident happened with Charlie and some wealthy, creepy guy. He wanted nothing else but to beat the scumbag into a pulp, but propriety still held him to stay on his ground.

"Nolan," he called his friend. "I want you to take care of this." Indicating the scene that the fuss had left behind.

He immediately walked to the Princess to make an excuse before saying goodbye. Then, he left and waited inside his car at the back entrance.

He did not wait long as the woman exited the same backdoor before his security escorted her toward his car.

"Are you alright?" He immediately asked as she sat beside him in the backseat. Then, he noticed the mark on her wrist where the man's fingers left an impression.

Damn, that man for laying a finger on his woman.

He wished he could take her in his arms and protect her. But more than that, he hated that he could not openly defend and claim her as his.

For the first time, he wondered if his crown was even worth it. Never in his life did he question his birthright until now.

Does being a King worth it to give up his autonomy?

He might act like a snob and arrogant Prince before everyone, but he was like everybody else behind closed doors. He had his secrets.

He wanted his freedom.

He dreamt a life not fated, planned, or arranged for him, wishing to live according to his choices.

But, of course, he knew it was just wishful thinking. He was quite aware that his life had never been his since he was born.

"It is nothing." She pulled her hand away from him. "It is just a mild bruise."

He guessed, from her reaction, it was not a big deal. But to him, it was. He might have failed to protect her earlier. But he could ensure it would never happen again.

Mr. Rollins will get what he deserves.

However, he would hand it to her. She deserved his applause and admiration for handling the situation and not letting anyone step on her.

"Have you considered my offer?" He was not a man to beat around the bush. Moreover, he could not wait for her answer anymore.

"It is a more than generous offer, Your Highness. But I..."

He could tell she was about to decline his proposal. But he could not accept that.

"Please don't say no." He was not ready to give up on her. "Have dinner with me?" He would pull out all the stops and do all the tricks in his book to keep this night from ending.

He had never felt this desperate before with any other woman. But at that moment, he was willing to do anything to stop her from leaving.

He could see her eyes were having an internal debate, probably weighing the pros and cons of going out with him. Of course, he wanted to tilt the balance in his favor.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go." She dashed out of the car before he could say anything. "It was nice to see you again."

But he witnessed the color of her face suddenly turn pale as her eyes stared at something outside the window. It was as if she had seen a ghost.

He could not help but wonder what happened.

"Wait!" He wanted to stop her. But she ran before he could catch her. She did not even look back.

Of course, he was confused, pondering if he had said something to offend her. But he could not think of anything.

Then, his eyes followed her until she turned at the street corner. His instinct told him that something was not right.

"Ted, I need you to check on her." He believed something had spooked her. He doubted it was him.

He wanted to go after her. But that was impossible with reporters and paparazzi lurking around the hotel, trying to get pictures of famous personalities.

Nonetheless, he had to ensure her safety, believing she might be in danger from someone she had seen outside the window of his car.

"Are you sure you want to get involved with this woman? She seems to be more trouble than you bargain for." Nolan opened the partition glass separating the front and back of the car.

"She is worth all this trouble. I assure you."

But was she?