Royally Kidnapped by the Prince

11

KENNEDY

I thought I let my hopes up.

What was I thinking inviting Thayer over into my room? But what about that, we’ll continue this later novelbin

speech? Oh, god! I buried my face into the pillow in frustration, hoping my embarrassment would

decimate.

I’d known to be straightforward, but with Thayer around, I tended to make terrible mistakes. He had just

consumed me—my thought, my energy—my world in general, and the fact that I enjoyed it a lot, it

should terrify me, but it was quite the opposite. I found it more liberating.

In truth, if it wasn’t for the three big bad wolves, I couldn’t have faced my ex and that woman alone, but

those guys boosted my confidence and backed me up, and it felt good.

At my work, I shared my perspective. With my sexual partner, I voiced out my needs, but with Thayer,

though, it was another story—I was a patient person. It was not that he was my sexual partner, but I

never initiated anything.

After I emailed the signed contract, I searched for an affordable bed. I checked out on Ikea, but nothing

had satisfied me so far. I found myself lying alone in bed, thinking about my promotion.

Alessia gave me a day off to decide on my assignment. I was supposed to receive her email tomorrow.

If I wouldn’t get this one, I might as well quit and went after my bucket list, which I always wanted to

travel the world.

I woke up early in the morning. After I hit the shower, I put on some ripped jeans, shirts, and sneakers.

An hour later, I was in my apartment—our apartment. My shock had my head spinning? I looked down

at my key if I entered the right apartment, but it wouldn’t open if I was in the wrong door, right?

I began to realize what kind of people I was dealing with. Judging by the elegant and perfectly crafted

furniture, no doubt Thayer could be a billionaire, yet he was down-to-earth and never bragged about

how wealthy he was.

The custom moldings had dumbfounded me. When I looked down, from ordinary tiles replaced with

rare imported wood flooring, then also added, throw fluffy rugs under the glass coffee table, the pillows,

and the small opulent fireplace added a European vibe. An Italian painting on the wall and a modern

Murano glass chandelier hanging on the ceiling must have cost a fortune.

The blood-red granite countertop and kitchen appliances were also new, and the freshly cut pink tulips

were on top. How did they make this happen overnight?

I slid to the stool, thinking of how could I pay for all of these. Of course, I still have to pay half because

we shared this apartment. I left my bag on the counter and pulled a bud of tulip before I marched to my

room at the right corner of the apartment.

The door was unlocked, but then the knob was new. I shook my head in disbelief.

“Wow!” The queen size bed screamed elegance with its upholstered head, footboard, and button chair

in cream white. Two bedside tables matched perfectly the closet. Three simple black framed above the

headboard. With designer duvet folded half on the well-made bed.

I laughed alone like crazy, throwing myself into the bed. I stared at the crystal firework chandelier

hanging at the ceiling, wondering why Thayer was doing this? I knew our chemistry was maddening

than the pull of the black hole, yet he never made a move. Maybe he was not married, but maybe, he

had someone special.

Did he have a social media account? How old was he? He did not look a year or two older than me, but

he looked well-accomplished in life.

***

I jolted up. My hand was on my chest.

“Sorry if I scare you? I swear I wasn’t watching while you sleep.” His gaze was still on the Style

magazine.

“How long have you been here?” My heart was still in my throat.

“Do you like the bed?”

“Thayer?”

He lifted his gaze and met mine. Something was wrong. The sparkles in his eyes were gone.

“What’s wrong?” I asked urgently. His grandfather instantly came to my puzzled mind.

“My father needs my assistance,” he said casually.

“So you’re leaving.” I leaned against the headboard.

“No, darling.” Darling? Wow!

I blinked rapidly, making sure I wasn’t dreaming. Did he just call me darling while he’d been switching

from hot to cold?

“Would you come with me?” he followed up when I seemed to find myself speechless before him.

My jaw dropped. “What?”

“I’d like you to come with me.”

I chuckled. “What’s going on? What is it all about? I know it’s none of my business, but you’re starting

to scare me.” I folded my hands on my lap.

“Nothing to scare about me, Kennedy.” He met my gaze. But I was finding it hard to believe.

“I know nothing about you, Thayer. For all, I know you’re a drug lord, does human traffic for a living, or

maybe you’re a member of Italian Mafias.” I rolled my eyes. “I heard contract killing pays well.” I knew I

was exaggerating things, but he was a kind of puzzle that took years for me to solve.

“That’s why I’m inviting you to come home with me. And I’m no such of those things.” His words just

rolled out on his tongue. He was even elegant when he talked.

I shook my head. “I can’t. I have a job here.” I raised my hand. “And please, don’t tell me that you can

offer me another job because that’s ridiculous.”

He nodded slowly, but I felt he didn’t use to get turned down, and he was taking it hard. His smile was

faint. He sighed deeply as if fighting exhaustion.

When my eyes started to burn, I looked up.

“Kennedy.” His voice was low, deep, and velvety.

“Just go.” Damn it! Why did I feel so suddenly emotional? “Why did you furnish the entire apartment if

you won’t even stay a night?”

“Kennedy, darling.” He reached out for my leg. “Look at me, please?”

My gaze snapped to his face. “Is your grandfather okay?”

“Yes. I mean no changes as of an hour ago.”

I glared at him. “Do I get to see you again?”

“Yes. I wish every day. If I could only change your mind.” Oh, God. Why does he have to say these

kinds of words?

I dropped my gaze down to my hands. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“Please, don’t say you can’t. I can’t take it.”

I was struggling to control my stupid emotion. I should see a therapist because there was definitely

something wrong with me—an emotional disentanglement. Or whatever. But I was sure I was not okay.

He was also finding it hard to find the right words.

“Why?”

“I want to see you. I want to be with you.”

“But?”

“Thayer?” Someone called his name behind the door, followed by a knock. “We have a flight to catch.”

It was Ash.

“Damn it.” He growled. “Just give me a minute!”

I rose from the bed. “You’re leaving right now? Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“I don’t wanna disturb you. You look peaceful.”

“You told me you didn’t watch me.”

“Kind of hard to,” he admitted.

“You haven’t answered my question.”

He rose from his seat, and now he was towering over me. “I can’t travel all the time. It would be difficult

for us to meet, to visit you. I have a huge shoe to fill if my grandfather passes away. For us to be

together is for you to come with me.”

“You’re kidding, right?” I chuckled. My brow arched, but he had the same looming expression.

“I wish I am.”

“Well, for starter, you’re an asshole and a royal pain in the ass, but I like you. Like, a lot. I don’t know

about this feeling I have for you, and I’ve never felt like this with my ex. And it’s stupid that I’m hurting

right now that I don’t even know your full name because fuck you. I know Thayer Camren is not even

your real name. And you are a real deal here.” I swallowed hard. Tears filled my eyes. Jeez, I’m such a

mess. ”And then I have to sacrifice my work, my friends, to come with you? Who the hell are you? I

don’t even love you! I only met you three days ago, asshole!”

Before my tears fell, I rushed out of my room, only to find myself in the middle of four men. I knew Ash

and Lud, but the other two bulky men with strong jaws in suits, I had not met them before.

I threw them a glare. “What?”

They didn’t even flinch.

“Kennedy?” It was Thayer calling behind me.

I went straight to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of Champagne. I uncorked it myself.

“Let me help you with that,” Ash offered.

“Fuck off!”

“You’re gonna hurt yourself,” Thayer said.

“I said, fuck off! Just go and fly away to your magical land. I don’t give a shit.” I successfully uncorked

the Champagne. The smoke came out. I drunk from the bottle, and it felt good. “Bye, I guess.” I put the

bottle down the countertop a bit stronger. “Have a safe flight back to your Lala land.”

“Wait for me in the car. All of you.”

“Do you always bark orders around?” I glared at Thayer. He looked so down that I’d never seen him

like this before. And it was not that I spent a lot of time with him, but all I saw was passion, lust, and

hopes.

“I can’t go when you’re like this?”

“Like what? And why do you care?” I was done pouring out my feelings, and I still got nothing.

“Wait for me.”

“Oh, God.” I rolled my eyes before I pulled him on his suit jacket and crushed my lips into his. My

feelings soared to life.

He spun me around, my back hitting the counter. He kissed me back with the same intensity as our

emotions. He then cupped my face and thrust his tongue in my mouth.

My moan rippled through me, intensifying an ache between my thighs. I kissed him like this would be

our last day together. At least, I have something to give—something he could take home—this memory.

I pulled back. We were breathing hard. He kissed me again, brief, yet it felt like our emotions were

ready to explode in our chest. He then kissed me on my forehead.

“I’ll see you soonest. I promise.” He kissed my hands.

“Don’t.”

He met my gaze. “I never break a promise. And I don’t have a plan on breaking it. My words are my

power, Kennedy.”