Get used to it

I shook the man violently, hitting him in my rage. The prince tried to pull me back. "Nia, stop," he said, but I couldn't. Fear gripped me—I had trusted Tamara with my sister's safety. If she had betrayed us, who had she been working for, and why? What had happened to my sister?

I collapsed to the ground in tears, my heart breaking. "Angel, no. Nothing must happen to you. Please," I sobbed, shaking uncontrollably. The prince held my shoulder, trying to comfort me, but my world was falling apart.

Amidst my crying, the man who had swallowed the blue worm began to convulse and vomit, then fell dead.

Chapter Seven

The prince then told me that my sister might still be alive. I stood up and grabbed him. "Where is she? Where is she right now?"

"I shouldn't have left her alone. I was so clouded with revenge that I didn't want to drag her into my mess, and I gave the enemy a chance to hurt her. I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to my sister," I cried.

The prince consoled me, "It's not your fault. Whoever did this had a grand scheme. They were able to frame my father so it would never trace back to them. Maybe you were just a pawn in their game."

I held him tightly. "But it doesn't change the fact that

I'm the reason my sister is who-knows-where right now. And it's been five years."

The prince guided me to the bed, leading me to sit down. "I've been investigating a secret organization for the past two years. I believe they might be connected to all of this. No one else has that amount of power. My men are getting closer to discovering their location. Nia, can you trust me? Please."

I looked at the man holding me. Could it be true that his father wasn't the killer? My defenses crumbled as I poured myself into his arms and cried. I didn't remember how long I cried or how I fell asleep, but I woke up feeling disoriented.

I was still in his bed, and he was nowhere in sight. How did I fall asleep like this? Just then, the door opened, and he came inside, carrying some clothes.

"Change into these," he said. "You can sleep here tonight."

I stuttered, "Why—why would I want to sleep here with you?" I subconsciously covered my chest.

His gaze flicked there briefly before he gave me a light knock on the head. "I don't mean to do anything with you," he sighed, then added, "at least not today."

I blushed, my ears turning red. He noticed and smirked before handing me the clothes. "Joel will bring food shortly. You must be famished."

"But—" I protested. "He'll see me here. What if he thinks something else?"

The prince chuckled. "Let him think what he will. It's not entirely untrue."

"You jerk," I muttered.

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "What did you just call me?"

"Nothing, my prince."

"Not anymore," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"I said, don't call me that anymore, at least not when we're alone." He moved closer to the bed.

"Then what do you want me to call you?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Call me by my name, Jesse, like you always did when we were younger."

"No," I quickly shook my head. "That was when we were younger. Now those days have passed. There's no nee—"

He cut my sentence short with a kiss. When he pulled away, he said, "Call me Jesse." I still refused, and he kissed me again, deeper this time, taking my breath away. His hands moved toward my back, and I tried to push him away, but his grip was too strong. He pulled back and asked again, "Call me by my name. Last warning."

Knowing I couldn't resist another kiss like that, I reluctantly said, "Je-Jesse."

"Say it again."

"Jesse."

He rubbed my head and called me a good girl. "Now quickly change, or do you want me to help you? The bathroom is that way."

I grabbed the clothes he brought for me and dashed into the bathroom.

Chapter Eight

When I stepped out of the bathroom, my breath stopped at the sight before me. The prince was lying half-naked on the bed, his upper body exposed. His toned chest and defined abs glistened slightly in the soft candlelight, and the faint outline of his muscles was accentuated by the way he reclined, propped up on one elbow. His dark hair fell slightly over his eyes, which were now focused intently on me. I felt a hot flush spread across my cheeks.

"Why are you half-naked?" I asked, my voice coming out more breathless than I intended.

He smirked, a playful glint in his eyes. "You'll have to get used to it."