CHAPTER 36: ROYAL TROUBLE

His phone rang as he shot towards the men.

Not now...

He glanced at her crouched behind him. The attackers were closing in.

He hid behind a wall as he managed to kill one while the other ran fiercely towards them firing.

"Run towards the back of the place— I’ll hold him off" he muttered, checking the bullets left.

He exhaled, jaws tight and pulse quickening as the Princess ran off. Everything seemed to slow down.

He peeked as he heard a loud thud and screech outside.

The driver— he’d taken out the other person. Trent sighed, laughing shakily as he looked at the corpse.

"You—" the driver shouted, pulling the window down.

"Where’s the Princess?"

Trent rushed towards where she’s ran towards— she was hiding, trembling behind some clothes.

"It’s alright now, Ma’am"

She looked up, sniffing with tears running down her face.

"Let’s go. The drivers here" he stretched his hands forward.

As she ran towards the door, He looked around and tucked the gun of one of the men in the mall behind his back.

He noticed the Princess trembling as he slid into the back seat. What’s going on?

"Sit" the driver commanded, pointing a gun. "Drop your gun"

Fuck.

"Why do this? You could’ve drove off with her" he said, glancing at the Princess as he lowered his gun.

"Loose ends— plus we need to pin it on someone when it’s done" the driver chuckled.

"W–Who’s behind this" she stuttered.

"You don’t need to know"

"If we’re—"

"You talk too much for a bodyguard" the driver snapped picking his gun from where he placed it.

Wait— why did he seem agitated?

"The cops..." Trent muttered, widening his eyes as if surprised.

"What?" The driver turned forward immediately.

In that moment, Trent drew the gun he’d tucked away and shot the driver on the head.

The princess shouted, hiding her head as the gun exploded.

"I knew this would be an issue" he growled, turning to her.

So much for not being a muscle.

"It’s alright now— he’s dead"

She looked up and froze at the blood-splattered dashboard.

"Do you have any idea who’d do this?— seems to be an inside job"

Definitely not an assassination by the government.

"N–No" she shook her head.

"Just great" he clicked his tongue,

"Let’s go— we’ll need a new car and I have to guarantee your safety at least"

They came down from the car and with the gun, he threatened an onlooker to hand over her key.

"You’re doing a favor to the universe" he smiled towards her as she stepped out of the car,

"May the star force be with you"

"Y–Yes"

"Get in" he turned to the Princess as she watched the person run away.

"This has gotten troublesome" he glanced at the mirror to look at her.

"Pardon me for dropping the title— I’ll call you Diana now, thank you"

She gulped, nodding her head in agreement.

He looked around— 2 street cams.

"Fuck" he murmured. This definitely looks like he’s the bad guy.

Where should he go?

He revved the engine and drove off.

"Hello, Boss" Scarlet’s voice cut through as she picked the call.

He cleared his throat, "I need a favor— urgently" he whispered, glancing at the road as he drove.

She thought for a minute and replied back, "What’s happened?"

"Work— my other one"

The Princess leaned backwards, covering her ears as she noticed him glance at the mirror.

Good.

"Alright... What’s happened, then? That you’d need a favor"

"Tell the madam that I want the favor she owes me— I was assigned to one your Princesses and it turned out to be a setup— even the driver tried to kill her"

"Oh. That’s you?"

What? He blinked.

"You knew?"

"It’s all over the news— the royal family has ordered Westeron to make sure they provide the Princess in 24 hours— they should be releasing the announcement soon"

A call came in while on the call— Anton.

"I’ll call you back— work"

"Alright" she replied, hanging up.

"Twerp!" Anton shouted as he picked the call. "What’s going on?"

"Some guys attacked us at the mall— planned job. Even the driver tried to kill her" he explained immediately.

"Is she alright?"

He turned to her, waving a hand until she removed her hand from her ears.

"My Boss wants to talk to you" he said, putting the phone on speaker.

"Princess—" Anton’s voice cut through the speaker.

"This is Mr. Exerta— head of Security for Mr. Trent"

What sort of bullshit?—

"This is Diana" she replied,

"I see you’re alright— Trent will take you to our office. You might have to cover your eyes while he brings you. I know it’s weird, but just go with it"

"Y–Yes" she replied, leaning back on the seat.

"Bring her here, Trent" Anton ordered, hanging up.

"That might be easier said than done" Trent muttered, looking through the rear mirror— two black SUVs were chasing after him.

Oh, how he wished it was her right now.

He glanced at the side— a portable music player and earphone.

"Take this—" he threw them at her, "it’s about to get really bumpy. Close your ears, dear customer"

She fell to the side as he took a sharp turn into a corner. Shit... Oh stars...

Immediately the car stabled, she turned the music player on full volume and closed her ears with the earphones, bending her head down.

"Let’s roll" he chuckled, glancing at her through the mirror.

This excitement he felt in this very dangerous situation.

Sign of madness?

He couldn’t even look up the company he got as a reward from Ave after he completed the mission because of how tense everything was.

He dodged an incoming vehicle, close enough that the car chasing behind didn’t see it coming and crashed into it.

One down— one more to go.

He turned sharply into another corner, and gave a wide gap before the other vehicle could turn too.

"You’ve got ruthless enemies for sch a young age" he muttered, glancing towards her.

He tapped the screen as his phone rang again.

"You said you’d call back"

"I’m not really in the situation to call" he chuckled, looking at the rear mirror. They’d almost gotten close to him.

"I know— I’m behind you"

"What? You’re the one chasing me?"

"No— I’m behind the black SUV"

"Kindly take him out then... That’ll be so appreciated" he snapped.

"This is not the favor she owes you— this is mine— I need a house"

"What?"

She’s seriously going to negotiate right now?

"It costs 300 grand— peanuts to you"

His grip on the wheel tightened as he looked at the mirror. This crazy bitch...

"Fine— I’ll give it to you" he shouted at the car hit the back of his.

"Nice doing business" she chuckled, hanging up.

What the hell?

He turned as he heard a screech and explosion. The car had turned sharply off course probably due to a shot to its tires and exploded into another car.

"That crazy..." He muttered as she drove past him waving.

She’s definitely going to ruin my life.

He glanced at the princess— still covering her eyes.

Great. Time to head to base.

Who were those guys and how did they find him so soon?

He turned the radio on— news about the ’kidnapping’ of the Princess was being broadcast at every station.

"The media must be having a great day" he huffed, turning it off.

________

"We’re here" he tapped her— she’d fallen asleep.

She jolted, opening her eyes and looking at him,

"Should I unplug the earphones?"

"Yeah" He nodded with a smile,

"You’ll just have to close your eyes until I tell you to open them" he added as she removed the earphone.

"Alright"

He guided her as she stepped out of the car closing her eyes.

"Pardon me for this, Princess" he apologized as he tied his jacket around her head for extra caution.

"Wait here"

He walked to the pole and completed the entry protocols.

"Let’s go" he patted her back, guiding her steps forward into the base.

There was nobody on sight— everything seemed to had been cleared up.

Anton walked out of the briefing room and waved for him to come.

He sighed and took off the blindfold from her— she still had her eyes closed.

"You can open your eyes now"

She opened her eyes slowly and looked around the place— pretty empty for an office. Her eyes caught Anton as he stood and waited for them.

"That’s my Boss. Let’s go" Trent said, tapping her shoulder.

"Welcome, Princess Diana" Anton smiled, ushering them in.

How weird... She looked around, glancing at Anton.

A fake smile that covered his troubled look, but genuine concern that felt close. He didn’t seem to care about her title either.

Same with that rude, handsome Man.

She turned her head away as her eyes met Trent’s.

Anton brought his phone out as it rang. "Excuse me for a while"

"Hold it in" he whispered to Trent as he walked out to take the call.

"What?!"

Trent froze, turning back as his voice echoed.

This damned life...