The Secret Princess Series - Taken

Chapter 2

Random Fandom Dedication! This chapter is to Allison Hogue! I swear she left a comment on every single single chapter on this book and the other Secret Princess book. She is just amazing and thank you!

Kayla xo

BAILEY'S POV ~~~

I sat the dining table pushing around pieces of my egg white omlette. I couldn't focus on my food. I heard shushed voices and shuffling feet all around the castle now. Everyone was desperatly trying to find my best friend. I sigh and place my fork back down on my plate. 

How could this even happen? One second she was with me, cheering me up, making me smile again.. and the next. She's just... gone. Disappeared. This is why she had been sent away in the first place. The King and Queen couldn't have something this terrible happening again. I have heard the numerous rumors of what had happened. Although I believed in none of them.

"Bailey," I heard my dad scold from across the table. I glance up at him through my damp eyelashes. My eyes stinging from the non stop crying that I have experienced from back to back traumas with Travis and Gene.

"You need to clean up this act of yours. I know you are upset, but you need to keep one thing straight. You are a duchess. You are my daughter. You are expected to be at your very best behavior especially at this time while the princess is missing," he claims.

I just stared in disbelief. I had no response to that. I couldn't yell, I couldn't scream, I couldn't argue with him and tell him that he was wrong. I just had no energy left. I was completely drained. 

The stupid thing was while the castle was busy looking for Gene I still had to maintain my lessons. I still had to keep up a happy attitude. I just couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't pretend to be happy when I was so utterly destroyed inside.

I stood up and without so much as a word to my father I walked out of the dining hall.

"Liam..." I croaked when I say him talking to some guards down the hall.

 He turns around and sees me walking toward me with a sorrowful expression.

"Is there any news? Do you guys have any leads on where Gene is?" I whisper willing myself to not break down yet again that day.

I was an emotional wreck. Then again I'm sure anyone else would be too if they were arranged to marry an arrogant jerk, then the man that they loved was thrown into jail barely escaping excecution, then when you'd think things couldn't get any worse their best friend gets kidnapped. 

Liam shook his head sadly wrapping his arm around me in a comforting hug.

I needed to stop pitying myself. Liam was probably in as much pain as I was in.

"How are you holding up?" I ask him wiping a stray tear that silently rolled down my cheek.

"I need to find her Bailey. I just... need her with me," he said as his hazel eyes glazed over. He blinked fast trying to stay strong and not let me see him cry. For as long as I've known Liam he had been the strongest person I have ever known. After everything he's been through with his mom dying he was entitled to some happiness and Genevieve had brought that to him.

"I know what you mean, well I'll leave you now, and just promise me that whatever you do you'll stay safe. For the sake of Gene," I say to him hoping that he wouldn't be blinded by the pain and do something utterly ridiculous.

"I won't rest until Genevieve is home and safe again. My safety really isn't an issue at this point. My priority is to find her," He tells me his voice straining. His eyes were hard though. Telling me he was dead serious and would stop at nothing.