The Princess's Guard ✔️

57

My eyes widen. Uh oh. This isn't what we should all be talking about right now.

"I did," Ark responds calmly. "But I kicked you out of her room because I didn't know who you were and I didn't like that you were sneaking into her room in the middle of the night."

"We are friends. I had to see her," Louis insists.

I don't really know why he's bringing this up now, why he is pressing Ark on it when he's seconds from falling over the edge of his anger and into a dark pit where nothing matters.

It's like Louis wants to die or something...

"From what I saw, you don't just see her as your friend," Ark growl, referring back when he first walked in here.

"We have a lot of history."

"She is my mate."

"Alright, cool it. My head is killing me," I cut in, glaring at the both of them.

Right now we need to be united more than anything. I doubt it's possible, but we need to concentrate on the real enemy here, and that is my father. The wound in the back of my head is evidence enough of that.

Ark focuses on me again, his gaze softening. "I hate seeing you like this. I should have done more to protect you."

"I was the one who jumped in the back of father's transport and snuck into the facility," I remind him coolly. I don't want him to blame himself for something he had no part in.

It was my own curiosity that got the better of me.

Ark nods. "You should have come to me. We had a plan."

"Yeah, probably. I didn't know though."

Me not knowing their plans was meant to keep me safe, although now I can see the regret swirling in Ark's eyes as they drift over the white bandage.

"From now on you will know everything before it happens, okay?" He breathes.

"What is your plan now?"

"Tomorrow we have reports that your father will be returning to the business one last time before he scouts for a new location. We will intervene then," he informs me, glancing at Louis occasionally as he talks.

He doesn't trust him. Fair enough, Louis was working for my father, regardless of why.

"He's going to be looking for me. What if he isn't there?" I ask.

"He will be," Ark affirms grimly. "I don't want to sound crass, but I think he will be prioritising this over you."

I sigh. He's right. My father may claim to love me, and I'm sure he does to a degree, but I will never be worth as much as that business is to him.

If I was, he would never have made it to begin with.

"He knows I'm hurt. He probably thinks I'll be dead soon," I mutter.

Louis steps closer. "I need to return tomorrow and maintain that I don't know what happened, otherwise Kiva will be tracked back here."

"You have only a few hours to prepare," Ark tells him, getting to his feet. "Don't screw this up."

To Louis's credit, he doesn't cower, even as the full extent of Ark's tall, broad stature towers over him and his dark eyes pin him in place.

"Just because I want her father gone doesn't mean I want to work with you," he snaps.

Ark remains eerily calm. "I suggest you do, and I suggest you go there tomorrow as normal and don't allude to anything regarding Kiva."

He doesn't say his threat overtly but we all know what would happen if Louis didn't heed his warning.