Fragile Desires (18+)

Seventy-Two | Almost

It's like a rogue wave crashing over a life spent sunning on the royal yacht. 

For the first time, I don't have a pre-laid course charted by advisors and protocol.

This plan, this concise plan—it's all mine.

And success, when it arrives, it won't be a trophy gathering dust on a shelf.

It will be the taste of victory after a hard-fought war. 

And far from those medals I received for simply existing within the royal lineage.

Compared to the selfless acts of real heroes, those awards felt hollow, a participation ribbon at best.

But this is different.

This feels like creating my own crown out of hand-crafted gold and diamonds, a testament to my own strength and hard work.

For once, I would have something of my own.

I would be doing this all myself.

- Azzy

♛Chapter Seventy-Two: Almost♛

After very thorough critiques from Renata—I was finally dressed in white dress pants with a loose light pink blouse and matching stilettos.

Renata remained in the same black pantsuit.

With a different pair of underwear of course...

And I had the hidden knife tucked in the waistband of my pants, surprisingly feeling as ready as ever.

It was odd.

It's like the last couple of days I was so on edge, my head packed full with so many different scenarios and anxious thoughts—but now as I sit here in the backseat of the black tinted Escalade beside Renata... I feel nothing.

I feel calm.

"Okay," I whispered, noticing the car coming to a smooth halt a few blocks away from Fortress, "I'll see you in a little while," I told Renata, turning to face her.

"In a little while," she repeated back to me, leaning in to press a soft kiss to my lips, "Try to aim for thirty minutes—you know I can't be apart from you any longer than that."

I smiled slightly against her lips, "Thirty minutes it is then," I determined, trailing soft kisses away from her lips to place across her cheek.

Renata hummed, "We'll all be waiting back here," she reminded me, easily earning a nod from me as I glanced out of the tinted windows—noticing the parked Escalades spread out at different parts of the streets.

I let out a deep sigh, nodding yet again to myself as I unbuckled my seatbelt and reached for the door.

But before I could possibly open it, Renata gently grabbed my hand—

And pulled me back to her for yet another kiss.

One that was much longer than the one we shared before.

"Thank you for doing this, Zee," Renata murmured against my lips, her tone entirely genuine and appreciative.

And just like that, I was smiling again, "Of course," I whispered as we pulled back from the deep kiss, "Anything for you."