My Thug Love

The Way We Were

Rose's POV

I was feeling guilty. Even though I loved having him, loving him and living with him, I was feeling guilty. I am in love with my prisoner. A person I kidnapped. I shouldn't have gotten involved. But here I am, falling deeper than before.

He treats me so right. He would cheer me up and hang out with my friends who also are my family. He even made me food. For a king, he did everything a normal boyfriend would do and it was eating me alive.

I was in my office sitting with my head in my hand. Tears were forming in my eyes. I heard a knock on the door which made me blink away the tears. I saw Mac Jason come in. He wasn't really a fan of Nick.

"Hey."

"Hey."

He sat down in front of me. He was fiddling and I knew he's nervous about what he wanted to say. I put my hand on him to reassure that he can say anything he wants. He smiled a little and calmed down.

"Do you love him? Nick, I mean."

"Yeah. I do. A lot."

"But?"

I looked up at him. He always understood me better than others. He always knew what I was not saying. I wasn't surprised when he pointed out that I wasn't completely speaking my mind.

"But he is our prisoner. We kidnapped him. We kidnapped him for a purpose. This wasn't that purpose. We were after money. I was after money and now, I have fallen in love with him. I'm sure this is not how kidnapping works."

"It's okay you know, to fall in love with him. You don't have to feel guilty about it. But if you can't get this out of your mind, I can suggest one thing. Let him go. Let's leave him. Drop him back to the castle. Pretend nothing happened."

"How can I pretend like that MJ? I can't. It's not that simple. I didn't pretend to love him. I genuinely do. There has to be a-"

"There is no way. Either you leave him and get out of the guilt or make him stay and let that guilt eat you alive."

With that, he stood up and walked out of the room. Coming to think of it, he's right. I should've left Nick the day I realized about my feelings. But it's never too late.

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"I have made my decision. We are doing this."

"Are you sure? You can just talk this out."

"No. We are sending him back and that's final."

All of us are sitting in the meeting room. After a lot of thinking, I came to the conclusion that I need to let him go. This was never supposed to happen. A king and a gangster are never meant to be together. I shake off those heavy feelings every now and then and spend maximum time in office and kickboxing.

Today was the day we decided to put him back just the way we kidnapped him. Same team, same time, just different way. I was cuddled up beside him till he fell asleep. I didn't want to risk it so I chloroformed him. I kissed him one last time and made our way to the castle.

It was past midnight when we put him back on the bed. These past months, whatever time we spent together, came rushing back to me. Tears slipped from my eyes as I caressed his face and hair one last time. I heard JJ calling my name and with one last glance, I jumped out of the window.

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6 months later

We are done with our final paperwork for the industry. Now, all we have to do is get the king's signature. I decided to go to get permission myself with Casey.

As we walked in the court, all eyes were on us. I couldn't care less. All my life I've seen people look at me with all kinds of emotions in their eyes. But somewhere, I was still nervous. After a long time, I will face him again. I don't know what this has in store for me.

We came and stood in front of him. Nick. King Nicholas. He looked so debonair. That rugged look with that golden heavy crown on his head. He looked delicious. Wait, what?

He cleared his throat and got my attention. I looked at Casey and she walked up to him and gave him the paperwork. He read them with his advisor and kept on glancing at me. Casey kept on whispering to me that it's okay but the turmoil in my head and heart told me otherwise.

"Just a few more minutes and we will be out of here, okay? Just breath. Hold my hand if it's too much for you Rose, okay?"

Her whispers kept me strong.

Those stolen glances were as painful as being burned alive. Being in the same room and I still couldn't go and kiss him. It was physically killing me to keep stoic face. Even he was trying to keep poised face.

No one knew how a gangster and a king fell in love but we do. We knew how magical it was still the reality kicked in. We had to stay this way. Just the way we were. A king and a gangster can never be together and it is a universal truth. He would try to get my attention but I tried not to look at him directly. I don't know what was awkward. The loving glances or sexual tension.

His advisor gave the papers back with the king's seal on it. There was a piece of paper about to slip off. I grabbed it to find a handwritten letter. I put it in my pocket and glanced up. His glassy eyes were the evidence of the hard effect of our separation.

I turned around and looked at him one last time and walked out of the court.

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