Chapter 24: Rome (Caden's POV)
"Where would you go on your honeymoon?" she asked as she lay on my bed, her stomach down while her legs rocked back and forth in the air with her dress hitched up the slightest.
"Greece," I answered.
"Why Greece?"
"Why not?" I shrugged, my finger tracing patterns on her arm. "What about you?"
"Probably Rome."
"Why Rome?" I lifted a brow at her.
"Cause why not?" she smirked while I chuckled, rolling my eyes. "It's pretty. That's why."
"So is Greece."
"You go to Greece with your wife, I'll go to Rome with my husband. That way we won't even bump into each other and have an awkward interaction," she shrugged.
"And what if... I marry you?"
She rolled her eyes, "That was a very bad joke."
"Why? It could happen," I scoffed.
"In what world? In what universe, Caden?"
I leaned forward and tilted her chin up, bringing her lips closer to mine. "In this one."
"But in another life, right?"
"No," I said, staring her dead in the eyes. "In this one."
"How?" she asked, now amused but also curious.
"We could elope."
"I wouldn't marry someone without my family's blessings," she shook her head, looking down at my bed where she drew circles on the black silk sheets.
"You really love your family, don't you?" I asked.
She nodded, lifting her eyes to meet mine. "I do. Don't you?"
"I love Axel. But my parents aren't like yours," I sighed, leaning back against the headboard.
She scooted forward and grabbed a pillow, tucking it under her chin. "What do you mean?"
"I've seen you with your family. You're all really close. Your parents try to understand you and they always support you. My family doesn't work like that."
"How does your family work?"
I looked at her, not sure if we should be doing all this. Talking about ourselves, letting our secrets out in front of each other. If we should be getting so attached.
She raised her brows at me questioningly while elbowing my leg.
"If Axel and I don't do something according to my parents or if we do anything against what they order and embarrass them, we get in a lot of trouble. Axel is... an angel child. He doesn't do anything they don't allow and when he does, he admits it almost immediately. I'm..."
"The devil?" she smiled.
I chuckled, nodding. "I always did the opposite of what they said just to annoy them. And I never apologized for going against them either. And now that I'm older, they gave up a little. They're very strict," I huffed.
"Is there anything you would do if they let you?" Curiosity flickered in her eyes.
I nodded.
"What?" she asked.
"Marry you," I smirked.
She rolled her eyes, hitting me with the pillow.
"Tell me, would your family accept me if I left mine?" I questioned.
"You can't leave your family, you're the prince of a kingdom. You have responsibilities and a position to live up to. You'll be the king someday," she said pointedly.
"So? I can't sacrifice everything for a kingdom. I don't take royalty as seriously as my family does. And I'm selfish enough to keep what I want. Or actually who I want."
She watched me carefully as I spoke.
"And anyway, Axel can rule if he wants. I have no interest in running a kingdom," I said, rolling my eyes and looking out the window.
"What do you have an interest in?"
I looked back at her.
"Other than me, of course," she scoffed.
I laughed while she sat up on her knees, holding the pillow in her lap. I grabbed her hand and pulled her forward, closer to me.
"Not even soccer is it? You just play so you don't have to pursue a subject, right?"
I nodded.
"Then what do you want to do? What would you do if you could leave royalty?"
"I would have my own restaurant," I answered.
"You like to cook?" Her eyes widened.
"Why are you so surprised?" I laughed. "Because the prince probably hasn't stepped foot in the kitchen?"
"I didn't say that," she mumbled.
"You thought it. It's okay, everybody thinks like that. I'm used to it. But I can cook extremely well. I'll show you someday. I cook for myself all the time when I'm home alone."
"And what's your favorite?" she asked.
"Chicken wings," I answered honestly.
She laughed, nodding. "I like chicken wings. I understand why they're your favorite. Teach me how to make them someday?"
"Deal," I agreed, kissing the back of her hand.
"Someday. When our families don't hate each other," she sighed.
"Venus, what would you do if they didn't? Hate each other?" I questioned, watching her carefully as she thought of an answer.
"I would... kiss you in front of everyone."
I lifted a brow at her.
"And I would let myself like you a little bit more. Just a little bit," she shrugged.
"And how much do you like me now?" I asked, pulling her even closer and then lifting her leg over me so she straddled me. She shot me a look but stayed there regardless.
"Not even a little bit," she said, her eyes locked in place with mine.
"Not even a little bit, huh?" I asked again.
She shook her head. "No."
I grabbed the front of her dress and pulled her down. "You're a horrible liar," I whispered, resting my hands on her hips while my lips brushed against hers.
"I lie a lot. To myself too," she mumbled.
"Should you be doing that?"
"Probably not if I want to be happy. But probably, yeah, if I want to be alive," she said sarcastically.
"I'm sure you'd still be alive."
If you like me.
"Alive? Maybe. Still in Cadara? No." She shook her head softly, sitting upright.
"What do you mean?" I frowned in confusion.
"My parents have never said it. But I think if I... Look, the only thing my dad has ever asked of me is to stay away from you and your family. And I think if I didn't do that, even though he's never said it, I think he would send me away."
"Send you where?"
"To my aunt. She lives in London and she has a daughter that's a few years younger than me. She goes to a boarding school there. And if he sends me, I have no school to attend. If he sends me, I'll have to live a normal life."
"Why send you to London?"
"It's either that or get me married to another prince, isn't it?" She shrugged. "And he would never force me to marry someone. So he would ship me off. I just know it," she exhaled, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt that rode up. "It would be my sort of punishment. I would have to live a normal life," she shrugged.
"They'd kick you out?"
"Pretty much," she nodded, her nose scrunching up.
"And if I took you in?" I would if they ever did that to her.
"Your family wouldn't let you," she said pointedly. She let out a soft chuckle. "We can never be together, Caden. It's not written in our destiny."
"I can deal with writing my own destiny," I responded. "I would go with you."
She laughed, "Why are we even talking about this? There is nothing serious going on between us. We're keeping it casual, remember?"
I suddenly don't like my decision to say that.
"We are," I nodded. "But I'm just saying, I would go with you. We'll settle in Rome," I shrugged.
"Hahaha." She rolled her eyes while leaning in. "Rome is a honeymoon spot. I can't live there."
"Where would you live then?" I asked.
"California," she answered.
"Under the warm sun, huh?" I chuckled.
She nodded.
"California it is."
"In another life, sure," she giggled.
"In this one. Maybe," I said.
She shook her head softly. "Not in this one," she whispered. "I can't lose my family, Caden. Not for anyone. Not even you."
It hurt a little to hear. Knowing that if we ever loved each other, I would leave my family for her but she wouldn't do the same. But then again, our families are completely different.
"Since we only have so much time together," I sighed, pulling her closer. "I guess I should take as many kisses as I can."
"I guess," she smiled.
I pecked her lips a few times and then held the kiss out for a while before pulling back to look at her. "You really don't even like me a little bit, Venus?"
"Caden," she whined. "I'm already doing so much more with you than I should. And I've already stopped hating you. Don't ask for more, please."
"I won't. But you'd really never want it?"
Because I'm starting to think I would. If I liked her... hell, WHEN I like her, I'll ask for more. Because I'll want it really, really bad.
"Even if I did, I wouldn't tell anyone. Not even you."
"Duly noted, Ms. Princeton," I replied. I understand. I understand that she would never tell anyone if she wanted me for more than my body. She wouldn't even tell me. She'd just keep it to herself and silently suffer. And make me suffer too by staying away from her.
It's best if I don't like her. If we don't like each other. Because if we do, we'll have no choice but to pull away. And I have a feeling that would hurt. A lot.
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Chapter 24
I think we can confirm that they're catching feelings
next chapter: him