Forbidden

13| Safe

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Safe

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Chapter 13: Safe (Grace's POV)

I sat on the two-seater by my bed while Ronan followed me in, still in last night's clothes. I looked up at him, crossing one leg over the other. 

"What are you doing?" he asked calmly, running a hand through his hair. 

I knew he was going to be mad. I understood it the first time when he pulled me away from Judith a few days ago, he explained it then too. I can't risk pissing her off. But I also can't risk getting a new guard. I don't even trust my parents right now, how can I trust a guard they choose for me? I know they chose Ronan too, but I've had time with Ronan now, enough for me to believe that he's a genuine guard, he's just doing his job. I feel safe around him, especially after last night. "I did what I deemed right," I replied. 

"You are challenging your parents, do you think that's a good idea? Keeping your situation in mind?" 

"I don't want you getting fired." 

"You could have any other guard," he scoffed. 

"I don't trust my parents anymore. I can't trust their choice of a guard. For all I know, they'd be paying the guard to kill me." I stood up, walking to my closet to grab a dress for today. 

"You're playing with fire, Princess." 

"I don't care. You're meant to be my guard, everything doesn't work on their orders. I get to have a say in it too. I don't care how irrelevant a princess's opinions are considered. If I want you, then I want you." 

He grabbed my arm, pulling me back while spinning me around to face him. I tilted my head up to look at him while he pulled me flush against him. "I'm a guard, that's it," he said harshly. "You can find someone else." 

"I don't want someone else," I spat back. 

"What is your problem? Just listen to your parents, it'll keep you alive," he scoffed. 

"So will you." 

He blinked, his eyes flickering between mine. 

"I feel safe around you, okay? Especially after last night." I pulled my arm out of his grasp and moved back to the closet, taking out a lavender-colored dress. "And why do you care so much? You're still getting paid, they agreed." 

"I don't care, I'm just trying to understand why you would make such a foolish mistake. It's as clear as day, you don't want to marry Lucas. You had an opportunity to get out of it, why didn't you take it? You could have refused the marriage if they fired me." 

"What if I refuse the marriage and then I get killed?" I turned to face him, glaring. It's making me angry, the way he talks to me. Treats me like I don't know or understand anything. "Then you won't even be here to protect me. Then what do I do, huh?" We stood in silence for a minute, just staring at each other. 

It's just something about Ronan Stone that I can't quite pinpoint or wrap my head around. He makes me feel incredibly safe, safer than Finn ever did. I don't know if it's because he's stern and makes it so obvious that I'm his only priority, or if it's because he never even leaves my side and does his job perfectly well. But I can't imagine having anyone else to protect me. 

"Don't you get it?" I sighed. "There's no one I can trust except for you." 

His eyes narrowed in doubt and confusion. "Your parents chose me too. What makes you think you can trust me?"