Royal love

Chapter 67

Hayden walks into the room after about ten minutes of me desperately searching for something to wear.

"Woah," he yelps turning away from me on his heal the second he sees the situation.

"I don't have any clothes," I grumble pulling my towel up higher.

"I'll go look for something of Sebastian's for you."

"Thanks."

He walks away without even trying to get a peek of me. I'm used to everyone always invading my privacy, cough paparazzi cough. It feels nice to be respected.

When Hayden returns he has a white button up shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants. He hands them to me with his head turned. I feel myself falling in love with the privacy, something I've been deprived of my entire life.

"Thanks," I say. I watch him nod before walking away.

I have to pull the string of the sweatpants pretty tight to fit me. The second I pull the button up over my head I get a familiar sent imbedded into my nose, this is not Sebastian's shirt. The clothes are absolutely massive, I probably look homeless, but I can't complain.

When I walk out in "Sebastian's" clothes and Hayden sees me, he blushes, his smile rising so far up his face it looks like it could be stuck there.

"Lookin good, Princess" he says with a smile. He brings the mug he's holding to his mouth and takes a sip. He's still shirtless and I can't help but check him out. He's so fit and muscular it feels like a sin to not stare.

I would have figured out these clothes weren't Sebastian's when I had walked in here and Hayden didn't go absolutely crazy, if I hadn't smelled Hayden sent on the shirt.

Hayden acts like he doesn't see me staring at his chest and core as he turns around and places his mug on the counter, his back faces me and everything he's ever told me about his past floods back. I'm no longer smiling because I'm in the presence of an extremely good looking man with a body that screams "Greek god" at the top of its lungs.

I have to hide the sorrow from my face when he turns back towards me, realizing what he's done. I look away before he gets a chance to fully turn around so he'll think I wasn't paying attention.

We both know I was.

We both act like I wasn't.

"Any plans for today?" I ask him trying to change the subject.

Hayden shakes his head.

"Oh," I respond.

"Are you okay?" He asks me. His eyebrows are furrowed and he's staring so intently I feel a hole burn through me.

"What do you mean?" I ask playing with my fingers.

Hayden rolls his head and groans. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was normal to scream all night long."

Oh.

"It's not, I'm sorry," I respond.

"Don't be sorry, it's not your fault," he says looking as if he feels bad for whatever he said before. "Just tell me, what was that?" He asks.

"I don't know," I respond. "I've been through a lot, i guess it's all just mixing into one big bowl of trauma." Tears well in my eyes and no matter how hard I try to stop them from streaking my cheeks, they do.

Hayden pulls me into a hug. He rests his chin on my head.

"It's okay," he says gently. "Your okay."

"I'm a mess," I say into his chest. "Everything about my life is f*cked up. Me, you, my parents, my brother, my friends, this— this situation were in. I mean, who on earth gets kidnapped these days? Who on earth wants the royal family dead? I thought—"

Hayden squeezes me tighter. "It's okay," he says again. "Relax. Breath."

I take a deep breath and when I let it out, a sob escapes with it.

"I used to be normal," I say.

"I know."

"I used to not know the dangers of the world."

"I know."

"I wish I could go back. I don't like this."

"I know."

We hold each other for what feels like forever before I break away from him.

"I need some time," I say as I head to the back porch.

I leave before Hayden can respond but when I turn and watch him through the glass door, I see him scratch the back of his head and sigh. I watch a whole lot of stress build onto his shoulders.

I go to the wooden railing of the porch and stare into the woods as I wipe my tears and take deep breaths. My feet are bare and freezing cold in the winter air. I can only last a few minutes before it feels like they'll freeze off of me.

When I get back inside, Hayden's gone.

"Hayden?" I call.

No response.

I walk down the hallway.

"Hayden?"

Again, nothing.

But when I see the doors to my room closed from the opposite end of the hallway, I get closer. I put my ear to the door.

I hear my heart beating in my ears as I stand there, listening to grunting and wincing in pain.

Instantly I know what's happening.

I throw the door open and catch Hayden putting the lighter to his lower waist, I watch the flame sear his skin as he holds it there. I watch as he throws his arm behind his back when he sees me standing in the doorway, watching him.

"Adeline—" he pleads.

"What the F*CK Hayden!?" I yell before I can stop myself. I want to be sensitive, want to be compassionate like he was to me but I can't. I can't be compassionate for him because I don't know what he's going through, don't know why he likes to hurt himself when he's already hurting.

I don't understand it and it's making me angry, making me senseless.

"What is the appeal to you!?" I yell out, tears streaming down my face again. Why? Why am I crying over this? Why does it hurt me so much that he likes hurting himself?

When Hayden doesn't answer, I get even angrier.

"Answer me," I yell sniffling and wiping my tears.

Hayden sits on the bed. I've never seen him look so small, not even the last time I caught him hurting himself.

"Come here," he says patting the spot next to him.

"No," I huff angrily. "I'll stand."

Hayden's back straightens as he looks up at me from his position on the bed. I like finally being the taller one.

He gets up. Takes a few steps to be directly in front of me.

He pulls me by the waist with one arm, onto his lap as he sits on the bed.

"What about this?" He breaths out, our foreheads pressed against each other.

Word count: 1143
2:21 pm
10-21-23
(Not revised)
Hehehekdjeiansisnegev
Hayden and Adeline shippers about to go crazy!!!
❤️❤️❤️