My Dangerous Prince

Chapter 16

I woke to the sun shining on my face, making me feel warm. I fluttered my eyelids open, instantly seeing the sleeping boy beside me. I smiled at his slightly open mouth and the rise and fall of his chest. With his curls hanging over his forehead an his eyelashes resting on his cheeks, he looked oddly innocent. Brushing a few of his dark curls away I kissed his cheek, careful not to wake him, before standing up.

I ventured out into the kitchen, getting myself a glass of water before resting against the counter. Sipping my water, I did my best to block the events of the previous two days. I had woken up multiple times throughout the night from nightmares of Julian and Jonathan. Harry would reassuringly pull me closer and whisper that he wouldn't let anyone hurt me and I was safe with him. I found myself easily falling back to sleep with Harry so closely next to me.

Lost in my thoughts, I jumped when I heard a loud bang come from down the hall. Not even a second later I heard Harry's feet quickly shuffling around as he called my name. He sounded panicked and desperate as he shouted out. And I realized, he thought I was missing.

I slammed the glass onto the counter as I sped around the island and into the hallway. My body collided with a firm one in front of me, making me nearly fall back. Arms wrapped tightly around me as I looked up into Harry's scared green eyes.

He sighed in relief when he looked down at me. "There you are."

"I'm sorry, I just came out to get a drink."

"You scared me." He said, clearly still in shock as he tucked a wave behind my ear. "I thought I lost you again."

I reached up, brushing his bed head of messy curls from his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."

Something flashed in his eyes at my words. For a moment he looked almost childlike as he stared down at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, wrapping my arms around his bare torso as he still tightly held onto me.

He shrugged. "I guess that's just hard to believe."

"Why?"

I watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. He hesitated before looking me directly in the eyes, making my stomach flutter. "All the people I've ever truly cared about before left."

I felt my heart ache for him. I had known this before he had ever even told me. Just looking in his eyes I knew, he had never truly been loved. I could tell that he didn't even know what it was like to be loved.

"We'll that's the difference between me and those people. I'm not leaving."

"Promise?"

I smiled at him, knowing that even if I wanted to, I could never leave him now. "Promise."

He pecked my lips quickly, sending chills through me before releasing me and heading into the kitchen.

I sat on the barstool, resting my chin on my hands and watching him. When a thought popped into my head, I spoke it without even thinking. "Harry, where's your mum?"

He completely stopped what he was doing, staring down at the countertop in front of him and tensing.

"I'm sorry, I didn't really think before asking that." I put my head down, ashamed.

He sighed and leaned with his palms on the counter, forearms flexing with his weight. "No it's okay. You should know."

"You don't have t-"

"I want too. I've never told anyone this before, I want you to be the first person I can actually share this with. I want you to know everything about me."