Kidnapped By The Prince ✔️

Chapter 7

Edited: 1/27/19

"Hadley, please wake up," Parker pleads. I can feel him take my hand in his, but I can't move anything. My eyes are glued shut, an oblivion of darkness surrounding me.

Archer snorts. "Never liked her anyways," he mumbles.

Parker's grip on my hand tightens—I can picture him scowling.

"What kind of friend are you? At least act like you care," Parker growls.

I put all of my strength into my hand. Nothing happens.

"Look, Park. I'd take a bullet for you, you're like my brother, but she doesn't even want to be here. There are girls all over the country dying to be with you." Archer sighs.

"But I don't want them. I want Hadley. Mother wants me to have found a suitable queen before she gets back from her trip," Parker retorts. I can feel him turn back to my body. "I promised Hadley that I would never hurt her, and here she is, lying in a bed. She won't even open her eyes, Archer."

I can hear Parker choke back a sob.

Archer sighs. "I'll make an effort to be nice to her." He complies.

I find myself forcing everything I possibly can into my fingers.

"Promise?" Parker asks hesitantly.

"I, Archer Daniel Adams, promise to guard Hadley-whatever-her-last-name-is, with my life."

My finger tip flicks.

"Hadley?" Parker asks hopefully. I flick my entire finger this time. "Archer, she's waking up!"

Parker's hand cups my face. My eyes flutter open, the bright light stinging the unaccustomed pupils.

"Water..." I croak hoarsely. A small glass comes to my lips. I down the liquid quickly. I cough.

"Slow down. You'll get sick," Parker warns, placing the glass on the bedside table.

"Haiden," I grumble.

"Who's Haiden?" Archer mumbles.

"I think it's her boyfriend," Parker replies sadly.

"Brother," I correct him, attempting to sit up in the silk sheets.

"No. Lie down," Parker orders, placing a hand on my chest and pushing me back down onto the bed.

I grumble, but obey. My head rests comfortably on the satin pillows. "Haiden," I repeat.

Parker looks at Archer hopefully. Archer sighs and rolls his eyes before starting over to me. I flinch away from him, releasing Parker's hand from mine.

"No, Hadley. It's okay," Parker soothes.

Archer smirks and winks.

I grimace in disgust.

"Haiden's not here, and he won't be. Go back to sleep, love," Archer grumbles rather obnoxiously.

My bottom lip quivers. "Haiden," I reiterate firmly, pushing myself from the bed again, tears falling from my chin.

Parker tries to push me back down again, but fails when I swing my legs over the side.

I continue to mumble incoherently, trotting throughout the room. I find a door and swing it open to reveal another staircase. I point down the stairs. "There?" I ask Parker, my brow furrowed.

Parker shakes his head.

I waddle down the stairs, a massive headache beginning to form. Just before I take the next step, my knee buckles. A pair of strong arms catches me and lifts me to their chest.

"You shouldn't be out of bed, Hadley," Parker murmurs into my ear, carrying me back up the steps and into the room.

I roll my head back so that it's dangling off his arm. "Wall." I point at the wall.

"Yes," Parker confirms sarcastically.

I nod thoughtfully. My head spins. "Hurt." I point to my head.

"Bro, tell her to speak in actual sentences," Archer pleads.

I wince as the pain in my head gathers in the right temple.

"She fell off the bed when she fainted. Her head hurts," Parker explains, tucking me into the sheets. He kisses my forehead gently before sitting back in his seat.

"Better?" he asks me.

I nod and glance around me. "Home."

Parker chews on his bottom lip, looking to Archer for advice again.

"Baby, this is your home." Parker smiles unsteadily.

I shake my head. "Home. Haiden."

"Why doesn't she say anything about her parents?" Archer mutters to himself.

"They died in a building collapse," Parker recites.

I stiffen.

Parker takes ahold of my hand gently.

I swipe it from him, giving him a fierce glare. "Don't even," I snap.

Archer's eyes light up in amusement. "Two words now. Progress."

I turn my head away, staring out a window.

"I'm sorry, Hadley," Parker whispers, placing a finger under my chin to turn me to him. I glare into his eyes. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Hurt," I wheeze, pointing to my head again.

"You're dehydrated," Parker explains, pulling another glass from the table. "Drink this."

I gulp down the water slower this time. The cool liquid soothes my burning throat.

"I want to —" I suck in a breath to finish the rest of my sentence. "—Take a walk."

Parker smiles at my progress while Archer mirrors the beam.

"Okay, but you can't walk down the stairs." Parker obliges.

I frown.

"I'll carry her," Archer offers.

Parker shakes his head and slides his arm under my legs and back. "I've got her," he states, pulling me to his chest with ease.

I wrap my arms around his neck as he walks down the stairs slowly, careful not to drop me. When we reach the bottom, I pat Parker's chest, signaling for him to put me down.

"Fine," he grunts, placing me on the marble. "But if your head begins to hurt, I'm carrying you again."

I nod and beam, waltzing around the palace. I skip into a large seating area. I stare in absolute awe at the sight.

Parker comes up from behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his face into my neck. "This could all be yours one day," he murmurs into my skin, barely above a whisper.

"Hm?" I hum, pretending not to hear him.

"Nothing," he replies, a small smile spreading to his face. He releases me to allow me to explore the rest of the glory.

I dance into the kitchen where a woman is preparing a meal in a chef's hat and apron. She catches me staring at her and turns the stove onto low. She claps her hands off and begins to me, holding a flour-caked hand to me.

"Sadie," she introduces herself.

I shake her hand and smile. "Hadley."

"I like that name. We're friends now," Sadie beams, trotting back to her food happily.

*_________________________*

Be sure to check out my other stories!

I updated a day early because I'm going to a soccer tournament right now and imma bout to pee myself so this was a distraction for a little bit.