The Paparazzo with a Secret

Chapter 11

I ducked into an empty room shaking off my pursuers. Catching my breath, reflecting on what happened in the last 24 hours. I was lucky in running into Herald and had even more luck in gaining access to the VIP auction house. I knew the job was dirty, but seeing it in person disgusted me further. Walking over to the window I opened it, the night air rushing in... It felt good on my heated skin, a relief from running around the entire gaming house while avoiding the unsavoury endings, but that wasn't what I wanted to do, so I shook my head and looked down to see if scaling the wall would be possible. Some ledges here and there... "It's not impossible, that's for sure,"

I head back into the room and immediately head for the bed, tearing the sheets to create the classic bedsheet rope. It didn't take long to get a decent sized length and I don't waste time in putting it to use. "It's jus' like rock climbin', nothin' strange,"

By the time I touched the ground, I grinned. "Another win!"

Two weeks after my lucky break from Herald's case I walked towards a boutique in DresVan. It was one that I had my eye on for some time now, any girl worth her salt had to come and browse the latest fashion in this particular store. The latest brands were displayed as soon as they were in stock, in all likelihood flaunting their hidden connections.

I made my way inside only to be stopped by a voice.

"Isn't that Adrian?"

I turned to see two unexpected visitors, the Princes from DresVan and Charles... I gave them a nod and turned towards the store with a determination to escape from them...

"Hey, wait! Let's hang out for a while!" ... Only to be stopped, again.

I gave a sigh, turned to face them and crossed my arms. "I don't know what yer Highnesses would want with me, but I suggest ya'll to glaze ov'r my existence like any other commoner,"

"Don't be like that," The Charleston Prince laughed. "there's no need to be so openly hostile!"

"Like Max said, let's have a great time together!" The Dresvanian Prince chimed in.

I glanced back at the shop, weighing my options. I could just go in and ignore they ever existed in the first place... but then if they followed me? That would be an outright disaster, especially with a high-end retail store like this one...

With one last look at the store I turned away from them. "Then let's talk somewhere else,"

Where the hell was I supposed to take two well-known celebrity figures without dragging so much attention?

•—•☆•—•

Sieg and Max marvelled at how Adrian led them towards a small building that read: Bail Port. They kept inconspicuous by avoiding the main streets and when they had to cross over to another road Adrian proved herself vigilant at making sure no one was around. She didn't bother talking to them, but she didn't outrightly ignore their presence either. Sieg thought that she had potential in becoming a bodyguard with how she was acting, a stray thought to help ease the strangling silence between them.

"Watch yer step," Adrian said curtly as she held the door open for them.

"Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?" Sieg snickered as he entered after Max.

"There's nothing wrong it being the other way, is there?" She retorted following in after them. "Zavier! A backroom with a window!"

"Always so demanding," The male at the counter rolled his eyes with a sigh. He then caught sight of the two accompanying Adrian and turned his stare on the girl. "just what have you gotten yourself into this time?"