Destroying the Prince (Babysitting the Prince book 2)

Chapter 9.

Chapter 9.

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When I made it to the palace, I grabbed the bag I brought because I was going to be staying for a week and began making my way inside hoping Adrian would be home sometime. I really missed him but I was not going to say that to anyone because I would look clingy.

The guards at the door recognised me so I got inside without being searched and jogged my way upstairs to the room I always used. The palace was quiet, which was normal but it still felt very weird because I could hear cars from my apartment all day while in the palace I heard nothing. After placing my bag in the room, I made my way to Adrian's room and found it empty, as I expected before I did the same with Maximilian's which I also found empty. I narrowed my eyes at his bed considering the fact that he might have gone out before I grinned at the fact that that would give me time alone in the gym.

I made my way downstairs and checked the theatre just in case because that was where Maximilian basically lived, but he was not there either so I went to the gym figuring he actually had gone somewhere a before I tossed my jacket aside and began stretching. After warming up I began to do some boxing.

"What is wrong with you?" I looked over my shoulder hearing Maximilian call out as he walked into the gym. "Don't you get tired, Aria?"

"You're here?"

"No, no, I'm not." I grabbed my jacket to throw it at him and he just dodged it as he laughed. It was a stupid question, but I had not known he was in the palace. "Ari, I did not invite you here to exercise, what is it with you and this place anyway? It always smells like sweat no matter how much they clean it, it's disgusting... Ah, I get why now." He smirked at me.

"You finally realised? Thank God, I did not want to be the one to tell you about your sweat problem." I replied giving an innocent smile as his smirk dropped and he licked the inside of his cheek looking offended before I turned back to the punching bag.

"You win this time. Come on, Ari. Shower up."

"Half an hour?" I had literally just started boxing.

"Nah, we have to leave then."

"Leave?" I turned back to him. "I thought we were staying here?"

"Who told you that?"

"Ha. I'm not going to another party and I don't feel like the track... don't feel like people really." I mumbled honestly. I had had my fair share of interacting in the past few months, I was actually quite happy to be alone, or at least just surrounded by my friends. I was not shy or anxious, I was just used to being by myself, all my missions at the agency growing up had been either by myself or just one other person and even after a year I was not quite used to being around so many people all the time, it was pretty draining.

"Trust me, you'll love this. Also, where's the pizza? I went to the kitchen 'cause I thought you would be there but there's nothing there."

"Oh, right. I was supposed to get pizza... I... I forgot." I scratched my head lightly, only just remembering that I was supposed to get pizza on my way to the palace. Maximillian's response was staring at me with small smile on his face. I could not quite understand the look and it was making me more embarrassed, I did not usually forget things, "I'll order it?" I suggested. He gave a chuckle.

"You're adorable." I almost did not hear it, it sounded like more of a breath under his chuckling.

"What?"

His smile fell. "I just – yeah – I mean no, you don't have to order it, we'll get pizza on the way... back. On the way back from where we're going, we should get going." He motioned to the door, I opened my mouth to ask where but he spoke again, "Come on, we have to go, Ari. Hurry up. Don't ask where, trust me, you'll love it." He held his hands up as he ran out of the room.