Page 11 of Princess's Revenge

I choose a pair of jeans, because if I’m going to make a run for it at some point, I’m going to need something durable and I need to break them in. I also pick out some good sneakers and a t-shirt and a denim jacket.

I use all dark colors. If I attempt anything at night, I’ll need to blend in.

After watching more TV and getting bored senseless, wondering if Christopher had Jack castrated and then wondering if I should have lunch before deciding I wasn’t hungry…I decide to venture out to the balcony.

The view is really something. It’s like looking out onto a never-ending expanse of meadow. Green, rolling hills…but strangely, no trees.

I’m three stories up and the drop is significant. Not exactly an Airbnb Rapunzel would endorse, but you’d definitely break something if you fell.

Maybe if I tied some of the bedsheets together, I could make a rope and climb down?

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

I turn and my skeleton almost jumps out of my body!

It’s Francis.

“The guards would only pick you up and bring you right back.”

She has the body language of someone who’s been caught in the act. It’s almost funny. “I…uh…don’t see any out there.”

“That’s the point. Notice how there are no trees?”

She shifts from foot to foot. “Yeah?”

I smile to put her at ease. “No place to hide. Don’t worry, it’s to keep people from getting in, not to stop you getting out.”

We stand there staring at each other for fifteen seconds of quiet discomfort, until I ask, “May I join you?”

“Join me in doing nothing?”

“Sure.”

“Please,” she offers me a chair on the balcony with an open hand.

I still can’t get over how beautiful she is—a real Italian princess.I go over to the table and we both sit. “How’re you getting along? Anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable?”

She smiles and her eyes sparkle. My gaze travels over her cupid lips, the tanned skin, the long dark hair and chocolate eyes.I want her so much.“Comfortable is all I’ve got up here. I don’t think I’ve ever done so muchnothingin my whole life!”

Curious.“What do you mean?”

“I mean I’ve either been cleaning, washing, scrubbing, cooking or picking up after people for as long as I can remember. Having nothing to do is kind of weird.”

“Wow. I don’t know what that would be like. I grew up likethis.” We share another long silence. If I want her to open up to me, maybe I should open up to her first. “Can I tell you something?”

She raises her brow. “Sure?” she drags out the word uncertainly.

“I’m only one year older than you. My father and my brothers wanted me to go to university. The reason I didn’t is because I grew up wanting tobemy brothers.”

She looks at me with confusion. “Why? When you could be anything you wanted?”

“Yeah, but this is the life that I know. Maybe you’ve got it better because you’ve grown up a different way. You haven’t seen the things I’ve seen.”

She squints at me, “I’ve seen plenty.”

Damn.“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“What did you mean then?”

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