Bound By The Crown

Chapter Seventeen

Lisanna Moore's P. O. V

I raise a hand to my mouth, trying to stifle the yawn that threatens to split my face in half at how powerful my sleep hits me full force.

"A-are you trying to hold back a yawn?" The man beside me questions, something akin to shock displayed on his features as he raises a brow at me.

I feel my face begin to turn a light shade of red as I glance down, feeling a bit embarrassed at being caught midway while my mouth was contorted to hold back the yawn that was desperately trying to get let loose. Shaking my head rapidly, I try to deny my actions but end up sighing quietly since I already know there's no point in denying the obvious.

Whelp. There goes my professional persona down the drain. I probably look done with all this shit and it most likely shows how badly I want to sleep any moment now.

"Um. Maybe." I somewhat admit, still feeling all too shameless to admit when he's definitely caught me in the act.

Silence reigns for another few seconds, the Prince eyeing me in sheer disbelief while I turn my gaze somewhere else.

Is it that hard to believe that I was tired and wanted to yawn? The sleep obviously hitting me out of nowhere and causing me a lapse in judgement. "Why did you come out here? Is there something you wanted to tell or ask me?"

The sudden question which cuts through the quietness has me momentarily pausing. I purse my lips while trying to clear my thoughts since his guess is as good as mine.

Why exactly did I come out here? I didn't have any particular reason to do so but I just found myself wanting to come out here. Maybe I pitied the man. Yeah. I'll go with that.

"No reason."

The arched brow which still hasn't settled down properly raises higher and pretty much blends into his hair.

"So you just saw me sitting here and deciding to join me for no apparent reason?" Thaddeus asks in a sarcastic tone, the lack of tolerance he has for bullshit clear as he waits for me to answer him properly.

The answer I'm sheepish about saying out loud for Mr. Sinclair to actual hear me say.

"I was wondering if maybe this is taking a toll on you." I say, the man barely able to hear me since it was little more than a whisper.

"Toll on me?" He mumbles questioningly while I fidget in my seat, scooting away from him in case he starts to burst out into laughter and ridicule me for even saying something like that.

"Yes. I mean, it's quite a big change and I'm sure it'll take a toll on any person. Not only are so many things being pushed onto you, but also for hundreds of thousands of people to see and judge your every move. Then the added pressure of the whole family dynamics. It's sort of, you know..." I trail off awkwardly.

Thaddeus lips form a thin line as he looks to the bright sky while he exhales deeply before locking his stony gaze with mine. The lump that forms in my throat is harsh and I can barely swallow over it, my body already preparing itself since it feels like I've already said too much and overstepped boundaries I clearly shouldn't have.

"Is this you wanting a raise by pretending to give a shit about me and what's going on in my life? Or is this the part where you try to get information out of me to sell to the press and make a couple of million off of." He says with a mocking tone and a smirk on his lips, his teeth peeking through before his smirk pulls up into a scowl.

Thank you for having so much faith in me, Thaddeus Sinclair.

"This is neither," I hold the bitter taste on my tongue and try my best to stop the venom and bite from showing up in my words, "This is me having a shred of human decency and wanting to know that I am here for you albeit very much reluctantly now but I guess even a stone cold rock needs a shoulder to cry on when he's stepped on too many toes." The last part I mutter under my breath but since the wind has died down and there's only the soft singing of birds in the air, my voice carries easily to which I shrug. "You told me to speak my mind around you and this is what I think."