Royalty (Book Two)

Chapter 9

Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family

"When will you stop stalking me?" I groan in annoyance.

"I'm not stalking you, of all people." Liz huffs, imitating the same tone I used on her.

"Seems like it." I caught her at my workplace now. Again. She'd entered the same elevator as me and to her, it's just a coincidence. "What do you want?" I sent her a glare that can wake the dead.

We engaged in a staring contest before I rolled my eyes at her childish antics.

"Um... Rome?" She tries to catch up with my pace as I hurry to my car, I am running late and the weather is harsh and rain will probably fall soon and I don't want my girl to get beaten by the rain and I don't want her to catch cold either.

"Liz?" I'm getting bored of her appearance already. What does she want again?

I ignited my car key into its ignition as it came to life.

"Can I... Um, come along just to say hello to my daughter." She gave me that innocent look again. I look at her for eternity, I could find the eagerness and hope in those chocolate eyes. I let out a defeated sigh, I know this is where she was going.

"Please." She whispers, holding up her palms to me.

I shrug. As far as nothing goes wrong with Royalty.

"Thanks."

Few seconds later, she had started with her rants about Royalty, how she wished she was there for Royalty; her first word; when she started walking and everything. Not like I was also paying attention to Royalty's first word, I was not serious then, I didn't realize how precious she is. Those days, she felt like someone I had to waste my time on. I was getting emotional but I'm a man, I had to mask my feelings.

"So you know Eve. Eve Monroe?"

That got my attention so I turned my head sideways to meet her cool gaze on me, "What happened to her?"

"Nothing, she was just one of my college colleagues." She replies. Her gaze held mine for a few seconds before I looked away and focused back on the road, she was giving me a look like she wants, sorry, needs an explanation.

"Why are you staring at me that way?" Water had released from the sky so I increased the speed of the car.

She clears her throat with a small shrug, avoiding my gaze. I shook my head, something is clearly wrong with her.

*. *. *. *.
"How did school go today?"

"My friends made me annoyed, I was jealous because they kept saying what I missed yesterday, but I didn't let them know I was jealous obviously." She mumbles as I open the car door for her. That's my girl. She stood still suddenly, her eyes trained on someone like she was caught by surprise.

"Hey Royalty." Liz bubbles, a big smile appearing on her lips.

"I didn't know you were coming. But it's okay, I've always wanted to see you again." She pouts.

They got so engrossed in girls' talk that I was not interested in listening to them, my focus was just training on the road and nothing else.

"Liz, where are you dropping?" I query her.

"You heard when I said I wanted to meet Royalty." She retorts.

"You just said hello." I mutter through gritted teeth, she just duped me and I fell into her trap.

I bury the anger that is beginning to rile up because of Royalty.

"So where are we going?"
I ask her again since she wants to spend more time with Royalty and Royalty seems excited with it, then so be it.

"To the park!" Royalty screams

"Cinema." Liz debated.

Royalty gave her a pout.

"Let's go watch some movies at the cinema." Liz adds rubbing Royalty's hair who looks quite uncomfortable with it when I look at her through the rearview mirror. She hasn't gotten used to Liz's touch yet.

"Okay."

Let me know what you think about this chapter,

And don't forget to vote, comment and follow 😜. See you at the next chapter