Eighteen-year-old Camilla Valentino is having a hard time adjusting to the many expectations people have of her, specifically marriage. She admired her brother's love story and was happy for him and Flora. However, she knew finding such a love was h...
Everyone stood outside the shed ready for the worst. Dylan held the pistol with both hands as the guards took down the door.
"This is the Night Squad, surrender peacefully or we will show no mercy!" The leader of the famous Italian Night Squad yelled.
Everyone pointed their guns at the figure emerging from the shadows. The lasers of the weapons they carried created small polka-dots on the person's clothes.
"Hold your fire!" The man yelled as he noticed who it was that was approaching them.
"Camilla," Dylan gasped as he rushed over to the princess. He enveloped her in a hug, great fun that she was alive. "Are you alright? Did he harm you?"
Camilla's eye flashed with relief, but it was soon replaced with a cold, hard glare. She kept her hands by her side as she looked away. She did not dare meet the eyes of the man who had caused her both joy and heartache.
"I am fine," she answered harshly. "Could you please take me home?"
"Of course your royal highness," Camilla was escorted into one of the vehicles safely guarded by the Night Squad. The leader, Julian Bianchi made sure that the whole area was secured.
"Any sign of her captor?" Dylan asked and Julian shook his head. He was the King and Queen's right-hand man.
"We will interrogate the princess after we make sure she is well and retains no injuries," Julian said as he looked around the warehouse for any clues. "It is quite weird that they would just leave her here. Why kidnap the princess to just abandon her?"
Dylan was asking himself the same question. He was sure that Hector would kill Camilla. He was a merciless man that held no remorse in taking a life, yet he let the princess live despite knowing that I had told her everything.
The very confused Duke looked over at Camilla who was awaiting in the black SUV. She held no expression in her eyes, but her knee kept bouncing up and down. She was nervous.
"I will accompany her royal highness on our way back to the palace," Dylan told Julian.
"As you wish, your grace," Julian gave the fake Duke a formal bow before retreating toward his own vehicle.
Dylan walked over to the vehicle and Camilla frowned upon seeing him. Her piercing gaze landed on him and he looked down with guilt.
"I know I am the last person you wish to see, but we have to talk," Dylan said in a low tone.
Camilla shook her head. "I do not wish to speak to you, your grace," her icy tone broke Dylan.
"I am sorry princess, but you have no say," Dylan replied as he stepped into the vehicle and shut the door close. He closed the divider that cancelled out any noise from the back of the car.
"I order you to leave this vehicle this instant!" Camilla demanded but Dylan placed his index finger in between her lips to shush her.
"Who was the man that took you?" Dylan asked.
Camilla let out a sigh of defeat and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked out the tinted bullet-proof window.
"You're friend Hector," Camilla answered as the evil forest green eyes flashed through her eyes. "He made a deal with me. As long as I help you get the sapphire, he will leave my family and I alone."
"Camilla I am so s-"
Camilla wore a deadly glare. "He threatened my family, so I hope whatever you gain from this crime is worth it."
Dylan looked away with teary eyes. Yes, at one point the idea of being free and going home with a million dollars was worth all the trouble. At one point the young con-artist did not care about the broken-heart he would leave behind. At one point all that mattered was his survival. Now, all that had changed.
He turned to the only thing that mattered to him now. The person who had changed him and taught him to care for someone other than himself.
"I am a deadman walking," Dylan confessed and this caught Camilla's attention. "Once Hector gets his jewel he'll kill me. He knows my loyalty no longer lies with him."
Camilla reminisced Hector's earlier words.
"I am afraid that his loyalty cannot be with me and with you."
He was not talking about killing Camilla, but rather eliminating Dylan. Despite his betrayal, Camilla did not wish any harm to come to him. It pained her to think of him dying at the hands of that cruel man.
"I will help you get out of Hector's clutches," Dylan said as he looked down at his palms. "It's the least I can do. After that, I will leave and I promise I will not contact you again."
Camilla was lost at words. He could flee right now and escape Hector, but instead he is choosing to stick by her side and help her.
"I have a plan and I need you to follow it according to plan, okay?" Dylan looked at Camilla as the wheels in his head began to turn.
"What is this plan?" Camilla asked.
"When we arrive Julian will interrogate you. You will say that the person that abducted you was a crazed lunatic obsessed with you and when you told him the Night Squad was coming he fled..."
Dylan continued to explain the plan to Camilla step-by-step, getting it down to the tiniest detail. If this new heist was going to work they both had to be on the same page.
"...we will be the happy couple and pretend nothing has changed."
"Psh," Camilla scoffed at his comment. Dylan simply ignored her actions and continued explaining his scheme.
"At the next ball I will pop the question as everyone has been awaiting for me to do," Camilla was shocked by his plan. He would propose to her. "Before then I will ask Hayden and Flora for their blessings and as tradition goes, the next to get married wears the royal sapphire if they choose. Your grandmother gave it to Flora and as such Flora may choose to give it to you."
"And what if she chooses not to give it?" The young princess raised her eyebrow.
"I am a very good persuader, mon amour," Dylan smirked charmingly.
Camilla could feel herself unwillingly flushing at the nickname as Dylan's French accent set a fiery feeling on her chest. She did not want to admit it, but he still owned her heart.
"Well then, let us get this charade over with," Camilla said trying to stay calm despite the mixed emotions in her.
Dylan and Camilla stepped out of the vehicle which was now parked in front of the royal palace. Hayden, Flora and Rebecca were awaiting for her with teary eyes.
It was time to set the plan in motion.
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Author's Note Hola my lovelies! Here it is the next chapter! Do you think that Camilla will forgive Dylan? Or will she turn him in? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Thank you all so much for reading. I'll see you all next week! Adios!
