The Cowgirl Rogue

Chapter 29

I stopped at the gates that blocked my path and rolled down the window while one of the guards started to make his way to the truck. I bit back an annoyed sigh, put the truck in park, and started to look for the paperwork that I needed, muttering every cuss word I knew because I hated trying to figure out which paperwork to get ready for them because they were all different.

Corbin watched me amused before he leaned forward to see who was coming over and grinned. "Hey, Ernie," he said cheerfully. "How's that broken ego?" He pushed me back a little so that he could talk to the guy, and I bit back a small growl.

The male was stoic before he came to the window and saw Corbin sitting in the passenger seat. A playful scowl appeared on his face, and he narrowed his eyes. "Corbin," he greeted while he dipped his head closer to his chest, ignoring me. "It's better than the time Talilah kicked my ass. How are you?"

Corbin snorted and shook his head. "Doing good," he said, "but you should wait until Kel kicks your ass. Then you will be feeling the heat and the loss of an ego." He went to sling his arm across my shoulder but stopped with a single look from me.

The male, Ernie, looked at me before he looked at Corbin. His eyes turned a little darker, and I had to hold back an eye roll because I knew that he didn't trust me.

Stupid Rogue bull shit.

"Is she here to be processed?" he asked, the cheerful atmosphere diminishing while he got down to business about why we were there. Disgust was evident in his voice when he talked about me, and I bristled slightly while I pursed my lips in annoyance.

Corbin snorted again and rolled his eyes, ignoring the blatant disrespect that he was showing me. "Please," he said, and I could hear the annoyance in his voice that he was trying to hide. "Kel wouldn't be driving if she was being processed, and I'm sure that the king would be waiting close by to give whoever had her like that an earful."

"Then what business is there?" he asked while he looked at me before he looked at him. "Why is she here?"

"The king wanted to talk to us," Corbin said. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat while I gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Well, he wants to talk to her, but I am here along for the ride and make sure that she keeps her panties out of a twist."

I didn't respond and wanted to shoot him a scathing look but didn't because of the male before us. I set my jaw and looked forward, waiting for the guard to either let us through or for him to tell me to hand him my paperwork.

"She needs her paperwork," he said, "and ID as well as a wr-"

My phone rang, and I bit back a sigh of relief when I saw that it was the king calling.

Thank, Goddess.

"'Row, Row Your Boat?'" Corbin asked, seeing the caller ID, and he raised an eyebrow while he looked at me. He bit back a small snort when he saw it, knowing full well that it was the king calling me.

"It was Her Highness's idea," I replied and answered the call before Corbin could ask something else. "This is Kel."

"Where are you?" the king asked, and the male at my window grew stiff, and his heart skipped a beat before it started to pound faster in his chest. "I thought you would be here by now."

"I am at the gate, Your Majesty," I said, biting back a smug look before I cleared my throat and grew serious. "I don't know which paperwork the guard needs to let me through. I know that he wants my ID, but that is it."

The king muttered something under his breath before he rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed, and I had a feeling that the king shook his head. "Isn't Corbin there with you?" he asked.

"Alive and well," Corbin replied, and the king cleared his throat as if to hide a chuckle, even though it didn't work. "What can I do for you, Your Majesty?"

"I thought I wanted you to make sure that she was allowed freely through the gates at all times if you are with her," he said with a soft scowl in his voice. "That means no paperwork, no matter what the guard says."

"Unless you say otherwise," Corbin said and nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty, I know. I was about to tell him that, but you decided to call first."

"Hmph."

"Sire, are you s-"

The king growled, interrupting Ernie. "I am sure that I want it like this, Private," he said, his voice holding a small warning in it, and the guard flinched and looked down while he pressed his lips into a thin line. "You have no right to be disrespectful to Miss Rice. Is that understood?"

"But sh-"

"I know what she is," the king said, interrupting him, "and I know what she is capable of. However, if she decides to work for me in one of the sections, then she has every right to do so, and I will fill out the paperwork immediately." He paused and cleared his throat. "Miss Rice, however, chooses to stay a Rogue, even though she does have options that are still open to her."

I set my jaw when he said that and clenched the steering wheel tighter. I didn't say a word while Corbin looked at me curiously because he didn't know what the king was saying or implying, but I did.

He wanted to make me his daughter, but I wouldn't allow him to.

The king cleared his throat and bit back a small sigh as if he knew he made me feel uncomfortable. "Now, open the gates for them and let them through. I have an important guest that she is bringing with her, and I do not want to wait longer. She is free not to show you her paperwork as long as Corbin is in the car with her. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ernie said and nodded, and I bit back a small, satisfied smirk while I bit my lip. "She will be at the palace doors shortly."

"Miss Rice, behave," he said, and I had a feeling that he knew that I was biting back a smirk. "I will see you in a bit."

"Yes, Your Majesty," I said, not even caring that he heard the smirk in my voice.

"Hmph." And with that, he hung up the call between us.

Maybe next time, don't be a dick, and you won't get punished...

Or better yet, be a dick and let me deal with you the hard way. Maybe then you will learn not to be one.