Royal Thief (Editing)

Chapter 41

Annabelle

I pushed my gaze from him to the watercolour and brushes that helped curtailed the complications he induced in my head and the dryness in my throat.

The heat in my stomach was a wrong feeling. For the wrong man...But he wasn't helping either, his sudden calm, sweet, perfectly chiselled attitude was enough for a free fall.

I rolled the drawing paper before me into a ball feeling the hairs on my neck stood from his intense stares that dug holes in my skin.

"Can you-" I turned and noticed he wasn't even next to me, he was across the room with Aaron having a chit chat.

False alarm.

I was being delusional, maybe it was the growing connection of friendship or the fact I found solace in his arms last night. Either way, the heat was definitely there.

You need to fix yourself Annabelle, you are the issue.

Sighing, I stared at the stool the queen vacated a few minutes back.

After my race from Logan's room to mine and having the fastest shower I could, I arrived fifteen minutes late for the section but was glad to meet an already set table, thanks to Aaron who also saved my ass by lying I had to use the latrine.

But the moment Logan walked in like a prince which he was, everything took a different turn. He commended the rubbish I drew, made suggestions to art I knew nothing of and grazed my fingers with his hand. He either knowingly or unknowingly made the air pregnant with these actions that had me weak in my knees.

"Here." His voice whirled me back to reality as I stared at my phone in his hands.

"Thank you, I didn't realize it was missing," I said, retrieving my phone and settling it in my pocket.

"Not a problem." He hemmed his hands in his pocket with a smile. A smile that had me swallowing hard.

"You have an appointment in an hour, ensure to prepare on time Belle." He added and started for the door, while my eyes roved down his broad shoulders, stopping at his perfectly shaped ass. 

"I have that covered, maids are coming in to clear this," Aaron said with a smile that caught me off guard and thankfully drew me from the entrancing flashy human rump housed in a black trouser

Fucking get hold of yourself, friendship remember?!  My subconscious screamed while I blinked at Aaron who had a wide smile.

"You've assisted me enough, I have this covered." I returned his smile and packaged the pencils in a box.

Just then, the door swung open letting in two maids, one holding an empty gold tray and the other with a box for my art equipment.

The sight of them recollected my brain to my supposed mission and I couldn't help but asked, "Aaron when are the ladies leaving for the gathering?"

"In less than thirty minutes." He stared at his wristwatch and nodded.

"Thank you, I will leave this now." I wiped my hands with a towel smiling at him.

My plans were simple, all I had to do was wait for Eva's maid to do her clean up, steal the keys, make my search, then return the keys. The only problem would be tracing her after everything.

I pulled a pencil from the top of my ear and headed it to the maid. I needed to get prepared. Therefore I said my thanks and rushed out.

***

"Damn." I let out a sigh that couldn't compare to the disappointment in my chest as I watched Eva and a maid strode the opposite direction. Apparently, she had herself planned, evidence being the maid beside her.

Slowly, I pulled my feet forward and stopped before her jammed door with confusion swaying in my head. 

I couldn't pick locks, it was a speciality that needed a lot of training unlike the gum and pin I saw on TV. Deciding to test fate, I pushed the door a little and it cracked open.

My eyes went wide as I stared from the opened door to the empty hallway. Not wasting a second, I stepped into the room that was a  replica of mine, with oversize sofas arranged at the middle of the room and cream walls with little touches of gold.

Hurriedly, I moved to a drawer beside the door. I hauled the first and was disappointed by the sight of a black hairdryer and hairpins of different colours.

Narrowing my eyes, I shut the drawer and searched others that were as empty as the first.

With hands-on my waist, I looked around the room contemplating on were a psycho would hide a firearm.

I shifted to her arranged bed covered with a blue sheet. I rose her pillows but halted when I heard the rustling of keys and saw shadows behind the door.

Quickly, Without weighing my opinions on where to hide, I squatted and pushed myself underneath her bed.

As if on cue, the door cracked opened and a black flat which I assumed to be a maid's moved around. Placing my hands on my chest to steady my breathing, I watched her with wide eyes as she walked to the bed.

"Did you find it?" Came Eva's voice from outside the room.

"Yes ma'am," The maid replied, retreating her steps back to the door.

I heard murmurs as she shut the door, followed by the jingling of keys that were soon replaced by footsteps.

"Oh no," I whispered, pulling myself from underneath the bed and rushing to the door.

I pulled the doorknob to find it validated my suspected fate... I was stuck in my worst enemy's room.

***
I shut her wardrobe demoralized as the only evidence I could found was a golden lighter in her purse... But this was useless, for it could neither strengthen my case nor convince anyone.

I sat on her bed and stared from my phone to the door. I had twenty minutes to get ready for my appointment with Doctor Samuel and my only way out was calling Logan.

But a more crucial issue was the fact that I was starving, my stomach confirmed my claims as it rumbled in an unladylike manner.

I scrolled over to Logan's number, staring with puckered brows and nervously biting my lips as I imagined his deadly reaction that would turn his blue eyes red and gain his pointed nose a twisted raise with irritation.

My stomach rumbled even louder. "Damn it," I whispered and pressed the dial button beside his number.

He picked immediately, his response to my request after the summarized explanation was as foresaw, a cold sneer that made me shivered and wished I had picked a more stupid option like, jumping through the glass windows.

***
A few minutes later, Logan stood at the entrance with pressed lips, while I straightened the creased side of the bed and met his eyes which propelled me out of the room.

He ensured the door was locked, pocket the keys and turned to me. "Can you please explain what you were doing in there?" He pointed to the wooden frame.

"Hide and seek?" I smiled innocently.

I watched him pressed his lids for a second and snapped them open, exhaling as he did.  "Annabelle, when will you ever learn that she is not involved in whatever you think? When will you stop?"

"Soon as I prove she is actually involved in what I know and not think..." I noticed his gaze were above my head level but Ignoring whatever he saw I continued my rant.

"Calm-"

"... And don't you dare tell me it's an illusion, because I am sure of what I saw. See this?" Not ready to listen to what he had to say, I brought out the gold lighter with my eyes meeting his.

In a flash, he took hold of the lighter with his right hand, pulled me closer with his left and covered my lips with his.

***

Hey, guys so the long-awaited action just took place in chapter 41😊Remember to vote and drop your comment.