Brian paced around back and forth for almost an hour straight. The guys were watching his movements with dizzy eyes, everything happened in mere minutes and every secret fell out just like that.

Brian had accidentally called Addie ‘baby’ in front of everyone and now everyone demanded an answer from him. But he couldn’t think of anything but her safety right now.

And what did she meant by ‘they can’t be together’? Just yesterday they were making out behind the rocks with waves crashing loudly before them and he can’t resist himself from taking her right there. He would do anything to have that back.

But what was really happening? How did Addie get shot? Who the fuck shot her out of the blue? Was the bullet really meant for me?

“Brian, please sit down. I’m gonna have a fucking headache from watching you.”

Brian glanced at the voice. Matt was approaching him with River sleeping in his arms. He gave up walking so he leaned against the wall and folded his arms across his chest.

“What’s up with you and Addie, man?”

Finally Matt buckled up some courage to ask Brian this. All eyes turned to them, wanting to hear it from Brian himself. Brian looked at each of them intently, even Michelle.

“N..Nothing, man.”

“Come on, Gates. I’ve known you for more than 15 years. That was not nothing.”

Brian pursed his trembling thin lips together, thinking hard. “Fine. I’m having an affair with her. I cheated on Michelle. But it happened long before Michelle and I got back together. Happy now?”

None of them gasped in surprise. It was something regular for them to see; Brian cheating on Michelle. But what was different this time is, he really cared for the girl.

“I knew it.” McKenna suddenly got up and walked up to her brother.

“You knew?”

“Yeah, Addie couldn’t stop talking about you actually. It was pretty weird since she has a boyfriend already. So I just thought that it was suspicious.”

Brian couldn’t believe how fast his lips quirked up into a smile. “Really? She talked about me?”

“Yeah. Mostly in her sleep.”

He chuckled slightly and felt his cheek blushed a little. But then suddenly Michelle got up from her seat roughly and stomped away from there. Everybody watched with pity eyes trailed her steps.

“You gotta stop breaking that poor girl’s heart, Brian.”

“I tried breaking up with her Matt. She just can’t accept it. Tell me what to do.”

Matt glanced at his wife, and with one gesture Valary understood his order and ran from there to chase Michelle.

“Wow. If I knew Val could fix this, I’d ask for her help sooner.”

“No, she’s just her voice of reason. Twin thing.”

Brian nodded and felt worried again. “But what happened at the airport though? How the fuck somebody carrying a gun can walk around freely at the airport? And was he trying to kill me, before Addie jumped in?”

They all shrugged in regret. Nobody really knew what happened. Until Brian Sr rose to his feet and sighed.

“I might have the answer to that.”

All heads now turned to Brian Sr. He walked forward to his son and landed his palm on Brian’s shoulder.

“Son, there’s something you should know about Addie.”

“And..this is coming from you because..?”

Brian Sr sighed again. But when he was about to speak, the doctor coming towards them, pulling off the surgery mask on his face.

“Doctor! How is she?!” Brian plunged himself first before the others followed suit.

“The surgery to remove the bullet was successful, though Ms Wayne wore a bulletproof vest, but the shot was fired really near to her ribs. Luckily the bullet didn’t go through her and it only hit her non fatal area.”

“Oh thank God! So can I – can we see her now?”

“Um, she was being transferred right now from ICU to a normal ward. But she’s unconscious. Might have to wait a few hours before she wakes up.”

“Thank you doc. What is her room number?”

“You’re welcome. You have to check that with the nurses. And don’t forget to file a police report.”
They nodded randomly and the doctor went away. Brian caught something about what the doctor said before. He said ‘Ms Wayne’. Who’s Ms Wayne? Isn’t Addie’s surname is Tyler? And one more thing;

“She wore a bulletproof vest? I didn’t know our security had to go that far?” Matt suddenly blurted out the question which had been popping inside Brian’s head.

Big T shrugged. “I never gave her one.”

“Then why did she-”

“She’s a fucking cop. An agent. Sent here to protect your skinny little ass. God! There I said it! I can’t stand keeping this secret anymore!” Brian Sr whined and rolled his eyes at his son. They were all froze and jaw dropped.

“Protect me? Why?”

“Because you’re a future king, damn it.”

---

Her reflection stood before her, breathing heavy and eyes gone rd from the tear. She looked down to her fingers, they were trembling from fear and anger. She was afraid of the consequences of her action, and angry because none of it seemed worth it. Brian still loved that bitch. She hoped that the girl will die on the surgery table or she might have to strike again.

And her inside job man, got caught. She started to walk back and forth in pure anxiety, so frightened that the guy will finally spill about her. She closed her eyes tight, but opened them right away when she heard the restroom door creaked open.

She looked up, like looking into a mirror, there she was – her twin sister came right in and let out a heavy sigh.

“Val..”

“Oh Chelle, what have you done?”

Michelle rubbed her face a few times in frustation.

“I want Brian, Val. I don’t want anyone to ever interfere in our relationship, ever.”

“So you already knew that Brian and Addie were..”

Michelle nodded and slammed her back against the restroom wall.

“For God’s sake, Michelle! I thought once was enough?! What the hell were you thinking? Do you think that Brian will go to you even if you kill her? This is just fucking pathetic. I don’t even know what I should do with you, Chelle! You’re fucking sick!”

Michelle chuckled darkly. “I’m sick? Tell that to Matt who thought that River is his own child up until now.”

Valary can’t hold it in. her palm raised and swiftly smacked across Michelle’s face hard. Her fingers trembled afterwards and Michelle was slanted to the side a bit. She paused in that position for a while until Valary spoke;

“River is our son. Both Matt and I. The thing between Jason and me was just a onetime thing and no more than that. So should your sick pathetic trick Michelle!”

“Is it, Val? Is it? Just once? Should I remind you on Christmas just before Jimmy died, what you and Jason were doing in MY fucking bedroom?!”

“Stop it! Stop…don’t..don’t make this about me.” Valary can’t hold her tears anymore. She was crying a river, eyes blurry staring at her evil twin who was now has a little blood smear on her lips.

“I’m sick of your stupid and reckless action Michelle. I’m always the one who’s gonna clean up after your mess. Now you’re on your own.”

Valary wiped off her tears and stormed off from the restroom leaving Michelle alone and in regret.

---

“What, dad?”

Brian Sr rubbed his neck and looked around at all of them carefully. He initially wanted to let his son know about the truth once his majesty sent someone to take him away but now that it had gone down to this, he had to let it out now.

“Brian, I’ve been born with a flaw. I’m not actually American like what you’ve always thought. I was originally from Netherlands and I was born into a royal family. I have no other siblings but so many cousins and step siblings. My dad, is a king ruling a kingdom named Cericia.”

“Whoa, whoa. Wait. You’re saying that…you’re a..prince?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, and that makes all the sense in the world. No fucking way, old man.”

Brian Sr lifted up the hem of his tshirt a little bit to reveal a circular tattoo inked on his rib in medium size. There was a C letter engraved with in it and a few of thorns surrounded the circle.

“Your tattoo? Yeah I’ve seen that. What the fuck does that have to do it all of this? With Addie?”

“This is a Cericia crest mark. Every man who’s above 18 years old is compulsory to have this logo embarked on their skin.”

Brian and the guys exchanged glances. They have tattoos too, so no big of a deal for them.

“I ran away after I got the tattoo because I found out that I was going to be crowned as the next king. Shit, God knows how scared I am. Being a king, son, is not a funny business as being a comedian. You’re tied to protocol every fucking day, every fucking hours. I hated there so I left.”

“Dad, how come..why…I mean, a fucking prince? You have your own kingdom and shit?”

“Pretty much but not mine anymore.”

“And now what? Do I have to replace you or something?”

Brian Sr went over to his wife and she rubbed his back. Suzy already knew this fact, so does his ex-wife, Jan.

“The king, my father, wants you to be next in line for the throne but…I don’t want you to be burdened as I was. So I kept my mouth shut about it. That where Addie came in.”

Brian darted his eyes to his dad when Addie’s name came out from his mouth. “Addie? What about her?”

“I hired her to protect your safety Brian. There are people who wanted the throne or just simply my father’s enemy. You might be killed.”

All of them gone speechless and awry during the shocking storytelling from Brian Sr. Not even Matt as the band leader said anything.

“So all this while..she..lied to me?”

“Not lying.”

Suddenly a voice emerged from behind them and when they all spun around; Andy was pacing towards them with two men dressed in black suits and white shirts, with sharp facial expression worn on their faces.

“Andy?” Mac gasped quietly.

“She didn’t lie. She was just doing her job.”

Brian felt anger and rage built into one inexplicable emotion. The next thing he knew he was grabbing Andy’s collar and drove him against the wall roughly.

“You son of a bitch! She was shot! How can you be so fucking calm?!”

The two other men move forward to attack Brian but Andy raised his palm, drawing them back down.

“There’s only one thing that she lied though.”

“What?!”

“I’m not her boyfriend. I’m just her superior. And best friend.”

Brian felt his grip on Andy’s collar became loose. His heart immediately fluttered but still his anger hadn’t gone down. But nevertheless he let his grip go finally.

“She’s really here to protect me?”

“Yes. And she’s been warned.”

“About what?”

“About not to have a close relationship with the subject. Means you.”

---

“Wayne!”

I jerked my head up and straightened my posture. “Yes sir!”

“Welcome to the Federal Bureau. The rest of you can go home.”

From the corner of my eye, I watched as the other candidate grunted and groaned in silence because they didn’t pass the tests and interviews. I wanted to be an agent ever since I was a child. Probably from watching too much Bond shit that now I was brave enough to be standing here, in their headquarters and facing my possibly boss-to-be.

“I’m Officer Dan Jonah, you can call me Chief.”

“Yes Chief.”

He started walk forward and motioned for me to follow him. I obeyed.

“You’ve been assigned as one of the lab teams. I read your hacking codes on traffic lights schedule. Those are illegal but amazing enough to make us hire you.”

“Lab, Chief? I thought I was gonna be a field agent?”

“You have to earn it, Wayne. It’s not an easy thing to be a field agent. You have to be professional, not emotional. You gotta stay in the rule and leave without a mark. If you’re ready to do any of these, you let me know.”

I didn’t quite understand what he was saying but nevertheless I followed him along until the lab’s door opened before me. Once I took a look at the lab agents there, I knew I was gonna fit right in. They were a bunch of computer geeks just like me.

“Chief! The report on Ronson case is on your table, if you haven’t notice.”



A voice howled from behind us and forced me to spin around. My God. I’ve encountered the most gorgeous human being ever in my life. He was taller than me, hair gracefully combed to the side, leaving some messy bangs to cover his forehead and his eyes narrowed looking at me with sparkle tinted in his dark hazel irises. Sigh.

“Wayne, let me introduce you to one of the best agents we have, Andy Liamson.”

“Hello there, nice to meet you.” Andy clasped her hand and shook it briefly – like any guy would to another guy.

“H-Hi. I’m..Addison. Call me..um, Addie.”

“Addie? Andy and Addie. Wow! I can feel that we’re gonna be partners soon.”

I blushed to that.

I fluttered my eyes open. Shit, where am I? Everything was white in color and the lamp was too fucking bright. I sat up but a sudden sharp pain thrust on the side of my stomach making me flinched and wailed in utmost agony.

The door opened, I didn’t know which door since this white room had two doors in it and came running – a face I wanted to see the most along with a face I wanted to see the less.

“Addie! You’re awake!”

“Yeah, what the hell happened?” I hissed in pain and refused to look at Brian.

“You don’t remember?”

I tried hard to remember but the pain didn’t resolve that easily and it messed up my head so much I can’t help but screamed.

“Whoa, Addie! You shouldn’t move too much! Just, lie down.”

I complied without saying anything. After I had settled myself and the pain was almost bearable, I shot a glare at the both of them.

“What are you doing here?” I was mainly referring to Brian. He didn’t answer me, instead he was giving me an unreadable expression. Disappointed yet happy, angry yet sad.

“Calm down, Addie. Brian knows everything now.”

“What? How far?”

I saw Brian shut his eyes and his lips trembled in anger.

“I think you guys should sort this out for yourselves. I’m gonna be outside.”

Andy walked out from my room leaving me alone with Brian. I thought I was never gonna see him again. I thought I made it clear that we can’t be together anymore. Why was he still here?

“You lied to me the whole time Addie?”

I blinked at him. What about him? He lied to me too!

“You-”

“Is your name even Addie? Or is it something else? That house your ‘uncle’ owns, really fucking convenient for it to be just next to mine huh?”

I turned my gaze away from him. Damn, it felt like somebody was slicing up my heart into thin sirloin steak and ready to be grilled after this.

“And this security job, what do you fucking need it for if you’re already here to guard me?”

“Brian, I was doing undercover. I’m here to protect you, that’s all.”

“Protect me from what? Is there really someone trying to kill me?”

“Yes.”

“Who?”

“I dunno. But how far have you known this?”

He leaned back, crossing his arms on his chest. “Far enough to know that my dad is a fucking prince.”

“Well, so are you.”

He let out a deep sigh. “I don’t get it. Just let me be the king, then it all settled. I don’t have to fall in love with you and make this whole thing so complicated!”

I stunned at those mere three words. My eyebrows rose as my mouth dropped open in surprise. I knew he felt something for me, possibly love, but now that he had said it himself, I feel fluttery in my stomach. Oh God, only him can turn and anger and guilty feeling to a blissful feeling like this.

“Shit Addie. Now I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

I felt my eyes started to pool with tears.

“Have you been stalking me the whole time?”

I looked down to the knot in my fingers. Pain shot up in my stomach as I tell myself to be professional and never let my tears show.

“Fuck Addie, answer me!”

I glanced up to him, unable to hold my tears from falling down.

“Yes. I planted a few cameras in your house.”

He rubbed his face in pure disappointment and grabbed his hair tightly.

“You’re a stranger. Just a fucking stalker.”

I wiped my tears and took a deep breath, holding the pain from spreading through my body.

“Then just leave me alone.”

Swiftly I turned around, my back facing him. The flesh wound struck pain so much that I had to bite my lips so hard to refrain myself from screaming. Tears fell like waterfall down my cheeks.

“Fine. I don’t need a bodyguard. I can fucking take care of myself!”

I heard the sound of the door swung open and slammed hard. If that’s what you’re going to say to your life-savior, then screw you Brian! Screw you and your little girlfriend who’s gonna move in with you and let me feel like I’m the bad guy in this picture!

Seconds later, I heard the door open again. Quiet footsteps approached me slowly.

“Andy?” I called, not turning my back.

“Yeah?” he answered.

“Do I still have to be his body guard?”

“Um, about that..”

Eventually I turned around but as slow as I can because the pain was just too much to handle. As I was turning to look at Andy, I saw two other agents stood by beside him, wearing an aviator each.

“Unfortunately you’ve been dropped from the case, Addie. You don’t have to guard him anymore.”

I didn’t know why, this made me even sadder than Brian’s argument earlier. I can’t be beside him anymore. I can’t see him laugh or feed him or touch him…God, what’s wrong with my eyes today?

“I’m sorry Addie. We’ll help packing your stuff and once you’re discharged, you can take some few weeks off before getting back to the HQ, okay?”

“Andy,”

“Yes, Addie?”

“I wanna go home now.”

“But, you’re wounded. You should at least give it a few days-”

“Now, Andy.”

Notes

A/N:loool hahaha okay comments are appreciated XD