The Prince's Choice ✔

Chapter Fifteen • Enemies

-Jade-

The king gladly left her and William alone.

"What do you want, Jade?" William asked when the door was closed. "Did you come to apologize?"

Jade almost laughed out loud due to his stupid comment and he saw it.

Who does he think he is?

"No." she answered and could barely keep herself from laughing. "And I will not apologize for what I did... I came to tell you how immature it was of you to make me eat alone." She continued.

William eyebrows rose a bit when he seemed surprised by her words.

"Interesting words coming from the one who tried to run away today..." William answered and locked eyes with her. "Under which circumstances would I ever dream to eat with you after that?" He continued with a smooth but condescending tone. A discreet arrogant smile rested upon his lips as well.

Jade inhaled nervously as she listened. There was something about him... His gaze made it hard for her to focus.

"Why does it matter if you dined alone, if you want to leave?" He asked when she didn't answer him. "You clearly don't want my company."

Jade lowered her eyes but felt one of his fingers underneath her chin almost immediately. When she looked up but she avoided the deep blue eyes. William raised her face even more so that she had to meet his gaze. It sent an exciting bolt of warmth through her. The sudden feeling of attraction bothered her immensely. Especially when he was being rude.

"Answer me, Jade." He said darkly. Jade struggled to not let him get to her.

"It just does." She answered. A very poor and not so convincing answer to his question. She truly couldn't focus.

His dark blue eyes were piercing every thought that crossed her mind and turned them into useless clouds in her mind.

"Well, I thought you would like some time alone since you clearly don't want to be here..." William said and his finger disappeared from Jades chin. She tried to make sense of what he said and her own thoughts.

What does he want? Is he going to throw me away now? She wanted to scream at him but at the same time she wanted to take a step closer. He stood quite close but she still wanted him closer for some strange reason, and it left her thoughts in a chaotic mess.

It felt like her body was betraying her when her hands were longing for the touch of his.

"Did you lose your tongue, Jade?" William asked her when they had been silent for a minute. "You usually seem to have so much to say..." he continued and walked back to the armchair he had been sitting in earlier.

He offered Jade to sit in the other one with a simple gesture with his hand. It stood a meter to the left from his.

What is happening? Why is he inviting me to sit? Jade thought as she walked over to the armchair and sat down. Unsure but watching his every move she studied him.

"I guess I am tired... your grace." She answered and put her hands in her lap. William drank from a cup that stood on a round little table to the right side of his chair.

"Why were you out in the streets Jade?" William suddenly asked and Jade was not prepared for such a direct question. She wanted to ask him things. Ask him what he thought he was doing. Who he thought he was to speak to her like a child.

"Why do you care?" she asked provocatively. His eyes were fixed on his beverage. She wanted him to look at her again, badly... She wanted to see if her crude behavior could drive him as mad as he had been at the gate today. She needed to know what made him angry. "You have been gone for weeks..."