A Modern Day Fairy Tale Teaser

“Jake, I could have taken the subway,” I said from the backseat of the Town Car. “I’ve lived in this city for most of my life. I’ve never spent this much time in a car. Ever.”

“I get it, Bella, but his princeliship was adamant that I stay with you while you’re with your family,” Jake snickered.

“Who’s going to recognize me?”

“Bella, it’s not about recognition. It’s about safety. Edward Anthony Masen Cullen is the next in line to be the King of Gevalia. Some assholes could use you to get to him. That would kill him, if something happened to you,” Jake said, blinking  back to me in the rearview mirror.

“Couldn’t I, at least, sit up front? I don’t like being chauffeured around,” I grumped. “I’m not important.”

“Masen would say otherwise, Bells. You’re his world now,” Jake said softly, smiling gently at me. “He may be a future king, but he’s still a man who adores you. He’d do anything for you and that includes your safety.”

“But, he should have you with him,” I argued. “You’ve been hired by Diplomatic Security to protect Masen. Not his girlfriend.”

“He’s at the consulate. DS is crawling all over that place, along with Gevalian military. He’s protected. And if he wants to leave, one of the military guys can stay with him or I could call Seth. He’s moonlighted as a bodyguard before,” Jake explained. “Bella, he loves you. Let him do this for you. For your family.”

“Except Alice,” I snorted.

“Do you blame him?” he asked. “Your sister is a freaking bitch.”

“Tell me about it,” I deadpanned. “I’ll always have some sort of love for her because she’s my sister, but I doubt we’ll ever be close. There’s too much bitterness in our relationship.”

“Why is she bitter?”

“I had nine years with a mother. She had nine months, in utero,” I sighed. Jake pulled into my street, parking in front of the closed bakery. “It’s weird to see it closed up.”

“But, think of the improvements that are being made to the bakery,” Jake smirked, getting out of the car. “Are you going into the bakery? Your apartment?”

“Yep,” I nodded, tugging out my keys from my purse. I unlocked the door of the bakery, shocked that it had been completely demolished, save for the industrial ovens, mixers and coolers. They’d been moved to the center of what had been the kitchen. In the business plan that Masen, Dad and I devised, we decided to get new equipment. We were selling the old equipment and my dad was wading through offers. “I can’t believe demolition is done.”

“Money talks, Little Bells,” Jake said, draping his arm over my shoulder.