Rune is obviously avoiding me even when we reached the Royals headquarters. He is keeping his distance all of the time and he didn't even assist me like he used to before. He didn't follow us yet he changed his direction.

I don't have a clue where he was going.

When we got into the Royals, they lead me upstairs to the Chief's office. And once the elevator door opened, Dad's worried face was the first one who greeted me.

"Dad." I called.

The look of relieve immediately spreads in his face as he closes the distance between us and covered me with his hug. "Thank God, you're safe. I thought I will lose you again." He murmured, hugging me tightly before pulling us apart. "Are you hurt? Did they do anything bad to you, princess? Tell me.

"I'm fine, Dad. I just had some scratches." I replied with a warm and gentle smile.

"You have bruises on your face." He cupped my cheeks then scanned my hands and arms. "And these burn marks on your wrist, these must be very painful. Medic! Someone, please check my daughter."

But that exact moment, the Chief came in and gave me a warm smile. "Ms. Waylord, I am so relieved that my men had reached you right on time."

I was about to reply when the elevator door opens once again with Rune getting out of it. He and I made eye contact for about five seconds before he breaks it and walks over. "Chief, mission accomplished. Lyndon and the rest of Black Phoenix has been wiped out. The gang leader is being sent to the hospital to see if he can still live but I will just have to kill him again if he does."

Chief chuckled. "Lyndon must be captured alive, Agent Red. That was the mission. I strictly instructed all of you to just get Lyndon and do not try to kill him."

Oh? That was the mission? Then why did he shot him then?

"I made sure not to shot him at the places where there is going to vital." Rune answered before stepping back and looking at us. "Shouldn't my lady change her clothes or at least cure her wounds? She must have encounter some trauma after what happened."

"No, I'm fine." I responded, can't look at him in the eyes.

"But still those are needed to be checked. You don't want them being infected or anything." Dad stated, glancing at the bruises in my face.

"Did they hurt you, Ms. Waylord? I hope that they haven't done anything worse than a punch." Chief asked, crossing his arms and leaning on his desk.

"No, they didn't touch me or anything. Just a few slaps, punch and dragging." I replied with a weak laugh. "The way they take me was really painful though. They carry me like I'm some sack of potatoes."

"They did that?!" Dad flamed. "I can't wait to get my hands on that Lyndon and punch him." He grunted, "Where did you took Lyndon? I want to see him and talk to him."

"I was just about to go to the hospital. Agent Red instructed the agents to torture him after for some answers there." Chief answered.

"Good." Dad agreed, his eyebrows frowning. "I can't wait to get my hands on his neck."

"You have to calm yourself, Mr. Waylord when I took you to him. We don't want you to be a murderer." Chief smirked before turning to face Rune. "Agent Red, I will put you back in charge on taking care of Ms. Waylord. Check her wounds and take care of her for a while. What she just encountered is very terrifying so make sure that she won't be shocked or anything."

My heart just stops there when I heard he said. He and I are going to be alone. This is my time to talk to him about our situation.

I just hope that he will give me a straight answer.

"Understood." Rune just said. "Take care of yourself, old man." He flashed his trademark smirk at my Dad and then bowed his head.

"I will deal with you later." Dad pointed his index finger at him before walking out to head to the elevator then leaves.

Now, we are all alone.

The room immediately turns silent when the air suddenly felt cold. I was unable to utter a single word though.

Speak, Jasmine. You have to talk to him.

"Come on, let's check out those wounds." Rune was the first one to speak, taking me by the hand and we get inside the elevator to go to his private office.

When we get there, I just remembered our good times here. Can't help myself but miss them.

I sat down on the couch and let him walk around, Rune was searching for his first aid kit and comes back to me carrying a whole bag. "Give me your hand." He told me, not looking at me in the eyes as he kneels down.

I obeyed, quietly and giving him one of my hand. Rune turns it to my palm and caressed the slightly red burned mark there. It was still painful though and it looks slightly swollen.

"They did this to you?" He asked, his jaw clenched while caressing it, carefully not trying to hurt me.

"No, I did it." I muttered.

Rune raised his head to look at me, questioningly. "You did this?" His one eyebrow raised. "Are you out of your mind?"

"It was the only way out. They had me tied in a very dark basement and I just needed to escape. I used the heat from the bulb of the lamp to kind of burn the cloth and it happens that my skin got burned as well." I explained, biting my lip. "I just had to plan for an escape."

Rune sigh then takes out an ointment and dips a cotton ball in it then slightly pressed it on the burn marks. "Next time...do not do anything reckless."

"Reckless? I did that to escape. God knows what will they do if I stayed a little longer." I explained.

"And if they captures you as you are planning to run away, they might have done something worse." He groaned, rolling his eyes.

"I just have to escape, Rune. That time, I just can't think straight and plan for a better move. I just need to get out there. Lyndon and his men are really scary." My voice became softer each passing word.

Scenes in that mansion really gives me the creeps. Lyndon and his men stares at me as if like I'm going to be their meal later on. They are very hungry to kill me.

Rune sigh and looks at me once again then it my surprise, he places a hand over my head and slightly messes up my hair. "What a troublesome princess you are." He murmured. Finally, I was able to see Rune smiles at me again. "But princesses are those who are always in trouble though. It just depends on how amazing Prince Charming will be to be heroic."

"Excuse me, you call yourself the Prince Charming?" I gasped, dramatically. 

"I never said I was the prince charming." He corrected, the shine in his blue eyes disappeared.

"And I never imagine myself as the damsel in distress though. So don't compare me to a princess, idiot." I playfully narrowed my eyes at him.

Rune laughed at what I said. Wow, it feels like it's been decades since the last time I hear him genuinely laugh. I watch him intently as he place a gauze on my scratches and wounds and he just look so fine tonight though. I mean, these past few days, he was very cold to me and now, it was a hundred degrees change of an attitude. He is so weird.

I noticed that he was staring at my wounds and bruises around my face once he was done. "Next time, do not strike a fight without any armour, my lady. Look at you, you just hurt yourself because you try to escape without any plans. I promised you before that I will never let anything happen to you...you should have just waited patiently and let me do the rest. You don't have to go through this alone."

Rune...

"I don't know if you are coming to save me, or not, Rune. You quit being my bodyguard so how would I make sure that you will come for me?" I explained, looking down to my hand on my lap because I can't stand his blue eyes. "You even said those harsh things to me..." the last part was merely a whisper.

Rune wasn't able to reply after that, instead he raised my chin up to meet his eyes. Those memorising orbs that weakens everything of my system. My mind can't function if he is staring at me like that though. It's melting me. All of my pain, all of my sadness these past few days were immediately wiped because of his simple gestures. It's too much.

Then my mind went totally blank when he leans closer to me as he closes the distance between us by sealing me up with a tender and romantic kiss. 

My body trembles for some electrifying feeling. My mind is going blank as I just focus on kissing him back. The butterflies are going inside my stomach.

When we pulled away, he leaned his forehead on mine and closed his eyes tightly. "Damn it, I can't keep up with this act anymore." He hissed then pulled me for another hot kiss. He placed his hand on my nape for better angles.

"R-Rune—" I can't manage to utter a word because he won't let go me of my lips. He just kissed me like his life depended on it but I don't mind though.

I missed him and his kisses. It feels like we went back before. When he finally lets me go, we were almost out of breath and his lips were a little red. I think mine too.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, leaning his forehead back on mine.

"For what?" For the cold treatment you gave me when I needed you?

"For everything." He breathe out. "I can't imagine how scared you was in Lyndon's hand. I'm sorry I got you to experience it."

"It's not your fault." A soft chuckle escaped from me then leaned back and we are not touching anymore. Yet, he took my hand and held it firmly.

"It's our fault, my lady." He stated, gazing at me right in the eye. "Everything was planned."

My eyebrows touched in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Starting from when I break things between us." He answered, his eyes didn't show any sign of hesitation to tell me this. They were locked into mine. "That day when I found that you and Brian are engaged."

"So, you are saying that I am being tricked?"

"That's not the proper word, my lady. We thought that maybe...me not being by your side all the time will make the enemy appear. When they find out that Royals are not helping you and your Dad anymore. That will lure them and make up a plan to take you. With that, we can track them immediately." Rune explained, measuring what will I react. "But me being angry about you and Bryan's engagement is real. I really got angry."

"Wait a minute, so you guys knew that I will be captured on my own engagement party?"

"We are not sure but we are expecting that they will come since Lyndon thinks that I'm in Russia, searching for him." He stated, tightening his hold on my hand. "I'm very sorry for making you experience such traumatic moment, my lady. I really am. I hated the plan but this is the only way to keep you safe. I have to make a move already."

"But how did you find out Lyndon's hideout?" I questioned. Everything is still processing inside me.

"Do you remember when Jane appeared before you at the party when she suddenly hugged?"

"Of course, I did." I replied. "That surprised me, seriously."

"It was also a part of the plan. While she had her arms around you, she quickly pinned the bug at the back zipper of your gown."

"A bug?"

"A small tracker." He responded then he reached out behind me and took something from there and shown it to me.

Wow, this is amazing. I only see them in movies and I'm surprised to see one for real.

"This is connected to my gps so I know where to find you." He told me, his hand snaking up to my neck then cups my cheek. "I'm really glad that you are safe, my lady. God knows what will I do to myself if something happens to you."

My eyebrows furrowed. "Wait, so those harsh words you said? Were they a part of your plan too? Or those were true."

A small smile formed in him. "None of them are true" he chuckled then flicked my forehead. "Alright, from now on...I promise to never lie to you. You have my word."

"Really?"

"Yes." He smiled, boyishly.

I laughed, softly. "You are so weird, Red"

"And I love you, Jasmine Waylord."

"H-huh?" I was taken back by that sudden confession. "Are you really serious?"

"I just told you, I will never lie to you." He smirked, flirty then leans closer to me again. He is still kneeling though and I am on the couch. He stood up and so did I, he wrapped his arms around me and snuggled to him. I never felt so safe in my entire life. "I love you, my lady. Very much. To the point that I am ready to kill myself when Lyndon killed you during the plan."

"Idiot, don't do that." I punched his chest and pulled away. "I don't want you to kill yourself when I die, Rune. Life is fun so don't waste your time because of me."

"You are my life, Jasmine. Without you, there is no point of living."

Damn. Why does he always know how to make me feel this way? Only him. "You are so mean."

"No, I am not." He frowned at me. "You're the mean one, you haven't said you love me back."

I bursted out laughing when he said that. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I leaned up to his level to place a kiss on his lips and he just deepened it and wrapped his arms around me waist. 

"I love you too, Rune Crawford." I whispered at his lips. "You better keep that promise of yours or I will kill you."

"I will." He whispered before pulling me again for another kiss. "And you are not coming near that Brian again."

"He is still my fiancé, dummy." I hugged him tightly. "But I will end it as soon as possible."

"Damn, if I could just take you away." He muttered. "But I won't, I don't want my head chopped off from my body by your Dad."

"He will not just chop off your head though. Maybe all parts of your body will be served in a silver platter." I joked, laughing with him.

"Jeez, thanks for boosting up my confidence, my lady." He pinched the bridge of my nose then looked at me from head to toe. "You should changed your clothes now. I have some clean clothes in my closet."

"Alright." I replied, unwrapped my hands around his waist then head to his private room.

I changed into some comfortable clothes, Rune's white tank top and borrowed some of his clean Calvin Klein boxers. The tank top was so long for that it covers most of the boxers.

When I got out, Rune was talking to someone on the phone and seems to be about Lyndon and the Black Phoenix. He had a deep frown and I actually find it very cute. He looks like a child. While he was having conversation, I sat down on the couch that he was facing and waited for him to finish it.

"Hey." He called after a few minutes. "I had some packed salad in my fridge. I hope that's alright for you."

"Baby, I'm starving. I can eat a whole cow." I stood up from the couch and followed him to the table. He already had everything served on it so there is nothing for me to worry about. Well, typical Rune. He always had everything set for me. "By the way, who was that on the phone?" I asked.

"Chief." He responded, passing me the salad bowl. "He wants me to meet up with him where Lyndon is locked up...so is your Dad though."

"Oh..." My shoulder dropped in disappointment. I thought I was going to spend the whole night with him. "Take care then."

"I always do." He chuckled, boastfully. "I'm sorry, my lady. I'm afraid I have to leave you here by yourself for this evening. But don't worry, I will be right beside you once you wake up tomorrow morning."

"I understand, don't worry about it." I gave him an assured smile. "But, it is alright for me to stay here? Or should I go home instead?"

"No, I rather have you stay here alone where I can guarantee you safety." Rune stated, seriously.

"Alright...you're the boss." I joked.

After dinner, Rune prepared for his leave. He was wearing a black leather jacket, a black shirt underneath and ripped jeans. Damn, he looks so baddass. He was staring at himself at mirror when he noticed me, watching him from behind.

I walked towards him and wrapped my arms around his waist I lean my chin on his shoulder. "You look hot."

"Really?" I felt his stomach vibrated as he laughed huskily. "Are you trying to seduce me, my lady?"

"I don't know...maybe?" I laughed then placed a quick kiss on the side of his neck. "Be back safe, alright. Tell Dad that I'm just here."

Rune turns to my direction and smiled. "Of course." He leans down to place kiss on my forehead. "You had a rough night. Go to bed and have some rest. I'll be back by morning."

I nodded and smiled at him. "Okay."

"That's my girl." This time he leans down to kiss me on my lips before turning to leave this place.

I really wanted to stay longer with him though but it seems like there are so many obstacles that we need to pass through first before that happens. Yet, I'm very happy that he is still my Rune. I thought he really did changed but I'm glad that I was wrong.

Everything is just fine.

And before of that, I loved him even more. He just proves that he will always be there and he will keep his promise that he won't let anything happen to me.

To be continued...

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