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Overnight

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Chapter 15: Overnight (Grace's POV)

I sighed, putting my legs up on the dashboard again while Ronan turned on the headlights. "Now that you brought me to Wildfell and we followed through with your genius plan, what do you think?" 

"I'm still thinking." He sighed, leaning his head back and resting his elbow on the window. He rested his head on his head, steering with one hand. "Everybody had a similar reaction to Judith." 

I loved that he didn't call her my mother, or the queen. 

"His parents seemed very upset. His sister didn't really care though, which makes sense. She has nothing to do with it. But Lucas..." 

"What about him?" 

"He didn't seem as upset as he should have been. His reaction was quite similar to your father's. He was understanding. A little too understanding." 

I frowned, staring ahead at the empty road. "He's being forced into this marriage just as much as I am." 

"What if he has a girlfriend?" Ronan mumbled. We both turned to look at each other. 

The car jerked forward and the seatbelt caught me. "Jesus!" I exclaimed. He steadied the wheel and pulled over to the side of the deserted road we were driving down. "What happened?" I asked, taking my seatbelt off. 

"Let me check." He stepped out of the car and walked to the front, opening the hood and stepping back immediately, coughing as smoke blew up in the air. 

I chuckled softly, watching him in amusement. "Something wrong, Mr. Stone?" I teased in a sing-song voice. 

He left the hood open and walked back, putting his hands on the window and leaning forward while I watched him with amusement. "The exhaust is broken." 

"So fix it, won't you?" 

"I'm not a mechanic," he spat. 

"So find a solution," I laughed, straightening up. "How close is the nearest mechanic shop or station?" 

"We're barely back into town. Their palace is up in the hills, Princess. The nearest shop isn't for another hour." 

I took a look around. "So... what do we do?" 

"Can you push the car?" 

"Absolutely not," I scoffed as I moved into the driver's seat. "You push the car and I'll drive until we get into town." 

"Before that, let me try fixing it. Toolbox?" 

I'm not a mechanic, huh?

"Trunk," I replied, adjusting the mirrors. He took the toolbox and opened the hood, trying to make the best of the situation. I leaned my head back and fell into thought. 

When we got to the palace and I told everybody that I wanted the engagement postponed, Lucas' parents seemed furious but they were keeping their anger at bay since they couldn't say much to me, I'm nobody to them yet. Natasha didn't care at all, which makes sense as Ronan said. And Lucas... Even I found it a little suspicious how quickly he agreed and understood me. He should be at least a little upset but he wasn't. It's confusing me even more. Everybody had similar reactions. His parents reacted like Judith, Natasha reacted like Atlas, neither of them caring, and Lucas reacted like my father except even more understanding. His parents didn't seem to like that, Ronan and I saw the look his parents gave him. 

He closed the hood and I snapped out of my thoughts, straightening up. "Start the car," he ordered, scratching his brow with the back of his hand, getting a smudge of coal on there. 

I bit back a laugh and turned the engine on. The car sputtered but it turned on nonetheless. 

He lifted a brow at me smugly before walking back to the trunk, dropping the toolbox, and then climbing into the passenger seat. "Stop at the first car shop," he huffed, putting his seatbelt on while I did the same and then started driving. About fifty minutes later, I slowed down the car so it wouldn't break down again. 

"Who taught you how to drive?" he questioned. 

"Atlas," I answered, spotting the lights in town. "We're almost there," I stated. We made it into town and I stopped at the first car shop I saw that was open twenty-four/seven. 

"Stay here," Ronan demanded. 

I grabbed his arm, pulling him back before he climbed out of the car. "Wait," I mumbled, unbuckling my seatbelt and leaning forward. He stared at me, his gaze unwavering. I reached forward, wiping the smudge of coal off his face. "Hmm, go." I leaned back. 

He didn't move for a minute before clearing his throat and climbing out. "Pull up the roof and lock the car." He shut the door and I pulled up the roof of the car before locking it. He went inside, talking to the man who was sitting at the counter. 

I took a look around until he came back out. I climbed out of the car, taking the keys and tossing them to Ronan who handed them to the man. He walked over and grabbed my arm, pushing me forward to walk quickly. "Where are we going?" I asked. 

"There's a motel nearby. Less than five minutes if we walk. We have to stay there for the night. The car won't be fixed up until tomorrow morning." 

We have to stay overnight in Wildfell? That's quite possibly the last thing I wanted to do. We made it to the old motel where the neon sign was flickering. "Here?" I mumbled. 

"It's not palace status, sorry." 

I scoffed, offended. "That's not the problem. You think I can't stay anywhere unless it's palace status?" 

"Can you?" He smirked. 

I rolled my eyes and walked in with him following closely behind. 

"Welcome to Motel Aurora, how can I help you?" A girl sat at the counter, reading a magazine while chewing loudly on gum, blowing a huge bubble. 

"Can we get two rooms for one night?" Ronan asked. 

She looked up from the magazine, her bubble popping. "Two rooms?" She straightened up, tossing her magazine on the table, and grinned at Ronan. 

I looked between them before rolling my eyes. I could gag right now. I took a look around the place. It's not as bad as it looked from the outside, but I swear I just saw a rat run under the sofa. 

The door opened and two men, wasted, came stumbling in, walking to the counter. Ronan grabbed my arm, pulling me to the other side so he stood between the two men and me. "Keys, Lily," one of them slurred. She sighed and handed the two men their keys before they walked to the staircase on shaky feet and then disappeared upstairs. 

I'm so glad Astella has better motels with better people. 

"Two rooms, you said?" She rested her elbows on the counter, leaning forward. I nearly laughed. She doesn't look any older than eighteen, what is she doing with her life? 

"Make that one." 

I blinked in surprise, staring at Ronan wide-eyed. 

She seemed surprised too as a small frown took over her face. "One room for a couple?" 

"One room," Ronan confirmed. 

She reached for the keys, dropping them on the counter. "Breakfast tomorrow morning will be charged at your checkout if you choose to have it. We don't serve dinner, so go buy something yourself if you're hungry. It's two-hundred crescent per night." 

"We'll pay at checkout." Ronan went to grab the keys but she snatched them back. 

"Why don't you get two rooms? It'll be more comfortable." 

"One room's fine," Ronan huffed, but she still refused to give up the keys. 

I spotted all the keys hanging on pegs behind her on the wall. I shrugged Ronan's grip off my arm and walked around the counter, grabbing the first set of keys I saw. I read the number. 

"Excuse me, what are you doing?" She scoffed at me. 

I dangled the keys in front of Ronan. "Room one-one-one. Let's go." I tossed him the keys and he caught them with one hand easily. I flashed the girl a smile before walking upstairs with Ronan. 

"That room has extra charges!" She called out after us. 

"No problem!" I called back out, both of us continuing to make our way to the room. I turned to him when we reached the hallway. "Why are we sharing a room?" 

"Because the people staying here aren't the best," he mumbled, unlocking the door and pushing it open. "I can't leave you alone." We walked into the room and I froze. He shut the door, freezing right behind me. "Ah," he mumbled, staring at the bed. 

"Oh," I whispered simultaneously. I spun back around. "I'll get the other keys." I walked past him but he grabbed my arm, pulling me back. 

"It's just one night. We'll... be fine, I'm sure." 

I turned back around, both of us standing in pin-drop silence. "There's..." I trailed off. 

"Only one bed," he cleared his throat. There's not even an extra couch to sleep on. 

"You can sleep on the floor," I said, quickly walking to the bed and sitting down. 

He scoffed, "No. You can sleep on the floor." 

"Excuse me?" 

"To keep you safe, I need to be in good health. How can I be in good health if I sleep on the floor?" 

"That makes no sense." I narrowed my eyes while he walked around the bed, sitting on the other side. 

"It makes perfect sense. I'm not giving up the bed, Princess." 

"Neither am I," I argued. "You know, I picked the room, I should get the bed." 

"Exactly. You picked the room, you got to make that decision. I think it's only fair if I get to choose who sleeps on the bed," he shrugged, kicking his shoes off and lying down. 

"Are you serious?" I stared at him in disbelief. 

"What are you going to do?" He lifted a brow at me. "Call daddy?" 

"Please," I scoffed, pulling my legs up. "You think I can't take what I want without using my princess privilege?" 

"No, I don't think you can." 

"I can!" 

"Prove it, Princess."

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Chapter 15

The one-bed trope, finally!!!

next chapter: guard