Prince Player(184)

“You can keep me safe,” she says.

“You’re right, I can. And legally speaking, you’re an adult, so you can do whatever you want. But we both know your family doesn’t need to follow laws.” I sigh, leaning back in my chair to look at her. “If they understand why you’re here, why you’re with me, we may be able to stay together.”

She looks at me quietly for a second and I can tell that she’s been wrestling with this ever since she came to me. Despite everything with her family, Sadie does love them, or at least she loves her brother Peter. Her parents haven’t treated her well, but she was raised to take pride in her family and to believe that the family’s best interests were more important than her own.

So it must be incredibly difficult now to go against all of that. Frankly, maybe it’s easy to think she’s just a silly rich girl with nothing at all, but I see so much more.

She’s strong. Just getting away from her family takes strength. She gave up so much by running away. I know I’ll never fully understand. Not only will she likely be removed from the will and the family, leaving her with nothing financially, she also lost her identity as a Tillman. Her family is more than just a family, it was her whole life, the person she was born and bred to be.

And yet she saw how unhappy it all made her, and she ran away. She figured it out, and now she’s here.

It’s impressive, no matter what people might think. I admire her.

Now it’s time to go back, which is probably the hardest thing she’ll ever have to do.

“I know you’re probably right,” she says finally. “But I’m afraid to go back. I’m afraid they’ll force me to stay. I’m afraid they’ll make me do something that I don’t want to do.”

I nod slowly, looking at her seriously. “I won’t let them keep you if you don’t want to stay,” I say softly. “And if you decide that’s what you want, then I’ll support you. They’ll never lock you up again, Sadie. I promise you that.”

She sighs. “We really need to do this, don’t we?”

“We really do,” I say.

“Okay.” She sits up and nods her head, “Fine, alright. We’ll do it. We’ll go see my parents. How hard can it be, right?”

“It’s the simplest thing in the world,” I say.

“Right. I’ll just look at them and say, ‘Hey guys, this man you hate, he got me pregnant. And I’m keeping it. And I’m staying with him now. Bye!’ It’ll go over well.”

I grin at her. “I think your dad might have a heart attack. His pure, virginal, perfect daughter is sullied by a commoner like me.”

“You joke, but he really does think that.” She makes a face, “It’s like because you were born without money, you’re somehow… evil? Or not as good, at least. Like only the chosen people are rich.”

“It’s a mindset I’ll never understand.”

“Makes it easy for him to hate poor people. And to do things that don’t help them. I don’t think he sees poor people as actual humans.”

I sigh and shake my head. “Come on, Sadie. Don’t dwell too much. We’ll go, break the news, and then leave.”

“Simple,” she says, and she’s quiet for a second. Then she looks up at me and grins. “Better hope Silas isn’t there.”

I grin right back. “He better hope he’s not there.” I flex a little and she laughs.

But beneath that laugh, I can already see a hint of fear, creeping in beneath her strong exterior.



She fidgets the whole elevator ride up to her parents’ apartment. I hold her hand the whole time, trying to help keep her calm, but there’s only so much we can do.

After our conversation in the morning, she went right into her room and called her father. She told him that we want to meet, but wouldn’t say more, and he agreed to have us back at the apartment.

We both agreed that it’s better not to wait. And so just a few hours after making the decision, we’re riding in the elevator up to her family home, the place she grew up.

“It’s going to be okay,” I say to her. “I’m here with you.”

“I know.” She takes a deep breath. “It’ll be fine. My father can’t do anything.”

“No, he can’t. Not with me here.”

She nods her head, but looks uncertain. It’s okay though. I’m going to be strong for both of us. Maybe she’s afraid and nervous, but I promised her that I won’t let them take her or hurt her anymore, and I’m going to keep that promise.