Queen

I guided Syn to my apartment and we took busy streets to avoid the cops. I should've been a lot more afraid but I felt carefree with him even though we were being hunted.

"We should leave the car here," Syn said as he parked a few blocks down from the apartment. "We can get a new one later."

I nodded and he parked the car into a random spot on the busy street. He looked around in the car and spotted a sweater in the backseat and picked it up. "Change into this."

I was thankful I chose a car with tinted windows and I lifted my arms to remove the gown. "Ouch!" I screamed as I felt a sharp pain in my back.

"What is it?" Syn asked worriedly.

"I don't know," I said lowly as I tried to reach behind me. "Something hurts like a bitch."

Syn's eyes followed where I was trying to touch and he gave me an apologetic look. "I got shot."

"Huh?" I said as I froze.

"Back in the hospital, I forgot you'd feel it too." We'd been driving for almost an hour and he didn't mention it. I winced every time we so much as hit a rock in the street but he remained fine.

"Is the bullet still inside or something?" I asked with a grimace.

"Yes, it is," he answered.

"Turn around," I commanded.

He didn't fight as he did what I said and he removed his jacket. I waited for him to unbutton his shirt and I watched as he slid it down his broad shoulders. Get a grip, Queen.

I didn't have anything to take it out with so I'd have to use my hands and I knew it'd hurt the both of us. A lot. "This is going to hurt."

"I'll be okay. Will you?"

"Nope."

Syn remained silent and I sucked in a large breath as my finger touched the wound. "Are you serious, Queen?" He muttered.

"What? It hurts..." I whined.

"Come on, you're one of the strongest-"

"Strongest women you know?" I offered with a smug smile.

"No," he said. My smile dropped and he locked eyes in the rearview mirror. "You're one of the strongest people I know."

"Aww," I started. "I'm going to cry about this later."

He laughed and I took a deep breath and held it as I put my fingers into the wound. I almost cried as I felt it in my own back but I continued. After a few moments, I felt the bullet and pulled it out. "There we go," I whispered in a strained voice.

"Good job, now change."

The wound on my shoulder healed almost instantly after removing the bullet and I took my gown off. I felt eyes on me and turned to see Syn trying his best to look anywhere else and I smiled to myself. I appreciated his patience after what happened but I still wanted the man like crazy.

I slipped into the sweater and Syn pulled the hoodie above my head. I was pretty well disguised for what we had at the moment, but Syn would be completely exposed. He needed something, anything.

I looked around the car but saw nothing and I opened the glove compartment. I shrugged as I saw a pair of sunglasses and passed it to him. "Wear these."

He slipped them on and turned to me with a smirk. "Sexy?"

"Ehh, it's whatever," I said coolly. He already looked sexy enough considering we were going through hell. His ego didn't need to be stroked any more.

"Mhmm."

"What about the blood on your clothes?" I asked.

"Stay in front of me the whole time and no one will see it," he said. "Get out first and come to my side."

I nodded at his instructions and opened the car door. As I closed the door behind me, I tugged on the hoodie and rushed to his side of the door. He got out and turned me around so that my back was against his front.

The people passing by hardly paid any attention to us as they walked on the sidewalk and I took a relaxed breath. Syn closed the door to the car and he wrapped his arms around my waist as we walked in tangent towards the apartment.

After less than ten minutes of walking, we arrived at the apartment building and walked in. I bought this place under a fake name a few years ago after Syn died. I used it as my place to escape anything stressing me out. My home away from home.

I had chosen this place specifically because the management hardly came here to check on things. And considering how run down it looked from the outside, not many people lived here.

I couldn't read Syn's eyes through the glasses as he looked at the building but I hoped he wouldn't hate it. I loved it here.

We walked into the building and I led us to the stairs behind a large green door. The dimly lit staircase was comfortable to me after all this time but Syn was probably freaked out. As I thought about it, he was usually used to palace living anyway.

After one flight of stairs, I opened another door that led us into a corridor with flickering lights. I looked back at Syn who was looking around hesitantly and I smiled at him. "You okay?"

He nodded and I continued walking until I reached my door with my plant beautiful plant on the left of the door. I bent down to the key under the map and Syn shook his head when I stood back up.

"What?" I asked.

"Key under the mat? That's the most obvious place," he said.

"That's why people won't look there, duh," I said as I unlocked the door. "Hide things in plain sight. Everyone overthinks things these days."

"Hmm. Smart girl."

I flipped on the lights and Syn walked in behind me. He closed the door when we were inside and I held my hands out to gesture at the place. "Welcome home."

I wasn't a big decorator but I put my soul into this studio apartment. The kitchen was to the left when we walked in and the living room was basically the bedroom in a way. There was a large couch against the wall in front of a table and a TV against the wall. Past that, on an elevated step in the room was a large bed next to a brick wall and adjacent to it was a small library.

Syn walked around and observed the place silently and I watched him nervously. I shouldn't have been so tense but it felt like he was about to judge a part of me no one has seen before.

He looked back at me and nodded. "I like it," he said.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and let out a breath. "Good," I said. "The bathroom is right there if you want to shower."

"I don't have clothes to change into," he said.

"I kept a couple of boxes of your things here after...you know," I admitted as I played with my nails. "There are clothes in there."

"Why did you keep my things here?" He asked.

I laughed softly and shook my head. "I keep my important stuff here." I tore my focus away from the smile that had appeared on his handsome face and walked to the walk-in closet in the room.

He followed behind me and I flipped on the light and pointed to the corner. "Everything is in there, get whatever you want."

He nodded and I left him in the closet as I went to get water from the fridge. I wasn't truly thirsty but I needed space before I did something I probably wasn't ready for.

I looked back at the closet when Syn walked out but I frowned when I didn't see him holding clothes. Instead, he held an unopened letter. "What is this?" He asked.

My breath hitched and I swallowed a lump in my throat. "Your wedding vows to me," I answered. "Xavier sent them to me, but I never..."

He nodded and fiddled with the letter in his hand. "Why?"

"It just hurt, a lot," I said.

"Read it with me?" He asked.

I nodded and wrapped my arms around myself. "Sure."

He sat down on the couch and I occupied the seat next to him. He glanced at me as he opened the letter and I averted his eye. He unfolded the letter and cleared his throat and he held it.

"Dear Princess..."

꧁꧂

Author's Note
Ughhhh not Ayisha with the cliffhanger🤬

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but it'll be up soon😭
I just know it's going to make me cry bruh...
Anyways, what do y'all think about Syn and Queen here...alone...together 👀
Lmk your thoughts ✨