Hello my lovely readers. Another chapter here. I hope you will like it.

Chapter 17

I was looking at the picture terrified. My whole body started to shake realizing James would never do such sick prank on any of us.

"Do you still think this is just a joke?" Tom asked me. I looked at him with fear in my eyes. He took a deep breath and took back his phone.

"I am sorry. I didn't wanted to scare you. But I need you to cooperate." He said seriously. I was starring at the floor of the car for a few seconds trying to compose myself. I couldn't figure it out. Why would somebody wanted me dead? Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt somebody somehow? This all doesn't make sense.

"When did you find it?" I finally asked him.

"Few days after your brothers wedding." He told me and I looked at him surprised. He knew for so long and didn't told me.

"So that's why you were acting so weird lately." I whispered putting all the pieces of his behavior together.

"I hate lying to you." He admitted.

"What are we going to do now?" I asked him looking at the phone in his hand thinking about the letter and my head with the red x on it.

"I know you will not like this. But I really need you to stop working here." He said and I looked at him desperately.

"Tom. Is there some other way? What if you will bring another guards with you?" I asked him hopefully.

"In that case your father would know about your secret job. Every guard has to report what he was doing the whole day while guarding you. Where he was and what he was doing and if he noticed something unusual. I am lying in those reports only because of our friendship Emma. And this could cause me my job and you know that. This could actually cause you your life. I can't afford to lose it. I already had enough. I want what's best for you and in this case it is you ending this and prioritize your safety." He said and I looked at him sadly. I know he is risking his job.

"It's only for your own good. Trust me." He told me.

"I guess I am being selfish." I said to him.

"Kind of." He said and I looked at him surprised for his honesty.

"Okay." I finally said giving up and he breathed out a breath of relief. "I will ask my father if I can officially work. One last time. In that case I would have more guards helping you to protect me. And if he doesn't allow me to I will finish. I promise." I said to him and he looked at me not believing me.

"I will ask him during the weekend. Do you think you can handle it today and tomorrow on your own? I promise I will not do anything that would got me in danger." I told him. He was hesitating but than he nodded.

"Only until tomorrow." He said.

"Thank you." I said to him relieved. "I don't want this person who is threatening my life to ruin it by living in a fear and giving up on things I love." I said to him and I walked out of the car back into the studio.

I must admit I was terrified to the bones. But I wasn't going to show that to those who dared to threaten me with my life. I wasn't going to show my weakness. I am strong and they are not going to break me.

"Next time try not to have a family visits during your work time." Jessica said when I came back to my desk.

"Next time try to remember you are not my boss to be telling me that." I replied to her. She was so getting on my nerves. I couldn't concentrate at work after what Tom told me. I was still seeing that photo in my head. I was thinking who could have send it but I seriously had no idea.

After the work I went straight to my Kensington home. It was the first day after a long time I had nothing to do. James was working at his restaurant and I had a free evening. So I took a blanket, papers and pencils and went out into the gardens. I was home I didn't need to tell Tom. I knew I was safe here. This place is one of the most guarded places in London. But so is the Buckingham palace. And the letter got into my bedroom. I have to stop thinking about that or I will get crazy.

I walked through the well known path to the fountain our mom loved so much. And the fountain where Henry purposed to Eva. This was moms favorite place. She loved to read books here. This is where I feel her presence most from the whole palace. I love to come here and just draw whatever comes to my mind. This is the most relaxing place for me. I sat down on the bench and wrapped myself in the blanket. I took out the papers and started to draw trying not to think about the letter or the terrible photo. I didn't even realized and it was already dark outside. The garden was lit by a lot of lights so it didn't bothered me while I draw. When I finished I looked at the picture I draw and smiled to myself. Sometimes I draw and don't even realize what. Of course this picture reflects what I am thinking about most of the time lately.

Suddenly I heard some rustle from the hedge fence. I looked up beware and my heart started to beat faster. Now I heard only the sound of the fountain and the beating of my heart. Somebody was here.

"Hello?" I called out putting the papers on the bench and standing out but nobody answered. There was another rustle from the right side now making me even more nervous and scared.

"Is anybody out there?" I called out again feeling my palms sweating already. But nobody answered. My breath speeded as I was looking around the fountain. Is this it? Is it someone who threatened me? Did they come to kill me? Oh my god I am going to die here.

"Please answer me." I called out when I felt someone to grab me around my waist from my back and I let out a terrified scream.

"Wuaa." That someone called out and started to laugh. I fight myself free and it took me a while to realize who that was.

"What the hell James!" I yelled at him as he was laughing his ass off.

"Do you have any freaking idea how much you scared me?" I said my heart beating like crazy. "I almost got a heart attack!" I said to him as I felt tears appearing in my eyes. I took the papers and started to beat him with it.

"Hey hey. It was just a joke." He said surprised of my outburst.

"You can't scare me like that." I said as the tears were already falling on my cheeks. The whole tension just wanted to get out.

"Oh damn it. I am sorry." He said noticing my tears quickly taking me into his arms and I let him.

"It was a stupid joke. I am so sorry. I didn't know I would scare you so much." He said caressing my hair while I was breathing heavily into his chest.

"Sshh princess it is okay. It's okay." He was calming me. I couldn't help but I did feel safe and calmer in his arms.

"I am sorry it was a really bad joke." He said kissing my temple.

"That was the stupidest idea." I said and leaned back from him. "And what are you doing here? I thought you were in the restaurant." I finally said breaking out from his arms feeling much calmer.

"I was texting you and then calling you that I finished early but you didn't pick up your phone. So I used the secret entrance and I saw you sitting here." He said taking my hand and caressing it.

"I left the phone in my room. I had a tough day I needed to relax." I said and pointed at my sketches. "And here you are scaring me almost to my death." I said to him pissed off freeing my hand from him.

"I am sorry Emma. Come here." He said to me opening his arms for a hug.

"No." I said taking my sketches and blanket and I started to walk back to my home.

"Really?" he said and started to walk with me.

"Are you really going to be pissed at me just for this?" he asked me as we were walking through the path.

"Yes. I hate pranks James and this one was not funny at all." I said to him.

"I know and I am sorry. I am not going to prank you again. I promise." He said.

"This was the first and last prank you ever done to me." I stopped and looked at him. "It was your first prank right?" I asked him somehow weirdly hoping that the letter really was just the sickest prank that he has done.

"Well if you don't count the gum in your hair when we were kids then yes." He said with guilt all over his face. He was so cute. Like a puppy caught biting the shoes.

"Okay." I said realizing the seriousness of that letter and I continued walking. Should I tell him about it? No. He will be scared and I don't need someone else to be overprotective of me. I have enough of that with Tom.

"I told you I am really sorry. What can I do for you to forgive me?" he asked me as we came to the entrance door. I turned back to look at him. His face full of regret it melted my heart. I came closer to him and put my lips on his. I started to kiss him passionately. This kind of kiss would always lead to two us ending up in bed together. His tongue moving with mine. His breath in sync with mine. I felt his hands going under my shirt leaving burns on my skin. I could already feel his bulge on my lower stomach giving me tingles in my panties. And then I broke the kiss leaving both of us breathing heavily.

"Good night James." I whispered to him and opened the door to my house.

"What?" he asked me breathlessly and confused as I closed the door right in front of his face.

"Seriously?" I heard him behind the door. "Emma this is not funny. You can't leave me like this." He said frustrated.

"This will teach you not to prank me anymore." I called out to him.

"Emmaaa!"

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