The Princess Next Door

Chapter 32

Cara's P.O.V.

My father was gracious enough to allow Uncle Ken to stay with us and we were now at the dining room table about to eat. As I was sitting in between my Uncle and my Fiance, I wanted to just run away. I didn't want to be any closer to Adrian than was absolutely necessary.

He put his right arm on my leg and leaned over into my ear, " After dinner, I will escort you to your room and we will finish what we started earlier" he said as he squeezed my thigh and I just winced at the contact. " Are you okay Cara?" my Uncle asked as I just nodded but he could always look through me and see how I truly felt. " After dinner, will you give me a tour of the Palace, Cara?" as he looked at me and I graciously said, " Yes of course" as he grinned at me and I felt like I won the lottery. The more time with him, the less time I had to be with Adrian. Adrian just glared at my Uncle but he seemed unfazed by it.

After dinner, I was showing my Uncle the courtyard in the back and the beautiful gardens that surrounded it. "So, is Adrian the one you are supposed to marry?" Ken asked me as we walked on. " Yes, and he won't leave me alone. You already know how I feel about Shawn and I can't stand being apart from him" I sighed as we stopped and sat on a nearby bench.

" I can tell he is very possessive over you, has he tried to hurt you?" " Yes, on two different occasions. I even told Father and he could care less. That is why I wanted to come back home and forget all this mess. Life was so much simpler when I didn't know I was a Princess" I said as I felt tears come down my cheeks.

" Cara, I understand where you are coming from. Your Aunt felt the same way, that's why we ran away together. I promise, I will do my best to protect you while I'm here. Your father said he has his best men looking out there for your Aunt but I still miss her" he said sadly. I leaned over and kissed his cheek. " I'm sure we will find her soon" I told him reassuringly.

Shawn's P.O.V

As the woman and I awaited our fate, the man next to her finally awoke with a fright. He started talking in some crazy launguage I had never heard and the man with the fedora started yelling at him to quiet down. Suddenly, the warehouse door opened in front of us and we were blinded by headlights. The car pulled up to us and probably stopped a foot before it would have hit us.

A tall man about his early 40's steps out of the car in an expensive suit. He has a sharp nose and broad shoulders as he looks down upon us as we are nothing. " Well, good to see you Shawn... and this must be Dana Lorraine... I have waited years to meet you my lovely lady" he said as he knelt down and put his finger under her chin so that they could look into each other's eyes. " Ivan.." she said quietly. " yes my love, we were supposed to be married but then you ran out on me. Such a waste of beauty you have become" he said as he turned and looked at me. " Shawn, do you remember me?" I looked at him, not sure of who he is, but he does look familiar. " No, I do not" I told him.

"Of course you wouldn't remember, you were so young when we were in the orphanage together. It's been a long time my brother" he smiled at me as I looked at him curiously. " Brother?" I repeated. " Yes, we are brothers. Our parents left us and even though I'm 9 years older than you, I tried to take care of you even though you were quite tough on your own" he laughed. " How do I know your telling the truth?" I asked him. " Well for one, you have a small scar on your left hip from when you got cut at the orphanage. Another boy tried to cut you with a knife while fighting and you dodged it quickly so it only cut your skin" he said as he stood up tall. He was telling the truth about that story, but I was still confused as to why he waited till now to find me. " Why now?" I asked him.

" Because you are going to help me overthrow the King of Germany. If you don't then your sweet little Princess

Cara will become my slave" he sneered as fought back to get out of the chair I was tied to. "You wouldn't dare" I said to him. "Oh, I am in charge now of the Russian Mob little brother. You would do best to follow my orders or else" he said as I contemplated my options. I didn't have much of a choice.

" Okay, what must I do" I asked as he clapped his hands. " Good, we will let you free. Then we will talk in my office" he said as they unbound me and I followed him upstairs to an office. I hoped that I wasn't setting myself up.