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Chapter Three

Adrian stared at Jill as the completely sincere request that left her lips hung between them. She looked quite disheveled, having run all the way from the main house. Her curls had sprung free from her twist and her make up was streaked across her face.

"Adrian?" Jill asked when he didn't respond, her words coming out between pants for air.

"I think I misheard you," Adrian replied.

Jill shook her head quickly, knocking more curls loose. "You have to…please. You said you'd help me," she pleaded

He gently put his hand on her arm and guided her inside of his apartment. He closed and locked the door behind them. "I promised I'd help you," he said once they were seated in the living room. "But that's not helping you…"

"But it is!" Jill insisted.

"Sweetheart, what happened tonight?" he asked. Jill's own feelings were too ramped up for her to feel Adrian's own, which was probably a good thing tonight because his own were totally freaked out at the prospect of being with Jill.

"It was awful. Jesse is just like you said," Jill said to him. "I mean during dinner he was fine. Maybe a little full of himself, but not cruel."

"Jesse's a smooth operator. He wouldn't show his true colors in front of everyone," Adrian said. "Especially the queen."

"After dinner we took a walk and he…said some things," Jill said. She rubbed her arm as if it would help get the taint of his words off her skin.

"You can tell me," Adrian encouraged her softly.

Jill looked down at her hands. "He said my feelings didn't matter. All that mattered was having children and gaining power. He asked if I wanted to start practicing the baby part now…" she murmured.

Adrian's eyes flashed, darkening quickly. "Tell Lissa what happened," he firmly insisted.

Now that Jill was calmer she could sense Adrian's anger. "It won't do any good," Jill said. "Lissa isn't going to change her mind."

"Well, maybe you won't have to talk to Lissa…he'll be dead the second get my hands on him and none of this will matter," Adrian replied.

Jill managed a small laugh. She rested her hand on Adrian's arm. "I appreciate that, but I don't need you getting in trouble for me," she said. "I'm still hoping I can think of some way to show Lissa what a mistake this is, but if this is really it…Just the thought of being with him…" she said slowly. "If I'm going to have to be with him I at least want control over my first time."

"Jailbait, I understand what you're saying, but it shouldn't be with me either. It should be with someone you love," Adrian said gently. "You're not thinking clearly right now. Besides I'm bad news, remember?"

"If you're talking about Rose…" Jill said to him.

Adrian shook his head quickly. "This isn't about her. And like you said. You can fight this…we'll fight this," he said. "You can't give up so easily."

"The only thing I've ever wanted was to be close to Lissa," Jill said. "Now the first time I can do something for her…it's something I don't want to do."

"Maybe you could talk to Christian," Adrian suggested. "Lissa actually listens to him."

"He did seem kind of troubled by this whole thing," Jill agreed, recalling the look on his face during dinner.

"He's your in," Adrian said quickly.

"Do you think?" Jill asked, her face lighting up a little bit.

"I think it's your best bet, Jailbait," Adrian replied, relieved she didn't look so distraught anymore. He wasn't in love with Jill, but he did love her and care about her well being.

…

Jill stayed at Adrian's for a bit longer before returning to her room in the main house. She sat at her dressing table to untangle the mess her hair had become. Before Jill could even remove the first pin, her phone pinged with a new email.

She slipped the device out of her bag, her eyes growing wide when she read the message. "Queen Vasilisa Sabina Rhea Dragomir requests your presence at the marriage of her sister Princess Jillian Dragomir to Jesse Zeklos on December 31…" Jill stammered over the words. "It's happening…it's over." Talking to Christian wasn't going to do any good now. The phone slipped from her hand as she sank onto the seat in front of the table.

Across court Adrian read the same message on his phone. He chewed on the inside of his cheek. He didn't know what he could possibly say to make this situation better.

Except one thing.

He picked up the phone and dialed Jill before he could change his mind.

The ringing of the phone startled Jill. She scrambled to retrieve the item from the floor. "Hello?" Jill asked into the receiver.

"Yes," Adrian said. "I'll do it."