Page 20 of Innocent Princess

I should be ashamed at how crazy I just acted, but I'm not. I can't fight off the smile as I head up to my suite.

8

Ryker

I carefully openthe tower door, then peek in, diverting my eyes to the window Zella normally occupies. But it's empty. I step fully into the room and close the door behind me.

Damn.

I was really hoping she was going to be here. I didn't come up here today to see Zella, but to get the new server password. It would have been a perk had she been here though. I slide my bag onto the empty desk and move to the window with the best view of Cannon's office. I quickly snap a picture and put my phone and monocular into the side pocket of my bag, my focus stuck on her window. I call it 'hers' because there's one of those square, decorative pillows in the windowsill. My lips turn up in a smile. She's made this place her own.

Walking over to the window, I look out to the courtyard and run my fingers over the sequined edge of the pillow. To see what she sees. Why does she love looking out across the campus? Watching all the students go about their day can’t be that exciting.

The woman has me in knots. She's got me spending all my free time looking into her family, not to mention this whole, do I take her to the ball or not matter. The thought of her asking some art geek to the ball grates on my nerves. I don't want to think about this dude with his arms around her, dancing so close to her that he can feel the heat of her breath on his cheek. No, it should be me, I should be the one holding her and by her side when she experiences a fancy event for the first time.

On the flip side, the thought of a tux makes my neck itch. There’s only one jacket I will wear, my brown leather one, which is not fit for a black-tie affair such as the Glass Ball. Being fancy as fuck isn’t my scene.

Zella makes me do things I shouldn't, like this search for her biological parents. It's taking up all my time. So much so, that it was ultimately the nail in the coffin for me not taking the CamU bank account job.

My contact wasn't thrilled when I turned it down. He even offered to up the payout. Shit, the money was so fucking tempting. It really was. I did some research, and in the end, I was only about eighty-five percent sure I would have been able to pull off the job without a hitch. Had I taken the job, I would have done my due diligence and made sure I felt one hundred and ten percent sure beforehand, but the money wasn't enough to sway me.

I've been straddling the line for a few years now. Breaking the law just a little, and I've been okay with that. Until recently. I'll graduate eventually, and I'll have to decide: real-world, law-abiding job, or hacker. Not saying I can't do all three, but a decision will need to be made. Truth be told, the past couple of weeks, trying to find Zella's parents, made me realize using my skills to help feels pretty fucking good.

Not that I want to put on my white hat anytime soon, but I know there are jobs out there, for those who have my skill set, that don't involve breaking the law. But for now, I'll sit here with my gray hat on and continue to straddle the line of good and bad intentions.

For the moment, I'm on the good side. For Zella. I've almost cracked the missing link: the names and location of her birth parents. I'm trying not to rush my way through the process. What I'm doing leaves no room for error, but I can't help but imagine her reaction when I tell her I've found them.

I was telling her the truth that first day when I said this job would be risky. Fucking-A, it is risky. The shit I had to do to find her biological parents was intense. To be clear, I was stealthy and on the top of my game. The riskier the job, the greater the high, that's for sure.

I pull my unfocused gaze from the courtyard below and turn to walk toward the door. I grab my bag and pass the table. I can't help the lingering disappointment that she wasn't here. Maybe I should get her phone number, then I could have asked when she was going to be here.

I could have her number. It would be super simple to get. Hell, I'm sure after some sweet talking, I could get it from Wells, but I'd really like to do things the old-fashioned way with her.

Several minutes later, I cut through the courtyard and unexpectedly spot Zella across the way. She's lying out on a large blanket, leaning back on her arms, her legs stretched out in front of her. Her hair is braided and hanging back behind her. Her face is upturned to the sun, as if soaking up all the warm fall heat. I'm too far to make out her expression, but I'm guessing there is a smile on her face.

Two reasons lead me to that assumption: she's always smiling, and Cameron is sitting next to her. After the night in the library when I found out Cameron and Zella grew up together, I feel at ease in regard to their relationship. However, the past week or so, Cameron's gone out of his way to turn up the charm when I'm around. I'm about eighty percent sure he's fucking with me. It's enough to keep me on alert.

I really want to like the guy, he's a cool dude, but my mind is made up. I want Zella, and I don't want to fight against a childhood best friend. He'd have an unfair advantage.

I can't keep my eyes from her though. She's so beautiful. In the sun, she nearly glows. The way the light shines down on her makes it nearly impossible to look anywhere else. Fortunately, I don't need to look away in order to move a little to my right to a bench, one of many placed sporadically throughout the courtyard path.

Call it creepy—hell, watching her from afar is creepy as fuck—but I'm just close enough that I can study her without risking getting caught.

I'm lost in the moment when I hear a voice next to me.

"The creeper vibe isn't a good look on you, man."

Wells. Fucking Wells. This should be fun.

I tear my eyes from Zella, swivel my head toward him, and glare. He's sitting right next to me. I'm surprised I didn't hear him approach or notice him take a seat.

"Why would you think I'm a creeper? Can’t a dude just chill on a bench in the middle of the day?" I grumble my point.

He chuckles at my disdain. I give him the stink eye; I've got sunglasses on, so I doubt he catches it.

I turn my attention back toward Zella but make a point not to look at her. We are quiet for a few moments before he breaks the silence.

"I'm happy you are helping her find her parents." He looks out over the yard, talking to me but not directly.

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