Chapter 1

Kieran's POV:

They say that I am lucky to be born a prince. However, being a prince in real life is 180 degrees different from how it is portrayed in fairy tales. This isn't just about luxury, but it comes with so many responsibilities and sometimes the weight of the crown becomes too much to bear. I have literally no freedom. From the second I open my eyes in the morning, to brushing my teeth, eating, talking, studying and even pissing... I am under surveillance and it suffocates me.

I have only one dream. That is to break from the shackles of this one hell of the royal prison.

I was trying to find the bottle of wine in the wine cellar, when I heard footsteps behind me and they made me pause. "Fuck!" I muttered under my breath and my back straightened up. Meanwhile, a fakest of the fake smile caused my lips to curl up as I turned around and looked at the Royal butler Bernard. I swear this man is allergic to minding his own business.

"Your Royal Highness, you know that you are banned from drinking, right?" He asked me in a stern voice and I chuckled.

"Bernard, do you really have to be so strict with me?" I patted his shoulder, "You know that I cannot sleep without having a little bit of alcohol in my system."

"I will have a chamomile tea made for you. It will help you with insomnia." His eyes were unfazed, "And after all the trouble your drinking has caused last time, His Majesty has especially commanded all the staff to refrain you from drinking. If you get caught doing it, everyone will be in huge trouble. So, please do not make things difficult for others."

I sighed and pinched my nose, "Okay, okay. You do not have to get so serious with me. I will not drink, alright?" I walked out of the wine cellar half heartedly and he followed me like a shadow.

"For now, you have been summoned into the study." He stated flatly, and his words made me pause.

"Father called me?" I was stunned. He doesn't call me often. Unless it is something important and at this sudden piece of news, I felt shivers in my spine.

"Yes. He is waiting for you." Bernard relayed the message and now, instead of following me, he was leading the way towards the East Wing of the Palace where my father, King Elias Gray lives. I exhaled loudly and followed the old man who had been with the royal family even before I was born. He is one hell of a loyal subject, and it suffocates me to see him so upright.

When we arrived in the study room and Bernard opened the door for me, after gently knocking on it 3 times, I walked in. This place is humongous. The air was filled with the faint scent of paper, ink and the sandalwood that was burning into the hearth. On one side of the room, there is a tall bookshelf that is full of all sorts of books. Furthermore, in the middle of the ceiling a beautiful chandelier is hanging and right under it, there was a huge and vintage wooden table where my father worked.

Right now, he was sitting there. He was not dressed in some suit but dressed casually in a button-down shirt and pants. He looked at me like I am some nuisance. Well, I am. I have never made his life easy and, therefore, his hair is turning grey and greier every day.

"What the hell have you been up to?" That was the first thing he asked me and I instantly glanced at Bernard. Well, he has been with me, there is no way the news of me sneaking a bottle of wine got to him so fast.

"Nothing, father. In fact, I have been quite docile and behaved myself today." I looked at him innocently and he chuckled.

"You and docile?" The smile vanished from his face as soon as it came, "I am your father. I am the reason you are in this world, not the other way around."

I pouted, "You are being mean." I murmured.

"Well, I can be meaner." He stated and glanced at something next to me. I followed his line of sight and it suddenly dawned on me that it was not just me, father and Bernard in this room but there was another person here. He had been standing so quietly that I never realized it.

Moreover, I was dumbfounded to see what a giant this person is. He must have been at least 6.5ft tall, dressed in a black suit. It fitted him so perfectly that his muscles were practically oozing out of the fabric. His black hair was combed back, his skin was tan, like he had worked really hard in his life. In addition to that, his skin was filled with ink. Although I could not clearly see it as he was dressed at the moment, the tattoos were peeking out on his neck and his hands. This is one hell of a person. I didn't realize that I had been gawking at him until he lifted his black eyes, and stared at me with such emptiness that I flinched.

"Meet him. This is Adrien Vale, your new guard." Father told me and my eyes snapped from this beautiful piece of meat to my father who is trying to make my life as hard as possible.

"What?" I was shocked, "I told you. I do not need another human shield."

"You do. Do you have any idea what kind of threats are lurking around us these days?" He glared at me, "The council is trying to dethrone you and, in order to achieve their purpose, they can go to any length and when I say 'any lengths' you should try to understand the severity of the matter, Kieran. This is not the time to be stubborn."

"Oh my fucking lord!" I cursed out, not even caring about any royal ethics that have been taught to me the second I opened my eyes.

"Language, Kieran." He said to me with no hint of softness.

"When I say that I do not need another guard, I don't. These gym rats cannot protect me. Why don't you understand it?" I sighed, "Remember the last guard that I had.. he cried when I switched his protein powder with the sugar powder. They are more concerned about losing their muscles than my safety."

"Adrien is not like others. He is a former soldier. He is well trained and can protect you better than anyone else." His words were firm and I could see that he was not going to take a 'no' for an answer.

I looked at the man who looked delicious to me, just a few seconds ago but now he is not less than another shackle around my feet, "Follow me out."

I turned around to leave but he bowed down to my father before following me out. Bernard stayed in the study while we were the only ones who came out of there. I huffed as I made my way back to my residence and the moment I was in the living room, I looked at him.

And this man has fucking audacity to look into my eyes as well. He did not back down, "Leave before I will make your life a living hell."

"I am sorry, I can't. I am bound by the royal contract." He told me and for the first time I heard his voice. It was just like him. Rough, deep and gravelly. It suits him perfectly.

"I heard that you ran away last time from a gala." He added, "But no matter how much you hate the idea of me as your guard, I am not going to leave you, Your Highness. It is my duty and responsibility to protect you and I am going to do it at all costs. Even if it means handcuffing you."

His last 6 words made me smile. I walked closer to him. So close that I could feel his minty breath on my face. He stood firm on his ground and didn't move an inch.

I see. A tough cookie. Well, this makes it more fun.

However, I hated how he was taller than me. Well, I have a good 6.2ft height but the way he was looking down to meet my eyes, I did not like it.

"Kinky, I guess." I smirked, "I like the idea of you handcuffing me."

Adrien did not say anything. His eyes remained unreadable but for a nano second, I swear I saw something flicker in them. Amusement? Lust? Desire? I could not decipher it.

His back straightened and he breathed heavily, "If handcuffing you can keep you alive, then I can do it. Kinky or not."

For the love of all mothers, I did not expect him to throw that back at me.

"You do not seem as boring as you look." I titled my head and I am sure there is a grin plastered on my fucking face at the moment.

"Well, you do not know me," he said coolly, "Yet."

I paused for a second, everything halted and suddenly a loud screeching laugh escaped from my mouth, "God!" This man is twice my size and he can crush me with just a squeeze of his arms but for some reasons, I liked him.

"You know that I have a habit of throwing tantrums." I told him and he instantly nodded.

"And I sneak out," I added.

"I have done my research. So, yes, I am aware of it." He responded.

"I am telling you, you are in one hell of a mess-" I poked his chest with my index finger, "You will have to follow me around, clean up my mess and even watch me flirt with others. You are going to be miserable."

"I have been through worse."

I smirked, "I can see that. You look like you just walked out of some tragic romance novel." He did not smile and I plopped onto the couch and glanced at him.

"You do not like me, Adrien." This time I spoke softly.

"I do not have to like you to keep you alive." Trust me, this man has an answer to my every fucking question.

"Fair enough." I yawned tiredly, "You can leave now."

He looked at me like he had heard the most absurd thing of his life, "I will live with you."

"What?" I sprang up from the couch and I felt a sharp wave of migraine and I swear after making me all pathetic, this giant devil smirked. This time it was his fucking turn to make fun of my misery.

He walked towards the window and pulled down the drapes, "You have a schedule from 7am tomorrow. I will be outside your room 10 minutes before that as I heard that you do not like to have breakfast," he said, "Have a good night, Your Highness."

I got up from the couch and tucked my hands inside the pockets of my pants, "Aren't you going to give me a goodnight kiss?"

He did not blink, "I can give you a kiss, if it is to save your life. I don't think we are in any dire situation at the moment."

"It is going to be fun with you, Adrien. I am looking forward to it." I smirked for the 1000th time after meeting him. Adrien Vale has something, something mysterious that provokes me in all the bad ways. The way he looks at me, the way his muscles clench when I throw some words at him, although there is not even a subtle change to his face and it feels like life isn't going to be as boring as it used to be.