In the limo, on the way back to the hotel after Tom’s royal investiture gala, Dryce was unusually quiet. He stared out the window while Austin and Erik talked back and forth to each other.

“Mr. Ngo, I’m sorry but that shit was freaking awesome. Watching Yally in action tonight was…” Erik gushed.

“I didn’t even see what all happened,” Austin said, almost disappointed.

“Oh my god. It was incredible. Yally got that guy’s attention by yelling something at him. All I saw was her running across the dance floor, in that dress and heels no less, and grabbing the guy. At first I thought she was just going to dance with the guy, as like a cover or something to get closer to Dryce. But then, BAM! Guy turns to putty and she practically carries him over to me. I tell ya what… if you would have blinked you would have missed the whole thing. Within seconds that guy was a freaking paper weight,” Erik said, overly excited.

“Well, thankfully, that guy’s not actually dead. In the morning I’ll contact the embassy and get clearance to go interview him. I’ll find out what he knows, and who he’s working for,” Austin stated.

Erik was still hyper, and was obviously affected by Yally. “Man, I still can’t even figure out how she got in there. That place was locked down.”

“That place was damn secure. With all of those royal families that place was locked down like Fort Knox. But Yally still found her way in.” Austin was just as impressed.

“The shit that’s in her file is downsized like a motherfucker,” Erik chuckled. “Watching her in action… I mean, damn.”

Erik looked over at Dryce. Erik could tell that he wasn’t paying a lick of attention. His mind was elsewhere.

“You alright over there, kiddo?” Erik tapped Dryce’s knee.

“Hmm? Yeah, whatever you guys want to do… I’m down for whatever,” Dryce responded.

With another chuckle, Erik palmed his knee cap and shook him. “No, we’re talking about our newest recruit. What do you think of her?”

Dryce’s face turned bright red and he turned as far away from Erik as he could. “I don’t really know her all that much,” he said in a shy timid tone.

Erik eyed Dryce quizzically and was about to call him out for his curious behavior when Austin cleared his throat.

The limo rounded the corner getting ready to pull up to the hotel. Austin leaned up, getting closer to Erik, whispering, “Alright, we still don’t really know what’s all going on, but we know that it’s starting. They’re actively after the Prince, so, let’s be on the ready until we get him up to the suite.”

“We making a hasty rush-in?” Erik asked, still pumped, ready for some more action.

“Sure, sounds like a plan. Are you ok with that Your Highness?” Austin asked.

Dryce nodded yes and shrugged his shoulders. I kind of wish something would happen. Then I would get to see her again, he thought.

They rushed through the lobby to the private elevator that would take them up to the suite. Erik was extra on guard, since he knew that he had fucked up. Even though Yally was there to take care of that guy, he hadn’t even see that shit coming.

Inside the elevator was deathly quiet. Floor after floor passed, and all three of them were deep in their own thoughts. When the car came to a stop on their floor, the double doors opened and Erik checked the hall quickly before the trio made their way swiftly down the short hall to the suite.

Erik opened the door to the suite and flicked on the lights. “Whoa!” His hand darted to his sidearm before he recognized her. “Oh Yally, how the hell did you get here before us?”

“It’s my job,” she said with a shrug before she turned towards the suite door to wait for Austin. “I have some intel for us. I think you’re going to be pleased.”

Dryce entered the room. Yally’s eyes locked with his, her stomach fluttered. Talking to Austin while looking at Dryce, she continued, “I… umm… there’s, you know. I… umm, I have something else to tell you as well.”

Dryce felt the need to say something to her. He tried his hardest not to look her up and down. His eyes started to wander. Play it cool, play it cool. Say hello and tell her she looks gorgeous, he thought, giving himself a pep talk. “I’m… you’re going to bed.” Fuck.

Erik looked down at Dryce, definitely noticing the shine in his eyes when he looked at her. Erik, unlike Austin, hadn’t known Dryce his entire life; but over the past four years, he’s gotten to know enough. Erik grinned. The lightbulb finally going off in his brain when he realized what had caused the drastic change in the prince. It was like watching his little brother fall in love.

Stifling a smirk, Erik agreed, “Yeah, kiddo. You had a long day. It is time for you to hit the rack.” Erik led Dryce to the bedroom, teasing the prince now that they were out of earshot. Flashing Dryce a knowing look, Erik closed the bedroom door before returning to Austin and Yally.

* * *

Pacing back in forth in the bedroom, Dryce ripped his cell phone out of pocket. Still pacing, he called Tom.

“Hey Dryce, what’s up man? You dipped out of here way too fast. You missed the real party dude,” Tom answered the phone. “I’m about to get deep in these girls.”

“Hey, I just wanted to call and tell you congrats one more time,” Dryce replied. He had a strange tone about him.

“Really? That’s not really like you. Calling me instead of arguing with me about which girls you’re going to try to take from me. What’s really going on?” Tom asked.

“I don’t know man. Shit got really real. Hell man, I… I think I’m in love.” Dryce was almost embarrassed to admit it. He’d never had these feelings before. And especially not for someone he had barely spoken to.

“Whaaat! You? With who?” Tom said loudly into the phone.

“She’s…. man, I don’t even know how to explain it,” Dryce fiercely whispered.

Dryce paced by the door and leaned over, trying to hear what they were talking about in the other room.

“Tom, man. I’m telling you, this has got to be love,” Dryce said before he backed away from the door and continued to walk around.

“What do you mean?” Tom asked. “I mean, no offense here bud, but you thought it was love with Sofia back then and she fucking played you harsh.”

“Yeah, I know. That was months of that bitch saying and doing all the right shit that I wanted back then. She was a fucking freak in the sack and had a mouth like a fucking hoover; that was all I cared about at the time. I was too stupid to see what she was really like, and look how that turned out,” he agreed.

Dryce looked up and saw that the balcony door was open. With a skipping step, he walked out on the balcony to the edge and leaned over trying to catch a glimpse of Yally. In the bottom corner of the window to the grand room of the suite, he could see her. She was standing with her back toward him while she spoke to Austin and Erik.

“Tom, I’m telling you man. This is the girl. Everything, from her bangs to her toenails, is perfect,” Dryce said, still leaning over the railing of balcony.

“I mean, c’mon man… you’ve been with more than your fair share of pretty hot girls before,” Tom chuckled.

“Not like this, dude. Yeah, I’ve been with a girl who had the ass, and that was about it. The ones with nice tits, and nothing else. But this girl, fuuuuuuuuck! I just can’t explain it. Her hair flows, her shoulders, yes of course her breasts. Her waist, arms, hips. Dude… even her calves are sexy as hell. She’s like… like a Franken-chick. Her eyes freeze me while her voice makes my brain melt.”

“Ok, so she’s put together. She as perfect as your Supra?” Tom joked.

“Tom, I would give that car up for this girl,” Dryce replied quickly, without even skipping a beat.

“Oh… oh damn. Bro, you really are in love.” Tom now understood the seriousness. “Ok, Dryce. Listen to me. I’m about to tell you something, and I swear to god. You better take this shit to the grave with you. If you EVER repeat this, I’ll kick your ass. Then I’ll deny it and kick your ass again. But…” Through the phone Dryce heard a door close and Tom’s footfalls on the marble floor of a hallway on the second floor of the manor. After a minute, Tom continued, “I was in love once before too. About a year ago, right before that shit went down with those underage girls. I didn’t know it at the time; I realized it after. But I didn’t ever go up and talk to her. I let her slip away from me. Never even got her name. Fucked with my head after I figured it out.”

“Nothing?” Dryce asked while still staring at Yally.

“Nope, nothing. I’m telling you to go talk to her. If she says no, at least you’ll know that you tried. You wouldn’t be in the same boat as I am right now, floating down ‘what if’ river. Fucking go find her!” Tom said almost like he was barking an order.

“Like right now?” Dryce asked.

“Wait! She’s there right now?”

“Yeah, she in the other room talking to Mr. Ngo and Tank,” Dryce replied.

“Then what the fuck are you doing still talking to me? Go, fucker!” Tom hung up on him.