Chapter 15.

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I felt my feet pound the sidewalk as I sprinted after him. This had been the most exciting thing that had happened all week and there was no way I was letting him get away.

It was Thursday afternoon. All week, I had been bored out of my mind as Maximilian dragged me to his soccer practices, games and dates with Candice. We also hung out with his friends, don't get me wrong, they were awesome, but this: this was what I had missed. The chase, the fights. My life.

I jumped over a bike spotting the guy stumble into an alley.

See, Maximilian and I had finished school and he decided it would be nice to walk to Shayne's house, since he didn't live that far (he was sick so he had not been to school and Maximilian appeared to care enough about him to actually want to pop in with some food and make sure he was okay. Right, Maximilian was quite a good friend). But a ten-minute walk somehow turned into an hour when we began messing around in a park with a bunch of children before an ice cream vendor tried to stab Maximilian.

Of course, there was always more than just me on Maximilian's track, a black Audi and Kendall's Lexus followed us everywhere. Which made it okay for me to abandon him and go after the ice cream guy.

I ran into the ally. I saw him move at the end trying to climb up the fire escape of a building but I ran up and jumped to grab his ankle. He fell back and I let him go as his head hit one of the stairs.

"No!" I ran to the bottom of the stairs and found him huddled at the ground. I felt his neck but my anger grew when I felt his pulse. The fall had knocked him out, but it wasn't hard enough to do any major damage. "Come on! Wake up!" I shoved him before I cursed as I stood up and kicked a can that was on the ground.

All that chasing and I didn't even get a fight! This mission was killing me!

"Whoa, calm down, Princess." I looked up and glared at one of our agents, Naresh, he had been the one driving the Audi. I frowned down at the guy as Naresh chuckled while walking towards us. "Is he alive?"

"Yes." I said before Naresh knelt down and cuffed him, "Where's the Prince?" I asked.

"Back of the car. You can drive Maximilian home while Lance and I take care of him." Naresh said handing me the keys.

I nodded and walked out. I looked around and noticed Kendall's Lexus wasn't there before I climbed into the car and waited for Lance to get out and Maximilian to move to the front seat. I started the car and began driving us back to the palace and noticed a car joined us sometime into the drive, trailing us. I recognised it and knew it was Kendall; I also got a call to tell me it was.

"I'm sorry." I looked at Maximilian as we drove into the palace yards with him smiling and waving at the guards and me doing the same as they waved back.

"For what?" I asked.

"This. You being here. I know you do not want to be here... I know it is not much fun for you –" he was saying.

"Max, it's fine. It's not that bad. I mean, you're an asshole, but you can be nice." He laughed, "Gabe and the others are awesome, your brothers are pretty much family. It's not bad, honestly. Maybe if there was a little more fighting... but maybe this break is good." I said.

He smiled. "You want to go somewhere?" he asked, "I mean, I know it probably will not be as exciting as punching someone in the face – because apparently that is fun for you –" I laughed, "But I guarantee that it is not that bad." He said.

I bit my lip.

"Didn't your dad say I shouldn't let you do anything until you've done your work?" I asked.

"Jessica, live a little, and let me drive, God damn it. I never get to drive!" he said. I laughed.

"Fine." I smiled.

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"Where are we going?" I asked Maximilian as he drove.

We had gone inside to change our clothing and drop our schoolbags; luckily no one was home so no one (except Arthur) questioned us about leaving. I was dressed in a ripped skinny jeans and a loose fitting tank top curtsy of Jane and Thandi. I also found myself wearing a pair of sneakers... On the back seat lay my leather jacket along with Maximilian's.

"It is a surprise, Cousin." I rolled my eyes. He seemed to love calling me that, even when it was completely unnecessary.

"Maximilian, if you don't tell me where you're taking me I will be forced to end this and take you back to the palace." He snorted after I spoke.

"You say that like you are not excited." I laughed.

"Seriously, though. Max, where are we –" I was cut off by his phone ringing. It was currently on the windscreen, connected to the car through the aux cable as it had been playing his music.

He tapped on it.

"Hey, Max. We just got home. Where are you?" Edgar's voice came through the car's speakers.

"Driving to the Valley with Jess. Meet you there?" he asked.

"Jessica? Sure, I will meet you guys there. Oh, and get me a hotdog, I am starving." The line went dead.

I raised my brows and Maximilian didn't even have to look at me to know that.

"The Valley is this place Edgar and I sneak off to sometimes. I mean, everyone knows we do it, we just are not really allowed to because it is 'dangerous'. We do it anyway, Adrian and Edward know but they keep quiet about it because Edward has this nerd club he sneaks off to as well." Maximilian said.

"Nerd club?" I asked.

Maximilian chuckled, 'We just call it that to piss him off."

"Oh... What about Adrian?" I watched as Maximilian sucked his teeth.

"Our parents are much stricter on him; they keep him so busy it is impossible for him to do anything but the 'right' thing – their thing, rather. I hate it... because I do not think he actually knows who he is that deeply since he has to be this perfect being every second. He is just their perfect little puppet..." Maximilian's hands had tightened around the steering before he sighed and smiled at him, "Anyway, here we are."

I looked up as we reached gates with a sign that read 'The Valley' on it. I couldn't really concentrate though because I was focused on what Maximilian had just said. Puppet?

I was snapped from my thoughts when I heard a loud roar. I gasped as my eyes fell on what was in front of us.

"Oh my God –" Maximilian laughed as I jumped out of the car. I was staring at a massive biking course.

"Welcome to my heaven, cousin. Let me show you my baby –" Maximilian locked the car before he grabbed my hand and dragged me towards a building.

"Kevin!" I watched as Maximilian pretty much jumped on the man that stood at the gate. The guy laughed hugging him.

"Max!" The guy laughed, "Been a while, where have you been? Where's Edgar?" Kevin asked.

"He's on his way. I've been busy; you know, school and stuff. Oh yeah, this is my cousin, Jessica."

I smiled waving at Kevin.

"How come I've never met this beauty?" Kevin said. I smiled at the flattery.

"She just moved into the palace. I just wanted to show her why she'll never want to leave." Kevin laughed as Maximilian smirked.

"Go right in." Kevin said. "I won't be here when you start riding, though. My shift just ended."

"Great, before you go, Kev. Can you get me three hotdogs, please?" Maximilian asked. Kevin snorted, "Come on, I'll polish your bike."

"Mmm... Okay." Kevin said, "And her wheels." He pointed at Maximilian as he backed away.

"Alright, make that six hot dogs, three cokes and an ice cream then." Maximilian said, "And –"

"Don't push it, your majesty." We laughed as Kevin walked off.

"Come on," Maximilian shoved a huge door open and held his hand out. I rolled my eyes and he chuckled as I walked in smiled as my eyes fell on a massive warehouse full of bikes before he followed me in pulling the door shut behind me.

There were quite a few people hanging around talking to other people or cleaning or fixing bikes. I followed Maximilian as he began walking through the parked bikes. He greeted a few people before we go to a black and red bike.

"This, Jessica, is Fiona. You know, because Edgar has an unhealthy little obsession with Shrek." I laughed as Maximilian squinted his face. "And this –" my eyes followed his hands onto a silver and black bike, "This is Quinn." He said, "She's mine. Here –" I caught the keys he fished from his pocket and threw at me.

"For Quinn?" My eyes widened.

"I trust you." I smiled widely as I climbed onto his bike. I was no stranger to riding.

I watched as he climbed onto Edgar's bike before we both started our bikes. I smiled as he drove out of the warehouse, one side had open shutters. I followed him out and we drove onto the biking tracks.

"You ever dirt biked?" he looked at me.

"No. But I'm about to." He laughed as I drove off into the dunes. We rode and raced for about an hour, Edgar was watching us from the stands where he spoke to a few people and ate.

I drove off the track and pulled the helmet off my head. I saw that Maximilian had kept going so that he could leave Fiona where Edgar was and borrow someone else's bike. I watched them race each other and their friends. I laughed at how they competitive they were. I would occasionally cheer when Edgar sped past Maximilian just to annoy him. It always made Edgar stick his tongue out at this brother. I frowned. I wonder if Adrian... I doubt... Compared to his brothers he seemed a lot less likely to break the rules or anything. He seemed like he wouldn't do risky things... Does the gadget store count as a risk for him?

I was leaning against Maximilian's bike eating the ice cream Kevin had given me (or rather drinking it) when I saw Maximilian walking towards me looking rather anxious. I smiled looking behind him and let out a cheer and a clap as Edgar's bike flew over the hills before I looked back at Maximilian who had now moved to my side and was sitting on his bike's seat, but still facing the course.

"What's wrong, Max?" I dropped my ice cream a little. He drew a breath.

"Um..." He played with his fingers, "Do you think if I asked Candice to be my date to the engagement party, she would?" he asked.

"Engagement party?" I asked confused.

"Crap. I forgot to tell you, please do not tell anyone I forgot. Mother would be so mad... It is Adrian's engagement party. It will be held on Saturday." Oh. Engagement party... Nice... "So? Candice?" he asked looking nervous again.

I smiled. "You really like her, don't you?"

"A lot more than I like to admit..." he whispered honestly.

"Max, she would love to go with you. Any girl would be insane not to." I said.

"Right? I mean come on, I am so good looking –" shoved him so he stumbled off his bike and we laughed. "Who will you be attending with?" he asked.

"I won't be attending." I said.

"Bull. You have to be at your cousin's engagement party. Besides, if I am being forced into formal clothing, have to behave 'properly' for the entire day despite the fact that I will have to pretend to be interested in the conversations I have with stuck up rich people and eat fricking Sushi and dried crackers because for some reason Emily loves that stuff, so do you, Jess." I laughed. As he finished looking annoyed.

"Then I will be going by myself." He snorted after I spoke.

"I will make Gabriel your escort." He said.

"Gabriel?" I asked.

"Yes, because I can see no way you two would ever have some kind of deeper relationship, Jaime and Shayne as well. Heck, even the thought is disgusting." He said, I shoved him but laughed and agreed with him none the less. There was no way.

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