Chapter 177 

Chapter 177 

“How did they know you were here?” Keira’s voice came out strangled, her hands clutching the lapels of her robe tighter. This was a goddamn nightmare. 

+23) 

Alexei’s jaw clenched as he peered through the peephole. “They didn’t. They look shocked to see me. The fact we got kidnapped must have gotten out. It was only a matter of time.” He turned back to her, his expression darkening. “They came for you… to talk about the kidnapping. Finding me here just gave them a much bigger story.” 

“But how did they get my address?” Keira’s mind raced. “I’m not listed anywhere.” 

“Being kidnapped with a prince makes you newsworthy. Determined reporters can find almost anyone.” His voice was tight, controlled fury vibrating beneath the surface. “Your name was probably in the hospital records, and they worked from there.” 

“So now instead of just being the assistant who got kidnapped, I’m the slut who’s sleeping with her royal boss.” The panic was morphing into anger. “My entire life is about to be dissected by tabloids, and for what? Some sex with the playboy Prince?” 

His expression hardened. “Is that all last night was to you? Some sex?” 

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” She paced across the small living room. When she was angry or upset, she got mouthy. “But it doesn’t matter what it meant to us…out there, they’re already creating their own story.” 

“This will blow over in a few days,” he said, though his tone lacked conviction. 

“For you, maybe!” She threw her hands up. “You’ll fly back to your castle and your adoring subjects. I’ll be the whore who slept with her boss. The gold–digger who seduced a prince.” 

“Don’t use that word.” His voice dropped dangerously. 

“Which one? Whore? Or gold–digger? Because those are exactly the words they’ll use.” She gestured wildly toward the door where reporters continued shouting questions. “I’ve seen how the media treats women who get involved with powerful men. I’ll just be the nobody assistant who spread her legs-” 

“Enough!” Alexei’s voice cracked like a whip. “I won’t let that happen.” 

“You can’t stop it. You’ve made sure of that by coming here!” 

His eyes narrowed. “I seem to recall you begging me last night. Multiple times, in fact.” 

The low blow landed perfectly. Keira recoiled as if he’d struck her. 

“Get out.” Her voice trembled. 

“Keira- 

“I said get out!” She was shaking now, rage and humiliation swirling into something toxic. “Go back to your perfect royal life and leave me to clean up this mess.” 

Through the walls of her apartment, they could hear the reporters‘ voices growing louder, more insistent. Someone was pounding on her neighbor’s door, probably trying to get quotes about the “royal romance.” 

“They’re not going anywhere,” Alexei said quietly, checking the peephole again. “There are at least twenty of them out there.” 

Keira sank onto her couch, head in her hands. “This is a disaster.” 

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9:42 pm 

Chapter 177 

“It doesn’t have to be.” He moved toward her cautiously. “We can control the narrative-” 

“Control the narrative?” She looked up at him incredulously. “I’m standing here in a bathrobe looking like I just had the best. sex of my life, which I did, and you think we can control anything? They have pictures, Alexei. Pictures of you trying to leave my apartment just after dawn.” 

The weight of it hit her fully. Her privacy, gone. Her anonymity, destroyed. Her life was about to become public property, dissected and analyzed by strangers who would reduce her to nothing more than the prince’s latest conquest. Her sisters had been in the public eye. Keira just never thought it would happen to her. At least not like this. 

He was fortunate his next words didn’t question her comment about the best sex of her life statement, because Keira felt she might have killed him. “I’m sorry,” he said, and for the first time since she’d known him, Alexei looked disappointed. She didn’t know if it was directed at her or the situation they now found themselves in. “I’m so fucking sorry, Keira. You didn’t 

ask for this.” 

“No, I didn’t.” She stood abruptly, pacing to the window. Through a gap in the curtains, she could see the crowd growing. News vans were arriving. “But I should have expected it. I should have known better.” 

“Known better than what?” 

“Than to trust you.” The words came out harsher than she intended, but she couldn’t take them back. “Than to believe this could be anything other than a scandal waiting to happen.” 

“That’s not what this is.” 

“Isn’t it?” She gestured toward the window. “Look outside, Alexei. This is exactly what this is.” 

His phone buzzed again. Then again. The notifications were coming in rapid succession now. 

She was glad her phone was still in the bedroom. 

“Mitchell,” he said grimly, declining the call. “And my father’s chief of staff. And probably half the Wystovian government.” 

“Answer it.” 

“Keira- 

“Answer the damn phone!” She was still shaking, whether from anger or shock or the aftermath of everything they’d been through, she couldn’t tell. “Face the consequences of our choices.” 

He stared at her for a long moment, then swiped to answer the next call. 

“Mitchell. His voice was clipped. The mask was back in place. 

Keira couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, but she could see Alexei’s expression growing darker with each passing second. 

“I understand… Yes, I see them… No, that won’t be necessary… I’ll handle it…. Yes, alright.” 

He ended the call and looked at her with something that might have been regret. 

“They’re sending a security detail. Full extraction protocol.” 

“Extraction protocol?” Keira asked. “What does that mean?” 

“It means they’re treating this like a security breach” He explained. “Car with tinted windows, decoy vehicles, the works.” 

2/3 

9:43 pm S 

Chapter 177 

“And me?” He was leaving her here to handle it all on her own so he could fly home to daddy. “What happens to me when you disappear in your royal motorcade?” The question came out smaller than she intended. “When you fly back to Wystovia and I’m left here to deal with this circus alone?” Keira knew she had told him to get out moments ago and now she was panicking… Call it fucking shock, that her mind was all over the place. One moment she wanted him to go and then the next not leave her here alone. 

He turned to face her fully. “You won’t be alone. I promise. I will leave protection—” 

“That’s not what I’m asking.” She crossed her arms, suddenly feeling very exposed despite her robe. “I’m asking if this is where you cut and run. Where the prince protects himself and leaves the commoner to face the consequences.” 

“That’s not fair.” 

“Isn’t it?” Her voice rose despite her efforts to stay calm. “Because from where I’m standing, that’s exactly what’s happening. You get whisked away to safety while I become the story. The woman who seduced the prince. The assistant who couldn’t keep her hands off her boss.” 

‘I won’t let them paint you that way.” 

‘How are you going to stop them? You’ll be on another continent! But I’m telling you now, if you walk through that door and leave me to this mess, don’t bother coming back.” 

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