It wasn’t lost on Augustine the worry she’d caused Caleb by not telling him anything. And worse, him finding out through her father? She couldn’t imagine how he felt. But the tone of his voice demanding her promise to share spoke volumes. “I promise.” She whispered and squeezed his pinky with hers. It wasn’t a promise sealed with a kiss, but it was a genuine one nonetheless.
The flight home was none eventful. To avoid any indiscretions and to calm her building desire to just be with Caleb, Augustine decided the safest thing was to fall asleep. And if she fell asleep on her bodyguard, well, her father couldn’t be mad. She was asleep and he was charged to protect her at all cost.
The plane touched down at JFK and the car was ready to pick the casino heir and her bodyguard up and whisk them home. Through the ride, Auggie kept her pinky locked with his. Desperately needing to feel him close. To be anchored to the one person who made her feel safe. The pair arrived home and as soon as they were alone, Augustine turned to Caleb and kissed him. She kissed him like her life depended on it. Like all her problems would be solved by this one kiss. Like she needed him like the air she breathed. She kissed Caleb hungry, wanton, expressing how much she’d missed him, but most importantly, how sorry she was for worrying him.
Nicholas set about to deal with problem he had unintentionally created for his daughter. Never had he intended to put her in any danger. Her coworkers? He didn’t care much for them. Collateral if they had to be. But Augustine was beautiful human being. Nothing like the parents who supposedly raised her. She cared for the people she worked with. She cared about their safety, their well-being. Something that Nicholas didn’t really understand himself. Everyone was replaceable. Everyone except his children. Let alone Augustine. Amongst the circle of people that Nicholas surrounded himself with, it wasn’t a secret that the middle child was his favorite. Maybe it’s because she was the only one without a twin. Maybe it’s because she was the only one that, head on and face first, challenged and questioned her father. She kept him on his toes.She kept him ‘decent’, ‘human’. The prism from which Augustine saw life and people was certainly a very different one than her father’s. But they tried to see it from each other’s perspective. And because everyone knew that she was his favorite, she was also the main target to get to Nicholas quickly and effectively.
A few days later, Augustine and Caleb were on their way back to New York. Gilles noticed Caleb standing by the car door and nodded his understanding. Around everyone, Augustine acted like she knew she was entitled to all of these luxuries. Like it was her birthright to be an ice princess. In front of her father she had huffed, protested, and rolled her eyes at Caleb more times than she could count. In front of her father, she was a princess. And she needed to be safe guarded as such. A precious figurine made out of the most fragile glass. But in the car, in the safety of the back seat, Augustine found herself relaxing a little. The divide between the front seats and the back was closed and Augustine had drawn the privacy curtains. She loved Gilles, but he was on he father’s payroll.
As the car cruised through the picturesque streets of Monte Carlo, the blond editor wrapped her pinky finger with his. The most affection she dared display while still under the heavy watchful eyes of her father. In reality, she just wanted to melt into his arms and be comforted by the peace his kisses made her feel. But they couldn’t. Not until they were home, in New York, and away from her father’s quick reach. She heard his question… his reproach. “I’m sorry.” She said quietly. “I didn’t think anything of it in the beginning.” She said, her hand moved subtly under his and she laced their fingers together. God, all she wanted to do was calm and soothe him. Hug him in her arms and promise him that she was ok. That she was a little less scary now that he was by her side.
The name is Silas and I'm terrible with introductions. I'd love to write at some point (I hate having numbers on my friends list). I am Discord friendly - if you want to write something random I'm down for that, or we can discuss something! Anyways, hope you have a great weekend.
When the third threatening letter arrived at her office at Vogue, Augustine sighed. This was getting ridiculous. Just because she was one of the daughters of Nicholas Hannover, didn’t mean she had anything to do with his business. In fact, she had nothing to do with any of her father’s businesses. Nicholas was the current owner of Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco. And the casino was the most elite and prominent attraction of Monte Carlo. And not always with all of it’s dealings being above the table. Nicholas’ friends and enemies all knew though, that Augustine was the favorite daughter. Though her father couldn’t forgive her for becoming a journalist, she was still his favorite child. Second only to Lachlan, her older brother. While Augustine never really took part in any of her father’s business dealings, he had gotten a heads up when sh*t was about to hit the fan. It was the only way that Nicholas could reconcile that his favorite daughter was a journalist.
By the time the third letter arrived at her desk, Augustine had had enough of all of it. She cleared her schedule for the next week, and chartered the family plane to take her to Monaco. ‘Papa, je serai à Monaco dans quelques heures. A bientôt à la maison. - August’ The Vogue editor texted her father, letting him know that she’d be home in a few hours. It’s not like Augustine hadn’t dealt with this before. But it had never escalated to the point where her coworkers were being put in danger.
A few hours later, the plane descended onto the tarmac of the privately owned runway. A customs agent greeted Augustine, stamped her passport and proceeded to let her go on her way. A car with her luggage already stowed was waiting for her. Getting in, the middle Hannover girl sighed. Exhaustion was starting to get to her. “Bonsoir, Gilles, ça va? Casino de Monte-Carlo, s'il vous plaît.” Augustine said sweetly to the Hannover family driver, Gilles. He nodded his head and on the way over, they played catch up. Augustine made a mental note to find a way to practice her French because she was a bit rusty.
Auggie was about to enter the Casino when she saw what she was wearing. She’d changed into sweatpants and a hoodie while on the plane and had forgotten to change back into her more appropriate outfit for the Casino. After a brief back and forth with the bouncers at the door, Augustine was able to get in and head to her father’s office. She looked herself in the elevator mirror and smirked. She could see why no one believed she was one of the Hannover girls. As the lift made it’s way upwards, Augustine pulled her cap off and undid the hair tie from the end of her braid. She tussled her hair, trying to give it some style, to no avail. When she reached her father’s office door, she knocked and was let in. “Papa.” She said and Nicholas turned around to look at her. The two embraced warmly before he pulled away. “My girl’s home.” He said and took her hand. “Papa, we have something to discuss.” Augustine said, her face serious. “What’s wrong?” He asked as he pulled his daughter away from prying ears. “I’ve been getting letters, the threatening kind. And personally, I never mind them. But I’ve been getting them at the office. Papa, that’s unacceptable. I cannot and will not have my coworkers be put in danger because someone wants to get to you through me. Do you understand what I’m saying?” Augustine said calmly. Maybe it was the exhaustion, but she didn’t really feel like fighting. “I do. Give me a few days to solve it. In the mean time, you’re to stay at the house or the casino. And always supervised.” Nicholas said. His right hand lifted to quiet the protests he could see coming from his young daughter. “I won’t have my daughter be put in danger because some business deal gone wrong.” Nicholas said. “Stay. Don’t move. I’ll make sure to find you the best bodyguard I can.” Nicholas said and Augustine rolled her eyes.
Augustine couldn’t tell if five seconds or five years had passed. Exhaustion took over and she’d fallen asleep. She only stirred enough to realize she was being carried. “Papa?” She mumbled. “Sleep, Auggie. Papa will take of everything for you. No one will ever harm you.” He said before he laid his daughter in her childhood bed. “Charles, get me in contact with Caleb Kelce, now!” Nicholas hissed at his head of security. Augustine was precious to him. And whoever was going to look after her needed to be of his entire trust.
