Angela's Scribbles

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[angelasscribbles]

Changes: A ONiC One-Shot

Series: One Night in Cordonia, a @choicesprompts Round Robin Event.

Fandom: TRR mostly

CRACKSHIP ALERT: Drake x Bertrand

Word Count: 1,593

Rating: NSFW

Warnings: Lemons 🍋🍋🍋

A/N: This pairing was initiated by @harleybeaumont during the round robin event titled One Night in Cordonia. I cannot remember who requested it or if it's something @harleybeaumont and I thought up during one of our epic late night discussions. Either way, it somehow got brought up today and I went to send her the little bit of it that has been sitting in my WiP folder forever, but once I opened the Word doc, I decided to add a few quick details and then just kept going until it was finished. 🙃

This was not the writing project I had intended to work on today, but I don't get to choose where the inspiration strikes.

It's pure smut. Just so you know.

The rest of my stuff can be found here.

Bertrand stood in the Beaumont study, surveying the damage and contemplating the last several weeks.

The terrorist group responsible for the attack had been rounded up, and the authorities had finally left. He was happy to reclaim his study from Bastien. They had left the room in disarray, and he set about tidying it up.

He was kneeling on the floor, examining a discolored spot on the carpet and muttering about the King's Guard's complete lack of decorum with the door to the study opened. Whoever it was hadn't even bothered to knock.

Bertrand leapt to his feet with indignation, "This is a private room! Have you no manners?"

An amused voice answered him. "No need to get up on my account."

Bertrand paled and took a step back as Drake ambled into the room like he owned the place. Shutting the door behind him, he ignored Bertrand's outburst about manners and smirked at him. "I like the way you look on your knees."

"I…don't know what you're trying to imply—"

"What?" Amusement danced across his face as he took in the other man's discomfort. "Have you forgotten the last time you were on your knees in front of me?"

The lord of Ramsford flushed from the top of his head down to the tips of his toes. Burning with shame and, distressingly, desire, he stuttered out an answer. "I…. Of course not! I mean…. That's not what I—"

Drake took a step toward him with a smirk. "You were really good at it."

"I…that…." Bertrand took another step back, bumping into a bookshelf and sending a miniature statue of a horse crashing to the ground.

Drake continued his advance until he stood directly in front of the duke, blocking any chance of a dignified retreat. "Why are you so nervous?"

"I'm not!" Bertrand gulped loudly, belying his statement.

"No?" The bigger man shifted his weight slightly as he rested a hand on either side of his intended target.

Bertrand's eyes widened as shock, fear, and undeniable excitement flooded through him. He didn't trust his voice, so he simply shook his head.

A soft scoff issued from Drake as his eyes traced his face, settling on the set of lips that had brought him so much pleasure just a few weeks before.

He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it.

It was true that they had both been under the influence of some type of chemical that removed sexual inhibitions, but the fact remained that those impulses had to exist in the first place in order to be inhibited.

His disdain for Max's older brother had always masked a deeper emotion. Sexual attraction to other men wasn't new to him, but the realization that he had always been drawn to this particular man was.

"Tell me you don't want this." Drake's hand caressed Bertrand's cheek. "If you don't want me to kiss you right now, tell me to stop." He paused, giving the other man plenty of time to protest.

For a heartbeat, they stood frozen in time, face to face, staring into each other's eyes. Then Bertrand went weak in the knees as his eyes fluttered shut and his head tipped slightly up, lips parted, inviting the kiss.  

Drake's lips crashed into his and he was falling, tumbling into a vast unknown, terror and exhilaration colliding inside him.

Bertrand Beaumont had never been good with women. He didn't understand what they wanted, he didn't understand how to attract them. He had never felt much of a pull to them at all. But this. This was different.

He had kissed a handful of women in his time. Their lips had been soft and yielding and the entire experience had been somehow wrong and off putting. His previous experiences with kissing had been nothing like this. This kiss was rough and demanding, the stubble that scratched his face sent red hot flames licking through him. His hands reached out to grasp not soft flesh, but hard muscles. He whimpered helplessly as his body reacted. His rock hard erection was evident as Drake's body pushed into his.

He wanted to die of shame until he realized that Drake was having the exact same reaction. Their cocks pressed against each other through the fabric of their pants as their hips ground against each other.

Bertrand had never felt another man's cock pressed against his own before, much less while it was hard. The thought that Drake was hard because of him was almost more than he could bear. Desire burned all the embarrassment out of him as he begged for more. "Please… I need—"

Before he could finish the thought, strong hands spun him around and jerked him sidewise away from the bookshelf, and pressed him against the wall. His pants were yanked down his body, leaving his ass bare and his dick throbbing. A foot forced his legs apart as a finger found his puckered hole. His mind was so clouded with lust that he barely registered some sort of lube being applied before a finger probed inside him. Warm breath tickled his ear as a voice rough with desire whispered in his ear. "How does that feel?"

"So good…" he gasped out as an ecstasy he had never imagined washed over him.

A soft kiss landed on the back of his neck. "I'm going to fuck you now. Hold still."

Bertrand's eyes squeezed shut as his body vibrated with pleasure and anticipation. "Yes…. Please…."

A feral growl broke free from Drake's throat at the pleading tone of the man trembling under his touch. It was all he could do to keep himself from slamming into him. Instead, he inserted himself slowly and gently, sliding in an inch at a time, giving the other man a chance to adjust.

A cry of ecstasy was torn from him as Drake hit the prostate.

His name falling from Bertrand's lips was the end of his restraint. No longer gentle, he moved his body at a more desperate pace, pulling himself out and shoving back into the man who was now writhing frantically beneath him.

Bertrand's feet tried to come out from under him as all the strength left his body. Blackness clouded the edges of his vision as the pleasure became all encompassing. A hand closed around his cock and stars exploded across his field of vision as the orgasm overtook him.

Drake slammed into him one last time with a roar, pinning his body to the wall as he emptied himself into him. He kept his body pressed into him until his cock finished pulsing.

When he finally stepped away, Bertrand was left with his pants in an undignified tangle around his ankles, a pleasurable soreness and the proof of what had just transpired leaking out of him. He turned to face the man who had just taken his innocence and awakened desires in him that he had not known he possessed, tripping over his tangled pants as he did so.

"Whoa there!" Drake caught him and then stepped back with a satisfied smirk as he fastened his own pants.

Hyperaware of Drake's eyes on him, he scrambled to redress himself, ignoring the sticky mess on his backside. Not knowing what to say, his eyes dropped to the floor as both mortification and gratification pinged through him at what had just transpired.

"Hey." Drake's finger found his chin and lifted his head. With a smile more tender than he had ever seen on his face, he told him, "You did great."

The mortification drained out of him, pride and happiness taking its place. "Really?"

"Really." He looked closer at Bertrand's expression. "Wait. Was that your first time with a man?"

Bertrand's eyes fell once again to the floor. "My first time….with anyone." Kissing women had been bad enough, he had never been able to push himself further with any of them.

Drake's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm sorry. I didn't know—"

"What?" Bertrand's head snapped up in alarm at the regret in Drake's voice. "Don't be sorry! That was…. It was… you were…. I mean…"

The smile returned to Drake's face as understanding dawned on him. "It's okay. You don't have to say anything else. I'm glad you liked it."

The alarm on Bertrand's phone went off, bringing him back to reality. "Apologies. I'm needed at a budgetary meeting soon."

"No problem. I have shit to do, too. See you around."

Panic sliced through him as he watched Drake make it to the door. "Wait!"

Drake paused and turned around. "Yeah?"

Bertrand fought against the tidal wave of insecurity and anxiety that threatened to silence him. For once in his life, he was going to ask for what he wanted. "Is there any chance we could… um…. " He faltered as embarrassment threatened to pull him under.

A grin pulled Drake's lips up as he watched Bertrand stumble over his words. He decided to put him out of his misery. "Are you asking if we can do this again?"

"Yeah." If he said no, Bertrand was going to drop right through the floor.

"You can count on it." Drake thumped the edge of the door frame on his way out, humming happily as he strolled down the hall.

Bertrand slumped against the wall as relief and disbelief surged through him.

He had no idea what this all meant. No idea what tomorrow would bring. There was only one thing that he knew for certain.

Everything was going to be different now.

[karahalloway]

Sex Bomb

Fandom: TRR

Paining: Leo Rys x Adelaide Amaranth

Series: None (this is a one-shot and can be read independently of the rest of my fics)

Word count: 4,000

Warnings: swearing, alcoholic tendencies, smut, outrage, crack ship (you have been warned)

Theme song:

A/N1: This is my long-awaited (and very much demanded) follow-up to the part I wrote for One Night in Cordinia; however, you should be able to read the current fic as a standalone.

A/N2: Since I love killing two birds with one stone, this is also my submission for this year's Smutember event hosted by @choicesprompts. The prompts that this fits into is 'Caught in the act' and 'We shouldn't be doing this...'

A/N3: Certain parts of this fic were somewhat inspired by the scene between Finch and Stiffler's Mom from American Pie. The clip, for anyone who hasn't seen the movie, is below the cut.

Sex Bomb

"Bloody hell..."

Leo dropped the edge of the heavy brocade curtain he was holding, letting it fall back into place behind the dais to conceal his presence once again.

The ballroom was heaving. And the evening had barely even kicked off. Lord knew how many more people were still battling the traffic to get a coveted front-row seat for the royal event of the century.

The Coronation.

...or, as Leo liked to call it, the Royal Nail in the Coffin.

Because in his mind, that's what it was. The final, inescapable blow that would seal his fate for good, and maroon him forever on the desolate island that was kingship... shackled in life-long matrimony to Madeleine Amaranth.

Leo shuddered at the thought. Especially when he recalled his fiancée's naked form getting skewered loudly by that Justin What's-His-Face PR pansy on the steps of Beaumont House mere days ago.

Not because of the fact that she'd had sex with someone else. Hell, he'd tapped more ass than he could count! So, he couldn't exactly begrudge his soon-to-be wife's promiscuity. Especially when she couldn't remember any of it...

No, it was the fact that here he was, on the eve of his engagement to his future Queen, and all he could think about was her mother.

That sexy vixen of a woman, Adelaide. The Duchess That Had Got Away.

Very literally.

Because in the chaos of the Shagging Smog-infused assassination-attempt-gone-wrong — aka the Beaumont Bash — Leo had lost his one chance to notch that coveted mark on his bedpost... especially considering that she would've actually been game for it, given the mind-altering effects of the aerosol-based dispersant.

Talk about fucking irony...

Leo heaved a breath.

Maybe it wasn't meant to be. Maybe there was a reason why—

"Quite the crowd out there, huh, son?"

Leo clenched his eyes shut. "Yes, Father."

Constantine clapped a hand onto his eldest son's shoulder. "It's going to be quite the night!"

"Yes, Father," Leo intoned, forcing himself to swallow down the bile that suddenly threatened to bubble up his gullet.

The King's fingers tightened on his jacket. "All eyes will be on you, lad. Do not cock this up."

Leo felt himself gag. "'Scuse me...!"

Slapping a hand over his mouth in an attempt to keep the scotch-laden contents of his stomach under wraps, he lurched past his father.

Stumbling across the ante-room, he barely made it to the nearest ficus plant before the 20-year old single malt regurgitated itself into the perfectly hydrated potting mix in front of him.

"Christ, you are a royal disgrace..." muttered Constantine as he marched past him. "If God would've had any sense, he would've made Liam my heir instead of you. But here I am, stuck with your worthless hide instead..."

The slam of the mahogany door reverberated around the room.

"The feeling's mutual, old man," muttered Leo, shooting a wad of spittle into the planter to cleanse his mouth.

Lifting his head, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

A drink. He needed a drink.

Mostly because he'd just thrown up the five fingers worth of Dutch courage he'd consumed less than an hour ago, and there was no way he was subjecting himself to the shitshow on the other side of that curtain even remotely sober.

And if Constantine had an epileptic fit...? Well, he deserved it.

The old tosser had given Leo enough hell during his 30-odd years on Earth, trying to mould him into something that the wayward prince wasn't, and never would be.

Making his way to the other side of the room, Leo located the hidden door that led to the service corridors and slipped inside.

A few twists and well-worn turns through the rabbit warren, and he emerged out into the smoking room, a plushly decorated space filled with heavy brocade curtains, velvet armchairs, a billiards table, and — most importantly — a well-stocked liquor cabinet.

Making a straight line towards the blessed promise of inebriation, he grabbed the nearest decanter of scotch, and pulled the heavy crystal stopper out.

He was about to pour himself a healthy serving when he heard the rustle of heavy taffeta behind him.

Glancing around, he nearly dropped the priceless Swarovski crystal on the floor.

"Pinching a cheeky tipple?" asked Adelaide Amaranth, surveying him over the rim of her own glass.

"Shit, Maddy's mum...!" Leo quickly composed himself. "Erm... Thought I'd get a head start on the party."

"Mmm..." purred the Duchess of Krona, perching herself on the edge of the billiards table. "Man after my own heart..."

Leo swallowed loudly as the skirt of her dress slid apart to reveal the length of her toned legs.

After the unmitigated disaster that had been the Bash, she'd appeared to him again, luscious and alone — like a siren rising from the dark depths of his previous failure — tempting him with a second chance...

...or goading him with the unattainability of his crusade.

Either way, Leo felt his guts tighten at her unexpected presence.

"So..." Her voice interrupted his thoughts. "Are you all set? To become King and all?" she asked, swirling the remnants of her drink around in the crystal tumbler.

"Furthest thing from," Leo admitted, sloshing himself a drink with shaky hands.

Whether it was nerves or anticipation, he wasn't sure. Either way, he was now doubly, triply in need of the hard stuff... in part because he could feel some other stuff becoming hard as well.

"Hence why you're looking for something to take the edge off," she mused, running her aqua-coloured gaze over him. "Smart thinking."

"Tell that to my Father..." scoffed Leo, dropping the decanter back on the cabinet top, trying to maintain his cool in the face of her intoxicating closeness.

"Or my daughter," agreed Adelaide with a roll of her eyes. "If anyone needs a bevvy, it's her! Speaking of... have you see her? She's quite disappeared on me..."

"Nope. Can't say I have," admitted Leo, throwing the scotch back greedily.

Adelaide surveyed him for a long moment before shrugging. "Probably for the best, really. She can't stand me on the best of days. She's under some misguided impression that I'll say or do something that will embarrass her..."

"Welcome to my world," muttered Leo, reaching for the decanter again. "I am the living embodiment of my father's resentment. You know, he even told me tonight that I am — quote-unquote — a 'royal disgrace' and Liam should've been his heir instead."

"Hmm..." murmured Adelaide, sliding off the billiards table yo shimmy up to him. "I don't know about any of that... I think you'll look fantastic in a crown..."

Leo snorted. "That is hardly a qualification for kingship..."

"Isn't it?" pressed Adelaide, leaning her empty glass against her cheek as she cocked her head at him.

"I have it on rather good authority that there's a bit more to it than that..." murmured Leo ruefully, unable to stop his gaze from sliding down her neck to the bare skin of her cleavage that sat exposed between the lines of her dress.

"Don't listen to them," chided Adelaide, reaching up to run a finger through his thick, blonde hair. "A king needs only three things — a royal bloodline and an iconic profile. Everything else will be taken care of for you."

Leo felt an uncharacteristic shudder course through him as her fingertip brushed over the sensitive skin of his temple. "Apart from the actual ruling..."

"You'd be surprised..." she smiled. "I haven't set foot in Krona in months! The equerries take care of all the pesky details."

"Running a kingdom's a tad more involved than running a duchy..."

"Pfft!" she scoffed. "Duchy? Kingdom? What's the difference? You sign the odd piece of paper, and throw the occasional ball. That's it!"

"And lead Council meetings, host foreign dignitaries, review petitions, attend—"

"Leo, darling, you are terribly overthinking this!" chided Adelaide with a laugh, reaching for the decanter to pour herself another glass. "You think the kings and queens of old bored themselves with all the minutiae? No! They delegated, so they could have fun fighting battles and posing for portraits."

"Not sure fighting battles was exactly fun..."

"My Prince," she said, leaning in, as if imparting a secret. "All I'm saying is you have nothing to worry about. You could conquer nations with that jaw-line..."

Leo's heart stopped in it's tracks as he swore he felt the tip of her tongue flick over his skin.

"...your sense of duty is just a bonus."

"And... and the third thing?" he stammered.

"The Crown Jewels," she declared, pulling back to fix him with a knowing look.

Leo frowned. "You mean the Apple and th—"

"I mean these jewels," she corrected, grabbing the front of his trousers without warning.

Leo nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt her manicured nails close emphatically around his meat and two veg.

"Holy f—!"

"Mmm," purred Adelaide, tightening her hold on him. "Seems to be present and accounted for..."

Leo merely squeaked in response. He had no idea what was happening, or how he'd even gotten to having Adelaide's hands wrapped around his sex pistol in the first place, but he sure as bloody hell wasn't going to tell her to stop!

"...but one cannot be sure without a proper inspection."

Leo froze. "Inspection?"

Adelaide lifted her gaze to met his square on. "Darling, you are marrying my daughter. I cannot — in good conscience — let you bed her without ensuring that all the royal parts are in working order... and capable of producing grandchildren."

"Trust me..." wheezed Leo as he felt Adelaide's hands reach for his belt. "The lads have never let me down."

"Oh, yes," smiled Adelaide, undoing his buckle and letting the ornate belt drop the floor. "I am well aware of your many... conquests. But I also know the papers like to exaggerate. So, surely you cannot begrudge a mother for wanting to obtain independent confirmation."

"How 'bout a live demonstration?" blurted Leo, grasping at the edge of the drinks cabinet for support as Adelaide wrestled with the buttons of his trousers.

Hell, if this was happening, then he was gonna make damned sure that it was happening!

"Don't jump the gun, darling," Adelaide tutted, ripping the fronts of his pants open. "You need to pass muster first."

Leo gasped audibly as his sexcalibur sprang — finally, blessedly! — free of its confines.

"Not one for briefs, I see..." she observed, running her fingers critically over him.

"I threw them all out years ago," he panted in response to the feel of her silken touch on his heated gherkin.

"Another thing we have in common," she smirked, reaching for his hand to guide it over the back of her dress.

A desperate groan escaped him as his palm skated over the smooth, unencumbered expanse of her backside as she continued to fondle him. "So, what's the verdict?"

"A package worthy of a king," Adelaide assured him, rolling his plums together in her palm.

Leo felt his eyes tip back into his head at the overwhelming sensation...

...before it stopped just as quickly as it had started.

Creaking his eyes open, he saw Adelaide throw him a cheeky smirk over her shoulder as she glided sinuously towards the billiards table.

"Aren't you coming, darling?" she whispered back at him.

Leo nearly tripped over his own trousers in his haste to get to her. He was going to get the chance to live out his dirtiest, most depraved fantasy, after all! He was not wasting one more second!

"Lord, you have no idea how long I've waited for this..." he gasped, stumbling across the room towards her.

"Oh, I know very well," she assured him, leaning back to spread her arms out over the polished walnut. "I've seen you looking at me, Leo."

He faltered. "You have?"

"Of course, my darling," she assured him, cocking her leg seductively. "You were hardly subtle in your attentions. A woman notices these things..."

"You know this is highly improper..." he pointed out as he finally made it to her.

"Oh, sweet boy!" she laughed. "This would be the scandal of the century!"

"Then we better give them something to talk about," he grinned, grabbing her by her toned derrière to lift her onto the edge of the billiards table.

"Mmm... I can think of a few things..." she breathed, planting her hands on his shoulders to push him down towards her nether region.

"I'm sure you can, m'lady," he grinned, shifting his hands to the back of her knees to yank her towards him, the sudden momentum sending the top half of her body falling back onto the felt. "But allow me to put even your wildest dreams to shame."

"Bold words..." purred Adelaide with a coy smile as he lifted her legs up to anchor her Valentino Gavarani-clad feet on his shoulders, causing the skirt of her dress to cascade down towards her hips.

"I've yet to receive anything other than a stellar review," he winked at her, grabbing her waist to invert her almost fully as he lifted her sacred centre up to his face.

"That may be so, darling, but unlike some ladies, I have high standards..." murmured Adelaide, lifting her arms above her head in anticipation. "I don't dish out gold stars to just anybody..."

"I don't intend disappoint," Leo assured her with a cocky smirk as he bent his head towards her.

"...why must I do everything myself!" seethed Madeleine, stomping down the otherwise empty corridor in her Valentino sling-backs.

She'd known Leo was an immature and unreliable cad who was more interested in finding the next skirt to lift than paying any semblance of attention to actual matters of state.

And while she would've definitely preferred a more dedicated and biddable prospect — such as his younger brother — to share the rigours of governance with, she ultimately wasn't marrying the Playboy Prince because she liked him.

In all honesty, the man could've had warts and halitosis and she still would've gone through with the union!

Because this was a political match, pure and simple. The House of Rys allying itself with the House of Amaranth, the richest and most influential noble family in Cordonia in order to keep Queen Kenna's line alive...

...with the added benefit of elevating Madeleine's own status to that of Queen. A role that she'd been training for since before she could even walk, given her father's unrelenting pursuit of power by any and all means — an endeavour that she very much shared, much to her mother's disgruntlement.

But she couldn't exactly get engaged if her intended was missing! Tonight, of all nights!

Who, in their right mind, disappears on their own coronation?!

Of course, she was well aware of Leo's infamous tendency to pull vanishing acts, but what the blasted hell was the man thinking? To leave an entire country in the lurch?

Certainly not on her watch!

She'd already dispatched Bastien and all available members of the King's Guard to search high and low for the errant prince. But the Palace and its grounds were massive, and given the sheer number of people that had descended on the Rys stronghold for tonight's event, trying to find anyone was an exercise akin to weeding a needle out of a haystack.

So, she'd been forced to join the search herself. Even though it was insulting beyond measure and much below her station.

But, desperate times called for desperate measures, and she'd rather sweat into her ballgown running up and down the corridors now, than stand like a hapless bimbo in front of all the dignitaries and news crews trying to explain why her future king and fiancé had skipped out on an entire nation on one of the most important nights of its recent history.

No. She most certainly did not need those headlines running in the morning... or ever.

Best that she focused her efforts on helping locate the wayward heir, and hope that he wasn't halfway out of the country already... because by God, she'd send the Cordonian Secret Service after him if she had to!

Arriving at the next set of doors on her mental task-list, she wasted no time in pushing the handle down...

"Leopold?" she called, steeping into the room.

...only to freeze in shock at the sight in front of her.

There he was — the next in line to the Cordinian throne — head thrown back, trousers around his ankles, thrusting like an animal into—

"MOTHER?!"

Adelaide raised her disheveled head from the billiards table at the sound of her daughter's distraught shriek. "Oh, sweet pea! There you are!"

Leo raised his hand in a wave. "Hi, Mads!"

Madeleine's rouged lips jerked soundlessly, trying to formulate some kind of response, but nothing was forthcoming.

Never — in all her life! — had she imagined that she'd ever witness such sordid... brazen... obscenity!

She was literally lost for words. Her! The person who has been giving televised interviews since the age of four!

"Darling," soothed Adelaide, propping herself up onto her elbows to reveal the tautness of her age-defying, silicone-enhanced breasts, "I know this looks frightfully ghastly, but I can assure that—"

"Shut up..." she finally managed to croak.

Adelaide frowned. "Darling, are you—?"

"I SAID, SHUT UP!" Madeleine screeched.

Both Leo and her mother's eyes widened in the face of the uncharacteristically deranged outburst... but they nevertheless managed to refrain from commenting.

"I don't know how this..." She gestured derisively in the couple's general direction. "...colossal cock-up happened. Nor do I care. But what I do know — and most certainly care about — is that the coronation ceremony is starting. And I will not let you, Leopold—"

Leo groaned at the sound of his full, Christian name. "Jesus, Mads! I told you I—"

"Do not interrupt me!" snapped Madeleine. Sucking in a breath to collect herself, she continued, "I will not let you fuck this up for me, or the kingdom. So, if you want to keep your royal sausage, then I suggest that you pull it out of my mother and get your fatuous arse to the ballroom before I have the Guard drag you there."

Leo glanced down at Adelaide. "You sure she wasn't adopted or—?"

"NOW!!!" thundered Madeleine.

"Okay, okay, sheesh!" huffed Leo, grabbing for his trousers, given that he was already very much deflated, his fiancée having managed to suck the literal joy out of his joystick with her mere appearance .

"And you, Mother..." hissed Madeleine, turning her attention to her disheveled parent. "You have undermined me for the last time."

Adelaide scoffed. "Darling, all I have ever done is—"

"Which is why my first act as Queen will be to banish you to Krona," finished Madeleine with a haughty air of finality.

Adelaide's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare!"

Her daughter's demeanour was icy. "You're lucky I'm not banishing you to Siberia. But if you test me—"

"Siberia at least has decent vodka..." chimed in Leo, sauntering past her out the room.

"He's got a point..."

"Argh!!" screamed Madeleine, slamming the door behind her with such vehemence that it rattled the bottles in the liquor cabinet.

Vile cretins! The whole bloody lot of them!

Grabbing her intended by the arm, she hauled him all the way back to the ball, ignoring the profanity-filled protests.

Stopping in front of the pair of footmen that were manning the ballroom doors, she snapped, "Inform the King that Prince Leopold is ready for his coronation."

"Actu— Ow!!"

She brutally silenced her intended's objection with a heel to his foot.

As the servants rushed away to do her bidding, she manhandled Leo back into the same ante-chamber that he'd disappeared from earlier.

"Mads, stop!" he pleaded as she pulled him across the Persian carpet like a stubborn mule. "Can you please just—?"

"No," she declared, shoved him through the velvet curtains and onto the gilded dais without ceremony. "You will do your duty, even if it kills you, you ungrateful oaf!"

The hubbub of the crowd instantly ceased as Leo stumbled to a stop.

"There you are!" snap Constantine into his ear. "You have some nerve—"

"Just get on with it..." sighed Leo, the weight of finality crashing down on him as he caught his brother's the eye from across the room. Liam always hated it when his brother and father argued, and Leo didn't want to subject him to a public spectacle.

Constantine looked like he wanted to say more, but quickly decided against it. Turning to the congregation, he spread his arms and launched into his pre-prepared speech.

"Good evening, one and all! It is a great honour to have so many of you come out tonight to show your support not only for—"

"Pay attention!"

Glancing down, Leo caught Madeleine's disproving glower from the foot of the dais.

He suppressed a groan.

How they were going to sire royal babies, he had no idea...

...probably with copious amounts of drugs and alcohol...and possibly even a paper bag.

Because he already knew that there was no way that he wouldn't be able to not think about Adelaide while doing it with her daughter.

As even now, in the midst of his own coronation, his mind kept drifting back to the passionate coitus they'd shared on that billiards table before it had gotten oh, so rudely interrupted.

The way she'd moved... The sounds she'd made... That thing with her tongue... It sent shivers down his spine all over again.

And suddenly he had a stark realisation.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't go through with the coronation.

Not if it meant never being able to see her again.

"...and, now..." his father was saying, holding upon the ancient Rys signet ring, "with the bestowal of this ring, I—"

"I abdicate!"

A collective gasp of disbelief rose from the room.

Glancing up, Leo found his father and step-mother staring at him with open mouths, all semblance of propriety forgotten in the face of the shocking announcement.

But he was not perturbed. He'd madd his decision. "I, Leopold Maximilian Fernando Constantine Rys, hereby officially and irrevocably renounce my royal titles as Crown Prince of Cordonia and Duke of Applewood." Turning to Constantine, he added with an apologetic shrug, "Sorry, Dad. Just wasn't feeling it."

The heavy gold band clattered to the floor as the cameras exploded into a frenzy of flashing.

"What the devil are you doing?!" demanded Madeleine, appearing in front of him as he hopped off the stage. "Get back up there and—"

"Better luck next time, Mads!" he shouted over the growing dim as he quickly skirted around the edge of the ballroom.

Reaching the closest set of French doors, he threw them open and — with the practiced ease of a man who'd done this exact manoeuvre a hundred times before — vaulted over the edge of the balcony.

Landing on the gravel, he caught sight of the lone pair of headlights idling in front of the Palace steps, and the figure that was in the process of getting behind the wheel.

A knowing smile spread over his face.

Loping across the drive, he managed to intercept the Aston Martin Vantage convertible before it had a chance to drive off.

The driver raised a brow at him as he approached. "Aren't you supposed to be getting crowned?"

"Realised I had somewhere more important to be," he admitted, coming to a stop by the side of the car. "Room for one more?"

Adelaide's lips curved into a smile. "Always, darling."

"Excellent!" exclaimed Leo, hopping into the passenger seat.

She cast him a sidelong glance. "You know this is never going to work out..."

"And?" he grinned, kicking his feet up onto the dash.

Throwing her head back with a laugh, Adelaide pressed the pedal down, kicking the tail of the Aston as they left the ball to dust.

Permatags

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[choicesprompts]

Smutember prompts: caught in the act and we shouldn't be doing this

[angelasscribbles]

Riley x Liam: A One Night in Cordonia follow-up/one-shot

Series: One Night in Cordonia, a @choicesprompts

Round Robin Event.

Fandom: TRR

Pairings: Riley x Liam

Word Count: 1,664

Rating: Teen

Warnings: none

“Have a seat please, Miss Brooks,” Bastien waved the American beauty through the palace security offices' conference room door.

In addition to himself and his second in charge, Mara Levidis, the younger prince had requested to join the interview. He had no idea why.

Riley looked around the room nervously until her eyes fell on Liam, then her face broke out in a heart-stopping smile.

At least it stopped Liam’s heart. He couldn’t speak for anyone else in the room. He admitted to himself that he was only there for his own selfish purposes. This woman did things to him that no other woman did, and he had to know if she truly liked him or if the strip tease had been nothing more than the result of the shagging smog.

“Liam, so nice to see you again,” She took the seat he jumped up and pulled out for her, “I’m not sure why I’m here though.”

“We just have a few questions for you,” he told her gently.

Bastien took his seat across the table from Riley, Mara to his left, and Liam at the head of the table to his right. He sat a small recording device in the middle of the table, pushed play, and began. “Miss Brooks, my name is Bastien Lykel, I’m a colonel in the Royal Guard, this is Lieutenant Colonel Mara Levidis and Prince Liam Rys. We’re here today to ask you a few questions about the night of the Beaumont bash.”

“Oh….sure,” she glanced at Liam in confusion before moving her gaze back to the colonel, “But I already gave a statement the morning after the bash.”

“You did,” Liam assured her then reminded Bastien, “She did!”

“Yes, be that as it may, that statement covered what happened that night specifically…”

Riley’s eyes shot to Liam’s, pink blooming across her cheeks before she dropped her eyes to her lap.

“…what we really need to know is the nature of your relationship with Anton Severus.”

She lifted her eyes in confusion, “I’m sorry…who?”

Mara flipped a photo across the table, “I believe you know him as Justin Brown, your press secretary.”

“Oh yes, I know Justin! But…did you just say his real name is Anton something or other? What’s going on?”

“This man was the mastermind behind the toxin that was deployed that night. What do you know about that?”

“What? Nothing!” She shook her head vigorously in denial, “This must be some kind of a mistake! Justin isn’t a terrorist! He’s a nerdy PR specialist who likes karaoke and Firefly reruns!”

“Yes, well,” Mara pulled the photo back, “That’s what he wanted you to think.”

“Where were you when the gas went off?” Bastien demanded.

“She was with me!” Liam cut in before she could answer.

“With you?” Bastien turned to Liam in astonishment, “Doing what?”

“Well…” It was Liam’s turn to pinken, “We were…that is….I mean, she…um…”

Bastien’s face slowly morphed from stern to shocked, “Oh! I get it, sir, no need for further explanation!”

“Right, well, as you know the assailants were all wearing gas masks and entered the premises after the gas was deployed. Neither of those things is true of Riley, so she couldn’t have been involved. Anton used her to get closer to the nobility, that’s it.”

Bastien wasn’t completely satisfied, “I have a few more questions.”

“Like what?” Liam demanded.

Directing his question to Riley, Bastien asked, “How did you meet Anton?”

“He approached me actually,” Riley answered, “He offered his services at a discount.”

“And why would he do that?”

“He said he was a fan.”

“Right. What do you do again?”

Riley cut her eyes at him. He knew damn good and well who she was and what she did. The whole fucking world knew. “I’m a fashion model, actress, singer, songwriter, and photographer.”              

“And you needed a PR specialist for what reason?”

She brought a hand up to cover her eyes as she heaved a deep sigh. Again, he knew damn well why. It was the same reason she was in Cordonia in the first place. She had come to this God-forsaken postage stamp-sized country that no one had ever heard of precisely because of that reason. “Because I was involved in a sex scandal and needed to rehabilitate my image.”

She truly hadn’t known the man was recording their escapades. Or that he was married. Or a U.S. senator. But the world refused to believe any of that, painting her instead as a home-wrecking, gold-digging whore. Which was exactly how his wife had seen it when she found the video and used it in her divorce proceedings. Someone with access to the files must have recognized her and realized how much the tabloids would pay for it and so the video had been leaked.  

She had fled to the tiny Mediterranean country of Cordonia in hopes of staying out of the limelight until the next scandal made the public forget about hers.

Justin had offered a way for her to seize and control the narrative. He’d had a whole plan. One that she now realized was probably a load of bullshit designed to trick her out of her money and into opening the door to the aristocracy for him.

Riley herself hadn’t been a suitor for Leo’s attention or affections, she had merely joined the social season as a guest and friend of Maxwell Beaumont, whom she had met several times while vacationing along the French Riviera. They had bonded over their similar taste in men. Like the handsome young prince that was currently making her blood sing through her veins.

“I think this line of questioning is over,” Liam asserted, “She had nothing to do with it and she doesn’t know anything about Anton’s true identity or intentions.”

“Fine,” Bastien pushed away from the table, “But if you think of anything….anything at all, please let us know.”

“I will.” Riley watched as Bastien and Mara exited the room.

“Would you like some water?” Liam asked, already on his feet, pouring her a glass.

“Thank you,” her cheeks heated as her gaze dropped to the tabletop.

“I’m sorry if they were a little…harsh,” he apologized as he retook his seat, “It’s their job.”

“No, it’s okay, I get it,” she lifted the glass to her mouth and took a long sip as she tried to figure out why the prince was still in the room with her if the interview was over.

“Riley,” Liam shifted in his chair as he formulated his next words carefully, “May I ask you a question?”

“Of course,” she finally lifted her eyes to his and was completely taken aback to see the same nervousness and uncertainty she felt reflected in him. “What is it?”

“Ah….I hope this isn’t too forward of me, but I was hoping you could answer a question for me about that night.”

Riley went rigid in her seat fighting the urge to bury her face in her hands, “What about it?”

“The…um…dance you did…”

She dropped her gaze again, her face burning with emotion. She wanted to fall through the floor. She could barely muster up a whisper as she willed herself to stay calm, “What about it?”

“Was it just because of the gas or…”

“Oh!” she wished the floor would open up and swallow her, “I never would have done such a thing if not for the gas!” He knew about the sex tape. The entire world knew about it. Did he think she just took her clothes off for anyone? She wanted to disappear.

“Right, of course not,” disappointment pinged through him. He struggled not to show it, but she saw it.

“Wait…were you hoping that I was the kind of girl that would do something like that in public?”

Liam froze, eyes wide as he studied her face, “No…not in public….”

“So, you were hoping that I’d do it in private?” her mind whirled to catch up then understanding dawned, “for you?”

Mortification rushed over him as he tried to salvage the situation, “I’m so sorry! It was an inappropriate question! Of course, it was because of the gas! You’re not interested in me! I should have never-“

“Liam!” She leaned over and laid a gentle hand on his arm. A soft smile played on her lips, “I am interested in you! I meant that I would never have done a strip tease in front of the entire court if it hadn’t been for the gas. But the person I chose to do it for? That was one hundred percent me!”

The smile that broke out across his face was so brilliant that it could have lit the entire country, “Really?”

“Really!”

“I cannot express how gratifying it is to hear that! Would you care to join me for dinner tonight?”

“You’re not bothered by the scandal? My reputation doesn’t concern you?”

“No. First of all, I believe you that you were lied to and recorded without your consent. Secondly, even if you had willingly been recorded, what you do with your body is your business. I notice the only one being shamed is you, not the man in question. Huge double standard if you ask me.”

She rewarded him with a smile of her own, “That’s very enlightened of you.”

“I’m very enlightened! So? Dinner?”

“Absolutely! I would love to join you for dinner!”

“Excellent!” Liam stood and helped her out of her chair. Offering her his arm, he asked, “We have some time to kill before dinner. Would you care for a tour of the palace?”

“I would like that very much!” Riley took his arm with a coy grin, “Will your personal quarters be included in this tour?” She felt satisfaction curl through her at the way he flushed to the very tips of his ears.

Maybe accepting Maxwell’s invitation and fleeing her own country hadn’t been the catastrophe she originally thought.

Cordonia was starting to grow on her.

[angelasscribbles]

One Night in Cordonia Chapter 9: Aftermath

Series: One Night in Cordonia, a @choicesprompts Round Robin Event.

Fandom: TRR with a little OH

Pairings: So many lol. Let's see,,, while Leo and Madeleine are about to be engaged that didn't stop Mads from being with Anton or trying to get with Liam. It also didn't stop Leo from fantasizing about Adelaide. Meanwhile we saw Bastien x Claudius, Bertrand x Drake, Olivia x Max, Olivia x Tobias, and in perhaps the only 'normal' pairing, Liam x Riley.

Word Count: 1,483

Rating: MA

Warnings: lots of mentions of sex

A/N: Thanks to @harleybeaumont for bouncing a couple of ideas with me.

This is the final "wrap-up" chapter. Thanks to the writers that participated in this little endeavor and thanks to all the readers that joined us on the journey! It's been fun and there will be more round robins in the future.

While this concludes our main series, I am hoping for the following one-shots:

Leo x Adelaide @karahalloway

Olivia x Max @alj4890

Olivia x Tobias @jerzwriter

I myself am thinking about doing a little follow-up with Liam x Riley to explore her backstory in this universe (American model, here during Leo's season, with a press secretary, how did that happen?)

Leo and Liam circulated through the crowd gathered on the front lawn of the Beaumont estate, handing out bottles of water and answering questions as vaguely as possible.

Bertrand stood in a small group asking questions and piecing together what had transpired the night before. The last thing he needed was another damn scandal. It was bad enough that Anna De Luca had published that story speculating that they were broke, all because Maxwell had freaked out over a canceled credit card.

Bertrand had canceled the card to teach his spendthrift brother a lesson, but after years of yelling at him that his extravagant habits were going to break them, Maxwell had assumed that was exactly what had happened. There had been a very public spectacle when his card had gotten declined at the Annual Cordonian Peafowl Convention.

And now his brother was being ridiculous trying to convince him that they possessed some kind of resistance to the shagging smog that had turned their party into an orgy. Preposterous!

“So, you and I and Liam and Leo are all immune!” Max told him.

“What do you mean immune?” He sneered, “That can’t be true!”

“Oh yes,” Constantine assured him, “Exposure makes you immune and that immunity gets passed down to your children! Your father and I attend this party one time…”

As Constantine prattled on, Bertrand’s eyes rose slowly, and reluctantly, to meet Drake’s expressionless gaze. He blanched and stumbled backward knocking over one of the tables full of water bottles.

“…oh, now that I think of it, that was the summer after you were born!” Constantine slapped him on the back with a chuckle, “Never mind! Guess you weren’t immune after all.”

“Oh, thank heavens!” Bertrand was so relieved that he didn’t even care he’d blurted that out loud.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me,” Constantine waved as he strode away, “I really have to be getting back to the palace now.”

“Sir, excuse me,” Maxwell chased after the king as he made his way toward his motorcade.

“Yes, son?”

“About the bash…”

“What about it?”

“Leo said you were going to ban them in the future, but since this wasn’t our fault…I mean…it was an attack and not anything that we did so-“

“Calm down boy!” Constantine guffawed, “I suppose, considering the circumstances, there’s no harm in continuing the bashes, just up the security next time!”

“Yes, sir!” Max almost passed out from relief, “We will, sir!”

Madeline sat in one of the lounge chairs that had been scattered around the lawn, examining her nails studiously as she considered the night before. Justin may have turned out to be a terrorist hell-bent on overthrowing the monarchy, but boy could he shag! Too bad Liam had refused her advances, she’d likely never get another chance at him. For one, she was about to be his sister-in-law, and for two, he seemed quite taken with that American strumpet, Riley Brooks. Dismissing that train of thought, her mind wandered back to Justin, or Anton, or whatever his name was, she wondered if the palace allowed conjugal visits.

Penelope barely remembered her actions, she had already been piss drunk before the shagging smog after all. Still, her question remained. How would they know that they weren’t lesbians unless they tried? She watched Kiara from across the lawn, wondering how to get her best friend to reconsider their relationship.

Oliva yawned as she watched the Cordonian upper crust freaking out about their night of lost inhibitions.

Amateurs.

What on earth was wrong with indulging your kinks now and then? Prudes, the lot of them.

Before the attack had happened, she had been about to sneak away with Trystan Thorne, the exiled prince of Drakovia for a little slap and tickle when Jin had appeared demanding to know what she was doing. Not him. She had trussed him up and indulged his little cock and ball torture kink one damn time and now she couldn’t get rid of him.

Thankfully he had already been escorted from the premises. As a former spy for the Auvernese government, he’d been taken in for questioning.

Her eyes lifted to take in Maxwell Beaumont giving her a surreptitious once over. She hated herself a little for the shiver of desire that ran through her. Looking away she decided that she would deal with the younger Lord Beaumont issue later. Right now she had a hot doctor waiting to be tied up.

She quietly slipped away from the group and headed for the armory.

Several days later….

“We have the men responsible in custody, sir,” the young guardsman told him, “Except one, we’re not sure  how he escaped.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Bastien Lykel turned toward the window overlooking the Beaumont’s vineyards, “Call off the search. We should be able to get what we need out of the prisoners currently in the palace cells. We have their leader, Anton Severus. We don’t need the escapee.”

“Sir?”

“You’re dismissed, Lieutenant!”

The young officer scurried out of the room that Bastien had turned into a makeshift office as they continued to comb the crime scene for clues.

Not that he needed any. He knew who was behind the attack. And he knew exactly how Claudius had escaped.

The two men stood in the cool night air on the same hill that Claudius had stood on just two nights earlier as he had received his orders from Anton.

Claudius eyed him with deep suspicion, “Why are you letting me go? What’s in it for you?”

“There’s nothing in it for me, other than knowing you’ll be safe from the death sentence this way.”

“Why do you care?”

Bastien grunted, “How can you ask me that? For the sake of what we once were to each other-“

“If you gave a shit about me, you wouldn’t have left the Sons of the Earth! You wouldn’t have joined the enemy!”

“Corondia is not your enemy, and the Sons of the Earth are misguided. Anton Severus is an egomaniac and a narcissist! I joined the King’s Guard to protect my country from people exactly like him!”

“People like me?”

Bastien stepped forward, taking the other man’s head in his hands as he stared into his eyes, “You’re nothing like him! And it’s not too late for you! No one knows you’re affiliated with the Sons! You could leave! You can still live a worthwhile life!”

Claudius knocked the other man’s hands away with a shake of his head, “I don’t believe you, and I don’t forgive you for leaving. This changes nothing!”

He had come for revenge, but he was leaving with renewed angst over his lost love. He gave Bastien one last desperate look before turning and melting into the night.

Every member of the Sons of the Earth that had fallen victim to the shagging smog would be tried and convicted of attempted murder, treason, and actual murder.

On the other side of Cordonia, the Cult of Dionysus had succumbed to the experimental gas that had been meant for the nobility. Their deaths would secure the maximum sentence for the collaborators.

Before he fled into the night, Claudius had willingly given up the distributor of the gas as revenge for giving them the wrong product.

With Anton in custody, Claudius was now the leader of the Sons of the Earth.

He wasn’t sure he was ready. His devotion to the cause wasn’t as strong as it used to be. He’d been focused for so many years on exacting his vengeance on Bastien Lykel for leaving the movement, and him. But after their night of passion, he was no longer sure that he could execute any plan that might hurt his former lover.

Teagan had already abandoned the group citing gross incompetence and mediocre leadership.

When he finally made it back to headquarters, he realized he was working with a third of the original group. One-third were sitting in the palace cells and one-third had walked away along with Teagan.

He was left with green recruits and men that should have retired years ago.

With mixed feelings, he sent them all home, telling them to disperse, lay low and wait to be recalled at some nebulous point in the future.

The Sons of the Earth was officially disbanded. Taken out by a video gamer and fucking shagging smog.

Claudius poured himself a generous helping of Anton’s best whiskey and settled into the plush leather executive chair in Anton’s office. He stared out the window as he wondered what he was supposed to do with his life now.

He pulled out his phone and typed Bastien’s name into Google then zoomed in on a photo of him at the last King’s Guard’s Annual Awards Banquet, looking handsome and distinguished in a well-fitting suit.

His fingers traced over his former lover’s face on the screen as he contemplated his next move.

[angelasscribbles]

Star Crossed Extras

Series: Star Crossed

Fandom: The Royal Romance

My other stuff: Master List.

The following customized gifs are courtesy of the talented and generous @secretaryunpaid

Chapter 3: The Forgotten Falls

Chapters 3 and 4: From the falls to the altar...

Tagging under the cut

 @nestledonthaveone @gkittylove99 @karahalloway  @texaskitten30 @tessa-liam

@kachrisberry @fangirling12566 @belencha77 @lovingchoices14 @twinkle-320

@21-wishes @secretaryunpaid @lunaseasblog  @princessleac1 @bebepac

@emersyn-in-cordonia @walkerdrakewalker @73geenalove @tornbetween2loves @sillydg

@pinklipsandmasonjars @savannahdix @jennieausten @kingliam2019 @3pawandme

@queen-arabella-of-cordonia @tinkie1973 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @jared2612 @mainstreetreader

@amandablink @harleybeaumont  @xpandass420x @ladyangel70 @twinkleallnight

@dcbbw  @indiacater @queenmiarys @phoenixrising308 @gabesmommie1130

@bascmve01

[angelasscribbles]

Star Crossed: Epilogue

 Series: Star Crossed

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Drake, Liam x Maxwell

Rating: G

Warnings: none

Word Count: 377

My other stuff: Master List.

Crown Princess Eleanor Rys ran down the hallway followed closely by her younger brother Prince Alexander.

Riley sidestepped them as they nearly collided with her, giggling and shrieking as they chased each other through the palace.

“You okay there?” Drake laughed softly as reached out to steady her.

“I’m fine.” She replied as she watched them disappear around the corner.

She was the biological mother of both of Liam’s biological children and she loved them dearly, but Liam and Max were their parents. She and Drake filled more of an aunt and uncle role in their lives. She had willingly donated her eggs and let a surrogate carry them.

“I’m just surprised Jax and Jace aren’t right behind them.”

“Spoke too soon!” Drake chuckled, pulling her closer to him as his son Jaxon rounded the corner followed closely by Jace.

Riley and Liam had come clean about their arrangement in an exclusive interview with Ana De Luca a year after Constantine’s death. There had been some grumbles from the older, more conservative members of court, but for the most part, the public didn’t care, as long as they were good rulers. And they were.

Jax had been conceived after both of Liam’s biological children were born and cemented into the line of succession.

Liam had asked Riley for one more egg and she had been happy to donate again. This time, to be combined with Max’s sperm.

Prince Jason Percival Beaumont Rys had been fully and legally adopted by Liam, giving him two legal fathers. It had been precedent-setting for Cordonia and most of Europe.

“You sure you’re okay?” Drake asked, dropping his hand to her stomach.

“Yes, baby girl Walker and I are both just fine.” She told him before tilting her head back for a kiss.

“Okay then. Let’s get going,” he guided her down the hall, “Liam and Max are waiting and we’re going to win game night this time!”

Riley giggled. Liam and Max always won, but that didn’t stop Drake from being competitive. “Leo and Liv are coming too, right?”

“Yes, and Bert and Sav. Also, Hana and Madeleine.” He shuddered a little. That was still a pairing that he would never understand.

“Perfect!” Riley chirped.

She meant it.

Everything was perfect.

[angelasscribbles]

A Fervid Fixation Chapter 6: Conflagration

Series: A Fervid Fixation

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Drake

Rating: MA

Warnings for this chapter: Language

Word Count: 4,159

A/N: This is me officially giving up on predicting the length of this story. 🤷🏻‍♀️

My other stuff: Master List.

Riley jumped as the door slammed behind Liam. She turned back to Drake, “What do you mean I have no idea what I’ve just done?”

“I mean…you’ve only known the charming and polite Liam, the person he is when he’s getting his way.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that you don’t know what he’s capable of! Liam handles things…differently.”

“Differently how?”

“Okay, so take me for example. I’m a simple man, Riley. Straightforward. Nick pissed me off, I punched him. Tariq threatened you, I punched him. Simple. Out in the open. Resolved and moved on from. But Liam? He can destroy a person’s life from the ground up and they never see him coming until it’s too late.”

“Liam wouldn’t-

“Oh, he would, he can, and he has! I’m telling you…you don’t know him like I do! If I haven’t been fired, had my clearance revoked, and been shut out of all our systems by the time he makes it back to the office, I’ll eat my shoes.”

“But…you’re his best friend!”

“Who just betrayed him.”

“You didn’t-“

“As far as he’s concerned, I did and that’s all that matters. I told you, absolute monarchy.”

“What will you do if he fires you?”

“The job is the least of my concerns, Riley. I told you; I have money. I can get by without an income for a while. I can get another job, somewhere else, but…”

“But?”

“But I can almost guarantee he’ll have all my domestic assets frozen by nightfall. He can make it impossible for me to find another job, he can seize this property if he wants to and frankly if he decides to arrest me, I could spend the rest of my life in a prison cell.”

“But you’ve done nothing wrong or illegal!” She protested, “Surely a jury-“

“Doesn’t matter. There won’t be a trail. This isn’t America.”

“Why would he do any of that?”

“Because in his mind, I just took something that belonged to him. Liam Rys doesn’t do tit-for-tat. He goes for shock and awe. Slight him, he will raze your life to the ground.”

“I…I don’t believe you! He’s just hurt right now, he’ll calm down, you’ll see.”

Drake plucked his phone up from the coffee table where she had placed it and dialed. Putting it on speaker phone while it rang, he held it toward her so she could hear the conversation.

“Who are you calling?”

“Jason Toussaint, the Lieutenant in charge of cyber operations,” he answered.

The call connected, “Drake? What the hell is going on? I just got orders to lock you out of all systems.”

“Hey, Jason,” Drake spoke into the phone, “Has my employment been terminated?”

“Yes, and all security clearances revoked,” Jason answered, “What the hell is going on, cap?”

Drake gave Riley an I told you so look before answering, “Has the order been given to freeze my assets?”

“Yes, but I haven’t done it yet.”

“The assets don’t matter,” Drake answered, “but do that last.”

“All right. I’ll buy you as much time as I can, but be advised that your passport has been revoked.”

“Noted. Thanks, Jason.”

Drake hung up the phone and started pacing.

Riley watched him, anxiety spinning her mind in a million different directions. “What are we going to do?”        

Drake stopped pacing and turned to face her, “We need to go, now!”

“Where?”

“Anywhere that isn’t Cordonia or a country that has an extradition treaty with Cordonia. His reach ends at the border.”

“Okay, but how do we do that if you don’t have a passport?”

“We get creative!” He smiled reassuringly at her, “Don’t worry, I have a plan! Go pack your stuff!”

It didn’t take her long because she had barely unpacked. When she came back down the stairs, Drake was just hanging up the phone, “Who was that? Is everything okay?”  

“I just found out from my contact in MiSHI that the person Tariq was working with is Bastien.” He said grimly, “And there’s only one person he takes orders from.”

“Who’s that?”

“Constantine.”

Riley’s heart dropped, “Liam’s father?”

“Yes, the fucking bastard! This makes it even more imperative that we get out of the country as soon as possible. If Constantine has determined that you’re not suitable marriage material for his son, he will go to any lengths to ensure he stays away from you.”

“Okay,” she took a deep breath as she nodded, “I’m packed, we can go!”

“Me too,” He pointed to a duffle bag laying by the door, “I’ll go grab your bags, you go grab some snacks from the kitchen so we don’t have to stop any more than necessary.”

“On it!”

“There’s a cooler under the cabinet closest to the fridge!” He called over his shoulder as he bounded up the stairs.

Fifteen minutes later their stuff was loaded into the back of a nondescript range rover.

Confusion pulled through her, “Where did that come from and where’s your car?”

“My car is stashed in the garage around back where this was parked. It won’t be easily seen unless someone is looking for it. And they won’t be. They’ll be looking for it out on the road, but they won’t find it because we’ll be in this!” He grinned at her as he dangled the keys, “It was my sister’s. They won’t think to look for her car. I doubt Liam even remembers she had a car before she left!”

“Savannah, right?” she asked as she slid into the passenger seat, “You told me about her. You never told me why she left.”

“Because some fucking duke used her and threw her away like she was garbage!” he climbed into the driver’s seat and put the car in gear as he spoke, “Made a big deal about how she was good enough to fuck but not good enough to marry. Then she found out she was pregnant and was afraid the guy would take her to court and get custody of the kid. And he would have won because he had all the money and all the power. So I helped her move away before anyone here even knew she was pregnant.”

“Jesus…that…that sucks, I’m so sorry!”

“It’s okay,” he shrugged, “Fuck that guy. She dodged a bullet if you ask me.”

He navigated the vehicle down the rutted-out path and eventually onto a better, but still rough dirt road. It took twenty minutes before they hit pavement.

“So…an officer in the Royal Guard, huh?”

“Yes, the youngest Captain in the history of the guard!” he told her proudly.

“I’m sorry you’re giving that up.”

“What?” he pulled his eyes from the road briefly to look at her, “It’s fine. I did what had to be done. I have no regrets.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because, if titles and money were what you cared about, mine weren’t going to impress you. I’m a captain in the Cordonian Royal Guard, not a crown prince or even a duke. I make good money and I have a small inheritance from my grandmother, but I can’t compete with billionaires.”  

“I don’t care about your money, Drake.” She sighed, “I literally chose you over a crown prince, remember?”

That got a smile out of him, “You did, didn’t you?”

She smiled back, “I did.”

“I still can’t believe you did that!” his voice held a note of awe as his hand reached for hers.

She squeezed his back and smiled, “So where are we going?”

“To Hadley Airfield.”

“What is that and why are we going there?”

“It’s an old government-owned airstrip that’s still staffed by the guard, but used primarily for non-military purposes. Crop dusting, running supplies for research missions, shit like that. It’s a low priority for upgrades so it’s still pretty low-tech. I won’t need to swipe a key card to get in, just punch in a code that I’d bet money no one has thought to change, and even if they did, they’d have to physically send someone there to do it.”

“So…what? We’re going to steal a plane?”

He gave her a mischievous grin, “Yep.”

“Wait…seriously?”

“Seriously. An old one that can’t be controlled remotely. Then we’re going to fly right over the border into Auvernall. No extradition treaty and they have an international airport there.”

They would ditch the stolen plane and melt into the masses of people in Auvernall before hopping a flight to anywhere in the world and disappearing off Liam’s radar forever.

“And just who the hell is going to fly this plane?”

“I am!”

“You’re a pilot?”

His grin widened, it was downright cocksure as he answered, “Before I joined the guard, my prior service was in the Cordonian Royal Air Force, babe. Yes, I can fly a plane.”

Five hours later they pulled up to a rusted metal gate and stopped at an unmanned guard station. Drake rolled the window down and typed a code into the box. The gate made a loud buzzing sound and then slid open.

“Told you!” He gloated as they drove unimpeded into the airport.

“I never doubted you!”

He navigated the Range Rover through the airport to a row of metal aircraft hangers in the back. He pulled up next to a small office building and put the vehicle in park. “I have to go inside and check the logs.”

“Why?”

“I need to know which planes are fueled and ready to go. I need to know the flight schedule. The last thing we want is to take a plane with a mechanical issue, not enough fuel or to take off at the wrong time and crash into another aircraft.”

“Okay,” She nodded, “I’m coming with you!”

“No,” he shook his head, “You should stay in the car.”

“And what if someone comes to ask me what I’m going here?”

He rolled that around in his head for a few seconds before acquiescing, “All right. Let’s go!”

A bell tinkled as they entered the office. An air-conditioned blast hit them, a stark contrast to the heat and humidity outside.

A slender, blonde-haired man with a crew cut looked up from his seat at the desk, “Hey, you can’t be in here-“

Drake flashed his badge at the young corporal, “I need access to the flight schedule and maintenance records.”

“Yes, sir!” The corporal surged to his feet, stumbling over his own feet in his haste to produce the records.

After thrusting the requested documents into Drake’s hands, the young man glanced in Riley’s direction.

“Hey!” Drake snapped his fingers in the kid’s face, “She’s not your concern!”

“R-Right! Sorry!”

Drake flipped quickly through some pages on a clipboard before tossing them onto the desktop. He grabbed Riley’s arm and aimed her toward the door, “Come on, let’s go!”

The bell jingled as the door opened again and a lone figure strode through it, blocking the light so all Riley could make out was a silhouette.

Drake took several steps back, pulling Riley with him, “Bas? What are you doing here? How did you know-“

“You don’t think I remember Leo giving us the slip just like this when you were partnered with me during your training year?”

“Shit! Fuck!” Drake kicked at a pile of boxes, sending them toppling over. He pulled Riley closer and put his mouth to her ear so only she could hear, “When I tell you to go, you get in the car and go. Meet me at hanger forty-seven. Got it? Don’t talk. Just nod if you understand.”  

She nodded as he discreetly pressed his keys into the palm of her hand.

“This place is going to be swarming with King’s Guards any minute,” Bastien flashed his badge at the corporal and told him, “Go on kid, get out of here before you end up in the middle of a shootout.”

The kid scrambled out the door without a backward glance.

Why are you doing this, Bas?” Drake asked, “I thought you believed she wasn’t good enough to marry Liam.”

“What I believe doesn’t matter, I have my orders, I can’t let you leave,” Bastien reached for Riley’s arm.

Drake moved quickly, pulling her out of his reach, “God damn it, Bas! I wish you hadn’t done that.”

“I’m trying to help you-“

“Go!” Drake spun Riley toward the door with one arm as the other shot out to clothesline the older man.

Riley hit the door running and didn’t slow down until she skidded into the Range Rover. She yanked the door open, clambered up into the driver’s seat, and threw the car in gear, leaving rubber on the asphalt as she careened out of the parking area.

Her eyes scanned the dingy metal hangers as she drove. They each had a number painted on them in now faded yellow paint. When she found the correct one, she drove straight into it and slammed the brakes on.

Flinging the door open, she rushed back to push the sliding doors of the hangar shut.

Maybe that would slow them down. She ran back to the car and started transferring luggage to the plane.

When she was done, she began pacing back and forth across the hangar. Minutes ticked by as she considered going back.

She started talking to herself, “What if he got hurt? What if he got arrested? Fuck!”

She made up her mind to go back if he didn’t appear within the next two minutes. Out loud she said, “Come on, Drake! Where are you?”

Footsteps sounded near the rear of the hangar, and she whirled toward it, ready to run.

Drake stepped away from a small door she hadn’t noticed before. He grinned at her, “I’m right here, Brooks. Miss me?”

“Oh, thank God!” She rushed into his arms, “What happened?”

“I had to knock Bastien out,” he said grimly as he caught her, “he wasn’t going to let us leave.”  

“I’m sorry, I know you were close.”

“Yeah, well, he may have been my godfather and he may have loved my mother,” Drake said as he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, “but his first loyalty was always to the crown.”

“Well, I’m still sorry you had to hurt him.”

“It’s okay, he’ll recover,” he told her as he released her, “But we have minutes to get out of here before soldiers are everywhere. Let’s go!”

He took her by the hand and headed for the plane. He made it to the steps when she pulled her hand away, “Wait! I forgot-“

“There’s no time!”

“Your phone! It’s in the console!”

Shit! He was going to need that to reach his contact in Auvenall. “I’ll get it, you get on the plane!” He reversed direction and pushed past her.

He scooped the phone out of the center console and didn’t bother closing the door as he hustled back to the plane.

Riley was still standing at the bottom of the steps, waiting for him, instead of on the plane like he’d told her.

“Freeze!” The doors of the hanger banged open as soldiers poured into the room, scattering and taking up tactical positions around the area.

Drake pushed her in front of him, “Get on the plane!”

“But-“ she stumbled as he guided her body forward while her head moved around to see behind them.

“Riley! Drake!” Liam’s voice rang out as he stepped past the guardsmen.

Drake spun around, yanking a nine-millimeter Baretta from the waistband of his pants. He leveled the firearm at Liam while making sure to keep himself situated in front of Riley, blocking her from any potential gunfire.

Every assault rifle in the place was suddenly aimed at them as the king’s life was threatened.

“It’s okay, hold your fire!” Liam yelled at them as he held his arms out to the side to indicate that he himself was unarmed. He couldn’t risk Riley getting shot when they took Drake down. “Are you going to shoot me, Drake? Your best friend? Your brother?”

“Is that what you are?”

“You know it is,” Liam replied calmly.

“Did you tell Riley that I was obsessed with her? That I was unhinged?” Drake demanded.

Liam’s eyes slid to Riley’s face then back to Drake, “You have been acting erratically, Drake. Nick…Tariq…coronation night…this! Stealing a plane? Really?”

“Borrowing it,” Drake corrected him, “You can have it back once we’re safely out of the country.”

“This is treason, Drake. Come on, man. Be reasonable!”

Drake’s back pressed against Riley, eyes still trained on Liam as he moved backward, nudging her up the first step. In a low voice, he told her, “Everything I did, I did for you! You understand that, right?”

“Don’t move!” One of the guardsmen yelled as Drake edged Riley up another step.

A rifle clicked.

Riley’s gaze swung around the room to take in the ridiculous number of guns pointed directly at Drake’s chest. “No!” she pushed around and in front of him, placing herself between him and the guns.

“Riley, don’t!” Both men yelled.

She spread both arms out in the air, “I won’t let you shoot him! Liam, please! He’s your best friend!”

“I don’t want to hurt him, Riley, but-“

An officer stepped up next to Liam and whispered something in his ear.

Drake kept the handgun grasped in one hand while the other landed on her shoulder, “Riley, get behind me and get on the plane!”

“No! They’ll shoot you!”

“Riley-“

Liam’s features hardened, “Riley, you don’t understand-“

“No, I don’t Liam! Why can’t we just leave?”

“Well for starters, Bastien is dead, and we have some questions,” Liam replied grimly.

“What?” Drake stumbled back like he’d been struck, shaking his head, “No! No!”

Liam’s face reddened, and his voice was laden with accusation, “You killed him!”

“No! I just disabled him! He was alive when I left!”

“Then who killed him, Drake?”

“I don’t know, Liam, you tell me!”

“Are you insinuating-“

“I’m not just insinuating, Li! You had him killed so he couldn’t reveal your father’s part in the plot against Riley!” Drake accused, then after a moment’s thought added, “And possibly so you could pin it on me!”

Liam’s eyes darted from Drake to Riley, “You’re not buying any of this, are you?”

“I don’t know, Liam.” Her eyes narrowed, “When I chose Drake, you told me I’d just made the biggest mistake of my life. That sure sounded like a threat.”

“When I said you’d made a mistake, I meant by trusting him!”

“But Drake’s been telling the truth about you, Liam, I heard it myself!”

“From whom?” Liam asked in astonishment.

“Jason.”

“Who’s Jason?”

Her confidence wavered, “The Lieutenant in charge of cyber security…”

“There’s no Lieutenant named Jason in the cyber division, Riley.” Liam shook his head sadly then extended his arm toward her, “Come on, Riley, just take a few steps forward and all this can be over.”

Drake’s fingers dug into her shoulder, as he moved up another step, pulling her after him, “He’s lying, Riley! Can’t you see that?”

“No, Riley,” Liam moved his fingers in a come hither motion, “He’s lying! Just take a few steps forward and come here.”

“So…you didn’t fire him and revoke his clearance?” Riley asked, uncertainty coloring her voice.

“Of course, I fired him and revoked his clearance!” Liam exploded, throwing both hands in the air, “he abused his position and literally kidnapped you!”

“I rescued you, Riley!” Drake protested, “He told you himself, he wanted you on that plane that night!”

Riley’s mind spun with indecision. She still had questions, “What about his assets?”

Liam’s brows furrowed, “What about them?”

“Did you have them frozen? Did you revoke his passport?”

“Yes! Because I was trying to stop him from doing exactly what he’s doing right now! Once he gets you out of Cordonia, I won’t be able to protect you! But it didn’t matter anyway.”

“What do you mean, it didn’t matter?”

“I mean…he had no assets to freeze. Why is that Drake?”

Drake shrugged as he adjusted the Barretta in his grip, “I moved all my assets out of Cordonia two days ago, Liam.”

“And why would you do that if you weren’t planning this little escapade all along?”

“Because I know how you operate! I had to protect myself, and her!” He lowered his voice so only Riley could hear, “That’s why I told Jason to do that part last. So it took longer for Liam to figure out I was a step ahead.”

“Me?” Liam scoffed, “I think you’re the tactical genius here.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Drake said evenly as he moved up another step, pulling Riley up with him.

“I mean….I’m beginning to think maybe you were behind the whole setup with Tariq!”

“You think I sent him to do the thing I beat the dog shit out of him for? I never pegged you as delusional, Li.”

“Maybe you didn’t know about that part. Maybe that was all Bas’s idea.”

“Bas?” Drake snorted, “You know he only took orders from one person…your father! And we all know how badly he wanted you married to Madeleine! Speaking of Madeleine, are we sure she wasn’t in on the whole thing?”

“My father is far too sick to be meddling in my affairs. We all know the person Bas would have done anything for was you!”

“What?” Riley froze, almost to the top step.

“Think about it, Riley!” Liam insisted, “He contrived the entire scandal precisely because he knew what the protocol would be, he’s a trained, high-ranking officer after all! And he knew precisely what my reaction would be. He likes pointing out how well he knows me. He’s right. He does! He knew I’d want you out of the country and out of harm’s way while I investigated and cleared your name. It was the perfect opportunity for him to swoop in and play the hero, paint me as the villain. Which is exactly what he did, isn’t it?”

Panic laced Drake’s voice, “Riley, you’re not buying this, are you? He’s twisting everything!”

“How convenient that Bastien is dead,” Liam continued, “He was the only person that could have connected you to the scandal.”

“The only person that could have exonerated me and implicated your father you mean! That is convenient, isn’t it?”

“Riley, come here!” Liam’s voice cracked, betraying signs of his rising desperation.

“Riley, get on the plane…” Drake pleaded.

She hesitated as everything they had both said swirled through her mind. They both made persuasive arguments. She was never going to know the truth either way. How well did she really know either of these men?

There was one thing she did know for sure though, “Liam, I know one thing...”

“What’s that?”

“I know you’re a liar!”

His arm dropped as shock coursed through him, “What?”

“You told me you loved me! You told me you were going to marry me! You fucked me in the hedge maze and then you turned around five minutes later and got engaged to another woman while letting me be drug out of the palace under armed guard!”

“That was different! I’ve explained why! I have to think about Cordonia, Riley!”

“I understand that Liam. I do.” She nodded.

His body sagged with relief, “Good. Okay, come here,” he held his arm out toward her again.

She stepped back, her body pushing Drake up another step, “But…”

All the stress rushed back into his body, “But?”

“But I need a man who puts me first and Drake has proven he’s more than up to that task.”

Liam’s mouth fell open, “Even if he’s a liar and a murderer?”

“He’s not, Liam. You’re wrong about him!”

Drake took one more step back, into the plane then dropped the gun as he yanked Riley inside and slammed the door.

“Goddamn it!” Liam kicked fruitlessly at the ground.

“Sir?” The officer in charge of the scene approached him as the plane’s engine roared to life, sending half the contents of the hangar flying through the air.

Shouts of “Cover! Cover!” pinged off the walls as Liam was yanked backward and drug to safety.

Men scattered and dove out of the way as the plane taxied out of the hangar and onto the runway.

“Sir!” The commander yelled, “We can still stop them! We can aim for the pilot or the fuel tank!”

Liam watched as the plane picked up speed. He shook his head, “No, if the pilot’s dead, the plane will crash, if it loses all its fuel, there’s a chance it gets airborne before it runs out and plummets to the ground.”

He still wasn’t willing to risk her life.

“But sir-“

“It doesn’t matter,” Liam sighed as he watched the plane climb into the air. He still had one play left, “Get me Isabella Achilles on the phone. Now!”

[angelasscribbles]

A Fervid Fixation Chapter 6: Conflagration.

This will not be the last chapter after all. Go figure.

Tagging under the cut

All Things TRR:

@nestledonthaveone  @karahalloway  @tessa-liam  @belencha77 @lovingchoices14

@21-wishes @secretaryunpaid @lunaseasblog  @princessleac1 @bebepac

@emersyn-in-cordonia @walkerdrakewalker @73geenalove  @sillydg @twinkle-320

@queen-arabella-of-cordonia @tinkie1973 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @jared2612 @mainstreetreader

@amandablink @harleybeaumont  @xpandass420x @ladyangel70 @twinkleallnight

@dcbbw  @indiacater @queenmiarys @phoenixrising0308 @gabesmommie1130

@kingliam2019 @3pawandme @bascmve01 @hollygirl1269  @ohmyeightpastlives

@choicesficwriterscreations

[angelasscribbles]

A Fervid Fixation Chapter 5: Flashpoint

Series: A Fervid Fixation

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Drake

Rating: MA

Warnings for this chapter: Language

Word Count: 3,942

A/N: I honestly believe there will only be one more chapter after this one.

My other stuff: Master List.

Drake stood in his kitchen staring at Riley in disbelief, “What do you mean that’s not how you remember it?”

“I mean we spent three weeks telling each other everything! I thought we knew each other, Drake!”

He had invited her to meet him in Olivia’s wine cellar and they had stayed up until dawn talking. The next night they had both shown up again. They never discussed or planned it, but it became their routine to sneak down to the wine cellars after all the official events were over. On days with no official court events, they hung out together, exploring the nearby town, hiking through the woods, or just watching movies in her room.

Then he kissed her and it had all gone to hell.

Riley felt hurt and anger pull through her at the memory, “I thought we had started something then you unceremoniously dumped me!”

“Dumped you?” his mouth fell open with incredulity, “We weren’t dating, and you were there for Liam! You said you needed space, remember?”

“Oh, my God, Drake!” She exploded, “Being a little confused because I kind of liked two cute guys, both of whom I had just met isn’t exactly unreasonable! All I said was that we should slow down! Next thing I know, you’re barely speaking to me, or being a complete dick when you do! How is that not dumping me? Even if only as a friend? Fucking asshole!”

“Right. Slow down, as in giving you space, which is what I did!”

“You didn’t slow things down Drake, you slammed us into a brick wall!”

“I know about the hot tub, okay?”

“What?”               

“The hot tub, with Liam, in Lythikos.”

“He told you about that?”

“Yeah,” Drake huffed, “Couldn’t shut up about it.”

Riley felt several emotions slide through her in rapid succession. Shock followed by guilt chased quickly by anger, “So I fucked Liam in a hot tub, so what?”

“So what? So what? So that sure didn’t make it seem like you were interested in me!”

“It was our third day there! You and I had just started talking and it took you three weeks to fucking kiss me! That sure didn’t make it seem like you were interested in me!”

“I was trying not to overstep any boundaries!”

“Yeah, well, when you did finally kiss me, you went from zero to let’s get married! Talk about blowing past boundaries!”

“I did not!”

“You started talking about what our children would look like, Drake! That’s why I said we needed to slow down! I like to actually date people before I start planning a wedding! Jesus Fucking Christ!”

“Wait. You wanted to date me?”

“Yeah…maybe…I mean, yes, okay, I did!”

“Did? Past tense?”

“Well…I mean once we got back to the palace, you started treating me like total shit half the time so… you know…I mean, what was I supposed to think?”

“Once we got back to the palace, you started fawning all over Liam!”

“Well, I was apparently completely single and he was interested so why the fuck wouldn’t I?”

“I…..” Drake fought against the sudden onslaught of emotions flooding through him and mingling together. He tried to sort through and make sense of them.

She hadn’t pushed him to the side for Liam.

She thought he had pushed her to the side.

Anything she’d done with Liam since then was his own fault. All the months of torture watching her with other men had been self-inflicted.

He was a colossal idiot.  

“Riley, can we start over?” He forgave her for the other men. The past was in the past, all that mattered was the future.

“I don’t know, Drake. Can we?”

“I thought you wanted to slow things down because you wanted to be with Liam. I was snappy with you because I was trying to keep my feelings for you locked down.”

“Is that an apology?”

“Yes!”

“Didn’t sound like one.”

“Are you fucking serious-“

“Fine, never mind!” She flipped her hair over her shoulder as she spun and headed for the stairs.

“Wait!” He caught up with her halfway through the living room. He grabbed her by her shoulder and spun her around to face him, “Okay! Okay! Could you just….give me a minute?”

“For what? Either you’re sorry for alternating between ignoring me and being a dick to me or you’re not. What’s hard about that?”

“Everything!” He blew out a frustrated exhale as he jerked his hand through his hair, “you may have noticed that I’m not fucking good at this!”

“At what?”

“Expressing my feelings! I’ve never done….this before, okay?”

“What? Had a relationship with a woman?”

“Not…really. Sex, yes. Fucking cared about one? Not the way I care about you! I’ve never felt like this before!”

“Like what?” She needed to know exactly what he meant. She was tired of the mixed signals.

“Like I’m going crazy! Like I can’t fucking breathe when I’m around you and I’m barely even alive when I’m not! I know I can be intense, but I can’t help it! I’ve never done anything by half-measures! I’m sorry I scared you by trying to move too fast. I didn’t mean…I was just saying that….I mean, our children would be gorgeous, how is that not just an objective fact?” He trailed off completely unsure where to go or what to say.

“So, you do like me?”

“Didn’t I just say that?”

“I don’t want to start over.”

“What? Why not? I said I was sorry! I can-“

She stepped closer to him and laid her hand on his cheek, “Because I don’t want to erase Lythikos. I don’t want to erase any of it, even the bad parts. I just want to move forward without any misunderstandings between us. Can we do that?”

He placed his hand over hers as the feelings in his chest swelled to the point he was afraid it really might explode, “We can do that.”

“Okay,” She pulled away from him, “First thing I’m going to need from you is a phone, Drake. I need to know what’s going on.”

With a sigh, he drew his phone out of his pocket and motioned to the couch. She sat down as he opened the web browser. He tapped into the search bar and then handed it to her, “Here.”

She scrolled through a list of headlines like “American Suitor Unfaithful”, “Cordonia Deserves Better”, and “Waitress Offers Up Hot Dish”.

She shook her head as she skimmed through several articles with growing anger and disbelief, “Tariq is claiming we had a whole ass affair!”

“Yeah,” fury coiled in his chest, “if I get my hands on him again, his next affair is going to be his funeral!”

“Oh shit! Have you seen this?” She read out loud, “Inside sources report the duke engaged in a fist fight with an as yet unidentified second man and rival lover…what the fuck?”

“Shit, I hadn’t seen that one! I’m sorry, I made it worse!”

“Don’t be sorry!” she exclaimed, “Now I wish you had put him in a fucking body cast!”

His jaw set with deadly seriousness, “That can be arranged.”

Her eyes met his and despite the gravity of the situation, laughter bubbled out of her. “Oh, shit! I know you’re joking but damned if I don’t want to take you up on that!”

“I wasn’t joking.” He replied with a half-amused, half-disbelieving smile.

“I mean, yeah, I know you obviously have no problem beating the hell of people, but I wouldn’t expect  you to actually put someone in a body cast for me!”

“But I would!” He was suddenly on his knees in front of her, “I would do anything for you!”

“Drake…I…”

He laid his head in her lap, his fingers pressing into her outer thighs. “I can give you things, Riley! I can’t provide a royalty-level lifestyle, but I can give you a comfortable one. I can make sure you never want for anything! I have money, not Beaumont money, but enough to give you the kind of life you deserve!”

Her fingers twisted in his hair, “That’s….really sweet…but…”

His head snapped up. His eyes searched her face frantically, “But?”

“But you’re doing it again, Drake! We had sex once, and that sounds like a proposal or something!”

He sat back on his heels, his hands still resting on her legs, “Why do you keep pushing me away? Are you trying to break me?”

“I just think we need to have sex more than once before we start talking about-“

“How many times have you had sex with Liam?”

“That’s none of your business!” She shoved his hands away, “Besides, I thought he kept you apprised of these things!”

“I’m just trying to ascertain what the magic number is, Riley!”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Were you going to say yes to Liam?”

“What?”

“Don’t what me, answer the question! If Liam had chosen you at the coronation ball, would you have said yes?”

“I mean…”

“Goddamn it!” He leapt to his feet, “I knew it!”

“Oh, calm down. I didn’t know how you felt! A girl has to consider all her options.”

“Is that all I am to you, Riley? A fucking option?”

She jumped to her feet to yell at him, “Up until five minutes ago I thought you hated me!”

“Well, I don’t!”

“Well, good!”

“Okay, good!”

“Good!”

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

They stood glaring at each other for a moment before Drake asked, “Why are we fighting?”

“I don’t know!” She stomped her foot then considered the question seriously, “Habit, I guess.”

“So, when can we have sex again?”

“What?”

“I mean, if there’s a specific number of times we have to have sex before we can discuss the future, then I would like to know what that number is and I would additionally like to get started making progress on that goal!”

“Weren’t you the one that just said it couldn’t happen again?”

“That’s before I knew I was an option, Riley! Now that I know there’s a real chance-“

“You’re insufferable and irrational, you know that?”

“And you’re completely maddening! First, you think we’re in a relationship, but you don’t tell me that! Then you put the brakes on it because I expressed wanting to pursue a relationship with you! Then you tell me that you do want to have a relationship with me but then you get mad because I try to talk about having a relationship with you!”

“A relationship doesn’t mean jumping straight to marriage, Drake! Have you ever tried dating someone? You’re supposed to work your way up to that!”

“And what would you consider dating?”

“Dating! You know, going to a movie together, going out to dinner, maybe a party, dancing or-“

“We’ve done all those things!”

“Not as a couple! We’ve hung out as friends!”

“What’s the difference?” He demanded.

“The intention is different!”

“No, I don’t think so. My intentions were always the same. I don’t hang out with people I don’t like. I clearly liked you!”

Riley heaved a deep sigh, “Goddamn Drake! I want to date! I want romance! I want-“

“Okay, go change into something nice.”

“Why?”

“So I can take you to a fucking movie and dinner!”

“Right now?”

“I thought that’s what you wanted!”

“We’ll get to all of that later,” she said dismissively as she retook her seat on the couch, “but I have a few questions first.”

“About what?”

“About the fact that you seemed prepared for my visit! There was women’s shampoo in the bathroom.” She said accusingly.

He seemed genuinely puzzled as he told her, “I didn’t think you’d want to use mine.”

“Drake, how long did you know about the setup, and why didn’t you tell me?”

Oh, that.

His head tipped back to stare up at the ceiling. He took several deep breaths to calm himself and refocus his attention. “I didn’t know about the setup until it dropped, actually.”

“But then how-“

“I knew you were under surveillance, but I didn’t know why.”

“Okay, okay, I don’t understand…”

“The guard having orders to be on standby to arrest you, the limo ordered to wait out front, the plane ticket…I found all of that out just hours before the coronation.”

“So why does it seem like you were prepared for me to be here?”

“I did all that last week after the Tariq thing happened and Liam told me to stay away from you.”

“He did what?”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“No…”

“Well, he did, he told me to stay completely away from you! But even though he basically ordered me to stand down, I started asking around about the Tariq investigation and some things didn’t add up. I knew something was up, but not what. The cabin is always my backup plan, my fallback location. So, I thought maybe it could be yours too if it came to that. I didn’t know for sure you’d ever be here, I just wanted to be prepared in case you needed a place to lay low for a while.”

“Okay…that…that actually makes sense…but I have a million more questions! What things didn’t add up? Why did Liam tell you to stay away from me and why did you listen to him?”

She hadn’t seen Drake again after the incident with Tariq. Not until he slid into the back of that SUV on coronation night.

“Liam told me to stay away from you because he correctly identified my interest in you,” Drake told her, “As far as things that didn’t add up,” he started ticking items off his fingers, “Your lock was disabled, Tariq is maintaining that you invited him to your room and that my attack on him was unprovoked or motivated by jealousy-“

“What’s suspicious about a man lying about consent? Happens all the time, unfortunately.”

“Yeah…that’s not okay. But, back to Tariq, Liam said something that night….that I’ve known Tariq all my life. He was right, I have known the man most of my life and he’s not a rapist. What he is though, is a crown loyalist and a traditionalist.”

“Which means?”

“Which means he would not approve of nor support the king marrying a commoner or a foreigner.”

“Oh! Wow…”

“I told you people here are brutal with this shit. Now that we know someone was waiting to take those photos, it’s safe to assume he’s working in concert with someone to make sure a commoner never sits on the throne. And it has to be someone high up because digging around in the investigation is how I found out you were under surveillance. Only so many people can order surveillance like that.”

Riley slumped back on the couch, “This is a lot.”

“So, to review, Tariq was sent to paw all over you, at least enough to make it look real, while someone was waiting in the tree outside your room with a camera. You’ve been under surveillance for some time. Details of the incident report were leaked, along with the photo. A plane ticket was purchased, the limo and the guards were on standby, and didn’t you tell me your things had already been packed for you?”

“Yes, damn. Someone really has it out for me.”

“This is what I’ve been telling you!”

“But Drake….why couldn’t we just go to Liam with all this?”

“Because there are factions out there that have been known to assassinate people to take them or keep them off the throne. And whoever set you up has access to the King’s Guard! They did all this right under Liam’s nose! I couldn’t risk it, couldn’t risk you! Now do you see why I had to get you away and keep your whereabouts a secret?    

“But how did you find all this out? How do you know classified information that even Liam didn’t know? And you still haven’t answered my question about why you stayed away from me just because Liam told you to?”

“Those questions have the same answer, Brooks.”

“Which is?”

“There’s something you don’t know about me, Riley. Something I never told you, despite all those late-night chats. I’m-“

They were interrupted by the sound of someone knocking on the cabin door.

“Shit! No one knows we’re here! Almost no one even knows this place exists!” He pulled her off the couch and pushed her behind him, “Go upstairs and keep quiet while I-“

“Where is she?” Liam slammed into the cabin without waiting for the door to be answered. Relief crashed across his features when he saw her, “Riley! Thank God!”

“It’s okay, Drake, it’s just Liam!” Riley moved around him to greet Liam with a hug.

Liam pulled her tightly against him, his eyes were filled with cold fury as they met Drake’s over her shoulder though his voice didn’t betray it as he told her, “I’ve been worried sick about you!”

“How’d you figure it out?” Drake asked.

Liam released her to glower at his best friend, “It really wasn’t hard to figure out who had already proven the lengths they would go to for her and who had both the authority to issue orders to the guard dogs and access to internal intelligence. I mean, how did this person know what the King’s Guard was planning? Then I realized, there’s only one person that could hijack the guard dogs and also has access to MiSHI.”

“What’s meeshe?” Riley asked.

“MiSHI stands for mission support and human intelligence,” Liam answered, “the Guard’s internal intelligence unit. It’s their job to know everything about everything going on in every unit.”

“I don’t understand…”

“MiSHI and the guard dogs are both special units within the Guard. Only someone who had access to both could have pulled this off. And the only person with access to both is the commander in charge of all the special units.”

“Which is who?” Riley was still trying to figure out how Drake had managed to pull off the rescue/kidnapping. What favors he called in and from whom.

Liam turned to Drake in astonishment, “She doesn’t know?”

“Know what?” Riley’s head swiveled between them.

“You haven’t told her?”

Drake shrugged, “She didn’t have clearance.”

“Clearance for what?” she demanded.

“I was about to tell you,” Drake responded, “When someone barged in without an invitation!”

“That’s what you’re worried about right now?” Liam spun on him, “You could lose your commission for this! It was a flagrant abuse of power!”

A lightbulb went off in her head, “Wait…you’re the head of special units?”

“Sorry to disappoint you that I’m not the broke, unemployed loser you pegged me for.”

“Drake, I never meant-“

“Well, I might be unemployed now,” he said with a bitter laugh, “that’s what I meant when I said I’ve already risked everything for you. It’s also the reason I had to back off when Liam told me to. I couldn’t risk him firing me and cutting off my access before I figured out what was going on.”

“Which I certainly would have done if I’d known how far off the rails you’d gone!” Liam spat at him.

“Okay, we’re going to discuss you keeping information from me later,” Riley told Drake before turning back to Liam, “But why are you mad? I thought you’d be happy to find out I’m still here. Drake’s intervention is the only reason I’m not back in New York right now!”

“You thought I’d be happy about this?” Liam gaped at her, “I wanted you on that plane!”

She stumbled back like she’d been struck, “What? Why? I don’t understand-“

“I determined that it was safer for you in New York and-“

“And you had no right to make that determination for me!”

“I have feelings for you, Riley, strong ones, but you’ve always known that my feelings aren’t the only factor in deciding whom I marry.”

“Not marrying me and having me drug out of the coronation and forced out of the country are two very different things, Liam!”

“I fully intended to come and find you after things calmed down. Explain the situation and-“

“And what? You thought you could humiliate and throw me away and I’d be what? Just waiting for you to show up so I could fall into your arms?”

“I wasn’t throwing you away, Riley!” He shot daggers at Drake, “Can we talk in private, please?”

Drake crossed his arms over his chest, “I’m not leaving unless Riley tells me to.”

Without shifting her gaze away from Liam, Riley said, “Drake stays.”

Liam heaved a very loud, very audible sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Drake smirked at him, “This is my house.”

“And Riley’s my girlfriend!”

“I’m not your girlfriend, Liam! Did you forget the part where you got engaged to another woman?”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you! You can still be my girlfriend, Riley! I may have to marry Madeleine but-“

“Wait! You want me to be your side chick?”

“I’m not familiar with that term. I want to offer you an arrangement, a way to keep you in my life. You’ll stay at the palace, or if you prefer, I can purchase a house for you in town-“

“You arrogant fucking prick!” The sound of her open palm striking his cheek rang out.

His head jerked to the side, then turned back to face her as his hand covered the spot, “I understand you’re upset, but if that’s out of your system now, let’s go, I have a car waiting outside. Where are your things?”

“I’m not going anywhere with you, Your Majesty!” She made the last two words sound like an insult.

“You can’t be serious, Riley! Be reasonable!”

“Oh, I’m deadly serious!”

“You want this?” he gestured to the cabin in general and Drake specifically, “He’s out of control, Riley!”

“You’re right,” she agreed, “he’s been acting crazy for weeks now…” she trailed off, tapping her lips as she considered something, “He’s volatile, possessive and his intensity is a little frightening…”

A victorious smile lit up Liam’s face as he gloated at Drake.

Drake’s head dropped with a defeated exhale.

It had all been for nothing.

“But maybe that’s exactly what I want…”

“What?” Both men exclaimed as two heads snapped toward her and two sets of eyes scanned her face for context.

“Maybe I don’t want a man that carefully follows the rules and wants to keep me as his dirty little secret,” she mused, “maybe I want a man that sets the world on fire to get to me and to keep me safe…” her eyes found Drake’s as she finished, “one who says fuck protocol and decorum and just throws me over a counter and fucks me senseless.”

“Wha-“ Liam’s eyes went from her to Drake to the kitchen counter back to her, “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

She never took her eyes off Drake, “No, I’m not. I have never been more serious about anything in my life.”

“You can’t do this, Riley! You’re making a monumental mistake!” Liam ground out through clenched teeth.

“What’s the big deal, Liam? We had some good times but we both knew it probably wouldn’t last. You chose someone else, and now I’ve chosen someone else. We can still be friends.”

“Friends, Riley? Friends? I don’t fucking think so!” He bumped Drake with his shoulder on the way out, “This isn’t over!”

Riley stared after him in shock, “Wow, I’ve never seen Liam act like that!”

“Shit, Riley,” Drake breathed, “You have no idea what you’ve just done…”

[angelasscribbles]

A Fervid Fixation Chapter 4: Explosion

Series: A Fervid Fixation

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Drake

Rating: NSFW

Warnings for this chapter: Lemons 🍋🍋🍋

Word Count: 4,156

A/N: I'm through trying to predict how long this is going to be. I think just one more chapter, two at most. But your guess is as good as mine at this point!🤷‍♀️

My other stuff: Master List.

She woke up to the smell of bacon wafting through the cabin. Her stomach growled and she realized she was ravenous. Dinner had been hours before the coronation fiasco, and she hadn’t eaten since.

She needed her luggage to get dressed. Drake had been going to get them the last time she’d seen him. She opened the bedroom door and found her suitcases stacked neatly in the hall.

She got dressed quickly and made her way downstairs. The living room opened into a long, narrow kitchen. Drake stood at the stove, shirtless, stirring eggs in a skillet. She paused at the bottom of the stairs, drinking in the sight. She hadn’t seen him shirtless since the beach party and the image of Drake in a speedo was burned into her memory.

He turned slightly, reaching for a cup of coffee on the counter next to him, and caught sight of her out of his peripheral vision. His eyes had already started to track back to the pan so he did a double take as his head jerked back toward her, “Hey! Good morning! Want some breakfast?”

“Uh…sure,” spurred into motion, she left the foot of the staircase and traversed the living room. 

His brows pulled together in confusion, “What were you doing just standing at the bottom of the stairs?”

Her cheeks pinkened as she made it to the kitchen, “Nothing, just…nothing!”

“Okay…”

“Can I do anything to help?”

“You could get the plates out,” he reached over and flipped open one of the cabinet doors.

“It smells delicious!” She chirped as she slid two plates out of the cupboard, discreetly cutting her eyes to the side to admire his shirtless form up close. Her eyes ran over his bare chest, shoulders, arms, and back, paying rapt attention to the way the muscles flexed and coiled as he moved.

“It’s just bacon, eggs, and toast, the basics,” he told her, “And I have coffee if you want it. I also have orange juice if you’d rather.”

“Coffee is fine,” she sat the plates down on the counter next to the stove, “Where’s the silverware?”

He pointed and she opened a drawer, pulling out two forks and two butter knives before letting her eyes wander back to him. This time they continued past the bare skin, taking in the curve of the denim that hugged his ass. Her eyes lingered there for a moment then made their way slowly upward again.

She flushed a deep crimson when her eyes met his amused gaze, “Are you checking me out, Brooks?”

“N-No!”

“Then what were you doing? Because I’m pretty sure you were just looking at my ass.”

“I….you know what? Fuck you! You check me out all the damn time! You think I haven’t noticed?”

The grin on his face broadened into a full-fledged smile, “You’re paying attention to what I do?”

She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

He pushed the skillet to a cool burner and turned off the stovetop then he stepped into her personal space, leaned down, and whispered in her ear, “If you want me, all you have to do is say so.”

She felt a little lightheaded as heat flooded her body, threatening to wipe out all of her common sense. Her mouth went dry as she croaked out, “I don’t….” Even to her ears, it sounded like a lie.

“Okay,” he moved away with a shrug, “but the offer stands.”

He handed her a plate and she mentally shook herself as she took it, “Can we talk about something else?”

“Sure,” he loaded food onto this plate and moved to the back of the kitchen where a small table sat in an alcove surrounded on three sides by windows, “How did you sleep last night?”

“Like a baby!” she said as she scooped scrambled eggs onto her plate.

“I can light a fire in there tonight if you want it.” He offered as he returned to the counter to fill two cups of coffee.

“That would be nice,” she buttered a piece of toast and added it to the bacon and eggs already on her plate.

“It’s nice outside today, I could take you fishing,” he told her as he placed the cups on the table and took his seat.

“I prefer to eat the fish,” she said as she joined him at the table, “I’ll leave the catching them up to you.”

“All right, I get it… city girl.”

“More like small-town girl,” she corrected him, “I didn’t grow up in New York.”

“I remember. California, right?”

“Right. How was the couch?”

“It was a couch.”

“Uncomfortable?”

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

“I still feel bad about putting you out of your own room.”

He looked at her across the table as he tore his toast in half, “Did you really think it was necessary to lock the bedroom door last night?”

She paused with her fork halfway to her mouth. Setting it back onto the plate she lifted her eyebrows, “Considering you know that I locked it, yes.”

Considering that he had just offered to have sex with her and she’d almost taken him up on it, double yes.

“I just wanted to grab some clean clothes; it is my room you know.”

Her eyes flicked down to take in the fact that he was still wearing yesterday’s pants, but that was a mistake as all it did was remind her that he was still wearing only half his clothes. “Ah….sorry. I just fell asleep after my bath.”

“It’s okay, I’ll grab a shower after breakfast. Did you find everything okay? Is there anything else you need?”

“No, I found everything I needed, even a brand-new toothbrush.”

“Good.” He took a long drink of his coffee, watching her over the edge of the cup as he did so.

The predatory way his eyes tracked her every movement left her unsettled. She liked it and she hated the fact that she liked it.

It was time to do what she always did when her unmet need for him threatened to overwhelm her.

Pick a fight.

“So how long am I going to be stuck here?”

He raised his eyebrows, “I thought you liked it here.”

“That’s not the point!”

He picked up on the shift in her demeanor, “Why are you mad?”

“Because you brought me here against my will and threw my phone out the window!”

He pushed his plate away, “I told you why I had to throw your phone away and you got in my car of your own volition!”

“Did I though? It was the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere! Where else was I going to go? And might I remind you that I never consented to get in the back of that SUV!” She may have manufactured the fight to distract herself from the feelings he inspired in her, but as she reviewed the previous evening’s proceedings, she found herself getting actually angry.

He drained the last of his coffee before responding, “It was the SUV or the limo to the airport.”

“Exactly! I didn’t consent to any of it!”

“Welcome to Cordonia, an absolute monarchy. You have no rights here.”

“That…that’s fucked up!”

“That’s Liam’s world, the one you want so badly to be a part of.” He reminded her.

“You have no idea what I want, Drake!”

“Yeah? Why don’t you tell me then?”

“Maybe I would if I weren’t being held prisoner!”

“You’re not a prisoner!”

“No?”

“No!”

“So, I can just get up and leave if I want to?”

“Yes! I’m not stopping you from leaving!” he threw his hands up in the air, “Go!”

“Fine! I will!” She pushed away from the table, stomped through the house, jerked the door open, and stepped out onto the porch. Glancing up and down the property, she saw nothing but wilderness.

There was a lake in front of her and woods to the right and back of the clearing. To her left, a dirt road stretched and curved through the tree line, disappearing from view over a rise in the road, with no other houses or buildings in sight.

She backed into the cabin to find him standing in the living room watching her, “I need the car keys.”

“I’m not giving you my car,” he laughed.

“Then how am I supposed to leave?”

“That’s your problem,” he shrugged, “I said I wasn’t holding you here against your will, I didn’t say I would help you leave.”

“But I don’t even know where I am or how far the nearest town is!”

“That sounds a like a you problem, Brooks,” he replied evenly.

“How am I not a prisoner if I’m not allowed to leave?” She yelled at him.

“You’re allowed to leave!” He shouted back at her, “I’m not stopping you!”

“But you’re not helping me?”

“Fuck no I’m not!”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because I think it’s a mistake!” he exploded, “Your best bet is to stay here until we know exactly who set you up and why! Why won’t you just let me help you?”

“I don’t need your help, Drake! Liam has the entirety of the Cordonian government at his disposal! He can get to the bottom of everything, I know he can!”

“Yeah? Maybe, but where is he?”

“How would I know? You took my phone!” she slammed back out the door.

“Good luck in the woods!” he yelled after her.

“Don’t need it!” She yelled back, “I was a girl scout!”

All she needed was to get back to civilization.

She decided that following the driveway out to the main road made the most sense. The problem was that the driveway was more of a path than a road and not a very good path at that. She tried to follow the ruts and patches of beaten-down grass, but they weren’t always easy to find. She somehow managed to end up in the middle of the woods. She was quite sure she had strayed from the path.

She blundered around in the woods refusing to admit she was lost until she passed a fallen tree she was certain she had passed at least twice already. “Well, shit!” she kicked at the rotted trunk like it was the dead tree’s fault.

There was a rattling behind her, the sound of twigs snapping sounded close by and she jumped, then dropped into a karate stance she remembered from her junior high self-defense class, ready to fight whatever wild animal threatened her.

Drake appeared beside her, “Always ready with the violence, Brooks. And you judge me for it.”

“Drake!” Her body sagged with relief but she didn’t want to admit it. She tried to sound annoyed as she asked, “How did you find me?”

“Well, first of all,” he shook his head, “You’re not hard to find, you leave a trail like a fucking tornado came through the woods and second, I’ve been following you the whole time.”

“What?” she was genuinely shocked. She hadn’t known he was there.

“It wasn’t hard. You’re about as quiet as a herd of thundering elephants.”

“Oh.” She stood awkwardly looking at him, unsure what to say.

“Can we go back to the cabin now? It’s almost lunchtime and I still haven’t had a shower.”

“Sure.” She followed along behind him, her mind spinning furiously looking for a way to salvage her injured pride.

He glanced behind him, “You know I’m just trying to help you, right?”

“Well, I don’t like feeling like a prisoner!”

“You’re not a prisoner, Riley, you’re a guest! What do you want? An engraved invitation?”

“It would have been nice to have been asked if I wanted to come here!”

“Oh, sweet Jesus give me strength,” he muttered under his breath.

“What was that?”

“I said, Lady Riley Brooks, would you do me the great honor of accompanying me back to my humble abode and temporarily residing there with me until such a time we are able to ascertain who is behind the plot against you and ensure it is safe for you to return to the palace, should you choose to do so?”

“You’re a real asshole, you know that, right?”

“I just gave you exactly what you said you wanted, how am I an asshole?”

“It’s the way you said it!”

“Oh, my God! You’re impossible!”   

“I’m impossible? I’m not the one running around kidnaping people!”

“For the last time,” he threw his hands up in the air, “I did not kidnap you! I rescued you!”

“From what?”

“From being deported! Or did you want to go back to New York?”

“I don’t know…maybe!”

“Maybe? Wait…really?” He stopped walking and turned to face her, “You wanted to leave?”

“I don’t know, Drake! I never got a chance to think about it! I was drug out of the coronation by one set of soldiers who were going to put me on a plane whether I liked it or not then I was taken by another set of soldiers who made sure I came here, again, whether I liked it or not! At no point did anyone consult me about anything!”

“I’m sorry. You’re right.”

“No, Drake! You just- oh! What? I am?”

“Yes,” he said quietly, “I didn’t consult you. There were reasons for that, but I can see how it felt heavy-handed and authoritarian from your perspective.”

“I…yes. Well…thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he turned back and continued walking.

She stumbled over an exposed root but caught herself.

“You okay?” he asked in concern.

“I’m fine, just tired and a little clumsy.”

“You’re tired? Here, let me help you,” he reached for her.

She shoved his hands away, “No, I’m fine, I can make it.”

“Don’t be a stubborn ass, just let me help you!”

“I don’t want your help, Drake! I wanted to get away from you, remember?”

“I remember,” He picked her up and slung her over his shoulder, carrying her the rest of the way back to the cabin.

“Goddamn it, Drake!” Her fists pounded on his back to no avail. She was acutely aware of his arms wrapped around her body.

He sat her down on the porch, “Why do you have to be so fucking difficult?”

“Maybe because you continue to disregard my choice in all matters pertaining to my fucking life!”

“Disregard your- I just wanted to make it back home before next week!”

“I hate you!” she slammed into the cabin.

He followed behind her, “You don’t mean that.”

“I do, I really fucking do!”

“In Lythikos, I got the distinct impression that you liked me. A lot.”

“Well, your impression was wrong!”

“Was it?”

“If you want me to like you, Drake, get me a fucking phone!”

“I’m not trying to keep you from the outside world! I just couldn’t have your phone tracked! Here!” he pulled his phone from his pocket and thrust it at her, “Call your mom, call your sister, call Hana if you want to! Let your friends and family know you’re okay.”

“What if I want to call Max?”

A frustrated sigh escaped him, “I mean…I guess but you can’t tell him-“

“What if I want to call Liam?”          

He snatched the phone out of her hand with an aggravated growl, “No!”

“What’s your problem with Liam? I thought he was your best friend!”

“He was! He is! I…it’s complicated!”

“Seems pretty simple to me. You want to get to the bottom of who set me up? Who better to do that than Liam?”

“You know he’s engaged to someone else now, right?”

“So? He’s also king now! He could help us! Liam could-“

“Liam, Liam, Liam!” Drake sent everything from the mantle crashing to the floor. He kicked out and sent the drink cart careening into a wall then he grabbed a lamp from an end table and threw it with all his might, shattering it against the stone of the fireplace. ”When are you going to notice me, Riley?”

She stared at him with wide eyes, “What?”

“You heard me!” He stalked closer to her and took her by the arm, yanking her to him, “After everything that’s happened, how do you still not see me?”

“Drake, I see you just fine,” she said softly, struggling to convince herself that his outburst was not turning her on.

It shouldn’t be, right?

“Do you? Because all I ever hear you talk about is fucking Liam! Liam isn’t here right now, is he, Riley? I am!” his hand thumped his chest, “I’m the one who figured out you were being set up! I’m the one that kept you from being put on a plane back to America that night and I’m the one standing in front of you offering you everything that I have! Why won’t you take it?”

“Drake,” she croaked out, “I didn’t know-“

He pulled her closer, so close she could feel his body heat as he stared down into her eyes, anger, pain, and desire burning in his, “That’s a lie! You know exactly what you do to me!”

This was it, the moment she’d been fighting against for months. He was going to kiss her, and she was going to let him, then the pressure cooker of emotions she’d been holding in was going to explode. “I-“

His lips crashed into hers, cutting off her reply.

“I thought you said we couldn't....” She breathed when the kiss broke.

“I don’t care anymore,” he murmured as he slid the straps of her spaghetti top blouse down so his fingers could stroke softly across her shoulders, “I’m willing to sacrifice everything for you!”

The intensity of his words burned across her skin, “Drake…”

“You have no idea what I’ve already risked for you…” he continued, his breath hot against her skin as his lips ghosted down the side of her neck.

“I don’t…know…what that means…” she gasped out as her head fell back and her fingers twisted in his hair.

“I did what I had to do to protect you,” he gathered the fabric of her silky top in his hands and yanked it upward, pulling it from her body and tossing it to the side, “I want to protect you, Riley,” his lips found the hollow of her neck, “I want to do other things too.”

His tongue glided across her skin; his lips laid demanding kisses along her breastbone as his hands found and cupped her breasts. His head dipped down to join his hands, sucking and pulling at her puckered nipples.

Her back arched, as one hand ran across the smooth expanse of his back, the other tightening in his hair.

His mouth continued its downward trek, stopping at the waistband of her denim shorts. He stood back upright and captured her gaze with his own, “Can we get you out of those?”

She licked her lips and nodded, not trusting her voice to work correctly. Her body was aflame, she was breathing hard, and her heart felt like it was trying to escape her chest.

She was on fire.

His gaze stayed locked on hers as he tugged her zipper down then slipped his hand inside her shorts. His fingers stroked her gently through the soft cotton fabric of her panties and she almost came undone right then.

Pushing the fabric to the side, he plunged a finger into her and she pitched forward with a gasp, clutching both of his shoulders for support. He withdrew the finger and brought it to his mouth. Eyes still locked on hers, he stuck it in his mouth and slowly withdrew it. “Fucking delicious!”

She made a mewling sound as she fought to keep her knees from buckling. He shoved her shorts down and she stepped out of them.

“You feel it too, don’t you? I’m not just making it all up in my head, am I? Or am I crazy? Irrationally obsessed with you like Liam and Bas think?” He yanked her off her feet and lifted her into his arms.

Her arms and legs wrapped around him as he walked from the living room into the attached kitchen. He lowered her onto the counter and sank to his knees. Shoving her thighs apart, he brought his face close to her core and paused to inhale deeply, “I never thought this moment would be anything but a fantasy,” he told her before drawing a straight line up her center with his tongue.

“Ungh!” she nearly twisted off the counter.

“Hold still, baby,” his hands pressed her thighs, holding her body in place as he resumed his ministrations.

Riley’s hands scrambled for purchase on the cabinets behind her, on the countertop under her, and on his back and shoulders as her body writhed and undulated in response to the magical touch of his tongue.

She felt herself creep closer and closer to the edge of the abyss as his tongue moved faster and pushed harder against her throbbing clit. Darkness coalesced around the edges of her vision as her entire body arched off the kitchen counter. Exquisite ecstasy burst over her in waves so intense she felt no pain when she slammed her head back into the cabinet.

“Fuck! Drake!” Her body went limp and she started to slide forward off the counter.

“If you don’t want this, you’d better tell me to stop right now,” he pulled her off the counter and spun her around. He pressed her body forward, her cheek laid against the cool marble of the countertop as he forced her legs apart and pushed himself inside her.

Her body tensed up for a fraction of a second as he entered her then relaxed as she felt another wave of pleasure building inside her.

One hand held her at the hip while the other tangled in her hair. He pounded into her at an impossible pace. Her fingers grappled fruitlessly with the smooth countertop, unable to make purchase.

His girth filled her perfectly and every stroke brushed against her sweet spot. Unintentional gasps and moans spilled out of her as she struggled to stay on her feet.

She had never been fucked with such divine brutality before.

A tidal wave of euphoria broke over her. Her knees buckled, tears clouded her eyes, and her soul left her body for a moment.

Her incoherent screams in his ears coupled with the squirt of hot liquid as she tightened around him finished him. He slammed into her as he exploded.

His body dropped forward onto hers, pinning her to the counter, the only thing keeping her from sliding right off it and onto the floor.

His lips trailed down the back of her neck. “I love you,” he whispered so softly she wasn’t sure she heard it.

They lay draped across the counter for several long moments, panting, regaining their breath, luxuriating in the afterglow.

Then he pulled away, anguish coloring his voice, “I’m sorry, Riley. We shouldn’t have done this; I shouldn’t have done this!”

She turned around, leaning her back into the counter because her legs still felt like jelly, “What are you talking about? Why not?”

“Because we can’t take it back and you don’t know what you want.”

“So, after delivering the most amazing sexual experience of my life, you’re telling me that it can never happen again?”

“I’m telling you that-“ he froze in the middle of zipping his pants up. His eyes lifted to meet hers, “It was the most amazing sexual experience of your life?”

“I mean it was pretty damn good, is all I’m saying…”

“Yeah, for me too, that’s the problem.” He tracked back to the living room to retrieve her clothes.

“How is that a problem?” She asked as he handed her clothes to her.

He looked the other way while she got dressed, not trusting himself not to take her again right there on the counter. “Because I know exactly what I want, Riley! And this just reinforces that, but you don’t know what the hell you want, and if you haven’t noticed, watching you trying to figure out if Liam is what you want has just about destroyed my sanity and my reputation!”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, Liam ordered me to stay away from you and Bas thinks I’ve lost my mind!”

“Why?”

“They think I’m acting irrationally over a woman I barely know.”

“You know me better than anyone else here!”

“Thought I did.”

“You do!” She insisted, “All those nights we spent in Olivia’s wine cellar…I told you things I’ve never told another person!”

“I know. Those were the best three weeks of my life.”

“So…Lythikos meant something to you?”

“It meant everything to me, Riley!”

“Then why didn’t you say so?”

“You asked me to give you space, and that’s what I did!”

“That’s not how I remember it….”

[angelasscribbles]

A Fervid Fixation Chapter 3: Controlled Burn

Series: A Fervid Fixation

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Drake

Rating: MA

Warnings for this chapter: Language

Word Count: 2,542

A/N: So it's not a three-shot, lol. I know, you're all shocked! Mini Series then. Four maybe five chapters. We'll just see how it goes.

My other stuff: Master List.

The SUV tires crunched on the gravel as it pulled into a small parking lot in front of a darkened restaurant. A metal sign that read “Mama Rita’s” swung from a chain above the front door.

The SUV pulled around back and stopped next to a deep maroon Devore GT with a black racing stripe down the center.

“What are we doing here?” Riley asked nervously, “Where are we?”

“We’re just switching cars,” Drake explained as he opened the door and hopped out. He pointed a key fob at the Devore and the trunk popped open.

The driver exited the vehicle and started pulling her luggage out of the back and transferring it to the trunk of the other car. She recognized him, “Marco, right?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he grinned at her as he pushed the trunk closed, “and for what it’s worth, I was there that night the shit went down with that duke…I know you weren’t having an affair with him or whatever that reporter is claiming.”

“Thanks, Marco.”

“You’re welcome. Good luck with everything,” he waved at her as he headed back to the SUV.

“Wait…you’re leaving?”

“Yes, I have to get back to my duty station before my next shift.” He told her as he climbed back into the driver’s seat and closed the door.

“Aren’t you on duty right now?”

“Technically no,” he responded, “Just doing a favor for a friend.”

“Thanks for that, by the way,” Drake called as he pulled the passenger door of the Devore open.

“Anytime, Walker,” Marco gave him a wave as he backed out of the parking spot.

Riley watched the taillights as they disappeared around the building, leaving her alone with Drake. A prospect that both frightened and excited her.

“Come on Brooks, let’s go.”

She turned slowly toward him ignoring the frisson of desire that sparked through her at the sight of him, “No.”

“No? What do you mean no?”

“I mean no, Drake! I’m not getting in the car with you!” She turned and started walking across the parking lot.

“Riley! Get in the car!” He roared.

“No!” She said over her shoulder.

“Riley!...Shit! Fuck!” He kicked the car and then ran after her, trying for his most pleading tone, “Riley….Riley, please, please, please get in the car!”

She stopped and turned to face him, “I said no, Drake!”

“Why the fuck not?”

“I’m not sure I should get in a car with you without knowing where we’re going and why!”

Shock spilled across his features, “I’m trying to help you!”

“Help me, Drake? Help me? Did I ask for your help? I don’t even know what the hell is going on! I was drug out of the coronation by one set of guards, intercepted by another set and now I’m just supposed to get into this car with you and go God knows where with you? And literally, no one knows where I am?” She was on the verge of a panic attack.

“Okay, okay…” he held both hands up in front of him in the universal sign for surrender, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I didn’t realize…” he trailed off as confusion then surprise darted across his face, “Riley…are you afraid of me?”

“I...I’m not sure…maybe…”

“Why? I mean, I know we’ve had some dustups, but what have I ever done to make you think I’d hurt you in any way?”

His facial expression was so bewildered and so hurt that her heart rate dropped back to normal as she replied, “Nothing to me, specifically…”

His face cleared as understanding dawned on him, “You’re talking about Nick and Tariq.”

“Well, yeah…”

“All right, let’s talk about it then, okay?” he waited for her to nod before continuing, “First of all, I need you to understand that I don’t usually just go around hitting people, I would never hit a woman and I have never punched a man that didn’t deserve it!”

“So, when you came into my room that night-“

“I heard you scream, Riley! I would have never just walked into your room otherwise! When I saw Tariq with his hands on you…” he paused as he struggled to get his emotions under control. His fists clenched at his sides and his lips pressed tightly together. His entire body was thrumming with tension as he replayed the events in his head.

“Hey,” Riley reached out tentatively and touched his arm, “It’s okay, I’m not really mad about you kicking that idiot’s ass.”

“You’re not?” He blinked at her in surprise.

“No,” she shook her head, “He kind of had it coming if you ask me.”

Drake barked out a disbelieving laugh, “But Liam made it sound like you were upset by the...how did he put it….oh yeah, all the violence you’d witnessed.”

“I mean, it was a lot, Drake. I just don’t understand why you did it.”

He looked taken aback as he said, “I did it for you, Riley! He hurt you! He was touching you without your permission!”

Her eyes widened, “That’s it?”

“That’s it? What do you mean, that’s it? Isn’t that enough? He had no right to put his hands on you!”

She smiled at his agitation, “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” The truth was she had liked the feeling it gave her watching Drake swoop in and come to her defense. Like a flock of butterflies were trying to burst out of her chest.

Her smile drew one of his own, as he asked, “Why are you smiling?”

“No reason...just…if you got that worked up over the idea of someone else hurting me, I guess you’re not likely to do it yourself.”

His smile disappeared, as his hand brushed her cheek, “I would never do anything to hurt you, Riley!”

She looked down at the ground and then back up at his face, “Okay, I believe you, but…”

“But?” He dropped his hand and stepped back.

“But Nick wasn’t hurting me, Drake.”

He raked a hand through his hair with a sigh, “No, no, he wasn’t.”

“So, what was that about?”

He tipped his head back to stare up at the moon as he collected his thoughts, “I saw him as a threat. He was a stranger, with no security clearance to enter the area he was trying to enter, and he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

It was at least part of the truth.

“Okay.”

“Okay, what?”

“Okay, I’ll get in the car with you, but you have to promise to tell me what the hell is going on!”

Relief rushed over him like a river crashing over the edge of a cliff face, “I promise!”

He talked as he drove, “I guess you know by now that pictures of you and Tariq somehow made it into the papers.”

“Yeah, I saw that, briefly. About two seconds after everyone got the notification I was being drug out of the ballroom!”

“Right. Didn’t that seem strange to you?”

“Yes! It was an extreme overreaction and I don’t understand-“

“No, not that part! The part where it only took the guard two seconds to react to something that was allegedly a surprise to everyone?”

“Oh…I…now that you mention it, I guess that is strange…”

“Because it wasn’t a surprise to everyone.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean there were guards on standby waiting for the signal to take you into custody. The limo to take you to the airport was waiting outside before that story dropped and the plane ticket was purchased a week ago.”

“How do you know all this?”

“Not important. What’s important is that these arrangements were made by someone with the authority to issue orders to not just the regular palace guards, but the King’s Guard! Which means that someone high up and close to Liam is responsible for it. And it also means the thing with Tariq was a setup. Who took those pictures, Riley? Someone knew he was going to be there!”

She sat back in her seat in shock, “Why would anyone want to do this to me?”

“Because you’re a threat.”

“To who?”

“To anyone that doesn’t want the monarchy to change! Liam is too enamored of you and there are those that see that as a threat.”

“But I’m not a threat to anyone!”

Drake laughed, “Tell that to all those noblewomen drowning in jealousy and resentment at having spent their entire lives training to marry a king only to have a foreign interloper, a waitress no less, swoop in at the last minute and steal him right out from under them.”

“I…never thought about it like that…so, you think it’s one of the other suitors?”

“Maybe, but probably not. Trust me, there are factions that would go to great lengths to keep the monarchy from what they see as corruption.”

“Corruption?”

“Yes, corruption from any ideas that are too modern, too liberal, too…American…”

“Shit…”

“Exactly.”

They pulled off the pavement onto a dusty backroad before turning down a long, twisting private drive. At the end of the drive was an unassuming two-story cabin nestled in a clearing next to a small lake.

“Sorry, it’s not a palace or the Beaumont estate,” he said as he unlocked the door and ushered her inside, “but you’ll be safe here.”

“I’m actually a little sick of the inside of the palace,” she admitted.

“I thought you liked the glitz and glamour, being catered to like a spoiled rich girl.”

“Do you always have to insult me?”

“Sorry, habit.”

“But why is it a habit?”

“I do it for the same reason I call you by your last name.”

“Which is?”

“None of your business. Now come on and I’ll show you to the bedroom.”

They were halfway up the stairs when she stopped, “Wait, did you say the bedroom? As in, there’s only one?”

Drake’s face flushed red as he pushed past her, “Yeah, but don’t worry. I was planning to sleep on the couch.”

“Oh! I…” she hurried up the steps after him, “I don’t want to put you out of your own bedroom! Wait…is it your bedroom? Whose cabin are we in?”

“It’s my cabin, Brooks,” he told her as he pushed open the only door on the left-hand side of the small upstairs hallway.

“What are those? They aren’t bedrooms?” She gestured to the three doors on the other side of the hall.

“Technically, yes, but they don’t have beds in them. The one at the end has a pool table in it, the one in the middle is a bathroom and the other is full of boxes of my dad’s old stuff,” he told her.

“I guess you don’t get much company, huh?” She smirked at him as she entered the master bedroom.

“I know that’s a crack about me not having any friends, but the answer is no I don’t because I actively don’t want any.”

Very few people knew it even existed.

He had never brought a woman to it before.

“Wow,” she breathed as she looked around the room. It took up most of the second floor, a fireplace graced the center of the room, and the bed was huge.

Her appreciation for it caught him off guard. “You like it?”

“Yes, I love it! It’s amazing! Why are you surprised?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “It’s not a palace and there are no servants.”

Annoyance pulled through her, “You know I lived in a two hundred square foot apartment in New York, right?”

“Yeah, well, I figure you’ve gotten used to a different lifestyle by this point.” He muttered.

“Do you really think I’m that fucking shallow?” she snapped.

“I don’t know. Are you?” And just like that, the attitude was back in his tone.

“Why did you even bother to bring me here and try to help me if you have such a low opinion of me, Drake? Huh? Why? I don’t get it. I don’t get you!”

“Me? I’m an open book! You’re the one that-“

“Open book? How the hell do you figure that? You’re the most inscrutable, closed-off, judgmental, hostile, cynical person I’ve ever met and you have a fucking outrageous temper with a hair trigger! Frankly, I don’t see how you’ve survived at court all these years!”

His jaw set, “Tell me how you really feel, Brooks, don’t hold back.”

“I’m just saying-“

“I know what you’re saying, and you’re the one judging me right now! Maybe being at court all those years made me this way! Did you ever consider that?”

“Maybe your problems at court were caused by your bad attitude! Did you ever consider that?”

“Says the woman who was fucking nice to everyone and still got set up, slandered, and drug out of the coronation by armed guards!”

“Oh, fuck you! How do I know you’re even telling me the truth about any of that?”

“Why the fuck would I lie about any of that?” He asked in astonishment.

“I don’t know, Drake, you tell me! Maybe Liam was right, maybe you are obsessed with me! Maybe this wasn’t a rescue, maybe this was a kidnapping!”

“Are you fucking serious right now? Turn on the fucking news! You’re all over it and no one is defending you!”

“Oh, and how am I supposed to do that, Drake? Huh? You took my phone!”

“You know what? I’m going down to bring in the rest of your luggage and check the propane tank. Give you time to calm the fuck down.”

“Calm down? Calm down? You want me to calm down, Drake? Get me a fucking phone!” She pulled her shoes off and flung one at him.

“You’re welcome for the save by the way!” He yelled as he stepped into the hallway and shut the door behind him. The shoe thudded into the closed door and bounced onto the floor.

“Fuck!” She threw the other shoe at the door for good measure.

She needed to get a message to Liam. She needed contact with the outside world. She needed to see what the news was saying. She needed Hana.

But first, she needed a long, hot bath to wash this day off her.

She locked the bedroom door and made her way to the master bath. There was a cast iron claw-footed oval-shaped bathtub, long enough for her to stretch out in and be completely underwater. 

There was amazingly enough hot water to fill it. That fact that there was women’s body wash, shampoo, and conditioner gave her pause, but then Drake’s little rescue/kidnapping scheme had to have also been planned in advance, which meant that the King’s Guards weren’t the only ones that had known that story was going to break ahead of time.

How long had Drake known and why hadn’t he warned her?

She had questions and she needed answers, but as she soaked in the steaming bath, she found herself fighting to keep her eyes open, so she climbed out, dried herself off, and climbed into the bed.

The mattress was soft, and the bed was piled high with fur-lined blankets and a goose-down comforter. She was asleep the moment her head touched the pillow.

Answers would have to wait until morning.

[angelasscribbles]

Bad Romance Epilogue 2: Liam

Series: Bad Romance

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings for series: Riley x Liam, Liam x Max, Riley x Max, Riley x Drake, Riley x Rashad

Paring this chapter: Riley x Liam

Rating: MA

Warnings for this chapter: none

Word Count: 1,228

My other stuff: Master List.

He still saw the most beautiful woman in the world when he looked at her.

The years had added a few pounds. Her breasts were heavier, her waist thicker, her hips rounder. Silver streaked her hair and laugh lines creased her face but her laugh was the same and the way she looked at him sometimes still sent butterflies swirling through his chest.

She had been worth fighting for. Their relationship, this life that they had built, had been worth fighting for.

Despite their rocky beginning, she was endlessly patient and forgiving. Helping him cover up the deal he’d made with Kiara or keeping his indiscretions out of the press had only been the beginning; throughout the years she had taken his side, and defended him vehemently and passionately against any and all comers. The royal council, the press, diplomats from other countries, it didn’t matter. She was always on his side.

He needed one last signature for a treaty and the man wouldn’t budge? She brought her charm and wit to play until he did. The press printed something negative about him? She managed to drop a comment in an interview that made the exact same thing sound like strength of character.

And when he made mistakes? She was endlessly forgiving, supportive and understanding. She propped him up when he doubted himself, she whispered in his ear about all of his successes and about her confidence in him. And with that confidence, with her faith in him, he felt like he could take on the world and win. Indeed, he had, on many occasions.

Knowing that he wasn’t the only man in her life did nothing to diminish what they had. The fact that she had choices in companionship but kept choosing to return to their marital bed night after night, actually convinced him of her devotion more than if she had been stuck without a Cordonian arrangement and had no choices at all. Then how could he have ever been sure she didn’t feel restrained and controlled by the contract he’d tried to trap her with all those years ago?

He hadn’t been happy about the arrangement when she’d initially wrangled it out of him, but in the end, he was sure that it was the very thing that kept them together. She had the freedom and latitude to continue to exercise that free spirit of hers and he had her. Not in the purely physical and sexual sense that he had once thought was important, but in a better, deeper way.

He had her for real, her devotion, her love, her determination to stand steadfastly by his side through the years no matter what life threw at them.

She wasn’t his by force, or coercion or manipulation. She was his by choice, her own freely made choice. There was no contract in the world that could compel her to love him, to continue to have sex with him, or to give him anything emotionally. The best he could have hoped for, had the original contract stood, was her physical presence in his life. The amended contract had given him so much more. Given them so much more. It had been more than a fair trade.

Together, all of them, had raised five beautiful children. Crown Princess Eleanor had been conceived on their honeymoon and Prince Alexander had come along two years later. Ellie and Xander both bore their father’s black hair and onyx eyes. Ellie had her mother’s quick smile and infectious laugh while Xander’s features were marked by his father’s serious countenance.

The first two were part of the plan, but over the years, three more children had come along. A little boy with chestnut hair, copper-colored eyes and a propensity to scowl when his will was thwarted was followed by another little boy with russet brown hair, cobalt blue eyes and an unquenchable zest for living. Prince Jaxon and Prince Jason, Jax and Jace to friends and family, were followed by the baby of the family, Princess Charlotte, her curly auburn locks and emerald eyes making her a carbon copy of her mother.

It was impossible to tell Charlotte’s paternity by looking at her, but biology had ceased to matter decades ago. Cordonia had its heir, and a spare. If there were ever reason for doubt, DNA testing was easily available. Not that anyone could look at Ellie or Xander and doubt their paternity.

Their arrangement had also brought him the second great love of life. Max had often been the anchor of the entire polycule. His patient, understanding and endlessly accepting nature was a balm that both Liam and Riley had sorely needed. Sometimes he wondered if he and Riley would have survived without the glue that Maxwell provided. Even Drake had come to gradually accept Max’s calming influence, turning to him for advice when he’d stumbled in his relationship with Riley.

Drake. His best friend. The person that had been there for him from his earliest memories, the person that had been there for him when his mother died, when the assassination attempt had nearly taken him out, and for a million other little things. That wasn’t even counting the times he’d been there for the woman they both loved, but Liam didn’t delude himself that Drake did that for him.  

Because they both loved her, they’d almost lost each other. Blame and recrimination, jealousy and insecurity, betrayal and doubt. These were the things that would have taken their friendship down if not for the arrangement they’d struck.

In the end, the arrangement had given him back his best friend. It had opened up a road forward, a path toward forgiveness and understanding. He didn’t think that their fractured friendship could have ever been put back together if either one of them had lost her. They both loved her too deeply, too fiercely and too desperately to have moved on from that.

He had no doubts and no regrets. She had been right that they were stronger together than apart, all of them. He needed each and every one of them. He was better with her by his side. He was better with Max by his side. He was better with his best friend’s unwavering loyalty and support. He tried every day to be worthy of it all.

Cordonia was flourishing. The Sons of the Earth, the Liberation Core and the Via Imperii had all been vanquished. Peace and prosperity had reigned for the last forty years. Riley had made good on her promise to represent the common people of Cordonia and they adored her for it.

They had raised a houseful of happy, healthy children. Five children, eleven grandchildren so far. It was everything he’d ever dreamed about and more.

All he had longed for in his youth was a real family, a sense of love and belonging. He’d found that in spades. Once, he had pursued that love in all the wrong ways. He would be eternally and perpetually grateful that Riley had stuck around and given him a chance to grow, that they had grown together, towards each other.

Once he’d believed that love had to be exclusive to be love, but now he understood that love, true love, real love, unconditional love that you can always count on, that kind of love never divides, it only multiplies.

[angelasscribbles]

Bad Romance Epilogue 1: Rashad

Series: Bad Romance

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings for series: Riley x Liam, Liam x Max, Riley x Max, Riley x Drake, Riley x Rashad

Paring this chapter: Riley x Rashad

Rating: MA

Warnings for this chapter: None

Word Count: 1,276

A/N: Huge thanks to @21-wishes for pre reading this for me like a month ago! It was written but the rest of the story wasn't so I couldn't post it but was dying to share it with someone. I'm absolutely certain that her reading and discussing it with me kept me from spontaneously combusting!

My other stuff: Master List.

“If I was ever in love with anyone, it was Riley. Is, I guess.” He took a long pull of his imported beer, a contemplative expression on his face.          

“Riley? Who is Riley? I don’t remember anyone by that- Oh. My. god! Are you talking about the fucking queen?” He knew she was his client and long-time friend. A close friend. He’d been described by the press as one of her most intimate confidants.

Rashad blushed, he actually blushed! Faizan gaped at his older brother in utter shock. His poised and self-assured brother, the one that had been named most eligible bachelor by the Cordonian Star eight times, the one that had been photographed with supermodels and starlets on his arm, the one who had vowed never to marry, and had held to that, much to their parent’s dismay, was fucking blushing. Over a woman. Over the very married queen of Cordonian no less. Who he referred to by her first name. It’s like everything he knew about his brother was a lie.

“What? How? What?” He spluttered. “Are you having an affair with the queen?”

Rashad shrugged as he eyed his brother over the top of his drink. “I wouldn’t call it that.”

“What would you call it then?”

He tapped his finger against the edge of the bottle as he thought, his eyes flicked sidewise to his brother, “First of all, you understand that anything I tell you can never be repeated to anyone, ever, right?”

“I…yeah, I get that.”

“I would characterize it as a deep friendship, but it’s more than that. There’s no denying that she’s beautiful. Anyone can see that. But she’s also funny and smart and passionate. She can be so manipulative but it’s exciting to me how her mind works! I mean, she’s strategic and brilliant and she would have made a hell of a lawyer in another life.”

“Oh damn. Yeah, you’ve got it bad!” Faizan laughed, “Nice to know you’re not impervious to the female sex after all. Turns out, you’re mortal, just like the rest of us. Please, enlighten me as to how she’s so different from the hundreds of other women that have literally thrown themselves in your path over the years.”

“She makes no demands on me.”

“Uh…she’s your client, I’m sure she makes demands…”

“I meant of a personal nature.” Other women wanted his time, his attention and not just when he had it to give, they were jealous of his job and with good reason. He was a workaholic who had no desire for a better work life balance. His work was his life. It was easier to have a string of casual affairs, moving on to the next one before she started to demand sacrifices and compromises.

While it was true that he frequently dropped everything to do Riley’s bidding, that counted as work. And it was exciting, challenging work that came with the most delicious fringe benefits. When she called, he went.

She had drifted effortlessly in and out of his life over the years when circumstances dictated. Their encounters always characterized by playfulness, passion and an intensity he’d never managed to replicate with anyone else. A real friendship build on mutual trust and admiration had grown over the years and they always parted amicably, each returning to their own lives, and relationships, until the next time the winds of fate, be it her need for his legal expertise or the demands of the social circles they both ran in, tossed them together again.

Their love affair had never ended, it just came and went, ebbed and flowed with the currents of their lives. They could go for months, even years, without contact, but when they found themselves together again, the carefully banked embers flared into a raging inferno once more.

Faizan snorted, “I guess not, she already has a husband.”

“Yes.” Rashad was unfazed by the comment, “And they have a Cordonian Arrangement.”

“Are you sure?”

“Who do you think drew it up for her?”

Faizan covered his mouth as he fell back in his chair laughing, “Damn! That’s cold!”

A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Rashad’s lips, “I was only following my client’s orders.”

That statement sent Faizan into a new fit of laughter, “Yeah, I’ll just bet you’re good at following her orders!”

Rashad’s smile grew bigger even as he tried to give his brother a disapproving look, “Don’t be crass.”

“Wait. Aren’t you like one of the named godparents of their children?”

“Yes. Because she trusts me.”

“Yeah, but-“

“You have no idea how difficult trust is for her. The list of people she depends on is quite short. I’m honored to be on it.”

“You know there are low key rumors that she’s carried on a long-term affair with the head of her security team, right?”

“So? It’s not like I’m celibate in between our encounters. Nor do we have anything approaching a conventional, or exclusive, relationship. Plus, as you’ve pointed out, she’s married. I’ve never expected nor required fidelity from her. Nor she from me.”

“That doesn’t bother you? The married part?”

Rashad shook his head, “No. It actually helps, to be honest. You know I never wanted to get married, I can’t give a relationship the time and attention it deserves. She gets all that from her husband. Or maybe from one of her other lovers. Either way, she doesn’t demand it from me.”

“How the hell have you kept this from me all these years?” This was the last thing he’d expected when he’d asked his philandering brother if he’d ever been in love. A love affair, a bona fide, passionate, secret, affair of the heart that had spanned decades. It was fucking romantic as hell is what it was and this from the man who eschewed romance in all its forms.

“I’m a lawyer. Keeping secrets is literally what I do.”

“And you’re not sorry you never married, had kids?”

“No.”

“You have no regrets?”

Rashad gazed over the balcony railing at the rolling hills of his estate in Domvallier, content with knowing that he had, in fact, despite his parents’ insistence otherwise, done his duty to his family and his people. The future was secure for his siblings, nieces and nephews. The Faheem name would go on, their holdings stronger for his leadership, the duchy he presided over since his father’s death more prosperous.

His life’s work had brought him happiness and fulfillment, his love for it had sustained and nurtured him through the years. His dedication and devotion to it had been the driving force of his life. The only thing that had ever come close to second place was his love and devotion for one singular woman that had excited him, challenged him and supported him in a way no one else in his life ever had. She understood him and she had never judged his choices.

Could he imagine what a life with her would have been like? Marriage and children? Yes, some small corner of his mind could, but then he wouldn’t have been him and she wouldn’t have been her and none of it would have worked.

He much preferred the reality they did have. Working weekends spent in front of a roaring fire in a remote ski lodge in Lythikos, or days stolen in Paris, Milan, Maldives, dancing, laughing, making love under the stars. Their relationship never falling prey to the mundane and humdrum of day-to-day existence.

He took another long drink from the bottle in his hand before responding, a sense of peace and contentment in his heart, “None.”

[angelasscribbles]

Star Crossed: The Music

Series: Star Crossed

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Drake

A/N: I'm not going to tag on this because this series wrapped up a bit ago, but I forgot to post the playlist. Better late than never?

My other stuff: Master List.

A Whole New World by Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott

Two Less Lonely People by Air Supply

Hold On to the Nights by Richard Marx

All Out of Love by Air Supply

Glory of Love by Peter Cetera

[angelasscribbles]

Forbidden Passion Epilogue: Always

Series:  Forbidden Passion

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Liam x Riley, Drake x Riley

Rating: Mature

Warning: Mature Themes

Word count: 790

Everything else: Master List.

Eight Years later…….

Riley watched as Liam stared down into the face of the newborn child cradled in his arms, the enraptured expression on his face no different than the one he’d worn when he’d held both Eleanor and Alexander for the first time. The fact of this child’s paternity clearly had no effect on the king’s love for the precious bundle wrapped in his arms. A fact that only made the queen love him more.

Liam cooed down at the fresh face of new life with a smile before turning and transferring him into Drake’s waiting arms, “You got him?”

“Yeah…I think so…”

“Here, let me help you.” Liam chuckled softly as he helped Drake position the baby correctly in his arms.

It wasn’t that he’d never held a baby. He’d been nothing short of an amazing with Ellie and Xander but holding this child hit differently. He was nervous as he took the infant in his arms and gazed down into the face of his newborn son for the first time.

He’d thought that his life was complete before. There was nothing more he had wanted. He loved Riley more than he’d ever thought possible, as far as he was concerned, she was everything, the center of his entire universe.

He loved Liam every bit as much as he loved Savannah, maybe more. Liam was the brother of his heart regardless of DNA and he’d be forever grateful they’d been able to repair their relationship. More than repair, actually. They were arguably stronger for all they’d been through and all they’d shared.

He loved Crown Princess Eleanor and Prince Alexander, the embodiments of the two people he loved most in the world. Of course, he loved them.

He had thought what he felt for Ellie and Xander was what every parent felt, but holding his son in his arms for the first time, he couldn’t deny that there was a different connection there, something very primal.

“Ahhh, marshmallow, are you crying?” Riley asked.

“What? No!” He sniffed, “Maybe.”

“It’s ok, brother.” Liam clapped him on the back, “It’s an emotional moment. You’re allowed to be human you know.”

Drake just nodded, unable to tear his gaze away. How was it possible that he could see Riley, Savannah, Bianca and Jackson all in that tiny scrunched up face? “What’s his name?”

“Well, I was waiting for you to make that decision, but I was thinking about naming him Jackson.”

Drake’s head shot up at that, “Are you serious?”

“Yes. If that’s something you want.”

“To honor my father? Yes, I’d love that!” He was no longer hiding the tears that tumbled down his cheeks.

Later that night……

“Ellie and Xander are all tucked in and sound asleep.” Liam said as he dropped into the plush, overstuffed armchair next to Drake, “How are Riley and Jax doing?”

“Both sleeping.” Drake responded, handing Liam a tumbler of bourbon. “What a day.”

“A good one though, right?” Liam studied his best friend’s face.

“Yeah. It was great, actually, fucking amazing! Probably the most amazing day of my life honestly.”

“I know.” Liam responded, “Becoming a father for the first time is a once in a lifetime experience. I’m glad you got to experience it.”

“Yeah?” Drake asked a little doubtfully.

“Yeah.” Liam replied firmly.

“You’re not the least little bit resentful that it happened with Riley?”

“You mean am I mad you got my wife pregnant?” Liam smirked. “There was a time when I would have been livid. But Drake, we’ve worked through all that. I haven’t just been pretending to be ok with things all these years.”

“I know. Sometimes I still just feel like….”

“Like what?”

“Like maybe I don’t deserve any of this. Her, you, the baby….” He sighed then he threw the rest of his drink back.

Liam shook his head with a soft smile, “That’s always been your problem. You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe nothing.” Liam snorted, “Drake, listen to me. I love Riley with all my heart. I can’t imagine feeling this way about another woman, I know I never will. And I know she loves me back. But she loves you too and….so do I. Not in a sexual way, don’t make it weird, but you know what I mean.”

Liam looked away, bringing his glass to his mouth.

“Goddamn Li!” Drake wiped at a stray tear, “Are you trying to make me cry again?”

Liam laughed and held his bourbon out in response.

Drake knocked his glass against Liam’s as he replied softly, “I love you too, brother. Thank you for not giving up on me all those years ago.”

“Never. It’s the three of us against the world, always.”

“Always.”

[angelasscribbles]

Complicated Part 25: The Fixer

Series: Complicated

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Liam x Riley, Drake x Riley

Rating: Honestly? This one is pretty PG.

Warnings: none for this chapter

My other stuff: Master List.

There was a knock on the door and Liam glanced at the clock, “That’ll be a member of my staff picking up the breakfast cart and asking if we want lunch.”

Drake let the maid in to retrieve the breakfast cart.

Riley’s face lit up, “Callie!”

“Lady Riley!” Callie glanced at the two men shyly as Riley swept her into an embrace.

“What are you doing here?”

“They asked for employees to volunteer to travel with the engagement tour, and I thought it would be fun to see a little bit of the world.”

Of course, staff had to go where told as part of their jobs, but Liam had instituted a policy of opening the travel slots up for those who actually wanted to go. Some staff members didn’t want to be away from their families for days or weeks at a time. And reversely, in the past, people got left behind who would have enjoyed the change of scenery. This seemed the perfect solution.

“I totally understand that!” Riley laughed. It wasn’t that long ago she herself was in the service industry dreaming of seeing the world. “Have you been having fun?”

“Oh yes milady! Every day after my shift, a group of us go sightseeing, it’s been amazing!”

“I’m so glad! Maybe on one of your off days, we can get lunch together.”

“Really?”

“Yes, why not?”

“I would like that very much.”

Callie looked at Liam, “Sorry, Your Majesty. Can I remove this cart now and will you be dinning in the royal dinning car or taking lunch in here today?”

“There’s nothing to apologize for Ms. Gataki. And I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself on the tour. Yes, we’re done with the cart. We will be dining here, please have the kitchen send enough for three.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” She curtsied on her way out. Riley waved at her with a smile.

“What was all that about?” Drake asked as she door closed.

“Oh, that’s the maid who I had to find a job for in the royal household in order to get Riley to speak to me again.” Liam informed him.

Drake laughed in disbelief, “What?”

“It’s a whole story.” Riley said.

“She makes friends everywhere she goes.” Liam grinned.

“I saved her from Madeleine you mean.”

“You made me save her.” Liam corrected.

“What’s the difference?” Riley asked.

Liam nodded, “Point taken. Not to change the subject but Audrey will be here after lunch. The three of us need to be on the same page before she gets here.”

“Right.” Drake agreed, “She can’t spin anything if we don’t know what we want to start with.”

“Liam,” Riley said nervously, “you’re sure you’re really ok with this….arrangement?” She twisted her fingers together.

He regarded her seriously, “Yes, love. If I have to share you with anyone, there is no one else I trust. Not with your heart, your physical safety nor the level of discretion this will entail.”

“Discretion?”

“Yes, love, discretion. No one can know.”

She furrowed her brow in confusion, “But I thought you said it wasn’t secretive, like an affair.”

“Not for us. But the public….”

“Campbell, I know you’re not from here, but even you have to appreciate the optics of the queen cuckolding the king with his best friend.” Drake said evenly.

“What?” Riley looked at them in distress, “But that’s not how it would be!”

Liam let out a humorless snort, “Surely by now you understand that the truth doesn’t matter, only the perception.”

“Well hell.” She breathed out. Looking at Drake, she asked, “And you’re ok with sneaking around?”

“Being discrete. And yes, out of the limelight is where I like it best anyway.” He answered.

“What about you, love?” Liam leaned toward her, afraid they were going to spook her again, “Is that something you can handle?”

She regarded them both for a moment then nodded. “Yeah. I’ve spent the last four months sneaking around. I did it to see you during the social season, I did it to talk to Drake when I was at Ramsford, and I’ve been doing it on this tour. At least one of my relationships will be out in the open soon. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect this…this….us.” She meant it. Having them both in her life was worth whatever hoops she had to jump through to make it happen.

“Don’t worry too much about the details.” Liam smiled at her, “Those can and will be hammered out as we go. We’ll figure this out, together.”

She drew in a breath, “Yeah, ok.”

“The more immediate issue is getting the public back on your bandwagon.” Drake informed her.

“Exactly.” Liam agreed, “Audrey will help with that. But I think we could all use a break. This morning has been……intense.”

Drake snorted.

“You can say that again.” Riley agreed.

“So let’s relax, eat lunch and let me tell you about your new Duchy.”

Riley blinked, “My new what?”

Liam smiled and his eyes lit up, “To marry the king, you have to be a duchess, with lands and titles of your own. It’s tradition. “

“But I’m not-“

“Oh, you will be! There are several vacant duchies currently and I’ve already picked the one I’m giving you.”

“You’re giving me….a duchy? I’ll be a duchess, like Olivia?”

“I can’t wait to see how Madeleine reacts to that!” Drake said gleefully.

Lunch arrived and Liam shared pictures and information about Valtoria. The three of them discussed possible renovations, additions and what to do with some of the unused land.

“I can’t wait to show it to you in person!” Liam gushed. “I’ll have Rashad draw up the paperwork immediately!”

“Rashad?” Riley said in surprise.

“Yes, in addition to being legal council for his business, he has been my personal councilor for years. I don’t trust Constantine’s guy.”

“Valid.” Drake nodded.

Just as lunch was being taken away by staff, Audrey Toscani arrived. She was a striking figure, tall and imposing. Beautiful and commanding. She was the daughter of an Italian statesman and a Nigerian fashion mogul. The fact that she was there on such short notice spoke to the obscene amount of money Liam was willing to pay for her services.

No one was better at spinning things. No one was better at fixing public opinion. Her clients all came via word of mouth because of course no one openly talked about hiring her. Her genius was pulling strings from behind the curtain. If it was publicly what she was doing and who she was doing it for, she would be failing at her job.

Liam stood to welcome her, “Ms. Toscani, I’m-“

“The king, yes I know and that’s your best friend Drake Walker and this is Riley Campbell, the Everywoman that took Cordonia by storm only to be disgraced at the last moment, forcing you to chose Madeleine Amaranth, a woman you never showed any affection for prior to that night. Interesting. Is she why I’m here?”

“I see you’ve done your homework.” Drake commented.

“Of course.”

“You’re very preceptive.” Liam observed as he retook his seat.

“It’s what I do. Now, which one of you wants to tell me why I’m here? I canceled with a very prestigious client to be here. Your retainer made it worth my while, but still, time is money, tick tock, tick tock.”

“Oh, I like her!” Riley said.

“I’ll get straight to the point,” Liam leaned back in his chair, “I plan to break my engagement to Madeleine, and marry Riley. She’s innocent and we can prove it.”

“But you don’t want any blowback from dumping the countess, who has done no wrong.”

Liam inclined his head in agreement.

“How do you plan to prove her innocence?” Audrey asked.

“We will have Duke Lambros in custody within the day,” Drake explained, “And he will come forward with a statement taking all the blame on himself for the misunderstanding and his completely unreciprocated advances.”

Audrey fixed him with a level stare, “And you’re one hundred percent sure of that outcome?”

“Absolutely.”

She turned to Liam, “And your fiancée? I noticed she’s not here, I assume she has no clue this is coming?”

“She knows I don’t love her, can’t stand her, in fact. The feeling is mutual. But she still expects and wants to be crowned queen.”

“So, my job is to rehabilitate Riley’s image and neutralize Madeleine?”

“Yes.”

She thought for a few moments. “Ok, here’s what we’re going to do. First, we need to start some rumors circulating. What’s next on your itinerary?”

“My bachelor party is tonight.”

“Where is it and who’s catering it?”

Drake pulled the information up on his tablet and handed it to her.

She spent several minutes reading then handed it back to him, “Can you find out which waiters will be working that party?”

“Sure, we have a list, everyone has to be vetted.” He tapped a few times then handed it back to her.

She took it, tapped through a few items then handed it to Liam, “See this waiter?”

Liam took the tablet, “Yes. What about him?”

“He’s a media informant. There are people in the service industry who make extra money by slipping celebrity gossip to the tabloids. You need to tell someone, within his hearing, that you know Lady Riley is innocent, you have proof and that you are now having second thoughts about marrying another woman.”

“Ok, that’s easy.” Liam agreed.

“But not enough. Next, we need someone to leak information to the press. We have to let the rumor mill swirl that Lady Riley is not only innocent, but still in love with you, and you with her, and you’re being kept apart by circumstances beyond your control. If there’s anything the public likes more than a Cinderella story, it’s a Romeo and Juliet story.”

“Madeleine-“ Liam started.

“Is such a good friend to you and a kind and generous soul that she offered to marry you, for Cordonia’s sake, knowing you don’t love her, but she couldn’t bare to see you with a broken heart and realized you couldn’t pick another because of your feelings for your one true love. She’s hoping her engagement to you buys you the time you need to clear your true love’s name so that you can be together. So selfless. When she is finally questioned about it, any other narrative will make her look jealous and like the mean-spirited obstacle in the path of true love. She should agree with this version of events to save her own image. After all, the alternative is that she lost not just a crown prince this time, but a king.”

“Wow, you are good.” Liam breathed.

“Even I’m impressed. And I’m not easy to impress.” Drake agreed.

“We need an informant that’s believable. Someone close to you, but they can’t suspect any of it comes from you. If they get one whiff that you are trying to control the narrative, the whole thing backfires and blows up in your face.”

Drake shook his head, “None of his closest confidantes would betray him.”

“Not without the proper motivation, you mean. We just need a believable story.”

Riley sat upright, “Oh! I know exactly who!”

“Who?” Liam asked.

Riley explained and Liam picked up his phone, “Alec can have him here within the hour and we can finalize things. Now, let’s talk specific strategies.”

“More than one informant would go a long way toward making the story believable.” Audrey said, “So let’s make a list of people you trust.”

“Should we get Justin involved? As my press secretary, shouldn’t he-“

“No.” Drake shook his head emphatically.

“Why not?”

“I don’t like him.”

“Because you think he’s too touchy feely? Drake-“

“Riley. Listen. I just don’t trust the guy, ok? In fact, did Bert run a background check on him before he hired him?”

“I….I have no idea.”

“Huh. Ok, well, maybe I’ll look into that but promise me you won’t tell that guy anything?”

Riley slid a glance over to Liam.

Liam shrugged, “If Drake doesn’t trust him, that’s enough for me. He has good instincts and he’s never steered me wrong yet.”

“Ok, fine. I won’t tell Justin a damn thing.” She capitulated.

They spent the rest of the afternoon formulating a rock-solid plan and hammering out the details on how to best execute it.

“Ok,” Liam sighed, glancing at his watch, “this has been fun, but I have to get ready for my bachelor party. Drake, you too.”

“Right. I’ll get Riley back to her room and meet you in the limo?”

“That works.”

“Keep me updated, I’ll be in touch.” Audrey swept out of the room without waiting for anyone to answer.

There was an awkward silence as the three of them stood, then Drake cleared his throat, “You know what? I’ll wait for Riley outside the door. Give you two some privacy to say goodbye.”

“Thank you, Drake.” Liam said. He still wasn’t sure how, exactly, they were going to navigate this situation, but he was determined to figure it out. Riley and Drake were the two people he loved most in the world, he had to believe there was a way to make it work.

He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms, “I’ll be thinking of you every moment until I see you again.”

Her arms went around his neck, “Me too. I love you Liam.” She felt free to say it now, to feel it now.

He kissed her, a long, lingering kiss, then pulled away with a sigh. “No matter how much time we spend together, it never feels like enough.”

“No, it doesn’t. But hopefully we won’t have to hide much longer.” She smiled up at him.

“Ok.” He sighed, “You have to go, I have to attend this stupid party.”

“Have fun.” She told him.

“I won’t.” He assured her. “I’d much rather be spending the evening with you.”

She gave him one last smile as she slipped out the door and shut it behind her.

[angelasscribbles]

Complicated Part 24: Whose Heart Gets Broken

Series: Complicated

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Liam x Riley, Drake x Riley

Song Inspiration: Why Does it Have to Be Wrong or Right? by Restless Heart

Rating: M for mature themes and mild language

Warnings: none really for this chapter

My other stuff: Master List.

An hour later they reconvened.

“Bastien is on a flight back to Cordonia. He has been locked out of all our systems. He has a tail; all his communications are under surveillance. His house has been tapped. If he’s working with anyone, we’ll know it.” Drake said with satisfaction.

“Good.” Liam responded, “Mara has been briefed on her new responsibilities and everyone that needs to know about the change has been notified. She’ll be briefing those under her command today. Now we need to turn our attention to neutralizing my father. Once that’s done, assuming there is no one else involved, we will finally be free of this mess, pending finding Tariq of course.”

“I estimate that will happen within the next day or two.” Drake informed him, “When I spoke to Toussaint earlier, he said they have narrowed it down to about a dozen residences paid for in cash that are in the area he was last spotted in.”

“We’ll need boots on the ground when that happens. We should dispatch-“

“Way ahead of you Li. I called last night from the limo just before the state dinner and made arrangements to deploy a small detachment-“

“Before we knew who the traitor was?” Liam asked.

“Yeah, ok, listen though. While I could not rule out the traitor being one of my guys, I knew it wasn’t any of these guys! I handpicked them Li and I swear to you, I would trust them with my life.”

Liam held his hands up, “Ok, ok. So when will they be on the ground in LA?”

“Tonight.”

“Perfect. Are we going to have any issues with local law enforcement?”

Drake sighed, “No. I called my grandfather.”

“I take it he agreed to help?” Liam asked.

Drake nodded.

Liam lifted an eyebrow, “Then why do you look so annoyed?”

“He had a condition.”

“What was the condition?” Liam and Riley asked at the same time.

Drake sighed an even bigger sigh, “When we get to New York, I have to go visit him.”

Liam threw back his head and laughed.

Riley gave Drake a look and said, “He’s your grandfather. Of course you should visit him!”

“You don’t know him Campbell.” Drake shook his head, “He’s an ass.”

Riley gave him an ‘oh really’ look, which made Liam laugh some more.

“I think she’s trying to say that he sounds just like you!”

“Yeah, I got that.” Drake was ready to change the subject. His family drama was just….too much drama. Riley had no idea.

“Ok, back to how we’re going to contain Constantine.” Drake scowled at them both.

“Right.” Liam got serious again, “He’s really sick. He was supposed to meet us in Shanghai, but Regina tells me he isn’t strong enough to travel. So here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to have a full-scale hospital installed at the palace, I’ve already made some preliminary phone calls. We’ll spin it as needing to keep him at the palace because it’s more secure than the hospital.”

“Which is true.”

“Yes, but this allows us to control who he sees, who he speaks to, everything. He can’t leave. I’ll make sure that all the drivers know not to bring a car around for him unless it’s cleared through me. We can monitor his visitors, his calls, incoming and outgoing mail-“

“I’ll place one of my guards at the palace as a butler-“

“And I’ll ensure the head butler knows that whoever it is will be exclusively in charge of the mail.”

“I’ll put someone in the kitchen as well-“

“To make sure no one is sneaking any communications in with his meals. Good idea. You should also place someone as an aide to the medical staff-“

“To monitor in person visitors.” Drake finished.

“Wow!” Riley said.

They both paused and turned to look at her.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt, but you two together, it’s like you’re thinking with the same brain! It’s pretty impressive.”

“Thanks?” Drake said.

“Haha, I suppose it’s true. We have been working together to solve problems since we were small children. So there’s that.” Liam said.

“Right!” Drake laughed, “Coordinating sneaking past the king, queen and all the guards was good training for real life political intrigue.”

“Ha. I’ll bet!” Riley giggled, “Ok, like I said, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt, please, get back to it.”

Drake turned back to Liam, “What about Regina? Do we trust her?”

It was Liam’s turn to sigh, “I don’t know. This doesn’t seem her style, but we can’t be sure. So while I can’t restrict her to the palace-“

“We can place a tail on her, tap her phones, monitor her emails and put a member of my team in with her personal maids to keep an eye on who comes to visit her. Anything else?”

“Maybe you should place someone as a driver-“

Drake scoffed, “Most of your drivers are already undercover guard.”

“What?”

“Oh, you think I just let you drive around without someone in the car that knows how to protect you at all times?” Drake fixed him with an acrid stare.

“I thought that’s why I have Alec….”

Drake scoffed again, “Like you take him everywhere. Even though I told you to.”

“Ok, ok. Fair enough. What about Madeleine?”

“Li, we should have been monitoring her from the beginning! I’ve always believed she was involved.”

“The timing of her offer could be construed as suspect-“

“She has every motive to want Riley out of the picture!”

“Riley huh?” Liam asked.

Drake flushed. “Campbell. Whatever.”

Riley looked back and forth between them. She had noticed that Drake reverted to her first name when he was experiencing strong emotions or was very serious. Had Liam picked up on that as well?

There was a knock at the door.

“Are we expecting anyone?” Drake asked as he walked over to answer it.

“No.” Liam replied.

Drake opened the door to find Jason standing there with a huge shit eating grin on his face.

“I take it this is good news Toussaint?”

Jason stepped into the room and glanced around before asking, “Is it safe to speak freely?”

“Yeah.” Drake replied as he closed the door.

“We got him!” Jason crowed.

“Tariq?” Drake asked.

“Yes! We found the bastard!”

Riley, Liam and Drake all erupted into celebration.

“YES!”

“Thank God, finally!”

“Good job, thank you!”

Riley hugged Drake first, because he was closer, then Liam, then Jason.

Jason seemed surprised by the hug, “Oh, uh, ok, you’re welcome.” He patted her back awkwardly.

“How?” Drake asked.

“We hacked into the reality companies that owned the properties we were looking at, and ran handwriting analysis against the signatures, using documents we were able to obtain here that Duke Lambros has signed in the past. We got a hit then we hacked into security cameras in the area until we got visual confirmation. Easy Peasy.”

“Fuck yeah!” Drake clapped the other man on the back.

“Excellent job, Lieutenant.” Liam congratulated him, “You can expect a bonus with your next paycheck.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, but it was a team effort.”

“A team that you led. Don’t be modest.” Liam told him, “But if you send me their names, I’ll make sure they get a little something extra too.”

“That’s very generous of you, Your Majesty.”

“I believe that hard work and loyalty should be rewarded. I can’t begin to tell you how much this means to me, to us.” He said shooting a glance at Riley.

“I’ll need the address to give to my guys that are enroute as we speak. And we’ll need to coordinate with local law enforcement, so they are aware. We already have clearance from the U.S. government.” Drake said.

“You got it boss.” Jason wrote the address down on a notepad from Liam’s desk.

“They will arrest him and escort him to our embassy in New York?” Liam asked.

“That’s the plan.” Drake answered, “Thank you Toussaint, you have no idea how happy you’ve made me! I knew I begged you to come work for me for a reason!”

Jason laughed at that. “You were pretty damn persuasive and I have to say, I don’t regret it. If there’s nothing else?”

Drake looked at Liam, who shook his head, “No, nothing else, Lieutenant, dismissed.”

Jason grinned as he saluted, “Captain.” He turned to bow to Liam and Riley, “Your Majesty, Lady Riley.”

After he left, Riley hugged both Drake and Liam again, “I can’t believe it’s finally over!”

“He’ll be in custody soon and once he issues a public statement, your name will be officially cleared, my love!”

“But, how do we know he’ll make the statement?” Riley asked anxiously.

“Trust me, we have ways of compelling-“ Liam began.

“Oh, he’ll make that statement if I have to beat it out of him!” Drake assured her.

“That likely won’t be necessary,” Liam continued, “I can merely threaten to strip him of his lands and titles.”

“You can do that?” Riley gasped.

Liam smiled indulgently, “Yes, love, this isn’t America. The monarchy has considerable power. I can and I will. But it won’t be necessary, he’ll capitulate. I’ve known Tariq since we were kids. He won’t risk losing his fortune or his status.”

“What about the countess of cruelty? I can’t imagine she’ll go down without a fight.” Drake said.

“Yes, that’s true. I’ve already taken steps to ensure that there will be no negative blow back from the press or the public when I break our engagement.”

Drake looked at him skeptically, “How are you going to do that, exactly?”

“I’ve retained the services of Audrey Toscani.”

Drake let out a low whistle, “Wow. Bringing in the big guns.”

“Who’s that?” Riley asked.

“The best political fixer on the continent.” Liam answered.

“A political fixer? Like Olivia Pope?” Riley asked.

“Who?” Liam looked at her in confusion.

“You know, Scandal?”

“What scandal?”

“I think it’s a TV show Li.” Drake said.

“It was a TV show, never mind, I know what a political fixer is.” Riley said.

“Anyway,” Liam continued, “I’ll break my engagement to Madeleine, Tariq will clear your name and then we can move forward with announcing our engagement!”

Riley froze, her gaze darting back and forth between Liam and Drake, “Oh….”

Liam rushed on, excitement shining from his eyes, “We’ll sway public opinion back in your favor, the people loved you before, they’ll love you again! We can spin it into a star-crossed lover’s story, the press will eat it up. We’ll finally be able to be together publicly, like it should have been from the beginning!”

Riley felt panic rising in her chest and tears creeping into her eyes.

As Liam continued to talk, Drake’s eyes were glued on Riley. Her distress was clearly evident. His gaze flicked back to Liam, who was so wrapped up in the plans he was making, that he wasn’t noticing Riley’s reaction.

“Li…Li…Liam! Stop!”

Liam stopped in midsentence and turned to Drake in confusion, “What?”

“Give her a minute, ok? I think she needs to process some things.”

“Drake-“

“Seriously Li, you’re not-“

Liam scowled at him, “You promised to accept it if she chose me. You said you would respect her choice.”

“And I can, and I will, but would you give her a minute to make one?” He gestured toward her.

“I can’t do this!” Riley’s voice drew both their attention. The tears were now streaking down her face.

“Riley, love, I’m sorry, I didn’t-“

“Campbell, don’t-“

“I can’t! I can’t do this! I can’t choose between you; I can’t give either of you up and it’s not fair to anyone! And I can’t be the thing that comes between you! I cannot be the wedge in your friendship! I….I have to leave!”

“NO!” Both men yelled.

“Leave, go where?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, leave. Back to New York. The sooner, the better. I can be on a plane tonight!” The tears were now pouring down her face as sobs wracked her body, she ran for the door.

Drake was closer to the door, and he moved faster. By the time she reached it, his body was between her and the exit.

“Move Drake!” She yelled at him as she tried to push him out of the way.

“Please, Riley, wait!” His voice held a desperation she had never heard before. It only made her cry harder.

She hit him, her fists pounding on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and looked over her head at Liam in a panic. He mouthed, “DO SOMETHING! FIX THIS!”

Liam looked back at him with the same panic rising in his chest, threw his hands up in the air and mouthed, “LIKE WHAT?!” He spun around, both hands gripping his hair, mind racing furiously. Shit! Shit! Shit! Why had he pushed the issue? What was he going to do now? What could he do?

He paced the floor frantically. There had to be a solution, but what? She wasn’t willing to break anyone’s heart and he couldn’t live without her. If only there was a way they could all be happy. Suddenly he stopped pacing, his eyes widened, and he spun around to stare at Drake in stunned realization.

She had stopped struggling and was sobbing hysterically in Drake’s arms. Drake’s hand stroked down her hair and her back trying to calm her. He returned Liam’s gaze and asked, “What?”

“Oh my God.” Liam breathed as he made his way across the room to them. “Riley, love, sweetheart, please. Can I?” He gently pulled her from Drake’s arms.

She went without resistance from Drake’s embrace into Liam’s, tears still cascading down her face.

Liam led her back to the chair she had vacated and gently eased her into it. He knelt in front of her, slightly to her right, “Drake, could you get her something for her tears?”

Drake glanced around the room until his gaze fell on a small towel on the drink cart. He grabbed that and took it to her, then he pulled another chair next to her and sat on her other side, rubbing her back with one hand and resting the other on her leg. He gave Liam a puzzled, but hopeful look. He didn’t care if she married Liam. Well, he cared, but it was preferable to her leaving and not being in his life at all.

Liam reached up and placed one hand gently on her shoulder, the other on her leg, “Please, love, calm down. I need you to listen. I have a solution. But you have to calm down and listen. Can you do that?”

His voice was so gentle and tender, it made her cry harder, but she nodded as she fought to get her emotions under control. She turned her head into Drake’s shoulder and reached for Liam’s hand. She felt calmer, more grounded, once she was touching them both. She focused on that feeling and slowly her sobbing began to subside. She pulled away from them and wiped her face. She drew in a few more deep, shuddering breaths before she was able to lift her head and look at either of them. She slowly brought her eyes up to meet Liam’s.

He looked back at her with such love and tenderness, the tears threatened again, but she kept them at bay. Barely.

“Are you ok now, love? Are you ready to listen to my idea?” His hand had grasped hers again and his fingers stroked her palm.

She didn’t trust herself to speak so she nodded.

“There’s a way that you don’t have to choose.” He said softly.

Drake’s head snapped up and his eyes locked on Liam. He couldn’t mean….

Riley’s face was crumpled in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’d like to propose a solution, an arrangement, that will include everyone.”

Drake gasped in shock, “Liam, you would agree to that?”

Liam’s eyes shot over to Drake then quickly back to Riley, to focus on her face, so vulnerable and desolate. “Yes. I would give her anything.”

Riley looked back and forth between them, still confused, “What are you talking about?”

“Love,” Liam said gently, still rubbing her hand, “Remember when I told you about the arrangement Madeleine offered me?”

“Yeah…”

“Remember how I told you that these types of arrangements are fairly common in Cordonia?”

She nodded again, still not really understanding where he was going.

Drake snorted, “So common they are literally called Cordonian Arrangements.”

“Quite.” Liam continued, “Riley. I’m offering you one.”

“You’re offering me…what, exactly?”

Liam cleared his throat and glanced at Drake for help, “A Cordonian Arrangement.”

Drake clarified, “It’s an agreement, either informal or written into the marriage contract, granting permission to have, uh, relationships outside the marriage.”

“Like an affair?” She’d circle back to the fact that they had marriage contracts later.

“Not exactly.” Liam explained, “An affair implies secrecy and betrayal. This is more of an open relationship, committed non-monogamy. Something fairly common here. It can be broad, as in allowing either spouse to engage in, well, sexual acts and even full-blown emotional relationships with whoever they choose. Those are generally used for couples that spend a significant amount of time away from each other.”

“Or they can be specific.” Drake continued, “Either in parameters for what’s allowed, or who.”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“It means it can specify when it can happen, only on weekends or when one spouse is out of the country, for example. Or it can specify what is allowed, limiting sex to certain acts but not others. It really varies widely because it’s specific to each individual couple and what they agree on.” Drake told her.

“Or it can be exclusive to certain people, or one other person. In this case, I would be agreeing to accept your relationship with Drake. This means we can still marry, assuming you agree, and whatever is going on between the two you can continue.” He tried to keep his voice as even as possible. Any hint that he wasn’t fully on board might send her running to pack again.

She blinked at him, not quiet trusting this turn of events, “And you would be ok with that?”

“Darling, I’ve been dealing with it since Italy. It’s not like this is new information for me. And listen, I thought I would have to marry for duty, I was resigned to have to spend my life with someone like Madeleine, for the good of Cordonia. Having love in my life, it’s far more than I ever dared dream possible. Being able to marry the woman I love? An even further reach. Absolutely not something I ever thought would be possible. Having you in my life at all, is already more than I ever hoped for. I love you, I don’t own you. If this is what needs to happen to keep you in my life, then yes, I am whole heartedly ok with it!” He brought her hand to his mouth to drop kisses along the back. “Please say yes!”

She stared at him in astonishment for a moment then turned to Drake, “And you? You would be ok with this?”

“Campbell…Riley,” He laughed softly, “My God, yes! Is that even a serious question? I have been in torment since that first night in New York, trying to fight my feelings for you because of my friendship with Liam. And I have consistently failed. I already told you, I’m not the possessive type and I would never make you choose between us! That fact that you love me at all is still a source of astonishment for me. I don’t know what you see in me. But if you’re telling me that I can be free to love you and not betray my best friend in the process…. I can’t find the downside to that! I told you the other night that I wanted to be in your life in whatever capacity you wanted me there. I don’t care what it looks like. I’m all in.”

Riley looked down at her lap then nervously shot a glance at Liam, then Drake. She could find nothing, in either of their faces, that indicated they were anything but on board with this arrangement. Hope began to trickle through her. She looked back to Liam and gave him a tentative smile.

His heart clenched in his chest, hope surged through him, he tightened his grip on her hand and asked, “Is that a yes?”

Her eyes slid over to find Drake’s locked on her, hope and fear mingling in his expression. She turned back to Liam and nodded.

“Yes?” He nodded, he really needed to be sure they were on the same page.

She nodded too, “Yes!”

“Oh, thank God!” He stood, pulling her into an embrace.

Drake stood awkwardly to the side, rubbing the back of his neck.

When she released Liam, she turned and threw herself into Drake’s arms.

“Oof! Warn me next time!” But he smiled as he embraced her. His eyes found Liam’s and he mouthed, “Thank you!”

Liam shrugged. He’d done what he had to do to keep her in his life. Now he just hoped he could live with the consequences.