FictionAngyl

A Maxwell Beaumont fan blog Character Origin: Choices Stories You Play "The Royal Romance" MC Name: Riley Mason ♡♡♡♡ Find my edits on Instagram & Fan Fiction on AO3 & WattPad All under FictionAngyl https://linktr.ee/fictionangyl

[fictionangyl]

Chapter 6 of Return From The Big Apple is now live on AO3 & Wattpad. Annabelle has landed in the main capital and is finding that searching for her father is not as easy as it looks!

Links to my AO3 & Wattpad account can be found here:

https://linktr.ee/fictionangyl

[fictionangyl]

Chapter 3 of Return from the Big Apple is now posted. Maxwell & Riley deal with the aftermath of Barthelemy's deception.

(This fic is a TRR/TRH crossover with the 2003 movie What A Girl Wants.)

Available on both AO3 & Wattpad

http://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionAngyl

https://www.wattpad.com/user/fictionangyl

[fictionangyl]

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

The Sponsor's Bet, Chapter IV: Wanna Bet? is now live on AO3 & Wattpad! Maxwell diffuses a confrontation with Carl and then discovers just what happened on Daniel's date the previous night. He and Riley then say their goodbyes for what they believe is going to be a very long time. But when he gets back to his friends, Aidan has other plans in mind... and things get heated!

Links to AO3 & Wattpad in bio!

[fictionangyl]

First Love

Twelve-year-old Maxwell decides to tell his first crush what he thinks. But when it goes horribly wrong and he begins t...

A little one-shot I wrote earlier this week. Available to read on both AO3 & Wattpad.

[fictionangyl]

Riley Mason-Beaumont on Instagram: "Chapter III: What I Want is now posted! Maxwell has some things to figure out! NSFW Warning for this cha

3 likes, 1 comments - Riley Mason-Beaumont (@fictionangyl) on Instagram: "Chapter III: What I Want is now posted! Maxwell has some things to

I recently started a new Maxwell fan fic called "The Sponsor's Bet" in the last few weeks. You can check it out on AO3 & Wattpadunder the same username (fictionangyl). The above is a link to my Instagram where I posted the Chapter 3 teaser video. 😊

[ao719]

I fell down a hole yesterday making this silly thing for @kingliamappreciationweek . It was supposed to be for yesterday’s character appreciation, but I didn’t have it done in time 🫣

Thank you @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes for hosting!

[fictionangyl]

Amazing video! Reliving TRR in minutes 🥰

[brideofkylosolo]

There seems to be a lack of understanding lately as to what fanfiction is. it's just what the name implies: It's fiction made by fans. It's most likely not going to follow canon at all. Canon couples are sometimes not going to happen or the people will be paired with others nor will a canon idea/event happen. A character that was good may be evil, or a character may do something so out of left field, it leaves you wondering what just happened. Or a totally new character (original or canon) may be added in. It has zero effect on the current canon whatsoever. It's simply a story a fan had an idea for and decided to write. It wasn't made for the masses. Fanfiction is a gift that people choose to share with others and if you don't like it, that's fine. No one is saying you have to love every piece of fanfiction or art out there. Enjoy the ones you do and ignore the ones you don't.

[fictionangyl]

Couldn't have said it any better! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[karahalloway]

A Leviathan Surprise

Fandom: TRR

Series: None - this is a one-shot

Pairings: Maxwell Beamont x Bertrand Beaumont (nothing sexual - just brotherly love)

Synopsis: Maxwell unveils a larger than life surprise for Bertrand's birthday

Word count: 1,200

Warnings: Posh British swearing, using the Lord's name in vain, oversized squid

A/N1: This is my off-the-cuff submission for Day 4: Friends and Family of the inaugural Maxwell Beaumont Appreciation Week, hosted by @maxwell-beaumont-appreciation.

A/N2: The idea for this one-shot was actually born back in December when @maxwell-beaumont-appreciation reblogged this post by @fictionangyl featuring the cover photo and the question 'Think Bertrand would approve of a little redecorating at Ramsford? 🤔' and the general consensus was 'no' 🤣 But I got inspired by the pic and the comments and decided that I had to immortalise this visual in a fic, because it was too perfect to pass up!

A/N3: I know I normally write in first person POV, but this drabble came to me in third person, so here we are 😇

A/N4: Since Bertrand is 33 at the start of (Un)Common Attraction, I guess that means that this fic takes place 3 years before the start of the social season.

A Leviathan Surprise

Maxwell was giddy with excitement.

Scratch that.

He was positively bursting with anticipation!

Bertrand was going to be home any minute now, and the young Beaumont could not wait to surprise his older brother with his... Well, surprise.

It was Bertrand's birthday, after all...

And even though Bertrand hadn't wanted a fuss made, much less a party thrown — because, let's face it, they were broke — when one of his thousands of Insta followers had tagged him in a post featuring this jewel of divine inspiration, Maxwell had known: THIS was it... the perfect birthday present for his brother.

The fact that it had cost the better part of an arm and a leg and had required several hundred dedicated man-hours to accomplish was besides the point.

Bertrand was going to love it!

And that's all that mattered.

Because this year — of all years — Bertrand deserved to be treated. And a bit of financial bother was not going to stop Lord Breakdance from properly commemorating his brother's epic milestone.

The big 3-0.

Bertrand was now officially (and irreconcilably) a grown-up.

So what better way to celebrate (or commiserate?) than by killing two birds with one stone?

The painting gallery had always held a special place in the Beaumont brothers' hearts. In large part because it was where their mother's portrait hung — young, beautiful, full of life, she beamed out at the viewer even though it was against the conventions of formal portraiture.

But then, their mother had never been a stickler for the rules...

...probably why everyone said Maxwell took after her.

But a dreadful summer thunderstorm last year had sent a 100-year old oak tree crashing through the roof of the wing of the House that the gallery sat in, leaving an unsightly hole in the ceiling. Which — even though it had been patched — had never been completely made new.

We have more important things to allocate our meagre funds on, Bertrand kept reminding him every time the subject was raised.

Well, no longer!

Maxwell had taken matters into his own hands — raising a chunk of the money through livestreamed charity breakdance-offs with prominent YouTubers, and receiving the shortfall via a last-minute cheque made out by a well-heeled benefactor — to not only bring the painting gallery back to its former glory, but to improve it!

Bertrand was going to love it.

He was sure of it.

In fact, he had never been more sure of anything in his life!

...apart from the time he had bought an entire ostentation of peacocks so he could perform a peacock wedding.

Because what better way to celebrate the fact that these beautiful birds mated for life?

...or was the swans...?

It didn't matter. The point was that Maxwell had become ordained so he could perform the ceremony of the two fowl becoming one with the necessary sanctity and gravitas.

And his brother deserved the same level of commitment and dedication to detail as those beautiful birds had gotten through the course of the two-and-a-half hour long marriage affair.

Just with a lot less poop.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Maxwell!" cries Bertrand, storming into the picture gallery. "What in the blazes is so urgent that it couldn't—? Oh, good God...!"

The elder Beaumont freezes as he lays eyes on the centre-piece of the newly renovated space — the gargantuan papermaché kraken that sat suspended upside-down from the ceiling like some nefarious, overgrown bat, waiting to pounce (or fall?) on its unsuspecting victims.

The ominous creaking of the wires that held in in place didn't help matters either.

"Happy birthday, Bertrand!" exclaims Maxwell, rushing up to crush his big brother in a celebratory hug. "May your—"

Bertrand deftly sidesteps the ill-timed PDA to thrust his finger accusingly at the ceiling. "What... in the name of all that is holy... is THAT?!"

"Your birthday present!" grins Maxwell, completely unfazed by his brother's rapidly twitching eyelid. "Do you like it?"

Bertrand's visibly trembling. "It's... it’s..."

"Gorgeous?" prompts Maxwell. "Glorious? Utterly res—?"

"IT'S AN ABOMINATION!"

Maxwell's face falls. "Oh."

"What in the devil possessed you to conceive of, let alone spend money — money which we do not have, might I add! — on such a massive piece of macabre monstrousness!"

"I thought you'd like it..." Maxwell mutters sheepishly.

"Like it?" Bertrand splutters incredulously. "I’d like to clobber you over the head with it! I'd—!"

A lone sniffle escapes the younger Beaumont...

...and Bertrand's shoulders fall.

"Oh, bugger..." he mutters under his breath.

Stepping up to what was left of his family, he lays a consolatory hand on his sibling's shoulder. "My apologies, brother. That was crass of me. I shouldn't have—"

"You hate it," laments Maxwell, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"No, no!" objects Bertrand quickly. "I... I was simply caught off guard. It's not everyday that you see a giant cephalopod dangling from the ceiling."

"It's okay if you hate it..." whispers Max. "I... I'll just get it taken down and—"

"You will do no such thing!" admonishes the elder Beaumont. "You've already frittered away God-knows how many hundreds of guilders on—"

"Thousands," corrects Maxwell.

"Thousands?" squeaks Bertrand, going deathly pale. "Oh, dear Lord in Heaven...!"

"2,375.97 to be exact," clarifies Maxwell. "And that was just the materials."

Bertrand wheezes asthmatically.

"But it was all funded by charitable donations."

Bertrand snaps his head up. "Charitable? Donations? Who in their right mind would—?"

"Fund the creation of a one-of-a-kind avant-garde art installation?" asks Leo, stepping out from behind a neo-Greek pillar.

"And spend hundreds of man-hours elbows-deep in papermaché and glue?" adds Chris, emerging from behind a curtain.

"Not to mention risk life and limb trying to attach the damn thing to the ceiling..." grumbles Drake.

"You?!" demands Bertrand with wide eyes. "You were behind this?"

"We... may have contributed our respective skills-sets," admits Leo with a sly smile.

"If by 'contribute' you mean 'got press ganged'..." mutters Drake.

"But it was all Maxwell's idea," adds Chris. "He organised the fundraising, the equipment, the workmen, even the tea and biscuits."

"Those were good biscuits..." agrees Leo with a far-away look.

Bertrand turns back to his brother. "You... you project managed this shambles? By yourself?"

Maxwell shrugs. "I had to keep it a surprise."

"Oh, you silly muppet," sighs Bertrand as he wraps his brother into an uncommon embrace. "There's hope for you after all..."

"So... does that mean you like it?" asks Maxwell, hope sparking in his baby-blue eyes.

"I... I think it may be a somewhat of an acquired taste..." admits Bertrand with a shudder. "But I'm proud of you, brother. You finally showed me that you have what it takes to be a true Beaumont."

"A hereditary obsession with squid?"

"Pluck," smiles Bertrand, clapping his younger sibling on the shoulder affectionately. "And that is the best birthday present a brother can ask for."

Permas:

@twinkleallnight @lovingchoices14 @kingliam2019 @petiteboheme @aussiegurl1234 @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @tessa-liam @alyshak92 @secretaryunpaid @princessleac1 @walkerdrakewalker @angelasscribbles @nestledonthaveone @tinkie1973 @twinkle-320 @knaussal @nikkis1983 @lunaseasblog @ficloverevie @indiana-jr @differenttyphoonwerewolf @xpandass420x @eversoaringqueen12 @peonierose @3pawandme @alexabeta @veebug8 @fangirling12566 @queenmiarys @berriesandpixels​ @coco-lina-s @lolablackwrites @ivyflowers13 @persephone13 @hollygirl1269 @adri-ja-96 @harleybeaumont @katedrakeohd @uneravine @choicesficwriterscreations

[fictionangyl]

Brilliant! 😄🐙🦑

[fictionangyl]

Battling the Assassins (TRR3) -- Because there is a severe lack of Maxwell art scenes in the TRR series, I just had to create one 😄 It took a very long time of piecing things together, and though not completely perfect, I am happy with how this edit came out! For those of you who have played WTD, you'll recognize the art scene set-up I used to create this edit! 😁

[angelasscribbles]

The Best Christmas Ever

Series: None, this is a one-shot and you can find those here.

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Riley x Max

Rating: G

Warnings for this chapter: none

Word Count: 2,181

A/N: This is an ask from @squid-princess-teach-swallow from my follower prompt list/wheel event. The ask was for Max x fluff x embarrassing.

I'm also submitting it to @choicesholidays for the prompt "I'm so glad we found each other" and tagging @maxwell-beaumont-appreciation

My other stuff: Master List.

Maxwell Beaumont flung his car door open and jumped out. He was late.

He hurried up the driveway to his childhood home hoping they hadn’t started dinner without him.

“Sorry, I’m late!” He called as he stomped the snow from his boots and flung his jacket in the general direction of the coat rack.

The sound of laughter floated out of the sitting room as he made his way down the hall. An affectionate smile played across his face as he regarded his friends and family getting along.

Bertrand was seated on the plush, oversized beige sofa with his wife Savannah on one side of him and Riley on the other. Liam and Drake stood behind the sofa looking over his shoulders at something.

“What’s everyone doing?” He asked then his steps faltered as he noticed the large photo album in his brother’s lap. His good mood turned to horror, “No!”

Riley looked up with a sparkle in her eye, “Bert’s been showing us pictures from your childhood, Max! And telling us stories!”

“Oh, no…we don’t have to do that! Isn’t dinner ready?” Max asked in distress.

“We were waiting for you!” Riley told him.

“It’s fine,” Savannah said, “a few more minutes won’t hurt.”

“But-“ Max was sure that he did not want his friends and family telling the woman he was secretly in love with about his childhood.

“Ah, what a cute dog!” Riley pointed to a photo of both boys hugging a Labrador retriever.

Max smiled, “Her name was Penny. She was a great dog!” This wasn’t so bad. Just focus on the dog.

“Wasn’t she a rescue?” Liam asked.

“She was,” Max agreed, “She was one when we got her and I was seven. Our father explained how dog years worked and I thought it was really cool that we were the same age!”

“Oh Max, that’s so cute!” Riley smiled at him and a flush of pleasure crept across his face.

Of course, his brother had to ruin it, “Yes but when she turned two, Max cried for a week.”

“Why?” Savannah asked in puzzlement.

“He thought since she was turning fourteen, she wouldn’t want to hang out with him anymore,” Bertrand answered, “because he was still only eight.”

“That’s hilarious!” Drake said.

“I think it’s cute!” Riley gave him a sympathetic glance as everyone else laughed.

“Thank you,” Max said as he walked around to stand in front of the sofa ready to snatch the album from his brother’s grasp if necessary.

Bertrand flipped the page.

“Oh, I didn’t know you wore glasses when you were younger!” Riley glanced from the photo album to his face.

“He didn’t,” Bertrand explained, “Somehow he got it in his head that wearing glasses was what made you smart.”

“Oh, so they were fake.”

“Yeah, yeah, they were fake!” Max agreed shooting a death glare at his brother.

“No,” Bertrand contradicted him, “he convinced our parents that he was having trouble seeing and got them to take him to an ophthalmologist where he pretended he couldn’t read the eye chart.”

“No!” Riley gasped in delight, “He did not!”

“Oh, he did,” Bertrand assured her, “then he suffered with blurry vision for a month before finally confessing.”

“I hate you,” Max said yanking the album out of Bertrand’s hands.

“Oh, come on!” Bertrand protested, “We’re just having fun!”

“Yeah, Max!” Riley agreed, “I love hearing stories about your childhood!”

“Really?” He felt his heart do a little flip.

“Really.” She assured him.

“Oh! I have one!” Drake exclaimed, “You’re going to love this one, Brooks!”

Max ran a hand down his face with a groan, “Not the fucking closet story!”

“Yes, the closet story!” Drake chortled, “They had come to the palace to visit. We were playing hide and seek-“

“No, we weren’t!” Max interrupted, “I was hiding from you because I broke your favorite action figure and I was afraid you were going to murder me!”

“Whatever,” Drake said dismissively before plunging on, “He wouldn’t come out of the damn closet and his parents were ready to leave so I threatened to suck the air out of the closet!”

“But he still wouldn’t come out,” Liam added.

“He was a very stubborn child.” Bertrand supplied.

“What happened?” Riley asked, looking from Liam to Drake to Max.

Max picked up the story, “I was sitting in that closet and I see a straw slide under the door and I hear a sucking sound….”

“He came hauling ass out of that closet like he was about to die!” Drake howled.

“Yeah,” Liam broke in, “he broke the door, it had to be replaced.”

“I really thought I was going to die!” Max shook his head, “You were all assholes!”

“It was a straw under a closet door!” Drake scoffed.

“I was six!”

“Remember when you fell out of the window and broke your arm?” Liam asked.

Max sighed as his head tipped back and he looked up to heaven for guidance.

“How did he fall out a window?” Riley asked.

“Our parents sent him to his room for setting his pet crabs loose in the house and he was leaning out the window crying-“

“Wait, you had pet crabs?” she asked in astonishment.

“They were the little ones that go in the aquarium with your fish.” Bertrand offered.

“Okay. Why were you leaning out the window?” Riley directed the question to Max.

“I wanted my peacocks to hear, and any servants that were outside,” he answered, “I was being dramatic. I wanted the world to know I’d been wronged. Those crabs were falsely imprisoned and they wanted to be free!”

“Anyway,” Bertrand continued, “he leaned too far and fell out! But no one knew it had happened, he had to ring the doorbell to get back in!”

The room was howling with laughter.

“Okay, okay, I was a dork but why are we only picking on me?” Max asked, “Remember the time you asked mom why there were different colors of people?”

“Yes,” Bertrand responded, “She told me it was because God wanted a variety of flavors.”

“Unfortunate word choice,” Max said, “for three years, Bert thought that when people died, God ate them!”

“No, he did not!” Savannah wiped tears of mirth from her eyes.

“Yes, he did!” Max replied smugly.

“Fine, but one time when he was about eight, Max found dad’s driver’s permit and started crying hysterically,” Bertrand put the focus right back on his brother, “It took us almost an hour to get him to calm down enough to tell us what was wrong.”

“What was it?” Riley asked.

“He saw the expiration date and thought that was when he was going to die.”

“Yes, well….in my defense, when things expire, we throw them away, I thought the expiration date was for him, not the permit.”

“Ah, Max, that’s sweet!” Riley said, “You were a sensitive child!”

“We should probably get to dinner now,” Bertrand stood up and turned back to help Savannah up.

Max had been returning the photo album to the shelf, he turned and tripped over the coffee table, “Ow!”

He caught himself but his shin was going to be bruised.

“You okay?” Riley stayed behind as the rest of the group trailed out of the sitting room and into the dining room.

“I’m fine,” he assured her as he sank onto the loveseat grasping his leg, “nothing hurt but my pride.”

Riley sat down next to him, “Hey, I hope you aren’t upset about the pictures and the stories.”

“What?” he glanced at her face then back down at his leg as he mumbled, “No, I mean, they were just embarrassing…”

“I don’t think they were embarrassing, Max,” she told him, “I think you were an adorable child and the stories were funny but cute.”

“Yeah?” He looked back up at her and his heart skipped a beat. His face flushed.

Why couldn’t he just tell her how he felt?

She and Liam had formed a close friendship during the social season but had agreed that a romantic connection wasn’t in the cards. There had been a spark, yes. But it had never exploded into a flame.

He had been terrified she would leave at the end of the season but she had decided to stay and finish out her graduate studies at Cordonia University.

“Yeah,” she said, “Now, why were you late? Is everything okay?”

“Oh, I, ah…” he flushed an even deeper shade of red as he fumbled in his pocket, “I was picking something up. I wanted to give you this before you left to spend Christmas with your family.”

She glanced down as he thrust a small velvet box into her hands, “I can open it now?”

“If you want.” He still hadn’t met her eyes.

She opened the lid to reveal a delicate gold chain with a golden phoenix curled around a brilliant sapphire. Her mouth fell open as she pulled it out of the case, “Max!”

“You don’t like it! It’s okay, I can return it-“

“Shut up!” She slapped his chest, “It’s beautiful and I love it!”

“You do?” He asked hopefully.

“I do! It’s gorgeous! But-“

His face fell, “But what?”                   

“Nothing, just, this had to be really expensive and-“

“And it’s too much, isn’t it? I’m sorry! I knew I shouldn’t have-“

“Max, stop! That’s not what I was going to say!”

“Sorry, what were you going to say?” He stared down at his lap while silently cursing himself for being so utterly bad at this.

“It is expensive…I’m just wondering what it means.”

“I saw it and it reminded me of you. All the crap you’ve been through in your life but you just rise from the ashes every time….what?” The way she was looking at him made him stop breathing.

“Nothing,” She said slowly, “could you put it on for me?”

She handed him the necklace then turned her back and lifted her hair.

His hands shook as he attempted to fasten the clasp. He was successful on the third try.

When she turned back toward him, she fingered the necklace thoughtfully. Her voice was soft as she said, “You know, this is the kind of thing you usually give a girlfriend, not just a friend.”

Max froze as panic sliced through him.

Shit! Shit! Shit!

As he struggled to formulate a response, she reached out and touched his cheek gently, “Do you ever think of me like that?”

“I….yes…I just didn’t think that you…I mean, you probably don’t …..I’m sure you don’t-“

She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

His body jolted in surprise before melting into her with relief, happiness, and awed amazement.

“Maxwell! Riley!” Bertrand’s voice boomed from the other room, “Are you coming to dinner or not?”

They pulled apart, both a little breathless.

“In a minute!” Max yelled back.

“We should go,” Riley said.

“Can we talk when you get back from the states?”

“About that,” she replied, “I got you something too, I wasn’t sure if you’d like it, but now…”

“You didn’t have to get me anything, Riley!” He told her, “The fact that you like me is already the greatest gift I could get!”

“That’s so sweet, Max! And I know I didn’t have to, but, this is as much for me as it is for you.”

Curiosity swirled through him, “What is it?”

“A plane ticket,” she answered shyly.

“A plane ticket?” He repeated in confusion.

“Yeah, I was hoping you’d come with me.”

He blinked in surprise, “You want me to come with you to visit your family for Christmas?”

Riley felt her face heat as she responded, “Only if you want to! It’s okay if you don’t!”

Max’s face broke into the widest grin she’d ever seen, and that was saying a lot, “I would love to spend Christmas with you! I’d go anywhere with you, Riley!”

“Seriously you two! What’s taking so long?” Liam called.

“We’re not waiting anymore, I’m hungry!” Drake yelled.

“Coming!” They yelled back together.

Max jumped up from the loveseat and offered her his hand.

She took it.

He pulled her to her feet and they started for the dining room, hand in hand.

“So, am I like your boyfriend now?” He asked, his heart pounding in his chest.

She smiled as she cut a sidelong glance at him, “Oh, absolutely!”

“This is the best Christmas ever!” He told her as joy suffused his entire being.

And he meant it. Everything in his life had come down to this.

He had been slowly falling in love with her since that first night in New York. He’d never dreamed she would return those feelings.

As the snow continued to fall outside, they gathered around the table with family and friends. It was almost Christmas, he had a sister-in-law, a nephew on the way, and a girlfriend.

Riley was his girlfriend.

The thought made him feel like he might explode from happiness overload, and for the first time since his mother died, Christmas actually felt joyous.

[fictionangyl]

Such a sweet and adorable Maxwell Christmas story! 🥰🥰🥰

[storyofmychoices]

SpreadJoy #713: spreading positivity with quotes and @playchoices characters.

Quote in edit by selftiime

[fictionangyl]

He can be my Santa anyday... 🎅😏😍🥰🦑💖

[fictionangyl]

Checking out that past Beaumont line... good looks still ran in the family hundreds of years ago... 😏😋

[fictionangyl]

The correction had to be made! 🐙🦑

[angelasscribbles]

Maximum Frustration: A One-Shot

Series: None, this is a one-shot and you can find those here.

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Riley x Maxwell

Rating: NSFW 🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋

Warnings for this chapter: Lemons

Word Count: 2,347

A/N: This is from my prompt ask list/wheel event. This ask is from @alj4890: Max x Steamy fluff x Jealousy

My other stuff: Master List.

“What's up with you and Beaumont?” Drake asked as he spun me around in his arms so that my back was pressed against his body as we danced.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…. You two are always together, always laughing about something that none of the rest of us quite get, and then there’s the way he's always staring at you.”

“How is he always staring at me?” I asked with genuine curiosity.

A low, rumbly laugh spilled out of him as he tugged my body tighter against his, bringing his mouth to my ear, “Like he wants to devour you.”

“Oh, no, you’re wrong.” I told him, “We're just friends.”

“You sure about that?” Drake asked, “because if looks could kill, I'm pretty sure I'd be dead right now.”

I glanced up and scanned the room.

There he was, in a darkened corner of the bar I had drug everyone to, arms folded across his chest, the expression on his face damn near murderous.

Well, wasn’t that interesting?

I had caught him watching me several times with Liam. But he always looked away when I tried to catch his eye. I knew he felt duty bound by honor and friendship to ignore whatever spark was between us, because of Liam, his friend and future king.

But it wasn't Liam that was touching me right now, it was Drake. And Max looked anything but pleased.

For once, he didn’t look away. In fact, his gaze burned into me with a white-hot intensity as we locked eyes. A slow, seductive grin spread across my face as I recognized that look.

He was jealous.

I'd been using the wrong man to provoke him.

I already knew I could have Drake anytime I wanted. The proof of it was pressed up against my backside as we swayed and moved to the music. He wasn't even trying to hide his arousal. He was always interested, but he wasn’t usually this obvious about it. It was probably the result of too much whiskey consumption.

It was Drake’s birthday and Liam had made sure the drinks were flowing freely and liberally.

I rested one hand on Drake’s arms that were wrapped around my waist and snaked the other one back to sink into his hair as my hips undulated in time with his.

My eyes stayed locked on Max.

The feel of Drake’s body pressed against mine, the way Max’s eyes were burning into me and the knowledge that Liam was somewhere right on the other side of the room conspired to send sharp, searing desire plunging through me.

I wanted all three of them if I’m being honest. And who wouldn’t? They were all three hotter than the ninth level of hell.

Cordonia, land of the hot men. Hallelujah and amen.

But if I were forced to choose, if I had to say whom I felt a more…emotional connection with….well, that would be Max, hands down. Not even a question. I’d spent more time with him than anyone else. Drake was right about that. We were always together, mostly because he was my sponsor.

But honestly? He was smart and funny and attentive. He made me laugh, he had all the best dance moves and he listened to me when I talked. Like, really listened.

And he was the reason I had come here. I mean yes, technically I was here to compete for the hand of a prince. But I got on that plane because Max asked me to. I would never tell him no... About anything. Not that he seemed to be aware of that fact.

The song ended and I disentangled myself from Drake against his protests, “Ah, come on, Brooks, one more dance? It’s my birthday!”

“Maybe later.” I laughed as I excused myself, shooting a sultry glance over my shoulder at Max as I made my way to the lady’s room.

Max was waiting for me in the dimly lit hallway when I came out.

He grabbed me by the arm and drug me into small storeroom, “You want to tell me what the hell you think you're doing out there?”

“What do you mean?” I feigned innocence.

“You know exactly what I fucking mean! You're out there letting Drake put his hands all over you! You're not here for him, you know that right?”

I fluttered my eyelashes demurely as I responded, “But it's his birthday.”

“It’s his…are you fucking serious right now? You’re here for Liam!”

“Am I?”

“What? Yes! Of course, you are! That’s why I brought you here!”

I stepped closer to him. So close that I could feel the body heat radiating off him. He took a step back, stumbling into the wall behind him.

I walked my fingers up his chest as I leaned in and asked, “Is it?”

He visibly swallowed.

“Y-yes! Why else?”

I searched his eyes for a moment. He was lying.

My breath caught in my throat at the desire I saw there. I had wanted him before. I had wanted him for a while, but the restrained desire swirling in those cobalt blue eyes sent an electric shock thrilling through me that threatened to bring me to my knees.

Maybe it was the alcohol and loud music. Maybe it was the pheromones from all the sweaty, horny people writhing on the dance floor, or maybe it was months of deprivation, months of spending my days in close proximity to him, months of watching Penelope throw herself at him, months of lonely nights in my empty bed, months of him invading my dreams and pushing his way into my thoughts every time my fingers slipped between my legs, months of his name on my lips when I pushed myself over the edge.

Whatever the reason, I suddenly knew that I couldn’t go back to pretending that I didn’t want him. I needed him and I needed him right then and there.

It was time to push some buttons and see what happened.

“Okay, then.” I dropped my hand and stepped away, “In that case, guess I’ll get back out there and give the birthday boy what he really wants!”

I hadn’t taken more than two steps toward the door before he was in front of me, blocking the way, “The fucking hell you will!”

“Why do you care, Max?” I challenged. “And before you answer, be advised that if your answer has anything about Liam in it, I am one hundred percent fucking Drake tonight.”

That should do it.

“Goddamn it, Riley!”

“What?”

He reached out for my arm again, jerking me forward so hard my body crashed into his and we both stumbled.

He caught me, both arms wrapping me as I collided with him.

I tilted my head back to look at his face and found his lips almost touching mine. He didn’t let go, but he also didn’t move any closer.

I could see the war waging behind his eyes.

He wanted me as badly as I wanted him.

He was still trying to resist.

“You can’t sleep with Drake!” His voice was low, rough, almost pleading.

My arms circled his neck, one hand buried itself in his hair as I asked him, “Why not?”

His entire body froze, “What are you doing?”

I ran a finger along his jaw to his lips as my tongue darted out to lick my own. “This.”

I leaned in and up, slowly, giving him plenty of time to stop me if he wanted to.

He didn’t.

I brushed my lips gently across his.

His grip around my body tightened, “Riley….are you sure?”

“Shut up and kiss me.” I whispered.

His tongue slid into my mouth, moving slowly, gently at first. I leaned into it. My eyes fluttered closed as I let myself drown in that kiss, his mouth warm, his lips soft, his tongue demanding.

A soft moan escaped him as I felt him stiffen against me. I ground myself into him. His entire body jerked like he’d been electrocuted, “Riley! We can’t-“

“We can!” I ran my tongue along the shell of his ear.

“Fuuuuuck!” He breathed out as his head tipped back.

“I’m frustrated Max, the shit you guys do to me isn’t fair!”

“Wh…what do you mean?”

“I mean…the three of you are constantly hovering around me…getting in my personal space, holding me close when we dance, touching me, whispering in my ear, kissing me-“

His head snapped up, “You’ve kissed Drake?”

“Shhhh…we’re not talking about Drake right now.”

“But-“

“I’m tired of being teased and I need one of you to do something about it!” I brought my mouth back to his ear so he could feel my warm breath as I murmured, “I want it to be you. I desperately want it to be you, Max.”

He pushed me away shaking his head, “We can’t-“

Frustration pinged through me. “I want it to be you. But if you don’t want to, then I’m sure Drake-“

I never finished that sentence.

He moved faster than I’ve ever seen him move. His body slammed into mine and he pinned me to the wall.

“You’re not fucking Drake!” He growled as all his inhibitions melted away like cotton candy in the rain.

His hands were everywhere. His mouth trailed fiery kisses down my neck and across my collarbone, dropping to the cleavage that was spilling from the top of my low cut little black dress.

Everywhere he touched me, my body burned, thrummed, ignited. I threaded my fingers through his hair and tugged his head down as I arched my body up toward him. “I need you inside me, Max, please.”

His eyes closed as a visible shiver ran through him, “Jesus, Riley, what are you doing to me?”

“Whatever I want.” I said as I fumbled at his zipper.

“Fuck!” His body pitched forward, his teeth sinking into my shoulder as I wrapped my hand around him.

“Do you want me, Max?” I asked as my hand slid up and down his shaft.

“Yes, I want you! I’ve always wanted you! I just…I didn’t think….”

I shimmed out of my panties and the end of that thought was lost in a series of incomprehensible sounds as he lifted me off the ground and found my entrance, slick and ready.

“Max.” I whimpered as my legs locked around him and my fingers dug into his shoulders. “Harder.”

I was so close already. I had been teetering on a razors edge for days.

His breathing was ragged in my ear, the sweet, musky scent of him filled my nostrils, the salty tang of his sweat coated my tongue as I licked it from his skin.

Darkness clouded the edges of my visions as a spine curving orgasm ripped through my body, spiraling out from my core and burning through every nerve ending I possessed.

His mouth covered mine to muffle the sounds and I immediately spilled over the edge again.

He broke the kiss as he pushed into me harder, faster, his fingers digging into my flesh deeper, then he was pulsing inside me, our bodies pressed together, my arms and legs still locked around him.

Several long minutes passed before he moved back, and my body slid down the wall as I unlocked my legs and stood back on my feet.

When his eyes met mine, he seemed unsure. “Was that…was that okay?”

I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of me, “That was more than okay, Max! It was fucking amazing!”

His eyes gazed into mine searchingly.

“What?” I asked as I stepped back into my panties.

“Nothing.” He said quickly as he tucked things back in and zipped up his pants, “Just…what was that?”

“Um…that was sex, Max.”

“No, yeah, I know. But I mean….was that all it was?”

“I don’t know.” I said carefully, “Do you want it to be more?”

Hope chased across his face, followed by fear then resignation, “I…don’t think I have any right to want anything from you.”

“Why not?”

“I brought you here for Liam.”

“Did you?” I asked for the second time.

“I…” He hesitated then seemed to come to a decision. Drawing in a deep breath his words tumbled out in a rush, “Not really. It was the only excuse I could come up with to get you on that plane. I’d just met you, but I already knew that I couldn’t let you walk out of my life! Not if I could help it. These last few months have been both the best and worst of my life. Watching you with Liam….”

“Hey.” I cupped his cheek and turned his face toward me, “I only got on that plane because you asked me too.”

His face lit up as hope radiated from it, “Really?”

“Really.”

“I know it probably seems ridiculous, but you’ve become my best friend and I…I love you, Riley!” He flushed a deep crimson.

Butterflies erupted in my chest. I blinked back tears as the biggest smile I’ve ever felt spread across my face, “You love me?”

He nodded then dropped his eyes to the floor.

“Oh, Max. I love you too!”

“You do?” He asked in disbelief.

“I do. I just thought….I mean, Penelope….”

His mouth dropped open, “You thought I was interested in Penelope?”

“Maybe….” 

She was always all over him every chance she got.

Fucking Penelope.

He thew his head back and laughed at that. “No.”

“No?”

He shook his head for emphasis, “Not even a little. I am one hundred and ten percent yours!”

He leaned down and placed a soft, gentle kiss on my mouth. My fingers flew to my lips with a happy sigh as he drew away.

“So, what do we do now?” He asked.

I knew what he meant.

“Nothing tonight. Let everyone have their fun. Tomorrow I’ll withdraw from the social season.”

“You don’t have to do that!” He exclaimed in shock.

“Yes, I do.” I replied as joy suffused my heart, “I’ve already found my prince, and it’s you.”

[fictionangyl]

This is hot AF 🔥

[fictionangyl]

Think Bertrand would approve of a little redecorating at Ramsford? 🤔