Jun 4
Drake Walker was my Choice. Who was yours?
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Drake Walker was my Choice. Who was yours?
In a New York Minute
While Kate's in the shower, I'm leaving this public post on her tumblr as a surprise Birthday wish. She really should have locked her phone before leaving it on the nightstand. 😏 But anyway here goes...
In a New York Minute I met the love of my life. I didn't realize back then that the cute dive bar waitress that served me and my friends whiskey and burgers at a bachelor party, would end up following us home and becoming my everything. It took watching her dance in my best friend's arms, saving her from a skittish horse, sitting next to her with our mutual friends in a donut shop, having her chase my stupid ass out into a snowstorm, watching her courageously fight with the ropes and wind with me on a yacht during a regatta, and me rescuing her from the groping hands of a former friend...in other words several months for my stupid whiskey brain to catch up to what my foolish lovesick heart was telling me all along. I love this woman, and like the air I breathe, I need her to be mine for the rest of my life. And despite all of that, and more stuff than I can fit into one post, she loves me too.
Happy Birthday, Kate.
- Love, Drake
This life
PART ONE
The majority of characters belong to Pixelberry from The Royal Romance/Heir. This is an A/U - with only parts being linked to canon.
Series warnings ⚠️: Adult language, sexual, adultery, loss of a baby.
Based on the Netflix series- Sex/life. A few parts of dialogue are from the tv series.
Please do not read unless you are over 18 🔞
Tags: Because I’ve been gone MIA in like forever I don’t know who’s here anymore 🙈… so only tagging people who have asked previously.
@ao719 @kingliam2019 @txemrn
Previously: Introduction
****
School psychologists aren't supposed to write books or diaries about sex. Doing so would be considered 'unethical' and 'a fireable offense'. Lucky for you, ethics was never my strong suit.
****
“It’s good to see you, Brooks.”
“It’s Cooper-“ Due to the shock, this was the only thing that Riley could mutter. Finally making eye contact, he gave her the refined look of innocence. “My surname is now, Cooper.”
They say that New York City is one of the worlds best places to take a run. Running was never my forte- I impersonated Phoebe in that one episode of Friends. The emotional pain that I felt in this moment, I’m not sure how many miles my body could suffer before shutting down…
“Riley! Wait!”
****
Olivia Nevrakis was never one to leave the house without looking presentable. Her attire generally consisted of stiletto’s which matched anything that contained sequins. She always used to say that she wore these type of shoes for self defence. In the frantic attempt to catch up with Riley, this one time she accepted that sneakers would have to do.
“Where’s, Riley?” Liam questioned as he scrutinised the unusual appearance from their friend.
“I’m glad I’ve found you- I don’t know. I assumed that she came back here, to you both?”
“What do you mean, Olivia?” There was no need for an explanation- the figure that ambled towards them confirmed the reason behind Riley’s disappearance.
“What the fuck is he doing here?”
“It’s a free country, Linz…. Liam, looking good bro!”
“Listen to what I’m about to say, Drake.. I am not your ‘bro’…” Exaggerating the word ‘bro’, Drake took a big gulp as Liam squared up towards him. “If anything happens to Riley- I will kill you this time!”
“You haven’t got it in you, Li-“ The tension between the two old friends, could have exploded due to the overload of built up anger that had been formed over the years. Olivia ‘sacrificed’ herself, separating them both- as they continued providing death stares. Neither wanted to throw the first fist or insult any further- in that moment there was the realisation that they both wanted the same thing. For Riley to be found- safe. Drake stepped back, and to everybody’s surprise expressed a slight bit of remorse.
“I fucked up, Li. I know that. I regret it each and every day. At least she has Preston to look after her, he’s a lucky guy.”
“Preston is an intelligent and caring….” This slight description stabbed Drake in the heart- if given an opportunity Lindsey would continue to dig the ‘knife’ as revenge for the pain that he had caused her sister. “Preston… he’s… The most an amazing three year old.”
“Excuse me?”
“Preston is my nephew- Riley’s son.” Awareness had finally hit, Drake- he had his wires crossed. Wishing that he hadn’t mentioned Preston, the confirmation of his identity now pulled on his heartstrings. Concealing his true feelings, he nodded to the trio- before leaving without another word.
“Lindsey, Liam- myself and Drake… it’s not what you are both assuming. I would never do that to, Ri. I can explain. It was just bad timing.” Olivia pleaded her innocence- she now knew that the jetlag would have to be put on hold whilst she explained the unexpected return of Drake Walker.
****
January 3rd
Let’s try this again. Drama. Life is always full of it in my case. The life of Riley Brooks. It probably would make more entertainment than the Kardashian’s.
Alcohol acts in crazy ways. It affects people differently. It can make you feel invisible- or at least it did for me tonight. I still can’t remember how I had the energy or knowledge on how to get home safely. Walking up the drive, I noticed my snobby and nosey neighbours- Hannah and Neville peering out the window. My brain was informing me to provide them with the middle finger gesture. Instead I gave a friendly neighbour wave along with the biggest fake smile that I could provide. The curtain soon shut as the pair probably scurried away like the rats that they are. What dickheads. If I know Hannah well, I can predict that she will visit tomorrow with a basket full of freshly baked muffins waiting for the tea to be spilled. The women here believe that they are the real life ‘Desperate Housewives’. Riverside may appear to be a seemingly perfect neighbourhood but like Wisteria Lane - here it more than likely also hides; many secrets, crimes, forbidden romances and domestic struggles.
Betrayal. It can occur in different ways. But you never expect it to happen with people whom you loved. The same two people who you trusted with all your heart once upon a time.
My husband is as gorgeous inside as out. I’ve never once caught him looking at another woman. To be honest, I’ve never caught him in a lie- or had proof to prove any potential deceit. So what’s the problem?
“Honey, where are you?”
“I’m upstairs, Nate.”
“Ri, things have been super crazy at work. You have no idea.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. We’re talking post-merger madness. Everyone is just angling for a position. They are all trying to show off for the new boss, you know.” Katrina- fantastic, little miss perfect Katrina. You can say her name, Nate. “She’s great, she wants to do all the things that I want to do- but on a much larger scale.”
“Wow.” Attempting to show a slight bit of interest, Riley didn’t realise how sarcastic that she may have sounded.
“Yeah, people are swarming- but she sees me. She loves me.” Nate noticed that Riley was in a daze, as she didn’t respond to him immediately. Laying next to her, he planted an attentive kiss on her forehead. “What’s up?”
“Nothing. I just miss you.”
“Excuse me. It’s her.” Acting dumb, Riley knew exactly who was on the other line. It’s a bit late for a work business call. “It’s her, my boss…. I won’t be long, Ri…’Katrina, hey! How are you?’” Laughing during his conversation, Riley couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed like that towards her.
The problem for Katrina, Nate Cooper is married to me. Before I met him, I had been contorted into a high percentage of the positions in the Kama sutra. Shouldn’t we all? There was rich guys, poor guys, tattooed guys, the one night stand guys. Any kind of man. Do I sound like a whore?
“We’ll sit down tomorrow just you and I, to discuss it Kat. See you then, bye.” Kat? Pet names now. The old boss was known as Mr Wilson- not by first name terms.
“Told ya, Ri. She loves me.”
“Who doesn’t?” Riley replied again in a sarcastic type of way.
I bet people often wonder why I married some man who was so straight-laced as to say. Honestly, it’s because of all the past encounters- especially, Walker. My nerves were so shot by the time that I had met Nate. As I’ve said previously I was vulnerable. My heart was riding on fumes- the stability that he offered was a soothing balm. At the time, I wanted us to live for a hundred years and die at the exact same moment to avoid any pain. I hoped that our souls would find each other on the other side- if that truly exists. We could fall in love all over again….I just also want to fuck Nate’s brains out, mainly as a distraction from the impromptu night that I have just had. Is that too much to ask?
****
January 4th
Last night or rather this morning was a complete disaster… When you have the urge to fuck your partner- you need to do it there and then, right? Why is it so hard to both be in the mood at the same time once you are married with kids? The way things are at the moment, I feel I’m like a reborn virgin.
“I’m sorry, I forgot to ask. Ioana mentioned that Liam and Lindsey came over. You should have gone out.”
That supportive look that he provided, was the complete opposite of what he would have really expressed. If he knew the truth, the calmness of his voice would be a different matter. Is he a controlling husband? Maybe. Protective- yes. What he doesn’t understand, is that I need to let my hair down once in a blue moon.
“I wasn’t up to it.”
To prevent my lie from being exposed I turned my phone into ‘Do not disturb’ mode.
“Besides, you’re back now….”
I reach down, making the first move. Faking orgasms- does anyone else do this?
“It’s so good.”
“Sorry, Ri- I can’t…. I’m too tired.”
Drake would never do that. He would see to all my needs. Why am I comparing them?
“Pass me the vibrator.”
It’s been nearly two years since Nate went down on me for example. I grew an entire human being in my body in half of that time.
“For fuck sake!”
I feel like screaming, due to the frustration of not only Nate ‘dying’ on me but now B.O.B does it too.
“Fuck it.”
After a slight yawn followed by a stretch, Nate snuggled into Riley-completely oblivious to his wife’s dissatisfaction. “Night baby.”
It wasn’t always like this. As much as children are a blessing- is this the reason that explains the loss of Nate’s libido or is it truly down to his work load? The passion we had has now declined, faded into something that is now virtually non existent. This must be the definition of growing up; getting married and living the family routine with a waning passion. Now I’m starving. Internally screaming at him from inside my mind trying to make us feel - something. Love is a drug, that’s what they say- right? Adrenaline. I can get that feeling again, every time I close my eyes - going back to any one of those nights in the past- I feel it. It’s not some allusive high that I’m chasing- it is - or was, real. That was the other Riley Brooks- the true, me. A wild-child. How can a girl fuck up with every relationship? I don’t know how I manage to do it? Maybe I should have worked on my brief relationship with Liam- my now brother in law. But, that’s a different story which included a poor teenage waitress in a dive bar and Lady Liberty.
****
January 5th
For this entry, I cannot allow for it to be discovered by Nate.
Deceit- the act or practice of deceiving; concealment or distortion of the truth for the purpose of misleading; duplicity; fraud; cheating. For me, today is just not informing my husband about the full truth. It’s in my past and something that I don’t like to ponder about. I’m still living through this nightmare behind closed doors. If he was ever to ask the reasoning behind this date- I have Lindsey as ‘my excuse’. We have previously had a discussion - to get our stories straight if Nate was ever to discover the true events about this day. The fifth of January always creeps up, then it’s gone in an instant- until it reappears each year.
****
Slowly walking up the path, there was the sense of tranquility. Silent neighbours. The slight wind enabled the tree branches to sway in sync.
“Hey, Linz”
“About fucking time, Riley! I’ve been worried sick about you! Are you okay? I’ve tried ringing you-“
“I’ve had no missed-“ Riley soon remembered that she hadn’t deactivated the ‘Do Not Disurb’ mode on her phone.
“I’m fine- I just… every year, we always meet here at the same time. Where are you? Why have you put flowers down without me?”
“That’s what I’m trying to explain, I’m stuck in traffic. I’ve rang you a few times mainly about the delay but also to discuss about you leaving the other night without telling us.”
“Linz, if you didn’t put these flowers here- who did?”
“Riley-“
“Linz, I’ll ring you back.” Sensing company, Riley focused on the shadow hovering over her.
“There’s a bunch of New York’s finest flowers from, Olivia. She wasn’t sure if you wanted to see her or not as you haven’t returned any of her calls. So I offered to bring them…. It’s been too long since I’ve been here, myself.”
The callused hand gently removed the crinkly yet rusty coloured leaves that floated effortlessly in-front of them.
“The teddy is a gift from me. I hope that you don’t mind?”
Reaching out to the bear, Riley pulled it close to her chest- holding it tightly, it felt to her as if the world had just crashed. Again. The defence mechanisms that she would usually excel in, were now paper thin. Before she could have reacted, his hands gently drew her closer towards him as he knelt down to her level.
“Please…. Don’t touch me. I’m fine.”
The heat from this touch rapidly creeps into my consciousness - needing to pull away, I couldn’t. It’s like a magnet, drawing us closer- unable to separate this unexpected bond. Pulling his head back, he ran his hand through my hair before gently wiping away the tears that were now everlasting.
“You clearly aren’t fine, which is understandable. If you want me to go, I will.”
As I sink further into his torso attempting to hide my emotions, I inhale his aftershave- which has now sent me into a coma. My heart and brain have different scenarios imaged in my mind. What am I doing?
“You have a right to be here as much anyone- Drake.”
- - -
Jackson
Our sleeping angel
01/05/2014
Sweet little flower
Of heavenly birth
You were too precious
To bloom on earth
Love you always, Mommy and Daddy xxx
Which of these is on your wishlist? 👀
“Maybe I like your style better.” - Riley to Drake.
Olivia Nevrakis
TRR fic
Rating: Explicit
Word Count:5325 approx.
Warnings: Talk of character death, anxiety, possible explicit song lyrics
Olivia had been receiving odd texts from Riley lately, and decided to reach out to her friend. She knew that Liam was out of the country, and believed that her friend was attempting to contact her secretly, possibly even being in trouble.
Olivia has been a very perceptive person since her childhood, and after the fiasco with her ex-husband surrounding Liam and Riley’s wedding, she had learned to look for code in every text message that she received from her newly trained friend. It would be a secret language only between the two of them, not even the King would be privileged to this information.
This way, it would serve as protection, should he have become a target yet again, and also be a means for Riley to freely communicate her concerns. Two things that jumped out at her was sword and crown... she had yet to make the connection, because the text messages ceased to come. The last message being that she was leaving her visit with her sister, and would be returning to the palace post haste.
Olivia decides to contact the driver via private channels to find out their estimated time of arrival at the palace, then she sees that she has missed several of his attempts to reach her. When he responds, she is shocked to learn that Riley never exited the location after turning to reenter the facility; and that when he went to inquire when the Queen would be ready, Savannah informed him that she had left approximately two hours prior.
Riley had informed her driver that under no circumstances was he to contact her husband, only to reach out to Olivia should things seem out of the normal. He explains that he had originally seen her approach the SUV, but then suddenly turn as if she had forgotten something, or had been phoned to come back in, as she had her phone to her face in conversation when she turned to go back inside. She never made eye contact with her driver, and seemed to be distracted.
She immediately searched her prior conversation for the hidden code, assuming that she may have missed something in her original reading. To her disappointment, only the two words remained. She decided to contact Liam to see if he had spoken to his wife, and if this was something that he had orchestrated, although she would have been the second person informed of his plans. He trusted her most with Riley’s safety over her own personal guard, Mara.
Realizing that she failed to ask her whereabouts, she contacted the driver again. He informed her that on today, Riley had chosen to leave Mara behind, as she was only visiting her sister and didn’t feel there was a need to have her along. Olivia rubs her face in anguish, knowing that her friend is still naive even after all of the advanced training and discussions over how she should never be without backup... no matter how skilled she was.
Liam answers, immediately alarmed, “What’s happened? Do I need to return immediately? This instantly puts Olivia on alert, but she remains calm and hides her own growing panic. “Is that the only reason that I should contact my dearest friend?” His voice relaxes as he explains to her that he, Drake and Bastien had a quick trip for business, but that he would return within the week. This gave Olivia at least a few hours to locate his wife before setting him on high alert.
She logs into her private VPN, pinging Riley’s location, as she didn’t respond to any of her messages, but it returned untraceable. She immediately contacted Queen Amalas for a rendezvous to recover the missing Queen before she had to inform Liam of his wife’s misconduct. Hopefully, this would just prove to be Riley’s way of gathering her mind’s focus... a trip away from watchful eyes... But it still sat uneasy with her that she had not informed her of at least the bare essentials of her plan.
Olivia also contacts Mara to find out what she knows about the Queen’s agenda. Mara immediately scolds herself for having allowed the Queen to leave her behind. She knows that should this turn out to be much more than her “wanting space to rejuvenate”, she would be in serious trouble with the King. Although he seemed distracted, and had not left specific instructions prior to his departure, she knows him well enough to gauge his reaction to this current situation.
The three women converge, going over every suspicious thing or behaviors Riley had displayed or conveyed to each of them. Realizing that something is definitely awry, they start their search for the Queen, starting at the point she was last seen.
~~~~~ Somewhere hidden in Cordonia ~~~~~
Checking the time, she begins to wonder if she has been missed. “Is there something that you feel is more important for you than what we have going here, Queen Riley?,” Edison asks. She turns abruptly, not realizing that she had become lost in her thoughts while facing the clock. “I have been away for too long ... and I may be missed. Surely you can understand.”
He beckons for the driver to come escort her back, reminding her that she will be available at his every request, no matter the request… or the fate planned for her King will not be his alone. He absentmindedly returns his focus to the remaining group feeling that it may be best if Queen Riley isn’t privy to every detail of their plans.
The driver looks at Queen Riley, taking in her perfect frame, not failing to appreciate her strength and courage along with her beauty. With his focus diverted to visions of making love to her, he fails to cover her face to avoid any recognition of her surroundings. She even has managed to turn on her cell device without him noticing, sending a coded message to Olivia to ensure that she does not organize a countrywide search. She knows all too well that if Olivia has any doubts, her first response would be to kill first, then question afterwards.
As she relays the messages to Queen Amalas and Mara that she has received, she notices a photo that brings immediate visions to her mind, but she holds her composure, not wanting to alert the others of her dismay. As she and the others decide to separate to avoid angering the Queen, Olivia makes her way to a hidden safe house to confirm her suspicions.
Visions of a recurring nightmare the Scarlet Duchess had for many years following their death, she is filled with nervous trembling. An anxiety builds within her that she had not felt since King Constantine had come to collect her at the pleading of young Prince Liam. Constantine’s original intent was to kill the young girl along with her Aunt Lucretia. When he learned that she had indeed been left alone with just her family’s staff, he decided to give her a chance at a better life. But his intention was not pure… Constantine would never be able to show her kindness, only ever seeing the treachery of her parents and expecting that she had been trained to follow in their footsteps.
Once she arrives, she immediately descends to the cellar, careful to locate the appropriate sconce on the wall to bend for entry into a hidden sanctum. She quickly makes her way over to the bookshelf, pulling down an old tome, and removing a picture from it. As suspected, it confirmed that the two words that she deciphered from Riley’s coded messages translated to the Via Emperii.
The Nevrakis pair had left five year old Olivia alone with her aunt Lucretia as they attempted takeover of the Crown. It was this coup that had cost them their lives. Olivia’s mother had been mutilated, her heart and lungs removed from her chest… her mouth sewn shut… She had never taken eyes off of her killer. Her expression grim, almost a look of total surprise mixed with confusion. Her death and dismemberment had been taken by the very sword and daggers she had hidden throughout her body. This same ring had been on her father’s hand, who’s headless body lay next to that of his wife.. Beside her mother’s body lay the crown in which the sword was placed through.
“Crown and sword… OMG, Riley!!!!!”
~~~~~
Memories of her past flash uncontrollably through her mind, even those unintentionally locked away in pain. One particular memory flashes vividly, leaving her as winded as she was in that moment…
“Again, Olivia… You must focus, let nothing distract you!”
“But I am tired, daddy. Please! May we stop now?” Tears flow threatening to turn to ice just before she swipes them away quickly, knowing that this has earned her more time training in the subzero temperatures. Tightening her grip of her sword and steadying her stance, she repeats their mantra in unison with her father… "If you can breathe, you can stand, and if you can stand, you can fight..."
“Louder, Olivia. Use your anger to knock my sword away and free from my hand!” Focused, and shouting in a warrior’s cry, she lunges forward. Blades crash together sending sparks flying, just before she lands with such force that pain courses through her.
Folding into the fetal position, unable to hold in her tears, her body trembles from sudden fear and anger that her determination continually fails her. Uncaring in his tone, he yells at her still, “Olivia, you must never lift your foot off the ground for a second, or you’re dead… you continually give your challenger the advantage over you! Do you want to die?”
“Enough!” Her mother appears from the shadows, having watched each display unnoticed by either. She crouches to her daughter’s side, gently sweeping the scarlet locks from her face. “Olivia my dear, why are you afraid to unleash your rage? It doesn’t make you an evil person. Your rage will ensure your survival… We won’t always be with you, and your father and I need to be sure that you can handle yourself… even at your young age… Have courage my child. You will not fail if you have faith that you will succeed.”
She takes her small hand, pulling her up from the thick snow. “I will go through the steps one more time… slowly… and then you will fight me… and Olivia, you will fight!” Knowing that her mother’s words meant fight or die, Olivia takes her stance. Her battle cry echoing in the darkness, She makes no move, allowing her target to advance upon her, keeping a fixed eye on the sword’s edge. As it’s point nears her, she spins, slamming the but of her sword against her mother’s grip, knocking the sword away.
Excited and thrilled to have bested her mother, she turned, meeting the back of her mother’s hand, knocked a few feet away from where she stood. Shocked and bleeding from her lips, she instantly cowers at her mother’s approach. “Olivia, my dear. You have no time for celebration of any achievement unless your challenger lies before you lifeless. Do you understand?” Terrified at the words, her eyes widen, but she makes swift head movements to let her mother know that she understands.
“Again!”
This time, Olivia’s father advances, taking his wife by the arm. “We have already been at this for hours, and she did well to withstand that hit from you just now… can’t we-”
“No! She must be ready!!! We leave on the morrow, and this must not wait… Who knows how this will turn out? And Project Snowspear must be enacted immediately, the Via Emperii insists upon it, there will be no more delay!!” Turning to Olivia, even more aggressive in her tone, “AGAIN, Olivia! This time, stick to your governors… Time… Distance… Perception… Technique… This time, you attack me...”
Olivia can’t always escape the nightmares, or day terrors. On some days, even the rigorous training regimen does not provide an escape for her mind… Sometimes the enemy’s arms are more comforting than being alone…
She remembers the times that they worked together for a common goal. Hearing him ask, “When will you stop hiding? I see when others don’t… You think that you are tough… but I am better at this than you…” The anger she used to feel over his words, but also the drive, caused her to try to best him at everything.
He complimented her when searching for Godfrey Amaranth. He actually made her… better. Then he appeared again in Auvernal… out of the shadows as she attempted to learn all that she could about Queen Isabella and King Bradshaw Achilles after their attempts at a forced alliance when they were at what others saw as Liam and Riley’s weakest points… He’d also appeared in Lythikos… engaging the Scarlet Duchess during Maxwell’s book reading and signing. He’d commented, and she’d missed his intent behind his words… “I see you!”
She reaches out to him… “Jin…”
“I am almost there…”
“Really, but how? Wait, why?”
“I just get a feeling when it comes to you. No need to leave the door open, I have my own ways in.”
Olivia disconnects the call, giving in to her moment of feeling like the lonely five year old that cried out for her deceased parents… that awaited the return of her Aunt Lucretia… that wanted… needed… anyone … someone to care… to be there…
She would attempt on many occasions to enter their wing of her estate … never able to do more than lean against the door frame that led to the parlor just before the stairway to their study and sleeping quarters.
On this night, she’d make another attempt… but as she approached… stood frozen in place just a few feet from the door… her view… the little scarlet haired child, holding onto her mother’s red dress from a photo they once stood together in as a full family… There was only the one photo… but it meant the world to her…
She could never push herself to enter that door… to look upon the faces she longed to feel against her rosy cheeks… hearing their voices… cherishing even the lies they told her when they left on secret missions… or so they thought… never realizing their little expert spy in training had found the secret passages that led from her bedroom to their own. Even further still, she’d found passages they'd not yet discovered. One in particular led to their study.
Locked deep away in her mind were the full and intricate details of the multiple assassination plans discussed by her parents, and sometimes voices that she had never heard before. One in particular was Operation Snowspear. The plan would not eliminate the King or Queen, but instead eliminate the Crown’s Heir to the throne… Crown Prince Leo Rhys. The “spare”, Prince Liam would be taken and raised as the son of King Isaac of Auvernal. Once married to someone of extreme power and riches, he would be used in an attempt to take his “rightful” place as King of Cordonia.
What had been erased from Cordonian history books was the fact that it was the original country of Stormholt. This small, but wealthy country held a magical past that the countrymen told their families of as a fairytale, which became a legend… No one would know that this was not a fictitious tale… except those eldest members of the Via Emperii.
The olden days labeled those belonging to the Via Emperii as witches, warlords, and Satanists. Modern day would call its members Elementalists, but they remain hidden in plain sight for their own safety. But now, they work with and against each other… some felt that because they held “special power” they should order rulership of the five realms that united under Queen Kenna’s rule. All others were under descendant rule, therefore it was run according to tradition. Over time the realm’s center point lost rule, as the King took on a wife not “of the realm” or its descendants from distant lands.
You guessed it, Queen Eleanor had been allowed as an heir of his country by King Hector Nevrakis. This had been done by a secret decree in his last stages of life. King Hector never felt it would benefit his rule to take on a family… feeling that it would just provide unnecessary access to stumbling his rule…
Although he had many lovers, he’d never allowed anyone to become with child to keep life. They were imprisoned as his slave until such time as they were due to give birth, remaining his lover until such day the lives of both mother and unborn child were taken.
It was rumored that King Hector also had the occasional male lover to ensure no heir could be created. When his attraction ended, so did the lives of his male partners. His tyrant rule was never challenged for this reason.
So when she came of age, she was in line to rule. She would be more powerful than King Constantine Rhys himself. Although he’d become enamored by her beauty and character, his intent was to marry her, create their heirs, and then discard her from his life through whatever means required.
Eleanor would become pregnant with Prince Liam’s sibling, which she went to many extremes to keep hidden. But on one drunken evening, King’s Guard and close friend, Jackson Walker, disclosed to an also drunken King Constantine that his wife had seen her way to the Royal Obstetrician.
The next few days went by as normal, until Eleanor’s behavior raised suspicion. Constantine had her followed by the two most trusted friends who’d remain loyal and constant in his life, Godfrey Amaranth and Barthelemy Beaumont. When the two learned that she was indeed with child, they naturally assumed that Jackson Walker had fathered the child, and took his life.They then approached Constantine with the events as they unfolded. He was angered, and in his rage made the comment of Eleanor meeting the same fate as Jackson. He was not to be made a fool of! Her death would entitle him to Auvernal as her husband. As her King, he could claim the lands rightfully.
Wanting privacy to really decide how to handle Eleanor best, he dismissed the two friends. Feeling belittled, they became furious at the fact that he’d exclude them at such a crucial time. Godfrey left for his own property in England, advising Barthelemy to return to Duchy Ramsford until such time as Constantine requested their presence.
But Godfrey was not a man who took lightly to being dismissed as if a common servant. He also didn’t appreciate second to a woman bred from outside of Cordonia, no matter her resources. He viewed every foreigner as an enemy, and this enemy was making his best friend lose his barbaric ways, with each new heir, Constantine seemed to weaken, showing a softer side than was warranted in the eyes of Godfrey and Barthelemy.
When he returned to Cordonia, he met with Barthelemy at Duchy Ramsford to formulate their plan to rid himself of Eleanor as the King had formerly mentioned. While away, Godfrey had mentioned to Barthelemy that he had found an ancestral chalice that he knew the King would appreciate having back in the Royal collection. He would provide this as a gift of apology for Constantine. Chalice in hand, Barthelemy mentioned to Godfrey his ideas of poisoning the Queen. But before they could detail the plan, Bertrand entered the office unexpectedly.
He’d promised Maxwell that he would talk to his father about how he treated him, as he was leaving home soon for studies. Having lost their mother, the only person who was gentle to him, Maxwell had entered a state of panic over being left alone with his father. “Little Hippo”, as his mother called him, only had a closeness to Bertrand now that their mother was gone, and to Prince Liam when allowed to visit at the palace.
“House Beaumont has always been a faithful supporter of the Crown. Loyalty is a bond that can be broken only by betrayal. It's the greatest promise you can make. House Beaumont pledged itself to the Crown generations ago, and I will uphold that pledge tonight.”
Bartelemy was plotting to take the Queen’s life and Godfrey didn’t agree. Bertrand only heard the words, “If Constantine were to find out we are plotting treason against the Crown…” Barthelemy immediately began to chastise Bertrand on sight, at this Bertrand immediately apologized and took his exit, never having laid eyes on the person whose voice sounded familiar, but was unclear.
Barthelemy resumed conversations, explaining that he would still have his beloved Annabelle had she not interfered with the last attempt on the Queen’s life. This plan would serve its revenge and purpose together. I still see her each night, taking the bullet meant for the Queen and falling limp in her arms. “Eleanor will DIE, Godfrey!”
Godfrey felt that it was best that he take his exit after the near exposure earlier. Hastily exiting, he forgot to take the chalice he’d purchased with him. Upon contacting Barthelemy in regards to this, he informed Godfrey that he would like to find a matching chalice for the Queen. This would keep them devoid of suspicion if there was a dual gift. He would bring them both to him once he’d located one to match or compliment the ancestral chalice purchased by Godfrey.
When the eve came for the Royal Ball, Barthelemy met Godfrey in private quarters within the Royal Palace, explaining that his part of Operation Snowspear involved a ruse of sudden illness leaving him in a coma. He would have to attend this event alone and explain Barthelemy’s absence to the King.
He’d also informed Godfrey that the higher powers wanted Constantine dead, and that the act needed to be completed on this very night. All he had to do was give the chalice to Constantine, and the plan would be set into motion. Handing him only the single chalice that Godfrey had purchased to his confusion, Barthelemy left without further explanation and to avoid discovery.
Godfrey entered the ballroom and immediately saw Constantine speaking with young Liam. He was explaining that his mother was returning home, and would indeed be in attendance at the Ball. He just needed the young lad to have a bit more patience. Interrupting his reassuring speech, Godfrey requested the King’s attention. Finding relief in the disturbance, he quickly took notice of the gift in Godfrey’s hand.
“What’s this you hold here, Godfrey?”
“I wanted to give you a token of apology for my absence, Constantine. When you asked for space to think on the Jackson-Eleanor situa-”
“Nonsense, we need not go to discussions of that time, it has been settled. A gift was most unnecessary old friend, but deeply appreciated nonetheless.” Receiving the gift and opening it, finding it most impressive.”
“An ancestral chalice of royal descent, I felt that you-”
“Ah, thank you Godfrey!” Admiring it, he immediately thought of his Queen. “Do you think she’ll like this? Eleanor?”
Internally erupting like an angered volcano, he devises that instead of arguing with his once dear friend, the idea of Eleanor having the chalice proved an even better idea than his own intended plan.
“Yes, let’s fill it with her favorite wine, surely one drink of red wine wouldn’t cause harm. She wouldn’t refuse her King this one celebratory toast.”
Constantine had forgiven his Queen for holding her pregnancy in confidence. Unlike his two friends, he had come to the logic that she was attempting to prevent assassination ploys involving a pregnant queen as leverage.
Excitedly making his way to their private cellar for her favorite vintage, Constantine unknowingly altered plans put into action by the Via Emperii, and would become their personal target, not just his kingdom. But once Constantine took in Olivia Nevrakis, assassination attempts by the Via Emperii ended, until such time as Constantine met his demise.
This was Olivia’s greatest motivator for always being at Liam’s beck and call, and protecting what meant most to him… Cordonia’s Queen. She’d discovered this revelation when she unearthed the secret safehouse. She would serve Liam and Riley until her demise due to this.
~~~~~ Release ~~~~~
Jin appears behind her, wrapping her in his firm embrace, only having time enough to plant one delicate kiss upon her neck before their assassins’ foreplay begins. Although one or the other was guaranteed to have blood loss, their way was a thrill neither could resist.
Her elbow to his rib cage brought about the most sinister yet lustful smile on his thin lips. And so the dominance match began.
As she tried to flee, he caught her ponytail, snatching her to the cement floor, straddling her frame as he kissed her arm’s length, her hands temporarily pinned. Grinding beneath him, he was pleasantly surprised that she’d surrender so easily.
His miscalculation sent him flying over head with the powerful thrust of her hips, momentum provided by her deadly stiletto heels, which had cleanly sliced away the buttons of his shirt as she performed a sweeping move before coming to a full stand.
With no sign of blood, the aggression increased. Tearing his shirt away, he wraps it around one wrist as his ninja move lands him chest to chest with his prey, choking her as the shirt circles around her throat with a swift tightness.
Olivia’s hands grope his growing erection as she french kisses him through the continued choking. Feeling one hand move enticingly across his hardness, his reflex would catch her hand as the short blade grazes his abdomen.
“Going for the spleen, are we???,” he whispers, preparing for his next move.
“Too many words!,” is her reply as she rips his pants away after administering several slashes of the blade extended from her sleeve.
He peers down just before pinning her against his bare chest, laughing as he disarms her. “Stilettos off, NOW !” As she kicks the second shoe away, he sweeps her ankle, causing him to land atop of her backside, knocking the wind from her momentarily. He rips her dress clear up the center, and strokes her ass.
“My, my… and here I thought I loved your facial cheeks most… I’ve found a new love, Livy.”
Hating this pet name, she quickly spins underneath him, but he has her arms twisted above her head in a taut hold. “Now, now Livy… since when did you start resorting to cheating?”
She huffs angrily, and then feels blood run from her lips. In their play, she’d failed to realize that she’d split her lip on the floor upon impact from the fall.
“Doesn’t count… the floor drew blood, not you, Jin.”
“Say less!” With those words, he knicked her hip as he tore away her lace thong. The slightest drop of blood raised above her skin. “Satisfied?”
She lifts her head, seeing the small speck and grunts in frustration. “Fine!... You win! Help me up?”
He backs off of her, not seeing the trap she’d set. She locks one wrist in the wall cuff, and then the other as he looks down in surprise.
“Silly, Jin!!! You are in MY castle. You should know... this Nevrakis NE-ver surrenders.”
As he shakes his head in jest, she removes her blade earring, running it along his exposed pectorals, down his side, and then center towards his umbilicus, pressing the tip enough to expose a droplet of blood.
Hissing, he looks at her in pure desire. She tosses the earring, then removes what’s left of her torn dress in a most teasing display. As she tweaks her nipples, forming supple peaks, she turns her bare frame moving to her stilettos…
She bends to retrieve the heels, spreading to expose her vault of pleasure to this cunning prisoner she has trapped. Now in her most favored shoes, she seductively strides toward him, one hand tracing its way to her center as the other embraces her bust. She stands before him, torturing him with moaning gasps of her self pleasure.
“Olivia… please!!!,” he begs.
She halts her movement, walking to him, offering him her fingers that had deliciously searched her core. He teases her fingers with his tongue’s tip before sucking them, dragging his teeth sensually to their tips, before sucking again… fondling her fingers with his tongue play before she snatches them away. She backs away, deciding that she wants to feel him within her… How is the question that she ponders…
She presses a hidden button that pulls the cuffs apart and upward, his ankles captured in a spring mechanism and separated as well… She grabs hold of the chains and balances against the wall as she mounts his waist.
“I’ll claim my prize now,” she headily breathes into his ear.
She takes his erection, easing him inside of her, closing her eyes at the feel of him. She presses her forehead to his chin as she adjusts to him, reaching to take hold of the chain again for support.
Her core spasms around him, causing his reaction to her movements, and sends a heat through her forcing her to grind against him. Finding her rhythm that places his girth in her erogenous zone, she thrusts hard against him… He moves as she moves, allowing her more control, but unable to remain still.
She kisses him through her first release, now holding him around his neck with both arms, needing to be one… not finding the closeness she desires still… glued to his frame in the upright stalemate as he cums within her.
“Let me, Olivia… Let me do what I came here to do.”
She looks at him in his dark brown eyes… contemplating if she should allow this to go further… her mind now completely taken from her earlier despair. She presses another hidden button as she climbs down from his frame. As he lowers, she removes the cuff from each wrist… the ankle restraints already having fallen away.
He picks her up, carrying her over to the closest surface he can take her against that isn’t the wall or the floor. In one sweep, he shoves the boxes from the desktop, lowering her to her feet. “Lean across it, I want you from behind.”
Before she can fully lean, he presses her down, forcefully entering her, eliciting a growl of pleasure to escape her gritted lips. His strokes are slow, but aggressive, causing her pelvis to hit the desk’s edge… a torment she thoroughly enjoys.
“Harder, Jin!”
He leans in taking hold of her hips and drives into her, his nails digging into her skin, but his tempo is still not where she desires it.
“Faster Jin, please… and harder!”
Pushing her further onto the desk, he squats above her and enters painfully and breathtakingly slowly, until she has taken every inch of him in, then rams her hard and fast. She belts out in pleasure… “Yes, Jin!… Yes!!!”
“I’m not cumming until you ask me to,” he groans.
She loves the way he gives in to her… the way he takes her… the way he … CARES… She allows his stroke to continue until she can’t hold out any longer, then begs for him to cum for her… to cum in her… At her command, he sends his heated flow streaming through her, bringing her forceful ejaculation as well… drowning him in her essence.
After laying together for a bit, still joined together, Jin speaks. “Come, let’s have us a soak in an ice bath.” Once again, he has reset her to her usual self.
i know that trr/trh is a horrible series by know and makes no sesne BUT u better believe that the second they release another book i'll eat it all up and wont say a thing
The Aftermath - Ch. 7
Photographs
Summary: Gabe’s having a difficult time at school, and Olivia gets some suspicious information
Word Count: ~3.3k
Warning: Mention of character death
*All characters belong to Pixelberry, except those that are unique to my story (I’ve also used some characters and fictional instances from Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch”)*
Catch up here!
Tags: @captain-kingliamsqueen @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @gkittylove99 @lovablegranny @loudbluebirdlover @mom2000aggie @kingliam2019 @queenrileyrose @shanzay44 @cordonianroyalty @hopefulmoonobject @hopelessromanticmonie @cinnamonspongecake @queenjilian @kuladekiwi @twinkle-320 @iaminlovewithtrr @charlotteg234 @amandablink @texaskitten30 @tinkie1973 @louiseingram1208 @queencatherynerhys @pens-girl-87 @missevabean @ladyangel70 @sanchita012
I hope I got everyone tagged! If I missed someone, or if anyone wants to be added/removed, let me know!
- Eleanor -
Gabe and I go back to school on Monday. It was uneventful, but all of my friends were especially nice to me and my teacher told me that I didn’t have to worry about any of the work I missed. In the middle of math, the school counselor took me out of class and told me I could come and talk to her if there was anything I needed. I told her I was alright and walked back to my seat, feeling the eyes of the entire class on me.
Around noon, it was time for lunch. Grandma had packed our meals the night before. I took my lunch bag and started walking with my class to the cafeteria where we would eat. We passed by the main office, where I saw Gabe, sitting along the wall of the room with his backpack on the seat next to him. I ran up to my teacher and pointed out my brother, asking if I could sit with him for lunch.
“That’s fine, Eleanor,” she allowed, “but make sure you come back to line up with us when the bell rings.”
I go into the main office, and the secretary smiles at me. I tell her that I was there to have lunch with my brother, and she nods.
I sit down in the seat next to Gabe. Both of our classes had lunch right now, but it didn’t look like he had eaten. “Aren’t you hungry?” I ask him.
He shakes his head.
I take out my sandwich and start eating, glancing at Gabe to see if he would reach for his own lunch. When I was done with my sandwich, I threw out my wrapper in the trash next to the secretary’s desk and opened up Gabe’s backpack to take out his lunchbox.
Mama and Daddy had bought us our lunchboxes when I started kindergarten. We found one with my name on it, and since we couldn’t find one with Gabe’s name on it, Daddy bought him the Avengers one and Mama later sewed his name on.
Remembering Mama and Daddy together, when they were both alive and well, made me sad again. I had so far gone the whole day without feeling any hints of tears. Now, standing in the office, with Gabe not talking to me and the reminder that Mama and Daddy were both technically gone, I wanted to cry again.
I forced myself not to. Instead I placed Gabe’s lunchbox on his lap. I had to show Gabe that everything was alright, and I couldn’t do that if I was crying.
I start eating the cookies that Grandma packed me. I take out an Oreo and wave one in front of Gabe’s face, hoping that he would take it, but he just shakes his head.
I put the rest of the cookies back into my bag, feeling weird about being the only person in the room eating — especially since I wasn’t even sure if we were allowed to eat in the main office — and then the secretary turns to me and asks, “Honey, what’s your grandmother’s phone number? I called her workplace and they wouldn’t put me through.”
I give her the number. Gabe continues to stare down at his lap.
“Hi! Mrs. Brooks?” the secretary cries. “This is Miss Newman, Mr. Henderson’s secretary from Gabriel’s school? Yes I’m just calling to ask if you could pick him up? Oh, no he’s been an absolute angel! It’s just that, he had a nervous breakdown during science and disrupted the class.... Yes, he’s here in the office with me. Oh, you would like to speak to him? Sure!” She motions at Gabe to come over to her and take the phone, but he still hasn’t looked up from his lap. “Gabriel!” Miss Newman violently whispers.
After a few more moments of her trying to get Gabe on the phone, she begins talking to Grandma again.
“Gabriel’s not in too good of a mood right now. Principal Henderson asked me to call you. Yes, he spoke with him. No, he won’t be suspended, but we’re asking you to keep him home for a few more days until you’re sure he’s doing better. He’ll be home without consequences, yes. Oh, you’ll pick up Eleanor as well? Great! I’ll have her collect her things.”
As soon as she hangs up, I nod at her and then walk out of the office, leaving my lunchbox with Gabe. I go to the cafeteria where my teacher is and tell her that I’m being picked up and need to go back into the class to get my things. Another teacher watches the class as I’m led back up to the classroom. I give my thanks to her for opening the door, and then dash back down towards the office.
When we get in Grandma’s car, Gabe’s head still hung low. I wanted to give him a hug, mostly because I wanted one, but I decided against it.
We don’t talk during the drive, and we don’t talk on the elevator ride up. Once we’re inside our penthouse, Gabe goes towards his room, but Grandma calls him back.
Gabe shrugs his bag off and falls back onto the couch, staring at his shoes.
Grandma sighs. “Gabriel, Eleanor. I have something important I need to talk to you about.”
“Is it about what happened at school?” Gabriel mumbles.
Grandma sighs, but doesn’t answer. “Gabe, baby, do you remember where you and I went on Saturday after dropping off Ella for a ballet class?”
He nods.
“Well, we went over there to get a test taken. To see if that man, Liam, was your father.”
“But...,” I say, frowning. Neither of them had told me where they had went. “Isn’t... Daddy Gabe’s father?”
Grandma ignores me. “The test came back positive, which means that Liam is your dad.”
“Both of our... dad?” Gabe and I look between each other and Grandma. My heart was racing. How could Liam be his father if we didn’t know who Liam was? And what about Daddy? Did suddenly not exist for Grandma?
“No, baby,” Grandma explains. “Your mother was with Liam before she was with Theodore, which means that Liam is your father, Gabe, and that Theodore is Ella’s father.”
“But... but...,” Gabe sits forward, panic and heavy tears in his eyes. “Does that mean... wait... Grandma do I have to go live with him?”
Grandma doesn’t answer, and Gabe starts crying.
“I don’t wanna do that Grandma, I don’t wanna leave. I don’t wanna leave you and Ella, I don’t wanna leave Mom,” he pleads.
My breathing quickens. I don’t want Gabe to leave us either. If he was going to leave, then I’d have no more siblings to play around with, or tease, or cry with, or laugh with, or talk about my day with, or ask for help, or anything. I couldn’t do those things with Grandma or Mama. I would be alone.
Grandma rushes over to sit in between us and holds Gabe in her arms. “No, baby,” she whispers. “I’m not going to let that happen.”
She does her best to soothe him. The power of his sobs increases and decreases. When Gabe’s tears subside and the only proof of him having cried were his whimpers, Grandma grabs both of our hands.
“Come on, let’s go visit Mama.” We nod. “Do you want to know what the doctor told me?” We shake our heads. “She said that showing Mama pictures can help bring her memory back. Do you want to try that?”
We jump up from our seats and race into Mama and Daddy’s room, where all the family albums were. There are three: one filled with pictures of specifically Gabe and I, another with pictures of Mama and Daddy (which is thinner than the other two), and the last one was filled with pictures of all of us together.
On Mama’s side of the closet we find an empty beach bag, so we put the albums in there. There were some framed pictures in their room and on the walls, and so we took those, too. There were pictures of me, Gabe, and Mama in Daddy’s office, which we also gently placed in the bag.
The bag was so heavy that Gabe and I had to carry it together. When we got to the hospital, Liam and his friends weren’t there. I wanted to tell Gabe that maybe it was important to try and look for him and talk to him, but him and Grandma were already ushering me into Mama’s hospital room.
“Hello, there,” she says to us, smiling.
“Hi, Mom,” Gabe greets, we put down the bag and stare at her for a couple moments.
“I hear that you guys have some pictures to show me?” Her tone isn’t motherly or cheerful like it used to be. Instead it’s... friendly... but not really. Like when a stranger in the subway asks for directions, or when the cashier asks if you found everything you needed. She sounded like she was obligated to be nice to us, and didn’t really want to. I wanted to understand her feelings, I really did. I tried to remind myself that Mama didn’t know she was a Mama.
I just wanted to leave everything be and disappear, to fade from existence the same way that Mama’s memories of us did.
But if I faded from existence, what would happen to Gabe? If Mama never gets her memories back, then what else would keep him here? He would have to leave Grandma and Mama and go with Liam. He would have to go alone. Just as if he left, I would be alone.
And I hated being alone or even thinking of it. Mama and Daddy were always close to us, so I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to isolate myself from everyone. Even the word “isolation” made me think of how the police had told Grandma that they found Mama under a pile of rubble. Was Mama able to see before people pulled her out? If they didn’t pull her out, and she stayed there, and we never found her, and her name was never in the news, would she have technically existed? Would she have existed for the doctors and nurses and our family friends who sent her flowers? Would she have existed anymore for Liam and his friends?
Technically, she wouldn’t have. But right here, right now, she existed, Gabe existed, and so did I. We just had to remind her.
I pull out the album filled with pictures of Gabe and I first, mentally marking us as the top priority. I walk over to one side of her bed and sit next to her. Gabe seems hesitant. He looks disconnected, just as he has the entire day. Now there’s a confusion mixed in with it, and I know it’s because of what Grandma told us about Liam. Gabe’s face represents all of the questions I have.
Usually when he gets like that, I leave him be so I don’t accidentally make it worse. But this time is different.
“Come on,” I call to him from Mama’s left side.
“You can sit here, Gabriel,” Mama pats the right side of her bed, where there’s a space big enough for him to sit.
My face falls a little when she calls him “Gabriel” instead of the sweet “Gabe”. The memories flash through my head, how Mama never referred to us as “Gabriel and Eleanor,” but always as “Gabe and Ella.” Her affectionate nicknames that caught on became a larger part of our identities than our actual names.
But, still, it’s a step in the right direction. She’s trying to pull us towards her, which is better than leaving us on the side by ourselves.
When Gabe sits down, I open the book up to his kindergarten graduation. She smiles and laughs at our stories, and for the first time during the longest, most helpless week of my life, I have hope that everything might just turn out okay.
- Olivia -
Almost a week after Liam and Drake left for New York, a folder with pictures of them walking around Times Square was smacked down onto Olivia’s desk by her assistant and sidekick, Jacob.
There were pictures of Liam, Drake, and Maxwell walking down a crowded street and into a store with stuffed animals. Olivia looks up at Jacob and asks, “Where did you get these pictures from?”
“Intercepted them in the capital this morning before they reached the palace.”
“Who in the palace would be trying to get pictures of the king?” Olivia wonders aloud. She suspected Madeleine, that good-for-nothing she-devil who never stopped delving into everyone else’s business with the intent of “making sure no one’s actions could embarrass Cordonia”.
Liam and Drake hadn’t gotten back to Olivia since they had left to go find Riley. Olivia wanted to give Liam a call, but decided it was best to leave him alone. She already knew that nothing she could say would make him feel better. All of them knew that Riley was the only thing that could lift his mood.
Olivia forced herself to understand that a long time ago. When Madeleine was no longer the Queen-to-be, Riley was nowhere to be found, and Liam was in need of a wife, Olivia did her best to hint towards them marrying. But Liam, in his state of heartbreak, didn’t notice Olivia, so she consoled herself that he would never be in love with her. It hurt, but pain wasn’t new to Olivia.
What she couldn’t accept was the fact that some commoner came in out of thin air and broke the only man Olivia had ever loved, and left just as she had arrived. Olivia made it her goal that not only would she do everything in her power as Duchess to make her king happy again, but she couldn’t wait to give Riley a piece of her mind as punishment for what she did to Liam.
Yet as the years went on, the likeliness of them finding Riley began to decrease, and Olivia was almost desperate to get her back. Riley’s punishment be damned, Liam was going to lose himself.
She knew that having to bring back Riley after she had just been in an accident would be a challenge, but at least Liam would be more relaxed. At least there would be hope for a more secure government.
But six days after she had sent them off to New York, she still hadn’t heard back from them. And seeing these images of them walking around the city without Riley was very concerning. Picking up her phone, she debates whether she should call Liam. Even though it was almost midnight in Lythikos, It would be around six in the evening in America. Would Liam, Drake, and Maxwell still be roaming or would they be with Riley?
She decided that calling Drake would be a bit better, considering that she could seriously use some entertainment.
The line rings until finally his rugged voice goes, “Hello?”
“Drake. Where are you and Liam?”
“My day was fine, thank you for asking. I hope you’re having a nice day, too, Olivia.”
She scoffs. “I don’t have time for pleasantries.” She pauses, listening closely to the song that was playing in Drake’s background. “Are you... watching a children’s show?”
“No!” he shouts. “We’re in a candy store. That’s just the... music they put on.”
“Shouldn’t you all be focusing on Riley instead of pleasing Maxwell’s sweet tooth?”
“For your information, we are technically focusing on Riley, and the candy isn’t for Maxwell. How’d you know he was with us, anyway?”
Olivia picks up a picture of Liam, Drake, and Maxwell inside a store with Maxwell holding up a stuffed animal at least two feet taller than him. “Just a hunch. If you’re not in there for Maxwell, then who are you getting candy for? Riley?”
Drake doesn’t respond. She can hear him sigh, and then he finally says, “We found out that Riley has two kids. The older one is Liam’s.”
Olivia’s jaw goes slack. A moment later she breathes out the words, “Liam didn’t know, did he?” Olivia knew that the last thing Liam would ever be was a negligent or cold father — especially after they discovered what his own father had done to him and Riley. If Liam knew that he had a son, there was no way that he would have allowed such a distance to come between them for so long. But along with pity for Liam, a fire in her chest was lightened as well. How dare Riley keep Liam’s son from him?
“Nope. He didn’t. They took a paternity test to make sure. It came back positive this morning. So that conversation between Gabriel and Liam is going to happen eventually, and we thought it’d be better to surprise him and his sister with gifts. To think of it, Eleanor should be in that conversation, too.” She can tell Drake pulls the phone away from his ear, because his voice sounds distant when he yells, “Maxwell! Get some extra gummy worms for Eleanor!”
There’s a faint, “Got it!” from the other side.
“Gabriel and Eleanor?” Olivia asks. “Are those the children’s names?”
“Yup.”
“Gabriel is suitable for the name of a prince. A strong name, part of Cordonia’s history as an honorable warrior.... But Eleanor? She isn’t Liam’s, is she?”
“No,” Drake answers. “Her dad’s name is Theodore Blaise. He died in the accident.”
“But Eleanor is also the name of Liam’s mother?”
Drake lowers his voice. “I know, I thought about that, too. That doesn’t seem like something Riley did without thinking. I wish we could ask her, though it’d be useless.”
“Useless?” Olivia frowns. “Why wouldn’t she be able to tell you? Does she not want to talk to you?”
Drake sighs again. “She lost her memory.”
“Oh,” Olivia states. She thinks to herself, A clean slate, huh? But she can’t bring herself to explain the sense of dread in her chest. Now what will happen between her and Liam? Will he give up on her? He wouldn’t, though. He’s not like that. He has a son with her. And a step-daughter. “Don’t get Eleanor gummy worms,” she speaks after a silence moment.
“What?” She can imagine the look of confusion on Drake’s face.
“I said don’t get her gummy worms, get her gummy bears. Worms are sad. Bears are happy. Haven’t you heard that childish gummy bear song?”
“I’m surprised you’ve heard it, Olivia. But I disagree. Worms are for when you’re happy. Bears are for when you’re sad. She just lost her father and is probably still upset, and we’re here to try and make them happy. Cheer them up before a serious conversation, y’know?”
“Is that why you guys were in the toy store?” Olivia picks up the picture that shows the three men walking out of said store with shopping bags in their arms.
“Olivia, are you spying on us?”
“No,” she states, “though I probably should be since you all aren’t bothering to tell me anything. Anyway, Jacob intercepted some photographs of you three going around stores in Times Square. The pictures were being sent to someone in the palace.”
“Damnit,” Drake spits. “Who else knows that we’re in New York? Whatever. I’ll let Bastien know. In the meantime I think you should go over to the palace and check everything out. See if anything suspicious is happening.”
“I’ll leave in the morning,” Olivia declares. “Oh, and Drake?”
“Yeah?”
She sighs. “Let me know if Riley’s condition improves. And tell Liam that I’ve been meaning to talk to him. It’s alright if he can’t, I know he’s got a lot on his plate, but... just....”
“Damn,” Drake comments. “Someone’s going soft. Was it the gummy bear song that did it?”
Olivia scoffs and ends the call.