I had this sitting in my Docs for a few years, decided to clean my pc and this popped up. Figured why not share this, might be a one shot.
Leo Rhys sat at a bar in New York, eyes scanning his surroundings; looking for one person in particular.
He glanced down at the paper in front of him. This was the correct address, but she is nowhere to be found.
Leo sighed and drained the last of his scotch. His eyes scanned the bar once more, desperate for a clue as to where she could be.
Leo stormed into the bar she used to work at and recognized Daniel from a description Bastien had given him. Overcome with emotion, he shoved her former coworker against the wall, demanding answers.
“I’m sorry!” Daniel said to the former Crown Prince. “Riley came back to New York after your brother’s coronation, but she only stayed for a month. She was staying with me, you see. When I got home one day, all of her belongings were gone. Her phone was off and everything. I haven’t seen her since.”
Leo replayed the conversation in his mind over and over.
Riley Brooks was gone without a trace.
In Cordonia, a man sat in complete darkness of his study, the weight of the world on his shoulders causing a migraine. He drained another glass of whiskey.
Where could she be? Leo has been gone for three weeks and I haven’t heard anything.
Just then, his phone rang.
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t find her. None of her coworkers have heard from her for months. I have one lead I’ll follow, but it doesn’t look promising.”
“Thanks, Leo,” the man sighed.
Bastien Lykel hung up his phone before slamming his fist down on the desk. God damn it, Riley? Where are you?
On the other end of the castle, the King and his Queen sat on the same couch, but on opposite sides.
“It’s been a year,” the Queen hissed. “We need to produce an heir.”
Liam snorted. “You may be a Queen, dear, but you are nothing without me.”
The Queen bit her tongue, tears pricking her eyes.
“I’m well aware we need an heir. I’d like to sire one, as well,” the King said as he drained his scotch.
“Then why can’t you have sex with me, your wife?” She demanded, angry tears spilling down her cheeks.
Liam shook his head. “I tried! Remember?”
She did remember. They had been kissing and she had been hopeful that he had gotten over that American. He pulled back and shook his head.
“Get out,” he had said.
The rejection still stung six months later.
“If you can’t get it up for me, imagine her face, and give me the result,” the Queen said as she stood. “I’m ovulating this weekend. We should try for then,” she said as she left her husband’s quarters.
Riley Brooks is still ruining my life and she isn’t even in the country.
In a small California suburb town, a woman sat in her studio apartment, reading the headlines for one Trend Magazine.
“One year and still no heir: is the Queen barren?”
Her eyes scanned the article; she almost had closed the tab when one thing caught her eye:
King Liam has refused to make a statement. Is he still in love with Lady Riley Brooks of House Beaumont? Only time will tell.
The woman set her phone down and her stomach churned. She had given up that the King had loved her when he chose Madeleine; when he allowed her to be dragged out of the ballroom.
She attempted to come back to court, but she couldn’t stand to see her on his arm.
Three weeks after his coronation, she had felt unwell. She took a pregnancy test out of caution and was surprised to see two pink lines.
She had every intention of telling him but found him arguing with the Queen-in-waiting.
“I don’t care if you fuck her in private, but you will not eye-fuck her in public! You will not humiliate me like that!”
The king did not come to her defense.
That was the last straw.
She followed the tour to New York, using the Crown’s money to take her home.
The King’s true love begged his guard and friends not to tell him that she was leaving.
She stepped off the plane in New York and never looked back.
Her phone buzzed and her heart sunk at the notification.
You liked that article from The Trend. Here’s another one.
Her finger hovered over the notification, but instead of deleting it, she unlocked her phone and read it.
Dated the day after she officially left court.
Lord Tariq comes Forward.
She clicked play on the video and her world stopped. The video ended and her heartbeat wildly in her chest.
He knew. He knew and he hasn’t called me! He’s known for a year!
Sobs wracked her body as she felt betrayed by her love once again.
King Liam wasn’t even there, but he broke Lady Riley’s heart all over again.
@ao719 @bebepac @the-soot-sprite @nuggsmum @diegos-butt @dcbbw @texaskitten30 @txemrn @queenjilian @queenrileyrose @kingliamsbitch If I missed anyone, I'm sorry.
@cosmickallura @secretaryunpaid @lorirwritesfanfic @tornbetween2loves @quintessenceofdust73 @rafasgirl23415 @glaimtruelovealways @maxattack-powell this definitely applies to all of you.
A/N about the upcoming chapter of Heir Apparent: Though the main story is written in third person, I've done the upcoming chapter in first person, alternating between Drake, Liam and Riley's POV on the day of the paternity test results.
My Master List.
Spoilers are under the cut.
Heir Apparent Chapter 10:
I watch her sleeping and I feel like my heart is breaking. I have never felt so out of control of my own life. She won’t talk to me; she doesn’t tell me what’s going on in her head. She used to tell me everything. I feel like I’m losing her, and I don’t know what to do. I’m scared, I’ve never been this scared in my life. Getting shot was a cakewalk compared to this. If only fixing this were as simple as taking another bullet, I’d do it, in a heartbeat.
My Best Friend’s Girl Chapter 12:
I knew they arrived the night before the ball and were there all day the morning of, but I didn’t see her until the ball officially started. By then, four days had gone by and, if I’m being honest, I was pretty desperate to lay eyes on her.
I stood at the bar near the back and watched as she moved through the receiving line. Watching Liam’s face as he talked to her, I wondered how any of the other ladies still thought they had a chance. When she noticed me, she made a beeline for me, which sent happiness and anxiety sparking through me all at the same time.
Savage Love Chapter 4:
Liam blinked, I could see the wheels turning, then the moment understanding washed over him. His eyes opened wide, and his jaw dropped again. “Wait. You mean, she’s….this is….the woman that you……..”
“Yep.” Drake verified.
Liam’s eyes darted back and forth between Drake and I as he softly breathed out, “Oh shit.”
Again, Drake gritted out, “Yep.”
Leo and Liv Chapter 5:
Olivia threw her head back and laughed. It was loud and authentic, not the teeny, tinkling fake laughs of the women that were always trying to impress him. He could never tell when his wit was actually appreciated with them. Liv was just so real. Her laugh filled him an unfamiliar warmth. He’d do anything to hear it again.
He spent the next thirty minutes regaling her with tales of his exploits over the last five years. He may have embellished a little. Or a lot. He just like to hear her laugh.
Forbidden Passion Chapter 8:
“Are you having second thoughts?” Drake had asked her in a brief moment alone.
“Are you?” She’d turned the question around on him.
He had stood completely still, arms crossed, watching her with that intensity that sent fire spiraling to her toes, “Doesn’t matter what I think. It only matters to me what you want.”
He said it so softly and yet so ardently that it turned her insides to liquid fire. She closed her eyes and shivered, she could almost feel his words, his voice, touch her physically. She wiped away a tear, “I still want you.” She whispered.
Happy New Year to you all! This is the next part in this flash-forward of My Heart Torn Apart, 5 Years Later. Sorry for the posting delay, the holidays provided some unexpected setbacks for me and my family.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Pixelberry, except for my OC's, which I claim as my own.
Warnings: This fic contains spoilers. If you don't want to know the outcome of MHTA, 5 years later, please don't read. Liam x Riley x Drake are in a polyamorous relationship in this story. If you don't agree with that, please don't read. This story is adult-themed. Please do not read if you're under the age of 18. You should read previous parts of this story first. They can be found on my master list.
One more reminder: This story takes place after the original TRR series. It does not take into consideration anything that happened in TRH or any following series. It does not follow canon.
Liam smiled as he surveyed the beautiful disaster that was his living room. Scraps of wrapping paper and ribbon were strewn about, along with toys and clothes and candy wrappers. Breakfast dishes and coffee mugs littered the coffee table. His heart swelled as he held up his phone to take a picture of his family huddled together on the couch. Drake and Riley sat at each end with their legs stretched out on the ottoman, heads tipped back and eyes closed. Grace was curled up under Drake’s arm, her legs tucked under her to make room for Beth, who was under Riley’s arm. Liam had covered them with blankets and couldn’t resist snapping a picture of his snoozing family. They looked so peaceful. He sighed as he thought back to the conversation last night.
“You never signed the papers Liam,” Drake said. “Technically, you never abdicated. Legally, you are still the king of Cordonia.”
Liam sighed and shook his head. “No. It’s not that simple. I may not have abdicated, but I abandoned my throne and my country.”
“Yes, but you did so under duress. Out of fear for the safety of your family. We could go back. Fight for your birthright to rule Cordonia.” Riley placed a hand on Liam’s shoulder. “A birthright you never gave up, my king.”
Riley stirred and yawned as she opened one eye to look at Liam. “Go make the call, my king. It’s early morning in Cordonia by now. Drake and I will take care of this mess when we’re done napping.” A wide grin spread across his face as Liam jumped up. He kissed Riley on the cheek quickly then headed to their bedroom.
He stopped outside of Henry’s room and knocked softly. There was no answer. He opened the door and peeked inside. His son laid on the bed with headphones on as he played a game on his laptop. Liam smiled and closed the door, then headed to the bedroom. He got down on his hands and knees and pulled a lock box out from under the bed. He fished the key out of the nightstand drawer and sat on the bed to open the box. All of their important documents were inside, birth certificates, Liam’s coronation papers, marriage licenses. A large manila envelope was at the bottom. He pulled it out and turned it over in his hands as he remembered when he received it.
They had been at the safe house for almost a week. There was no word from anyone at the palace. Liam paced back and forth across the living room, unable to clear his head. He kept thinking about the night they fled the palace. Everything was left behind. Liam had grabbed the lockbox with their important documents from his desk drawer, but everything else was left. Cell phones, computers, tablets, pictures. They had been forced from their home. Why hadn’t Bastien contacted him? Why was there no tv in this safehouse? There was one phone line, and Liam had tried to call the palace several times on various numbers to no avail. He had tried to contact Bastien through the guards posted here at the safehouse. But everything was oddly quiet. It made him crazy not knowing what was happening to his country.
A knock at the door startled Liam from his thoughts. The guard approached the door as he waved Liam into the other room. He moved into the kitchen as a lump formed at the back of his throat and his stomach tied up in knots. Something was wrong. Bastien appeared in the doorway a moment later. “Bas! My god, you look awful,” Liam wrapped an arm around the guard’s shoulders and eased him into a chair. He was covered in dried blood and dirt and looked like he hadn’t slept in days. “You need to rest. Are you hungry? I’ll get Riley to make you something,” Liam turned to head into the other room, but Bastien stopped him. “No! I’m afraid there’s no time.” His eyes grew moist as he locked his gaze on the king. “I’m so sorry, your majesty. We–we’ve lost the palace. The terrorists now have access to sensitve information regarding you and your family.” he shifted his gaze to the floor, then back up. “It is time. You have to flee. Before it’s too late.”
Tears coursed down Liam’s cheeks. “Flee? To where? This is our home, Bastien. How–” his voice cracked. “Please, Liam. You must ensure the safety of your family. Get them all together. I have an escape plan in place.” Things moved so quickly after that it was all a blur. They woke the children in the middle of the night and loaded into an SUV with Bastien.
“It’s going to be quite a battle,” Bastien explained. “The duchies have secured their borders and are building their own armies. Any members of the Royal Guard who weren’t captured have joined the duchies.” Liam shot a sideways glance at Bastien. “And you, Bastien? What will come of you?” He swallowed audibly. “Sir, I will be joining the army at Lythikos. Olivia and I will do whatever we can to get rid of these terrorists. When it is safe, you can return.”
Liam shook his head. “This does not seem right. We should stay and fight too.” Bastien shook his head. “You don’t understand. There is a price on your head. On all of your heads, even the childrens’. You must go.” Bastien pulled into the back entrance of Cordonia’s airport, directly onto the tarmac. He pulled out a manila envelope and handed it to the king. “There’s passports in there for all of you. There’s also bank cards to allow you to access an American bank account that has been set up for you. All under assumed names, of course.”
He pulled out a small cell phone. “This is a burner phone. There are 2 numbers programmed into it. No one has this number, including me.” His steel-grey gaze sent a shiver down the King’s spine. “When you’re ready, call these numbers.” Liam shot him a questioning look. “Ready? For what?” Bastien smiled. “You’ll know when you are ready.”
Liam sighed as he turned the phone over in his hands. That was almost a year ago. They fled to America just after the new year. He had thought about calling the numbers on this phone every single day since they arrived here. He plugged the phone into a charger and waited for it to turn on.
He highlighted the first number and pressed send. His stomach churned as he waited for an answer. Liam had purposely avoided any news about Cordonia, it was just too painful for him to see his people struggle without him. He had no idea what had happened since they left. His focus had been on his family, he wanted to provide them the most normal existence possible.
The phone rang and rang. Liam sighed as he hung up. No answer was not a good sign. He dialed the other number and waited anxiously as it rang.
****************************************
Bastien stood in the King’s office and took in the view of the garden maze. The maze had almost been destroyed during the occupation. He sighed as he thought about the turmoil that had torn apart his country for the past decade. Once the journal of Michael Drammir had been made public, a wave of political unrest swept across Cordonia. Several people stepped forward and staked a claim to the throne, while others questioned the ability of the king and queen to present a strong, united front to neighboring countries. Terrorist cells began forming and several attempts were made to overthrow the government. Many of Cordonia’s noble houses were no longer loyal to the crown. It seemed like peace would never settle over the country again.
Bastien had a plan that could not be executed until the Royal Family was out of the picture. He knew that the only way to gain the support of Lythikos or the Duke of Ramsford would be if the Rhys’ bloodline was removed for good. He made that happen. He sent the Royal family off to America, then once control of the capital was reinstated he released the report that the entire family had been massacred at the safe house. No one questioned the head of the King’s guard. No autopsies were performed on the bodies that were all brutally mutilated beyond recognition. Funeral services were held, caskets were placed in the Rhys’ family tomb. The entire country mourned the loss of their leaders. Once again, random people stepped forward to make claims to the throne. But the people were tired of the fighting and the monarchy.
People protested on the palace lawn during council meetings. They wanted representation. They wanted democracy. The first election in Cordonian history was scheduled to take place in just a few days. Each duchy had nominated a candidate, debates were scheduled, and a primary election took place.
The final election would decide between two candidates: Olivia Nevrakis, Duchess of Lythikos and Madeline Drammir, Duchess of Fydelia. Bastien was confident that no matter the outcome, peace would be restored to Cordonia. It had been suggested that he run himself, but Bastien was not a politician. He belonged in the background, protector of lives and secrets.
The sound of his phone ringing interrupted his thoughts. The color drained from his face when he saw the number. “Shit,” he mumbled as he turned around and bumped right into Olivia. He jumped as he ignored the call. “You love to sneak up on me don’t you,” he snickered as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently. She winked at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Will you ever stop being so jumpy? What are you afraid of, Bas?” He laughed out loud as he locked his steel-grey eyes on her emerald pools. “I fear nothing sweetheart, I just like to be prepared for anything at any time.” He kissed her again, long and hard, then pulled away breathless. “And you keep me on my toes, my temptress.” They kissed again, then Olivia pulled away reluctantly. “See you in a couple hours? It is Christmas, you know.” Bastien nodded as he placed his hand on the small of Olivia’s back and led her to the door. He closed the door behind her and locked it, then sat in the chair behind the desk.
How was he going to handle this situation? Of course when he gave Liam that burner phone he didn’t know how events would unfold. And then when news broke of the royal family’s deaths he thought for sure that they decided to just stay gone. He figured someone would have called then. But now? There’s no way they could be allowed back into the country. All the progress that had been made would be gone in an instant. He would have to stop it. One way or another.
He picked up his phone and called back the number.
Happy New Year to you all! This is the next part in this flash-forward of My Heart Torn Apart, 5 Years Later. Sorry for the posting delay, the holidays provided some unexpected setbacks for me and my family.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Pixelberry, except for my OC's, which I claim as my own.
Warnings: This fic contains spoilers. If you don't want to know the outcome of MHTA, 5 years later, please don't read. Liam x Riley x Drake are in a polyamorous relationship in this story. If you don't agree with that, please don't read. This story is adult-themed. Please do not read if you're under the age of 18. You should read previous parts of this story first. They can be found on my master list.
One more reminder: This story takes place after the original TRR series. It does not take into consideration anything that happened in TRH or any following series. It does not follow canon.
Liam smiled as he surveyed the beautiful disaster that was his living room. Scraps of wrapping paper and ribbon were strewn about, along with toys and clothes and candy wrappers. Breakfast dishes and coffee mugs littered the coffee table. His heart swelled as he held up his phone to take a picture of his family huddled together on the couch. Drake and Riley sat at each end with their legs stretched out on the ottoman, heads tipped back and eyes closed. Grace was curled up under Drake’s arm, her legs tucked under her to make room for Beth, who was under Riley’s arm. Liam had covered them with blankets and couldn’t resist snapping a picture of his snoozing family. They looked so peaceful. He sighed as he thought back to the conversation last night.
“You never signed the papers Liam,” Drake said. “Technically, you never abdicated. Legally, you are still the king of Cordonia.”
Liam sighed and shook his head. “No. It’s not that simple. I may not have abdicated, but I abandoned my throne and my country.”
“Yes, but you did so under duress. Out of fear for the safety of your family. We could go back. Fight for your birthright to rule Cordonia.” Riley placed a hand on Liam’s shoulder. “A birthright you never gave up, my king.”
Riley stirred and yawned as she opened one eye to look at Liam. “Go make the call, my king. It’s early morning in Cordonia by now. Drake and I will take care of this mess when we’re done napping.” A wide grin spread across his face as Liam jumped up. He kissed Riley on the cheek quickly then headed to their bedroom.
He stopped outside of Henry’s room and knocked softly. There was no answer. He opened the door and peeked inside. His son laid on the bed with headphones on as he played a game on his laptop. Liam smiled and closed the door, then headed to the bedroom. He got down on his hands and knees and pulled a lock box out from under the bed. He fished the key out of the nightstand drawer and sat on the bed to open the box. All of their important documents were inside, birth certificates, Liam’s coronation papers, marriage licenses. A large manila envelope was at the bottom. He pulled it out and turned it over in his hands as he remembered when he received it.
They had been at the safe house for almost a week. There was no word from anyone at the palace. Liam paced back and forth across the living room, unable to clear his head. He kept thinking about the night they fled the palace. Everything was left behind. Liam had grabbed the lockbox with their important documents from his desk drawer, but everything else was left. Cell phones, computers, tablets, pictures. They had been forced from their home. Why hadn’t Bastien contacted him? Why was there no tv in this safehouse? There was one phone line, and Liam had tried to call the palace several times on various numbers to no avail. He had tried to contact Bastien through the guards posted here at the safehouse. But everything was oddly quiet. It made him crazy not knowing what was happening to his country.
A knock at the door startled Liam from his thoughts. The guard approached the door as he waved Liam into the other room. He moved into the kitchen as a lump formed at the back of his throat and his stomach tied up in knots. Something was wrong. Bastien appeared in the doorway a moment later. “Bas! My god, you look awful,” Liam wrapped an arm around the guard’s shoulders and eased him into a chair. He was covered in dried blood and dirt and looked like he hadn’t slept in days. “You need to rest. Are you hungry? I’ll get Riley to make you something,” Liam turned to head into the other room, but Bastien stopped him. “No! I’m afraid there’s no time.” His eyes grew moist as he locked his gaze on the king. “I’m so sorry, your majesty. We–we’ve lost the palace. The terrorists now have access to sensitve information regarding you and your family.” he shifted his gaze to the floor, then back up. “It is time. You have to flee. Before it’s too late.”
Tears coursed down Liam’s cheeks. “Flee? To where? This is our home, Bastien. How–” his voice cracked. “Please, Liam. You must ensure the safety of your family. Get them all together. I have an escape plan in place.” Things moved so quickly after that it was all a blur. They woke the children in the middle of the night and loaded into an SUV with Bastien.
“It’s going to be quite a battle,” Bastien explained. “The duchies have secured their borders and are building their own armies. Any members of the Royal Guard who weren’t captured have joined the duchies.” Liam shot a sideways glance at Bastien. “And you, Bastien? What will come of you?” He swallowed audibly. “Sir, I will be joining the army at Lythikos. Olivia and I will do whatever we can to get rid of these terrorists. When it is safe, you can return.”
Liam shook his head. “This does not seem right. We should stay and fight too.” Bastien shook his head. “You don’t understand. There is a price on your head. On all of your heads, even the childrens’. You must go.” Bastien pulled into the back entrance of Cordonia’s airport, directly onto the tarmac. He pulled out a manila envelope and handed it to the king. “There’s passports in there for all of you. There’s also bank cards to allow you to access an American bank account that has been set up for you. All under assumed names, of course.”
He pulled out a small cell phone. “This is a burner phone. There are 2 numbers programmed into it. No one has this number, including me.” His steel-grey gaze sent a shiver down the King’s spine. “When you’re ready, call these numbers.” Liam shot him a questioning look. “Ready? For what?” Bastien smiled. “You’ll know when you are ready.”
Liam sighed as he turned the phone over in his hands. That was almost a year ago. They fled to America just after the new year. He had thought about calling the numbers on this phone every single day since they arrived here. He plugged the phone into a charger and waited for it to turn on.
He highlighted the first number and pressed send. His stomach churned as he waited for an answer. Liam had purposely avoided any news about Cordonia, it was just too painful for him to see his people struggle without him. He had no idea what had happened since they left. His focus had been on his family, he wanted to provide them the most normal existence possible.
The phone rang and rang. Liam sighed as he hung up. No answer was not a good sign. He dialed the other number and waited anxiously as it rang.
****************************************
Bastien stood in the King’s office and took in the view of the garden maze. The maze had almost been destroyed during the occupation. He sighed as he thought about the turmoil that had torn apart his country for the past decade. Once the journal of Michael Drammir had been made public, a wave of political unrest swept across Cordonia. Several people stepped forward and staked a claim to the throne, while others questioned the ability of the king and queen to present a strong, united front to neighboring countries. Terrorist cells began forming and several attempts were made to overthrow the government. Many of Cordonia’s noble houses were no longer loyal to the crown. It seemed like peace would never settle over the country again.
Bastien had a plan that could not be executed until the Royal Family was out of the picture. He knew that the only way to gain the support of Lythikos or the Duke of Ramsford would be if the Rhys’ bloodline was removed for good. He made that happen. He sent the Royal family off to America, then once control of the capital was reinstated he released the report that the entire family had been massacred at the safe house. No one questioned the head of the King’s guard. No autopsies were performed on the bodies that were all brutally mutilated beyond recognition. Funeral services were held, caskets were placed in the Rhys’ family tomb. The entire country mourned the loss of their leaders. Once again, random people stepped forward to make claims to the throne. But the people were tired of the fighting and the monarchy.
People protested on the palace lawn during council meetings. They wanted representation. They wanted democracy. The first election in Cordonian history was scheduled to take place in just a few days. Each duchy had nominated a candidate, debates were scheduled, and a primary election took place.
The final election would decide between two candidates: Olivia Nevrakis, Duchess of Lythikos and Madeline Drammir, Duchess of Fydelia. Bastien was confident that no matter the outcome, peace would be restored to Cordonia. It had been suggested that he run himself, but Bastien was not a politician. He belonged in the background, protector of lives and secrets.
The sound of his phone ringing interrupted his thoughts. The color drained from his face when he saw the number. “Shit,” he mumbled as he turned around and bumped right into Olivia. He jumped as he ignored the call. “You love to sneak up on me don’t you,” he snickered as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently. She winked at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Will you ever stop being so jumpy? What are you afraid of, Bas?” He laughed out loud as he locked his steel-grey eyes on her emerald pools. “I fear nothing sweetheart, I just like to be prepared for anything at any time.” He kissed her again, long and hard, then pulled away breathless. “And you keep me on my toes, my temptress.” They kissed again, then Olivia pulled away reluctantly. “See you in a couple hours? It is Christmas, you know.” Bastien nodded as he placed his hand on the small of Olivia’s back and led her to the door. He closed the door behind her and locked it, then sat in the chair behind the desk.
How was he going to handle this situation? Of course when he gave Liam that burner phone he didn’t know how events would unfold. And then when news broke of the royal family’s deaths he thought for sure that they decided to just stay gone. He figured someone would have called then. But now? There’s no way they could be allowed back into the country. All the progress that had been made would be gone in an instant. He would have to stop it. One way or another.
He picked up his phone and called back the number.
Ok so this fic takes a break from the current MHTA, 5 years later angsty timeline and jumps ahead quite a few years to give a glimpse of my favorite poly as parents at Christmas time. It is based off the prompts “Don’t be a grinch” and “I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus” given to me by @bobasheebaby It will be posted in two parts. I am also submitting this for @choices-december-challenge hosted by @kinda-iconic for day 16: Secrets.
Warning: This contains spoilers for the current MHTA, 5 years later series. If you prefer to not witness a glimpse into the future of this series, please don’t read this. Riley, Liam and Drake are in a polyamorous relationship in this series. If that’s not your thing, then please don’t read this. This part is ns*w and should not be read by anyone under the age of 18.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry. I am simply borrowing them.
I'm sorry for the delay in reblogging this, I've been dealing with some personal family issues over the holidays and fell behind. This is part 2 of the Christmas future fic I wrote a couple years ago that I will be posting a new chapter of soon.
Warnings: this is very lemony. It also contains spoilers for my MHTA 5 Years Later series, so don't read if you don't like spoilers.
I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I knocked on Director Barton’s door, she yelled “Come on in Brooks.”
I entered the room. Barton was seated behind her desk as usual, her mostly auburn but starting to be streaked with grey hair piled on top of her head in her signature messy bun. She was flipping through paperwork.
Seated across from her was an unfamiliar man. He turned and stood as I entered, reaching out his hand. I took it as Barton introduced him.
“Agent Brooks, meet Captain Drake Walker of the Cordonian Royal Guard.”
I took his hand as I drank him in. Tall, broad shoulders, scruffy five o’clock shadow covering a strong jaw. His chestnut hair fell just below his ears, and it was slightly messy giving him an all-around air of indifference.
“Nice to meet you.” His voice was deep and rumbly, the sound of it sent tingles through me. His handshake was firm but not too tight. You can tell a lot about a person by their handshake. His was confident without any unnecessary display of strength. Balanced. Sure of himself.
“Likewise.” I replied.
He released my hand and we both sat. I turned toward Barton expectantly. I knew I was here to receive my next assignment, having wrapped up the last one two weeks ago. I would, of course, have to be back in the sates to testify at trail, but that could be months or years. The wheels of justice turn slow. Not my problem. I put ‘em behind bars, it’s someone else’s job to make sure they stay there.
“You have a new assignment.” Barton thrust a folder at me.
“Yes Ma’am. I’m ready. What is it?”
She gave me a level look, “Are you familiar with the Via Imperi?”
I searched my memory, “Passingly. Secret cabal hell bent on taking over the world. They have members from all over the world and strangleholds on several European countries.”
“Right. Cordonia is requesting our help investigating and infiltrating the Via Imperi within their borders.”
I flipped through the file, it was full of information on known VI members, associates, movements and suspected members and people of interest. I raised an eyebrow. “This is quite a list.”
Captain Walker cleared his throat, “Matters are complicated by other factions within our borders. We’ve had some instability in recent years, and we fear the Via Imperi are using the opportunity to strengthen their hold.”
I nodded. “So where do I start? What’s my cover?”
Barton shifted nervously. I was immediately at attention. Very little rattled her. She knew whatever she was about to tell me was going to piss me off.
“We’re inserting you as yourself.”
I blinked. I stared at her for a moment not comprehending what she was saying. “As….myself?”
“Yes. The crown prince is hosting a social season to pick a wife. Joining the season as a suitor is the perfect cover, but to do that, we need someone who already understands how it all works, how to behave at court, proper protocols, forms of address-“
“Oh, hell no!” I threw the folder back on the desk. “Fuck that!”
I was on my feet and headed for the door, “Get Berkley or Higgs or hell, anyone else!”
“Brooks! Riley! The social season kicks off in less than a week, we don’t have time to train someone else to pretend to be from the aristocracy. We need you.”
“Agent Brooks.” Rumbled the hot guy with the sexy accent, “I would consider it a personal favor if you would reconsider. One of the members of the royal family is my best friend, like a brother to me. I can’t let anything happen to him, he needs your help, Cordonia needs your help…I need your help.”
I was standing with my hand on the door. Fuck! Why did he have to sound so damn sexy and humble and beseeching, and did I mention sexy? Ugh!
I turned and sighed. “Fine.”
“Thank you.” He said softly. Oh yeah, he was gonna be trouble, I could tell that already. I’m a sucker for a big strong man that needs my help nonetheless. Probably something wrong with me that I should explore in therapy.
“Listen Brooks, I know you hate the nobility and all the bullshit that comes with it, but this is for a good cause, and you were literally born with the perfect cover.” Barton told me.
She knew my background. Born into one of the great houses of Monterisso, raised to be a proper lady. Well, at least my poor mother tried to raise me that way. I was an eternal disappointment to my entire family. So I had taken off at the first opportunity. My father had indulged my desire to go to school abroad and surprisingly, he had been ok with me pursuing a double major in criminal justice and political science. I think he thought the poly-sci part meant I was finally preparing to take my rightful place in the family. Boy was he wrong!
I worked briefly for a local police department in Monterisso before moving onto Interpol then MI6 and finally settling into a position with the Global Intelligence Agency. GIA is an international intelligence agency with many member nations. I like the global reach, I like to travel, see new places, meet new people. Catch bad guys of all nationalities.
I threw my head back and heaved a long-suffering sigh. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a smile tug at Drake’s lips.
I turned to him and asked, “What?”
“Nothing.” He grinned, “Just nice to meet someone else that hates all the courtly politics and bullshit as much as I do.”
“Oh yeah?” I asked.
“Oh yeah.” He agreed with an emphatic nod.
“Ok then Walker, I think we’re going to get along just fine.”
“I hope so ma’am.”
“First, you gotta stop calling me ma’ma. Because I’m not ninety.”
That got an actual laugh out of him, “Ok then. Brooks it is.”
Turning back to Barton, I informed her, “You know I can’t just show up and be a suitor, right? I have to be sponsored by a Cordonian noble house.”
“Way ahead of you there, Brooks.” Drake informed me, “We have a civilian contractor that we use for a lot of our cyber ops. Guy is bit weird, likes peacocks way too much, but he’s a genius with computers.”
“His name is Maxwell Beaumont.” Barton continued, “His house has no female members to put forward so they can just pick someone to sponsor apparently.”
“And they’ve agreed to this?” I asked.
“Maxwell has.” Barton replied.
I narrowed my eyes, “Is Maxwell the head of the house?”
“No, that would be his brother Bertrand.” Drake informed me.
“How do we know this Bertrand guy will agree?” I asked.
“We’ll just tell him that you met the prince on one of his visits to Monterisso and that he was quite taken with you. Make it seem like you already have a connection with him. If he believes you have a chance at actually winning, he’ll do it. He puts a lot of stock in status and image, he’ll jump at the chance to have a Beaumont, even an honorary one, be the next queen.”
“Convince him that I have a head start, an advantage over the other suitors.” I nodded. It was a good plan.
“Yes.” He confirmed.
“And you think he’ll believe that?” I asked.
His eyes raked down my body and back up, he met my eyes with a flush, “Oh yeah, he’ll believe it.”
I know this is where I’m supposed to blush and get shy and look away, but I am not that chick. I held the eye contact and asked, “Captain Walker, are you flirting with me?”
“What? No!” He flushed again, looked away then back, “Maybe….”
Barton cleared her throat, “Ok you two. I’m still here. And this is my office.”
“Sorry Barton.” I wasn’t.
It didn’t take long to finalize details. I always had a bag packed and ready to go on a moment’s notice. There was no false identity to craft, so I didn’t have to wait for documents. We were flying back on the royal jet, so I didn’t have to worry about getting my weapons through customs.
Turns out we were staying at the same hotel. Perfect. I suggested we have dinner together at the restaurant in the lobby. Might as well get to know each other if we were going to be working together for the next four months. Yes, that’s right. The social season is four months long. Fucking aristocrats. Who the hell has four months to just hang out and party and do stupid, useless shit like race boats and attend tea parties? I’m not kidding you, fucking tea parties! I was really not looking forward to having to attend those again.
We finished dinner and moved on to drinks. We couldn’t discuss the case out in public, so I asked him about himself.
“Not much to tell, really. I have a sister; a military background and I like horses. And whiskey. That’s about it.”
I peered at him over the top of my glass, “That feels like a very abbreviated version.”
He shrugged, “What about you? Born into the aristocracy, huh?”
I rolled my eyes as I licked the salt off the rim of my glass, “Don’t remind me.”
He laughed, “I get it. Growing up at the palace-“
I sat my margarita down on the table with thunk, “You grew up at the palace?”
He blew out a frustrated breath, “Yeah, but not like-“
“You could have led with that mister nothing but horses and whiskey.” I said, imitating his deep cadence.
He smirked, “Women like men with a little mystery to them, right?”
I smiled coyly, “Are you trying to impress me?”
He actually blushed. That was the wrong thing to do, or maybe the exact right thing to do, depending on your opinion about such things. Heat surged through me as that blush, and the way he dropped his eyes set off my predatory instincts. I can’t help it. I like men that are rendered helpless by my particular set of attributes. Especially men like this one.
The strong, silent type. He gave off alpha male vibes, which it made it that much more satisfying to see him turn vulnerable under my attentions.
I know many people have a strict policy against sleeping with someone you’re going to be working with. I don’t have that policy. I can separate the two things. Any good professional can. Or maybe I am just a cold-hearted bitch like my last boyfriend claimed. That was a long time ago. The only thing I have a strict policy against now are relationships. Ew.
Being tied down is too difficult in my job. Besides, once you get into a romantic entanglement with a man, he starts to think he owns you. I’m probably just selfish, but I have no desire to compromise or work through issues. I have shit to do.
No relationships. But was I going to sleep with this man? Oh, abso-fucking-lutely I was.
He looked down into his drink as he replied, “I find myself at somewhat of a disadvantage here it would seem.”
I arched an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” He took a big gulp, a little liquid courage, I approved, “I’ve never met anyone quite like you. I’m not normally so awkward.”
He was really not helping his situation. My smile got even bigger as I regarded him, “I make you nervous?”
He finally met my eyes for a brief moment, “A little, yeah.”
Not gonna lie, it kinda felt like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one. Well hot damn. I guess the next four months might not be as bad as I thought. At least there would be a distraction in my down time. Speaking of down time, I had nothing planned tonight.
“Let me guess. Women usually just fall at your feet because of the uniform, the chiseled jaw, the broad shoulders, the sexy five o’clock shadow, the overall rugged good looks?”
“Something like that.” He met my eyes again, this time he held them, “Just to be clear, you totally just said you find me sexy and good looking.”
“Yes, objectively speaking, you’re hot and,” I ran my eyes down his body and back up, “judging from your clothes, you do all right in the financial department as well.” His clothes were simple, but high qualify. He wasn’t in uniform at the moment, I had meant that metaphorically, his military background and rank showed in the way he carried himself.
“Coming from anyone else, those things would sound like compliments.”
“Hot, rich guys aren’t that rare, believe it or not. I’m not easily impressed, and I have my own damn money.” I took a long sip of my drink then continued, “I see your dilemma, I don’t fall at the feet of any man.”
“So, all the things that typically impress women, charm, good looks, money, you’re immune to all of it?” His eyes ran across my face like he was searching for answers.
“Oh, I’m not completely immune to good looks or charm, I just don’t take it personally. I mean, looks are only skin deep and the charm usually isn’t real. I can tell when a man’s trying to get in my pants. Though I have been known to give points for excessive wit and originality.”
“Damn good thing I’m not afraid to work for what I want.” His voice had dropped lower and there was a husky quality to it that sent shivers down my spine.
I leaned toward him, “I look forward to it, Captain.”
“You know I have a name. You can call me Drake.”
“I’ll take that under advisement, Captain.”
That pulled a small laugh out of him. He shook his head, “I can’t quite seem to figure you out.”
I lowered my voice and in a conspiratorial tone whispered, “If I were easy to figure out, then I wouldn’t be a very good spy, would I?”
This time he really laughed, “Ha! I guess not!”
I flagged the waitress down for a second round of drinks. She looked Drake up and down, but he didn’t notice. I noticed two guys at a table nearby checking me out though. Drake followed my gaze to them then looked back at me, “Looks like you have a couple of admirers.”
“Only a couple?” I asked him with a suggestive grin.
He smirked, “Maybe more than a couple. But don’t let me stop you if you want to-“
“Nah.” I told him, giving him my bedroom eyes, “I’m good with the company I’ve already got.”
“Yeah?” He gave me an appraising look.
“Yeah.”
He glanced back at the other table again then seemed to come to a decision. “May I?” He asked, gesturing to the chair next to me.
I nodded and he moved over from the chair across from me to the one next to me. I gave him a smile as I scooted my chair closer to his. That was all the encouragement he needed. He scooted his chair closer yet and draped an arm around my shoulder. The waitress deposited the drinks on the table and scurried off after shooting a mournful look at Drake.
I picked up my drink and brought the straw to my lips as Drake lowered his mouth to my ear and started whispering all the thing’s he’d like to do to me. I listened to the deep rumble of his voice and shivered at his breath tickling my neck while I held the gaze of the hotter of the two guys at the other table. He was cute, but it was no contest.
I sat my drink on the table in front of me and slowly turned to shift my gaze from the other table to the man sitting next to me. As I turned into him, I dropped a hand on his thigh and slid it up, drawing a sharp intake of breath out of him as he tensed and stopped talking. I turned my face up to his and murmured, “Promises, promises Walker.”
His eyes searched mine, looking for something. I reached up and ran my hand through his silky chestnut hair, something I had wanted to do since I’d walked into Barton’s office and saw him for the first time. I bit my bottom lip as I held his gaze. “Yes.” I breathed.
“Yes, what?” He whispered.
“Yes to whatever the hell you’re trying to work up the courage to ask me.” I said pulling his head down and parting my lips.
His kiss was not disappointing, and our chemistry was off the charts. I leaned in closer, and his arms went around me, a low rumbling sound issuing from the back of his throat.
We pulled apart when the waitress cleared her throat, dropping the check on the table. We both reached for it, but I got it first.
“No, Brooks, I can’t let you-“
“Ok, first of all, you’re not letting me do shit.” I rolled my eyes. Men. “Second of all, I told you, I have my own money and third of all, this is on the agency.” I dropped my agency issued credit card on the table, “Business dinner.”
He smirked, “That what this is? Business?”
“Dinner? Yes. What’s about to happen as soon as the tab is settled?” I paused for dramatic effect, “That’s pleasure.”
He fixed me with a smoldering gaze that sent fire spiraling through me. I swear the sex appeal just oozed off this man.
As soon as the card was back in my possession, he was on his feet pulling out my chair, then grabbing my hands to pull me to my feet.
“What’s your hurry, Captain?” I teased.
“Nothing. I just want to get you up to my room before someone wittier or more original comes along.” He gave me a smile that I’m certain has effectively dropped the panties off many a woman before me.
“That seems unlikely.” I replied.
“You can never be too sure.” He grabbed my hand and we headed for the exit.
As we passed the men at the other table, Drake clapped mister eye contact on the shoulder and told him, “Better luck next time.”
The man looked up startled then slid his gaze over to me. I smirked and gave him a shrug as Drake pulled me past their table.
Oh yeah, this man was definitely trouble, but the best possible kind.
Ana De Luca sat at the restaurant, checking her watch. If he was late, she was publishing her article and she didn’t give a shit. She was just about to give up and leave when she saw him enter the building. He glanced around surreptitiously, pulling a hat down over his face as he made his way over to her.
She rolled her eyes. For the love of all that’s holy, this man was dramatic. When he final sat down across from she sighed. “Duke Beaumont-“
“Shhhhh! I don’t want to be recognized!”
Right. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, “You said you had a story for me?”
“I said I had a better story for you, but first you have to promise not to publish the story about my family’s finances!”
“Your timing is impeccable. I have the article written and ready to go. You promised me a more compelling story in exchange for dropping it. So whaddaya got?”
“First I need assurances-“
“I assure you that if the story you have to offer is good enough, then I’ll consider dropping the original. That’s the best I can do.”
Bertrand sighed, “Fine. But you’ll see, this is so much better.” He glanced around the room again then leaned in, “What if I told you that the king’s engagement is a scam, Lady Riley is innocent, the king has proof and they have rekindled their romance?”
She sat straight up in her chair. She didn’t want to seem too eager. “I would say that I’m going to need proof.”
“I can get you proof, but you have to deep six the story about my family!”
“If you can get me proof then fine, done.” This information matched up with a tidbit she had received from one of her media informants who was present at the king’s bachelor party the night before. This could be a huge a story if it were true.
“What kind of proof do you need?”
“Other sources would be good. Pictures would be better.”
“Hmmm. One of the king’s personal assistants, Alexandros Eliades, he’s friends with my brother. I overheard him telling Maxwell that Liam was so heartbroken at the thought that his intended loved another, he couldn’t bring himself to propose to anyone else. The countess, being a dear and close family friend couldn’t stand to see him in such turmoil, so she offered to marry him, for Cordonia’s sake. Once proof was uncovered of her innocence, the countess vowed to help him clear his beloved’s name so they can be together again.”
Ana scribbled on her notepad, “And you think this Alexandros will back this up?”
“I can’t say. He might not be willing to talk to the press. Then again, I understand he has a bit of gambling debt so maybe if you offer him money.” Bertrand pretended to become sad for a moment then pretended he suddenly thought of something. “I know! The king has been meeting privately with Lady Riley. I am privy to her schedule. I could tell you when and where they’re meeting for the duration of our time in Paris. Would that be sufficient to get you to drop the other story?”
“If you can actually deliver, then yes. We have a deal.”
``````````````````````
“Excuse me, Mr. Eliades. Excuse me please!” Ana hurried to catch up to the man’s much longer strides.
He shot a sidewise look at her as she fell into step next to him, “Who are you?”
“My name is Ana. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.”
“About?”
“The king, could you-“
“Absolutely not! I don’t talk to reporters, now if you’ll get out of my way-“
“I could make it worth your while.”
“I doubt that.”
“I can pay.”
He stopped and turned to stare at her, “A bribe? I’m insulted, I would never-“
She flashed some cash in front of him. A good amount of cash.
He froze, started at it a moment, then glanced around. He quickly took it, counted it and asked, “What do you want to know?”
“Can you verify that the king and countess are not really in love? Is the king seeing Lady Riley behind her back?”
“Keep your voice down!” He hissed as he pulled her into a corner, “It’s not behind her back and she’s seeing someone else as well.”
Ana’s eyes lit up, “Who?”
“I don’t know. But my girlfriend could tell you, she used to work for the countess. She’s here on the tour, working. Her name is Callie Gataki, now I have to go. I can’t be seen talking to you. Don’t ever ask me again.” He looked around to make sure the coast was clear then hurried away.
````````````````````
“Ms. Gataki?”
“Yeah, who’s asking?”
“Ana De Luca. I’m a reporter for-“
“Trend magazine, I know!” She breathed, eyes wide. “I’m your biggest fan!”
“Is that so?” Ana smiled at her, “Could I ask you a few questions?”
“You want to ask me questions?” Callie squealed.
Perfect, Ana smiled to herself. Over enthusiastic fans were always eager to tell her anything they knew. She didn’t have to bribe, threaten or trick them.
“I have it on good authority that the king’s engagement is a sham. Can you verify that?”
Callie’s eyes got big, “Oh, so you know about the countess and her friend?” Callie leaned in closer, eyes wide.
“Yes. I just need verification-“
“Isn’t Countess Madeleine a saint? Getting engaged to the prince, well now the king, just because she couldn’t stand to see her dear friend suffer?”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, you know,” Callie dropped her voice and leaned in closer, “How Lady Riley was falsely accused after that duke invaded her room and made inappropriate advances? It was so awful! The prince was so heartbroken when he thought she loved someone else. But it isn’t true, is it? And now Countess Madeleine is helping him clear her name so they can be together!”
“Quite.” Ana said as she scribbled furiously on her notepad. “But back to this friend? Can you tell me who-“
“Oh, how exciting! I can’t believe I’m talking to Ana De Luca and what I say is going to be in Trend magazine!” She was practically jumping up and down.
“Can you verify who it is?”
“I can do better than that, I can tell you where they’re going to be tonight!”
````````````````````````````````
Madeleine shifted nervously as she sat on the bench, waiting. She hadn’t spoken to Cassie in three days, not since the night of the bachelorette party. She had sat across from her at meals in the royal dining car, she had watched her from across the room at the state dinner and she had caught glimpses of her coming and going from her room in the royal sleeping cars.
But Cassie had maintained her distance and Madeleine wasn’t sure if she should reach out of not. She regrated her actions that night if for no other reason than the wedge it had driven between them. So when Cassie had asked to meet her tonight for dinner, she had jumped at the chance.
She watched her approach the restaurant from the corner of her eye, not wanting to stare and being way more nervous than she was willing to let on.
“Madi!” Cassie chirped as she reached the bench outside the restaurant.
Madeleine stood up, brow furrowing in confusion. She hadn’t been sure what to expect, but this wasn’t it. She remembered how angry and disappointed Cassie had been that night. It was burned into her memory, despite how inebriated she had been.
Cassie grabbed her by both hands and pulled her in close, then wrapped her arms around her and leaned in for a kiss. Not a “we’re friends” peck on the check either. She released her hands to bring them up to tangle in her blonde curls as she parted her lips with her tongue.
Madeleine felt liquid fire wind through her body as she relaxed into the kiss and returned it with equal amounts of passion. Then she remembered where they were and pulled back, and with a shaky breath said, “We shouldn’t. Anyone could see us out here.”
“Right.” Cassie stepped back, then smiled up at her and said, “Then we’d better get inside.” She reached for Madeleine’s hand and threaded their fingers together. Just as they stepped through the restaurant door, she lifted their enjoined hands to her mouth and dropped a kiss on the back of Madeleine’s hand while turning her head to look at her, as well as making sure her profile was clearly visible to the reporter across the street. She only felt a little guilty.
``````````````````````````````````
Everyone was gathered in the royal dining car, which was by invitation only. Liam was the only member of the royal family currently aboard the train as Regina had stayed in Cordonia with Constantine, Leo hadn’t joined the tour and Madeleine had spent the day out shopping with Kiara and Penelope before meeting Cassie for dinner.
Liam, Drake, Riley, Audrey, Max, Hana, Olivia, Bertrand, Alec and Callie were all gathered in the dining car to compare notes.
“That was the most excitement I’ve had in months!” Bertrand was bouncing up and down with excitement, “I’m feeling pretty chuffed that I pulled it off!”
“Wow.” Riley’s eyes were wide, “I’ve never seen Bertrand so excited about, well, anything!”
“No fair, I didn’t get to do anything!” Max complained.
“You all did well.” Audrey addressed the room.
Audrey, Liam, Drake and Riley had been listening in, as each person took their turn in the deception. Bertrand, Alec and Callie had all been fitted with radio transmitters so they both transmitted and could also receive in case they were asked something they didn’t know the answer to.
“The foundation has been laid.” Audrey continued, “She bought it all. Now it’s up to Duke Beaumont to continue the subterfuge by tipping Ms. De Luca off about the king and Lady Riley’s whereabouts for the rest of the week.”
“I won’t let you down!” Bertrand gushed, pride flushing his face.
“Great! I’ll be in touch.” With that, she strode out of the room.
“Thank you so much Callie!” Riley grabbed her into a hug.
“My pleasure! It was so much fun!” She giggled.
Liam turned to Alec, “Make sure she gets a bonus with her next paycheck, a big one.”
“Absolutely Your Majesty.”
“I already told you to call me Liam.”
“I know, but it feels weird.” Alec smiled, “I’ll get there. Callie, can I walk you back to your room?”
“Yes please.” She said then turned back to Liam, “Thank you so much for inviting me to dinner. I can’t believe I just had dinner with the king!”
Liam crossed the room to take her hands, “I am the one that was honored.” He brushed a quick kiss on the back of her hand, and she let out a little squeal.
On the way out of the room with Alec, Callie stage whispered to Riley, “No wonder you’re in love with him!”
Riley gave her a wink, “Yes, he’s far too charming for his own good.”
“I still can’t believe Constantine was behind the blackmail.” Olivia grumbled as the door shut behind them. Yes, he could be harsh, prickly, but so was she. She had never imagined he harbored such ill intentions toward her.
“The hospital wing is coming together rapidly.” Liam updated everyone, “It helps that there was already a basic clinic there, really it was just about the upgrades. More importantly security is in place to contain him.”
“And Tariq was picked up last night.” Drake added, “He’s on his way to our Embassy in New York as we speak.”
“Where he will remain until we get there next week.” Liam continued, “We have managed to keep it out of the press. We don’t want the impression that his confession was coerced.”
“I’ll coerce him.” Drake muttered under his breath.
Olivia snickered at that. Drake’s complete lack of regard for courtly protocols and diplomacy was one of the things she liked most about him. She knew most people thought they hated each other, but the truth was, having grown up together, they were more like rivalrous siblings. Often on different pages, but at the end of the day, they would always have each other’s backs.
“You’re sure you’re ok?” Hana peered at Riley with concern.
“I’m sure.” Riley gave her a brilliant smile. She was ok. She felt like things were finally going her way.
“Ok Bert. You’re up again. Call Ana with the location of tonight’s meeting.” Drake told him.
Bertrand pulled out his phone and made the call.
When he hung up, Liam looked around the room. “Ok, it’s game time. Drake, could you have a car brought around?”
“Already done, Li. It’s out front. I’m sending Pierson with you as your personal guard tonight. Your driver is one of my guys too. I’ll give you a ten-minute head start then Alec will escort Riley out to the car.” They still had to give the appearance they were trying to hide their relationship and they still couldn’t risk anyone figuring it out until Ana’s story dropped.
Drake and Liam had let Hana and the Beaumont’s in on Drake’s job earlier before the other guests had arrived. Olivia, of course, already knew. She had been there when it all went down. She hadn’t left Liam’s side after the assassination attempt and had been in the room when Bastien had made his pitch to Drake. Standing at Liam’s bedside, she had reached out and squeezed his hand after he agreed. Then they had never spoken of it again.
Liam exited the room; Pierson was waiting for him outside the door. Bertrand clapped Drake on the shoulder on his way out. Drake nodded at him. That was the most bonding he’d ever done with the older Beaumont brother.
Hana and Max were also aware of the arrangement Liam had offered the night before. While Liam and Drake had been at the bachelor party, Riley, Max and Hana had gathered in Riley’s room to eat snacks and catch up. Snacks had turned into drinking, and they had all three ended up asleep in Riley’s room, Hana snuggled up next to her and Max draped across the foot of the bed, feet hanging off the edge and resting in the seat of a nearby chair.
Riley had never had friends she was so comfortable with before, but Max and Hana were just a part of her now. Waking up with them in her room had made her feel an unfamiliar warmth in her chest. She imagined this was what it would have been like to have siblings.
Hana looked between Riley and Drake then caught Maxwell’s eye and jerked her head toward the door. Maxwell looked at her in confusion for a moment. She looked back at Riley and Drake then gave him a pointed stare. He followed her gaze over to Riley and Drake and said, “Oh. Yeah, we should go too.”
After the door closed, Riley turned to Drake. It was the first time they’d been alone since Liam had proposed the Cordonian arrangement, not counting him walking her back to her room the night before, but that had been brief and out in the open, so they hadn’t really talked about it.
“Is this awkward?” She asked.
He was standing with his arms crossed as he looked at her and said, “Nope.”
“You’re sure? Because-“
He uncrossed his arms and closed the distance between them. He cupped her face in his hand and tipped her head up so that he could look into her eyes. Smiling softly, he told her, “I already told you I’m good. If you were with Liam, and only Liam, I would still be standing here, coordinating your security, helping you clear your name and helping you and Liam find ways to see each other. The fact that, at the end of the day, you still want me…” He shook his head, “It’s the most amazing feeling in the world. I want to add something to your life Riley, not take anything away from it. So please, stop stressing over this. I don’t want to be a source of anxiety for you. That’s the opposite of what I want. Just let me be here for you, and for Liam for that matter, ok? It’s kind of how I show my love.”
Riley smiled back as her hand reached up to cover his, “So this is your love language?”
“I don’t know what that means, Campbell, but sure.” He pulled her into a kiss.
They tangled in each other for a moment, bodies pressed together, lips devouring each other hungrily, hands roaming over bodies like they were trying to memorize each other. Drake’s phone beeped and he pulled away from her with a sigh. He rested his forehead on hers for a moment and ran a hand through her hair. Then he stepped back and told her, “It’s time.”
This is the next part in my series My Heart Torn Apart, 5 Years later. Chapters should be read chronologically. You can find previous chapters on my masterlist here.
Book: The Royal Romance. It takes place after book 3 of the original series and does not consider any events that occur in The Royal Heir or the Royal Finale.
Pairings: Liam x Drake x Riley. This is a poly relationship, so please don't read if that's not your thing. Also Bastien x Olivia. Some parts of this series will be NS*W, and all parts contain adult themes. This particular part is pretty lemony so please don't read if you are under the age of 18.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry, I am simply borrowing them.
Olivia lingered outside the entrance to the royal apartment, waiting for Bastien to finish giving orders through his headset. She gave him a coy little smile as he turned to face her, his steel-grey eyes swooping from her feet up to meet her emerald pools. He swallowed as his look gave Olivia chills.
“I’m sorry about dinner,” he said, his voice a bit more throaty than usual. She smiled and took a step closer so he could breathe in her scent. “It’s not like you don’t have a good excuse,” she said. Then she lowered her voice and whispered in a sultry tone, “I’m still hungry. How about a midnight snack?” She winked at him and he swallowed again, audibly.
He just couldn’t believe the effect this woman had on him. It took all of his restraint to keep himself from kissing her right here. He imagined her wearing nothing but those stilettos and back-seam stockings with her fiery hair wild and green eyes dark with lust. What was happening? He tried to push his thoughts away as he smiled at her. “I think that sounds perfect. I'll be relieved shortly. Do you care to wait here or shall I meet you?” Olivia leaned forward again to whisper close to his ear, “I’m not letting you out of my sight this time.” The feel of her hot breath on his neck sent flutters to the pit of his belly. He shifted uncomfortably to accommodate his hardening member. He was speechless and breathless as she smiled and took a few steps back to lean against the wall.
Bastien cleared his throat as he tried to focus on business. “So I assume there will be a press conference tomorrow, correct?” Olivia nodded. “Yes of course. Do you have any idea of Madeline’s whereabouts?” He shifted his weight as he shrugged and avoided her eyes. “I’ve sent patrols out to search for her. They will be covering all the routes from here to Fydelia.” Something about his response did not sit well with her. She felt like he knew more than he let on. Maybe Liam was right to not trust him. Perhaps his loyalty should be in question.
She smiled at him as a guard approached them and Bastien pulled him to the other side of the hall to debrief him. There was a definite spark between her and Bastien. But she had to stay focused. She had to earn his trust completely, become his confidante. She swallowed as he turned to face her. He took his earpiece from his ear and took a step toward her as he held out his elbow for her to link her arm through his. “Ready for that snack?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Most definitely,” she said with a smile as she slid her arm through his. He led her down the hallway away from the royal apartment.
Olivia squealed when she realized where Bastien was leading her. “We’re going to raid the palace kitchen, aren’t we?” Even though she hadn’t meant a literal midnight snack, her stomach rumbled at the thought. Bastien smiled and nodded as they slipped into the dark kitchen. She released his arm as he walked over to the far wall to flip the light switch. Olivia couldn’t help but smile as she opened the large refrigerator to peruse its contents. “This is so cool. Liam, Drake and I used to come down here late at night to raid the kitchen for snacks.” She grabbed a plate of cheese and crackers and set them on the counter.
Bastien smiled at the duchess from across the room. “Yes, I remember.” He crossed his arms across his chest and chuckled as Olivia popped a cracker with cheese into her mouth and looked at him in surprise. “You knew? I don’t understand. How…..” Bastien giggled again and crossed the room before he responded. He grabbed a cracker and some cheese. “Lady Olivia, I knew everything that happened in this palace, it was my duty. It still is my duty.” He popped the snack into his mouth and motioned upwards. Olivia followed his gaze and saw a small camera lens embedded into one of the light fixtures. Her mouth dropped open as she looked around the kitchen. Now that she had noticed one, she could see those little cameras everywhere. “Oh my god. You mean, you saw everything that happened in this kitchen?” Bastien grinned as Olivia’s face flushed deep red.
“Lady Olivia, I see everything that happens in public areas of this palace. Once again, it is my duty. But you don’t have to worry.” He popped another cracker into his mouth. He gazed into her eyes with a gentle smile and tucked an unruly strand of red curls behind her ear. “Discretion is also my duty,” he said softly. “Your childhood secrets are safe with me.”
Olivia couldn’t help feeling a bit flustered as she recalled all of the dumb things she had done under Bastien’s watchful eye. She remembered the brief romance she and Liam had when they were teenagers. He kissed her for the first time in this kitchen. She also lost her virginity to him, bent over the kitchen island in the middle of the room. And then there was that day about a year later when Liam was out of town and she and Drake had gotten hold of some whiskey and they went to the kitchen for some ice cream and they made out by that same island. Yes, Bastien knew a lot of her secrets.
She shook it off and smiled at him sweetly. “What happens in the kitchen, stays in the kitchen?” He laughed heartily. “Something like that, yes.” Olivia moved closer to him as she gave him a sultry look. She positioned herself directly in front of him and continued to move closer until she was pressed against him and he was up against the counter. “In that case, I guess I can do this,” she barely whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips into his. They kissed softly at first, then Bastien moaned into the kiss as he deepened it. He allowed his hands to roam freely, one tangled up in her hair and the other cupped her ass cheek and pulled her close.
Olivia forgot everything in that moment, forgot her focus, her mission. All she knew was Bas and how he made her feel. Passion flowed through her, all the way to the tips of her toes and back to the pit of her belly. She was breathless as he kissed her and she could feel his hardness pressing against her pelvis. She broke the kiss and moaned softly as she hiked her dress up to wrap one leg around his waist. They locked eyes as Olivia grinded into his pelvis.
“Oh, Bas, I–.” Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper as her emerald eyes grew dark with lust. She fumbled with his belt and unbuttoned his pants, then pulled down the zipper and slid her hand inside. She stroked him slowly as he slid his hand around from her ass and slipped it up the slit of her dress. Her legs quivered as his fingers slid her panties to the side and slowly circled her clit, then moved down and sunk into her wet center. Olivia trembled as she felt tension growing in her belly and she locked onto his steely gaze. She was so close. So close to being putty in his hands.
The vibration came from Bastien’s hip. Olivia felt it radiate into her leg as they both froze. His look changed almost immediately as he slid his fingers from inside her. He pushed her back slightly and buttoned his pants as he looked at her apologetically. “My apologies, Lady Olivia. I must check my phone.” She nodded, “Yes of course.” Her heart still raced and she felt a little breathless. She smoothed her dress and her hair and tried to compose herself, but she felt like her insides were jello. She watched him as he answered his phone, his voice even and professional. He moved to the other side of the room and Olivia was still so flustered that she didn’t even think to try to eavesdrop. How did he do that? He turned off his passion and emotions like a switch.
She marvelled at him as she watched him on the phone. And people thought she was the ice princess? Olivia was raised to control her emotions at all times, especially in public. She thought she was pretty good at it too.
But the duchess may have met her match.
************************************************
Bastien was more than annoyed when his phone vibrated. Inwardly, he growled in frustration as he moved across the room and glanced at the screen. Someone was calling him at this hour? The screen flashed ‘unknown’ as it buzzed in his hand. He pressed the answer button and struggled to keep his voice even and unemotional.
“Hello. This is Bastien.”
Silence. But he could hear shaky breathing on the line. He said hello again and listened to the same breathing. His annoyance turned to anger. “Look, I’m a very busy man. I don’t have time for games. Say something or I’m hanging up and I’ll have this call traced. Just because you blocked your number doesn’t mean I can’t find you.”
“I need to know where we stand,” a female voice whispered shakily.
He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to think of something to say quickly. Shit, she must be an idiot. Why was she calling him? “Now is not a good time. Have you reached your destination?”
She sighed deeply. “Not yet. I’m almost there. I had to stop for a bit.” Bastien rolled his eyes but kept his voice and demeanor unassuming. “You shouldn’t have stopped. People are on your tail. Get moving. We’ll be in touch.”
He hung up the phone and spun around right into Olivia’s arms. She looked up into his eyes innocently and smiled at him sweetly. “You’ll be in touch with who?” Bastien didn’t miss a beat. He smiled at her. “It was just Mara wanting a debriefing of tonight’s events. She just came on duty. I told her I’d talk to her later.” Olivia narrowed her eyes then opened her mouth to respond but Bastien did not allow it. He pressed his mouth to hers as he explored the inside of her mouth with his tongue. He pulled away after a few minutes.
“Lady Olivia, I have enjoyed our ‘snack’ very much. However, I am afraid I really must get some sleep. I have to be back on duty at 7am. May I escort you back to your quarters?” The duchess nodded dreamily as she gazed into his eyes. She laced her fingers through his, completely enraptured with him as he led her through the halls and to her door. He kissed her one more time, then said goodnight.
She opened her door and shut it behind her. She leaned up against the door and closed her eyes, her lips still tingled from his kiss and her body was on fire from his touch. Her stomach fluttered and her mind felt foggy. What the fuck just happened? She had never experienced anything like this.
Yes, the duchess had definitely met her match. A dangerous match.
Excellent stuff @tornbetween2loves it’s incredibly hot and I love the way Bastien can turn himself off on a dime like that. I’m dying to know who he’s talking to and what his end goal in all of this is. If he’s going to betray Liam, will his relationship with Olivia give him pause? I love how you delve into their heads and make it clear how intoxicating they find each other.
Hey everyone! I wrote this a couple years ago and I’ve been thinking of continuing the story. I figured it’s the perfect time of year to continue this story, for obvious reasons. But first I need to call attention to the original story. This is part 1. Part 2 can be found on my masterlist. I’ve tagged my new list. I will tag and reblog part 2 in a few days. Thanks so much for your support! ~~Liz
Ok so this fic takes a break from the current MHTA, 5 years later angsty timeline and jumps ahead quite a few years to give a glimpse of my favorite poly as parents at Christmas time. It is based off the prompts “Don’t be a grinch” and “I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus” given to me by It will be posted in two parts. I am also submitting this for @choices-december-challenge hosted by @kinda-iconic for day 8: Family and day 9: Decoration.
Warning: This contains spoilers for the current MHTA, 5 years later series. If you prefer to not witness a glimpse into the future of this series, please don’t read this. Riley, Liam and Drake are in a polyamorous relationship in this series. If that’s not your thing, then please don’t read this.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry. I am simply borrowing them.
Oh, and to my new friend @zaffrenotes : I know you said you were a serial monogomist, but this is part 1 of the prompt fic we were talking about if you’d like to check it out 😊
There was a knock on the door and Liam glanced at the clock, “That’ll be a member of my staff picking up the breakfast cart and asking if we want lunch.”
Drake let the maid in to retrieve the breakfast cart.
Riley’s face lit up, “Callie!”
“Lady Riley!” Callie glanced at the two men shyly as Riley swept her into an embrace.
“What are you doing here?”
“They asked for employees to volunteer to travel with the engagement tour, and I thought it would be fun to see a little bit of the world.”
Of course, staff had to go where told as part of their jobs, but Liam had instituted a policy of opening the travel slots up for those who actually wanted to go. Some staff members didn’t want to be away from their families for days or weeks at a time. And reversely, in the past, people got left behind who would have enjoyed the change of scenery. This seemed the perfect solution.
“I totally understand that!” Riley laughed. It wasn’t that long ago she herself was in the service industry dreaming of seeing the world. “Have you been having fun?”
“Oh yes milady! Every day after my shift, a group of us go sightseeing, it’s been amazing!”
“I’m so glad! Maybe on one of your off days, we can get lunch together.”
“Really?”
“Yes, why not?”
“I would like that very much.”
Callie looked at Liam, “Sorry, Your Majesty. Can I remove this cart now and will you be dinning in the royal dinning car or taking lunch in here today?”
“There’s nothing to apologize for Ms. Gataki. And I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself on the tour. Yes, we’re done with the cart. We will be dining here, please have the kitchen send enough for three.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” She curtsied on her way out. Riley waved at her with a smile.
“What was all that about?” Drake asked as she door closed.
“Oh, that’s the maid who I had to find a job for in the royal household in order to get Riley to speak to me again.” Liam informed him.
Drake laughed in disbelief, “What?”
“It’s a whole story.” Riley said.
“She makes friends everywhere she goes.” Liam grinned.
“I saved her from Madeleine you mean.”
“You made me save her.” Liam corrected.
“What’s the difference?” Riley asked.
Liam nodded, “Point taken. Not to change the subject but Audrey will be here after lunch. The three of us need to be on the same page before she gets here.”
“Right.” Drake agreed, “She can’t spin anything if we don’t know what we want to start with.”
“Liam,” Riley said nervously, “you’re sure you’re really ok with this….arrangement?” She twisted her fingers together.
He regarded her seriously, “Yes, love. If I have to share you with anyone, there is no one else I trust. Not with your heart, your physical safety nor the level of discretion this will entail.”
“Discretion?”
“Yes, love, discretion. No one can know.”
She furrowed her brow in confusion, “But I thought you said it wasn’t secretive, like an affair.”
“Not for us. But the public….”
“Campbell, I know you’re not from here, but even you have to appreciate the optics of the queen cuckolding the king with his best friend.” Drake said evenly.
“What?” Riley looked at them in distress, “But that’s not how it would be!”
Liam let out a humorless snort, “Surely by now you understand that the truth doesn’t matter, only the perception.”
“Well hell.” She breathed out. Looking at Drake, she asked, “And you’re ok with sneaking around?”
“Being discrete. And yes, out of the limelight is where I like it best anyway.” He answered.
“What about you, love?” Liam leaned toward her, afraid they were going to spook her again, “Is that something you can handle?”
She regarded them both for a moment then nodded. “Yeah. I’ve spent the last four months sneaking around. I did it to see you during the social season, I did it to talk to Drake when I was at Ramsford, and I’ve been doing it on this tour. At least one of my relationships will be out in the open soon. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect this…this….us.” She meant it. Having them both in her life was worth whatever hoops she had to jump through to make it happen.
“Don’t worry too much about the details.” Liam smiled at her, “Those can and will be hammered out as we go. We’ll figure this out, together.”
She drew in a breath, “Yeah, ok.”
“The more immediate issue is getting the public back on your bandwagon.” Drake informed her.
“Exactly.” Liam agreed, “Audrey will help with that. But I think we could all use a break. This morning has been……intense.”
Drake snorted.
“You can say that again.” Riley agreed.
“So let’s relax, eat lunch and let me tell you about your new Duchy.”
Riley blinked, “My new what?”
Liam smiled and his eyes lit up, “To marry the king, you have to be a duchess, with lands and titles of your own. It’s tradition. “
“But I’m not-“
“Oh, you will be! There are several vacant duchies currently and I’ve already picked the one I’m giving you.”
“You’re giving me….a duchy? I’ll be a duchess, like Olivia?”
“I can’t wait to see how Madeleine reacts to that!” Drake said gleefully.
Lunch arrived and Liam shared pictures and information about Valtoria. The three of them discussed possible renovations, additions and what to do with some of the unused land.
“I can’t wait to show it to you in person!” Liam gushed. “I’ll have Rashad draw up the paperwork immediately!”
“Rashad?” Riley said in surprise.
“Yes, in addition to being legal council for his business, he has been my personal councilor for years. I don’t trust Constantine’s guy.”
“Valid.” Drake nodded.
Just as lunch was being taken away by staff, Audrey Toscani arrived. She was a striking figure, tall and imposing. Beautiful and commanding. She was the daughter of an Italian statesman and a Nigerian fashion mogul. The fact that she was there on such short notice spoke to the obscene amount of money Liam was willing to pay for her services.
No one was better at spinning things. No one was better at fixing public opinion. Her clients all came via word of mouth because of course no one openly talked about hiring her. Her genius was pulling strings from behind the curtain. If it was publicly what she was doing and who she was doing it for, she would be failing at her job.
Liam stood to welcome her, “Ms. Toscani, I’m-“
“The king, yes I know and that’s your best friend Drake Walker and this is Riley Campbell, the Everywoman that took Cordonia by storm only to be disgraced at the last moment, forcing you to chose Madeleine Amaranth, a woman you never showed any affection for prior to that night. Interesting. Is she why I’m here?”
“I see you’ve done your homework.” Drake commented.
“Of course.”
“You’re very preceptive.” Liam observed as he retook his seat.
“It’s what I do. Now, which one of you wants to tell me why I’m here? I canceled with a very prestigious client to be here. Your retainer made it worth my while, but still, time is money, tick tock, tick tock.”
“Oh, I like her!” Riley said.
“I’ll get straight to the point,” Liam leaned back in his chair, “I plan to break my engagement to Madeleine, and marry Riley. She’s innocent and we can prove it.”
“But you don’t want any blowback from dumping the countess, who has done no wrong.”
Liam inclined his head in agreement.
“How do you plan to prove her innocence?” Audrey asked.
“We will have Duke Lambros in custody within the day,” Drake explained, “And he will come forward with a statement taking all the blame on himself for the misunderstanding and his completely unreciprocated advances.”
Audrey fixed him with a level stare, “And you’re one hundred percent sure of that outcome?”
“Absolutely.”
She turned to Liam, “And your fiancée? I noticed she’s not here, I assume she has no clue this is coming?”
“She knows I don’t love her, can’t stand her, in fact. The feeling is mutual. But she still expects and wants to be crowned queen.”
“So, my job is to rehabilitate Riley’s image and neutralize Madeleine?”
“Yes.”
She thought for a few moments. “Ok, here’s what we’re going to do. First, we need to start some rumors circulating. What’s next on your itinerary?”
“My bachelor party is tonight.”
“Where is it and who’s catering it?”
Drake pulled the information up on his tablet and handed it to her.
She spent several minutes reading then handed it back to him, “Can you find out which waiters will be working that party?”
“Sure, we have a list, everyone has to be vetted.” He tapped a few times then handed it back to her.
She took it, tapped through a few items then handed it to Liam, “See this waiter?”
Liam took the tablet, “Yes. What about him?”
“He’s a media informant. There are people in the service industry who make extra money by slipping celebrity gossip to the tabloids. You need to tell someone, within his hearing, that you know Lady Riley is innocent, you have proof and that you are now having second thoughts about marrying another woman.”
“Ok, that’s easy.” Liam agreed.
“But not enough. Next, we need someone to leak information to the press. We have to let the rumor mill swirl that Lady Riley is not only innocent, but still in love with you, and you with her, and you’re being kept apart by circumstances beyond your control. If there’s anything the public likes more than a Cinderella story, it’s a Romeo and Juliet story.”
“Madeleine-“ Liam started.
“Is such a good friend to you and a kind and generous soul that she offered to marry you, for Cordonia’s sake, knowing you don’t love her, but she couldn’t bare to see you with a broken heart and realized you couldn’t pick another because of your feelings for your one true love. She’s hoping her engagement to you buys you the time you need to clear your true love’s name so that you can be together. So selfless. When she is finally questioned about it, any other narrative will make her look jealous and like the mean-spirited obstacle in the path of true love. She should agree with this version of events to save her own image. After all, the alternative is that she lost not just a crown prince this time, but a king.”
“Wow, you are good.” Liam breathed.
“Even I’m impressed. And I’m not easy to impress.” Drake agreed.
“We need an informant that’s believable. Someone close to you, but they can’t suspect any of it comes from you. If they get one whiff that you are trying to control the narrative, the whole thing backfires and blows up in your face.”
Drake shook his head, “None of his closest confidantes would betray him.”
“Not without the proper motivation, you mean. We just need a believable story.”
Riley sat upright, “Oh! I know exactly who!”
“Who?” Liam asked.
Riley explained and Liam picked up his phone, “Alec can have him here within the hour and we can finalize things. Now, let’s talk specific strategies.”
“More than one informant would go a long way toward making the story believable.” Audrey said, “So let’s make a list of people you trust.”
“Should we get Justin involved? As my press secretary, shouldn’t he-“
“No.” Drake shook his head emphatically.
“Why not?”
“I don’t like him.”
“Because you think he’s too touchy feely? Drake-“
“Riley. Listen. I just don’t trust the guy, ok? In fact, did Bert run a background check on him before he hired him?”
“I….I have no idea.”
“Huh. Ok, well, maybe I’ll look into that but promise me you won’t tell that guy anything?”
Riley slid a glance over to Liam.
Liam shrugged, “If Drake doesn’t trust him, that’s enough for me. He has good instincts and he’s never steered me wrong yet.”
“Ok, fine. I won’t tell Justin a damn thing.” She capitulated.
They spent the rest of the afternoon formulating a rock-solid plan and hammering out the details on how to best execute it.
“Ok,” Liam sighed, glancing at his watch, “this has been fun, but I have to get ready for my bachelor party. Drake, you too.”
“Right. I’ll get Riley back to her room and meet you in the limo?”
“That works.”
“Keep my updated, I’ll be in touch.” Audrey swept out of the room without waiting for anyone to answer.
There was an awkward silence as the three of them stood, then Drake cleared his throat, “You know what? I’ll wait for Riley outside the door. Give you two some privacy to say goodbye.”
“Thank you, Drake.” Liam said. He still wasn’t sure how, exactly, they were going to navigate this situation, but he was determined to figure it out. Riley and Drake were the two people he loved most in the world, he had to believe there was a way to make it work.
He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms, “I’ll be thinking of you every moment until I see you again.”
Her arms went around his neck, “Me too. I love you Liam.” She felt free to say it now, to feel it now.
He kissed her, a long, lingering kiss, then pulled away with a sigh. “No matter how much time we spend together, it never feels like enough.”
“No, it doesn’t. But hopefully we won’t have to hide much longer.” She smiled up at him.
“Ok.” He sighed, “You have to go, I have to attend this stupid party.”
“Have fun.” She told him.
“I won’t.” He assured her. “I’d much rather be spending the evening with you.”
She gave him one last smile as she slipped out the door and shut it behind her.
Hey everyone! I wrote this a couple years ago and I’ve been thinking of continuing the story. I figured it’s the perfect time of year to continue this story, for obvious reasons. But first I need to call attention to the original story. This is part 1. Part 2 can be found on my masterlist. I’ve tagged my new list. I will tag and reblog part 2 in a few days. Thanks so much for your support! ~~Liz
Ok so this fic takes a break from the current MHTA, 5 years later angsty timeline and jumps ahead quite a few years to give a glimpse of my favorite poly as parents at Christmas time. It is based off the prompts “Don’t be a grinch” and “I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus” given to me by It will be posted in two parts. I am also submitting this for @choices-december-challenge hosted by @kinda-iconic for day 8: Family and day 9: Decoration.
Warning: This contains spoilers for the current MHTA, 5 years later series. If you prefer to not witness a glimpse into the future of this series, please don’t read this. Riley, Liam and Drake are in a polyamorous relationship in this series. If that’s not your thing, then please don’t read this.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry. I am simply borrowing them.
Oh, and to my new friend @zaffrenotes : I know you said you were a serial monogomist, but this is part 1 of the prompt fic we were talking about if you’d like to check it out 😊
This is the next part in my series My Heart Torn Apart, 5 Years later. Chapters should be read chronologically. You can find previous chapters on my masterlist here.
Book: The Royal Romance. It takes place after book 3 of the original series and does not consider any events that occur in The Royal Heir or the Royal Finale.
Pairings: Liam x Drake x Riley. This is a poly relationship, so please don't read if that's not your thing. Also Bastien x Olivia. Some parts of this series will be NS*W, and all parts contain adult themes. This particular part is pretty lemony so please don't read if you are under the age of 18.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry, I am simply borrowing them.
Olivia lingered outside the entrance to the royal apartment, waiting for Bastien to finish giving orders through his headset. She gave him a coy little smile as he turned to face her, his steel-grey eyes swooping from her feet up to meet her emerald pools. He swallowed as his look gave Olivia chills.
“I’m sorry about dinner,” he said, his voice a bit more throaty than usual. She smiled and took a step closer so he could breathe in her scent. “It’s not like you don’t have a good excuse,” she said. Then she lowered her voice and whispered in a sultry tone, “I’m still hungry. How about a midnight snack?” She winked at him and he swallowed again, audibly.
He just couldn’t believe the effect this woman had on him. It took all of his restraint to keep himself from kissing her right here. He imagined her wearing nothing but those stilettos and back-seam stockings with her fiery hair wild and green eyes dark with lust. What was happening? He tried to push his thoughts away as he smiled at her. “I think that sounds perfect. I'll be relieved shortly. Do you care to wait here or shall I meet you?” Olivia leaned forward again to whisper close to his ear, “I’m not letting you out of my sight this time.” The feel of her hot breath on his neck sent flutters to the pit of his belly. He shifted uncomfortably to accommodate his hardening member. He was speechless and breathless as she smiled and took a few steps back to lean against the wall.
Bastien cleared his throat as he tried to focus on business. “So I assume there will be a press conference tomorrow, correct?” Olivia nodded. “Yes of course. Do you have any idea of Madeline’s whereabouts?” He shifted his weight as he shrugged and avoided her eyes. “I’ve sent patrols out to search for her. They will be covering all the routes from here to Fydelia.” Something about his response did not sit well with her. She felt like he knew more than he let on. Maybe Liam was right to not trust him. Perhaps his loyalty should be in question.
She smiled at him as a guard approached them and Bastien pulled him to the other side of the hall to debrief him. There was a definite spark between her and Bastien. But she had to stay focused. She had to earn his trust completely, become his confidante. She swallowed as he turned to face her. He took his earpiece from his ear and took a step toward her as he held out his elbow for her to link her arm through his. “Ready for that snack?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Most definitely,” she said with a smile as she slid her arm through his. He led her down the hallway away from the royal apartment.
Olivia squealed when she realized where Bastien was leading her. “We’re going to raid the palace kitchen, aren’t we?” Even though she hadn’t meant a literal midnight snack, her stomach rumbled at the thought. Bastien smiled and nodded as they slipped into the dark kitchen. She released his arm as he walked over to the far wall to flip the light switch. Olivia couldn’t help but smile as she opened the large refrigerator to peruse its contents. “This is so cool. Liam, Drake and I used to come down here late at night to raid the kitchen for snacks.” She grabbed a plate of cheese and crackers and set them on the counter.
Bastien smiled at the duchess from across the room. “Yes, I remember.” He crossed his arms across his chest and chuckled as Olivia popped a cracker with cheese into her mouth and looked at him in surprise. “You knew? I don’t understand. How…..” Bastien giggled again and crossed the room before he responded. He grabbed a cracker and some cheese. “Lady Olivia, I knew everything that happened in this palace, it was my duty. It still is my duty.” He popped the snack into his mouth and motioned upwards. Olivia followed his gaze and saw a small camera lens embedded into one of the light fixtures. Her mouth dropped open as she looked around the kitchen. Now that she had noticed one, she could see those little cameras everywhere. “Oh my god. You mean, you saw everything that happened in this kitchen?” Bastien grinned as Olivia’s face flushed deep red.
“Lady Olivia, I see everything that happens in public areas of this palace. Once again, it is my duty. But you don’t have to worry.” He popped another cracker into his mouth. He gazed into her eyes with a gentle smile and tucked an unruly strand of red curls behind her ear. “Discretion is also my duty,” he said softly. “Your childhood secrets are safe with me.”
Olivia couldn’t help feeling a bit flustered as she recalled all of the dumb things she had done under Bastien’s watchful eye. She remembered the brief romance she and Liam had when they were teenagers. He kissed her for the first time in this kitchen. She also lost her virginity to him, bent over the kitchen island in the middle of the room. And then there was that day about a year later when Liam was out of town and she and Drake had gotten hold of some whiskey and they went to the kitchen for some ice cream and they made out by that same island. Yes, Bastien knew a lot of her secrets.
She shook it off and smiled at him sweetly. “What happens in the kitchen, stays in the kitchen?” He laughed heartily. “Something like that, yes.” Olivia moved closer to him as she gave him a sultry look. She positioned herself directly in front of him and continued to move closer until she was pressed against him and he was up against the counter. “In that case, I guess I can do this,” she barely whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips into his. They kissed softly at first, then Bastien moaned into the kiss as he deepened it. He allowed his hands to roam freely, one tangled up in her hair and the other cupped her ass cheek and pulled her close.
Olivia forgot everything in that moment, forgot her focus, her mission. All she knew was Bas and how he made her feel. Passion flowed through her, all the way to the tips of her toes and back to the pit of her belly. She was breathless as he kissed her and she could feel his hardness pressing against her pelvis. She broke the kiss and moaned softly as she hiked her dress up to wrap one leg around his waist. They locked eyes as Olivia grinded into his pelvis.
“Oh, Bas, I–.” Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper as her emerald eyes grew dark with lust. She fumbled with his belt and unbuttoned his pants, then pulled down the zipper and slid her hand inside. She stroked him slowly as he slid his hand around from her ass and slipped it up the slit of her dress. Her legs quivered as his fingers slid her panties to the side and slowly circled her clit, then moved down and sunk into her wet center. Olivia trembled as she felt tension growing in her belly and she locked onto his steely gaze. She was so close. So close to being putty in his hands.
The vibration came from Bastien’s hip. Olivia felt it radiate into her leg as they both froze. His look changed almost immediately as he slid his fingers from inside her. He pushed her back slightly and buttoned his pants as he looked at her apologetically. “My apologies, Lady Olivia. I must check my phone.” She nodded, “Yes of course.” Her heart still raced and she felt a little breathless. She smoothed her dress and her hair and tried to compose herself, but she felt like her insides were jello. She watched him as he answered his phone, his voice even and professional. He moved to the other side of the room and Olivia was still so flustered that she didn’t even think to try to eavesdrop. How did he do that? He turned off his passion and emotions like a switch.
She marvelled at him as she watched him on the phone. And people thought she was the ice princess? Olivia was raised to control her emotions at all times, especially in public. She thought she was pretty good at it too.
But the duchess may have met her match.
************************************************
Bastien was more than annoyed when his phone vibrated. Inwardly, he growled in frustration as he moved across the room and glanced at the screen. Someone was calling him at this hour? The screen flashed ‘unknown’ as it buzzed in his hand. He pressed the answer button and struggled to keep his voice even and unemotional.
“Hello. This is Bastien.”
Silence. But he could hear shaky breathing on the line. He said hello again and listened to the same breathing. His annoyance turned to anger. “Look, I’m a very busy man. I don’t have time for games. Say something or I’m hanging up and I’ll have this call traced. Just because you blocked your number doesn’t mean I can’t find you.”
“I need to know where we stand,” a female voice whispered shakily.
He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to think of something to say quickly. Shit, she must be an idiot. Why was she calling him? “Now is not a good time. Have you reached your destination?”
She sighed deeply. “Not yet. I’m almost there. I had to stop for a bit.” Bastien rolled his eyes but kept his voice and demeanor unassuming. “You shouldn’t have stopped. People are on your tail. Get moving. We’ll be in touch.”
He hung up the phone and spun around right into Olivia’s arms. She looked up into his eyes innocently and smiled at him sweetly. “You’ll be in touch with who?” Bastien didn’t miss a beat. He smiled at her. “It was just Mara wanting a debriefing of tonight’s events. She just came on duty. I told her I’d talk to her later.” Olivia narrowed her eyes then opened her mouth to respond but Bastien did not allow it. He pressed his mouth to hers as he explored the inside of her mouth with his tongue. He pulled away after a few minutes.
“Lady Olivia, I have enjoyed our ‘snack’ very much. However, I am afraid I really must get some sleep. I have to be back on duty at 7am. May I escort you back to your quarters?” The duchess nodded dreamily as she gazed into his eyes. She laced her fingers through his, completely enraptured with him as he led her through the halls and to her door. He kissed her one more time, then said goodnight.
She opened her door and shut it behind her. She leaned up against the door and closed her eyes, her lips still tingled from his kiss and her body was on fire from his touch. Her stomach fluttered and her mind felt foggy. What the fuck just happened? She had never experienced anything like this.
Yes, the duchess had definitely met her match. A dangerous match.
I so love this story! I love seeing how vulnerable these characters can be. I enjoyed the dreams and their significance as well. Kenna wondering if her mother would approve of her choices is very relatable.
Yes. Annelyse gives much more diplomatic advice than Val, of course. I love how you show the different strengths of the two women and it’s easy to see how both could be a good choice
Poor Kenna, so unsure of what to do and needing guidance but having no one to turn too. I love how you show her vulnerability. And the exchange between Annelyse and Val is awesome too. Annelyse shows respect to Val for saving Kenna’s life. Those ladies really do compliment each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This really shows how difficult Kenna’s choice was
Song Inspiration: Why Does it Have to Be Wrong or Right? by Restless Heart
Rating: M for mature themes and mild language
Warnings: none really for this chapter
My other stuff: Master List.
An hour later they reconvened.
“Bastien is on a flight back to Cordonia. He has been locked out of all our systems. He has a tail; all his communications are under surveillance. His house has been tapped. If he’s working with anyone, we’ll know it.” Drake said with satisfaction.
“Good.” Liam responded, “Mara has been briefed on her new responsibilities and everyone that needs to know about the change has been notified. She’ll be briefing those under her command today. Now we need to turn our attention to neutralizing my father. Once that’s done, assuming there is no one else involved, we will finally be free of this mess, pending finding Tariq of course.”
“I estimate that will happen within the next day or two.” Drake informed him, “When I spoke to Toussaint earlier, he said they have narrowed it down to about a dozen residences paid for in cash that are in the area he was last spotted in.”
“We’ll need boots on the ground when that happens. We should dispatch-“
“Way ahead of you Li. I called last night from the limo just before the state dinner and made arrangements to deploy a small detachment-“
“Before we knew who the traitor was?” Liam asked.
“Yeah, ok, listen though. While I could not rule out the traitor being one of my guys, I knew it wasn’t any of these guys! I handpicked them Li and I swear to you, I would trust them with my life.”
Liam held his hands up, “Ok, ok. So when will they be on the ground in LA?”
“Tonight.”
“Perfect. Are we going to have any issues with local law enforcement?”
Drake sighed, “No. I called my grandfather.”
“I take it he agreed to help?” Liam asked.
Drake nodded.
Liam lifted an eyebrow, “Then why do you look so annoyed?”
“He had a condition.”
“What was the condition?” Liam and Riley asked at the same time.
Drake sighed an even bigger sigh, “When we get to New York, I have to go visit him.”
Liam threw back his head and laughed.
Riley gave Drake a look and said, “He’s your grandfather. Of course you should visit him!”
“You don’t know him Campbell.” Drake shook his head, “He’s an ass.”
Riley gave him an ‘oh really’ look, which made Liam laugh some more.
“I think she’s trying to say that he sounds just like you!”
“Yeah, I got that.” Drake was ready to change the subject. His family drama was just….too much drama. Riley had no idea.
“Ok, back to how we’re going to contain Constantine.” Drake scowled at them both.
“Right.” Liam got serious again, “He’s really sick. He was supposed to meet us in Shanghai, but Regina tells me he isn’t strong enough to travel. So here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to have a full-scale hospital installed at the palace, I’ve already made some preliminary phone calls. We’ll spin it as needing to keep him at the palace because it’s more secure than the hospital.”
“Which is true.”
“Yes, but this allows us to control who he sees, who he speaks to, everything. He can’t leave. I’ll make sure that all the drivers know not to bring a car around for him unless it’s cleared through me. We can monitor his visitors, his calls, incoming and outgoing mail-“
“I’ll place one of my guards at the palace as a butler-“
“And I’ll ensure the head butlers knows that whoever it is will be exclusively in charge of the mail.”
“I’ll put someone in the kitchen as well-“
“To make sure no one is sneaking any communications in with his meals. Good idea. You should also place someone as an aide to the medical staff-“
“To monitor in person visitors.” Drake finished.
“Wow!” Riley said.
They both paused and turned to look at her.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt, but you two together, it’s like you’re thinking with the same brain! It’s pretty impressive.”
“Thanks?” Drake said.
“Haha, I suppose it’s true. We have been working together to solve problems since we were small children. So there’s that.” Liam said.
“Right!” Drake laughed, “Coordinating sneaking past the king, queen and all the guards was good training for real life political intrigue.”
“Ha. I’ll bet!” Riley giggled, “Ok, like I said, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt, please, get back to it.”
Drake turned back to Liam, “What about Regina? Do we trust her?”
It was Liam’s turn to sigh, “I don’t know. This doesn’t seem her style, but we can’t be sure. So while I can’t restrict her to the palace-“
“We can place a tail on her, tap her phones, monitor her emails and put a member of my team in with her personal maids to keep an eye on who comes to visit her. Anything else?”
“Maybe you should place someone as a driver-“
Drake scoffed, “Most of your drivers are already undercover guard.”
“What?”
“Oh, you think I just let you drive around without someone in the car that knows how to protect you at all times?” Drake fixed him with an acrid stare.
“I thought that’s why I have Alec….”
Drake scoffed again, “Like you take him everywhere. Even though I told you to.”
“Ok, ok. Fair enough. What about Madeleine?”
“Li, we should have been monitoring her from the beginning! I’ve always believed she was involved.”
“The timing of her offer could be construed as suspect-“
“She has every motive to want Riley out of the picture!”
“Riley huh?” Liam asked.
Drake flushed. “Campbell. Whatever.”
Riley looked back and forth between them. She had noticed that Drake reverted to her first name when he was experiencing strong emotions or was very serious. Had Liam picked up on that as well?
There was a knock at the door.
“Are we expecting anyone?” Drake asked as he walked over to answer it.
“No.” Liam replied.
Drake opened the door to find Jason standing there with a huge shit eating grin on his face.
“I take it this is good news Toussaint?”
Jason stepped into the room and glanced around before asking, “Is it safe to speak freely?”
“Yeah.” Drake replied as he closed the door.
“We got him!” Jason crowed.
“Tariq?” Drake asked.
“Yes! We found the bastard!”
Riley, Liam and Drake all erupted into celebration.
“YES!”
“Thank God, finally!”
“Good job, thank you!”
Riley hugged Drake first, because he was closer, then Liam, then Jason.
Jason seemed surprised by the hug, “Oh, uh, ok, you’re welcome.” He patted her back awkwardly.
“How?” Drake asked.
“We hacked into the reality companies that owned the properties we were looking at, and ran handwriting analysis against the signatures, using documents we were able to obtain here that Duke Lambros has signed in the past. We got a hit then we hacked into security cameras in the area until we got visual confirmation. Easy Peasy.”
“Fuck yeah!” Drake clapped the other man on the back.
“Excellent job, Lieutenant.” Liam congratulated him, “You can expect a bonus with your next paycheck.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty, but it was a team effort.”
“A team that you led. Don’t be modest.” Liam told him, “But if you send me their names, I’ll make sure they get a little something extra too.”
“That’s very generous of you, Your Majesty.”
“I believe that hard work and loyalty should be rewarded. I can’t begin to tell you how much this means to me, to us.” He said shooting a glance at Riley.
“I’ll need the address to give to my guys that are enroute as we speak. And we’ll need to coordinate with local law enforcement, so they are aware. We already have clearance from the U.S. government.” Drake said.
“You got it boss.” Jason wrote the address down on a notepad from Liam’s desk.
“They will arrest him and escort him to our embassy in New York?” Liam asked.
“That’s the plan.” Drake answered, “Thank you Toussaint, you have no idea how happy you’ve made me! I knew I begged you to come work for me for a reason!”
Jason laughed at that. “You were pretty damn persuasive and I have to say, I don’t regret it. If there’s nothing else?”
Drake looked at Liam, who shook his head, “No, nothing else, Lieutenant, dismissed.”
Jason grinned as he saluted, “Captain.” He turned to bow to Liam and Riley, “Your Majesty, Lady Riley.”
After he left, Riley hugged both Drake and Liam again, “I can’t believe it’s finally over!”
“He’ll be in custody soon and once he issues a public statement, your name will be officially cleared, my love!”
“But, how do we know he’ll make the statement?” Riley asked anxiously.
“Trust me, we have ways of compelling-“ Liam began.
“Oh, he’ll make that statement if I have to beat it out of him!” Drake assured her.
“That likely won’t be necessary,” Liam continued, “I can merely threaten to strip him of his lands and titles.”
“You can do that?” Riley gasped.
Liam smiled indulgently, “Yes, love, this isn’t America. The monarchy has considerable power. I can and I will. But it won’t be necessary, he’ll capitulate. I’ve known Tariq since we were kids. He won’t risk losing his fortune or his status.”
“What about the countess of cruelty? I can’t imagine she’ll do down without a fight.” Drake said.
“Yes, that’s true. I’ve already taken steps to ensure that there will be no negative blow back from the press or the public when I break our engagement.”
Drake looked at him skeptically, “How are you going to do that, exactly?”
“I’ve retained the services of Audrey Toscani.”
Drake let out a low whistle, “Wow. Bringing in the big guns.”
“Who’s that?” Riley asked.
“The best political fixer on the continent.” Liam answered.
“A political fixer? Like Olivia Pope?” Riley asked.
“Who?” Liam looked at her in confusion.
“You know, Scandal?”
“What scandal?”
“I think it’s a TV show Li.” Drake said.
“It was a TV show, never mind, I know what a political fixer is.” Riley said.
“Anyway,” Liam continued, “I’ll break my engagement to Madeleine, Tariq will clear your name and then we can move forward with announcing our engagement!”
Riley froze, her gaze darting back and forth between Liam and Drake, “Oh….”
Liam rushed on, excitement shining from his eyes, “We’ll sway public opinion back in your favor, the people loved you before, they’ll love you again! We can spin it into a star-crossed lover’s story, the press will eat it up. We’ll finally be able to be together publicly, like it should have been from the beginning!”
Riley felt panic rising in her chest and tears creeping into her eyes.
As Liam continued to talk, Drake’s eyes were glued on Riley. Her distress was clearly evident. His gaze flicked back to Liam, who was so wrapped up in the plans he was making, that he wasn’t noticing Riley’s reaction.
“Li…Li…Liam! Stop!”
Liam stopped in midsentence and turned to Drake in confusion, “What?”
“Give her a minute, ok? I think she needs to process some things.”
“Drake-“
“Seriously Li, you’re not-“
Liam scowled at him, “You promised to accept it if she chose me. You said you would respect her choice.”
“And I can, and I will, but would you give her a minute to make one?” He gestured toward her.
“I can’t do this!” Riley’s voice drew both their attention. The tears were now streaking down her face.
“Riley, love, I’m sorry, I didn’t-“
“Campbell, don’t-“
“I can’t! I can’t do this! I can’t choose between you; I can’t give either of you up and it’s not fair to anyone! And I can’t be the thing that comes between you! I cannot be the wedge in your friendship! I….I have to leave!”
“NO!” Both men yelled.
“Leave, go where?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, leave. Back to New York. The sooner, the better. I can be on a plane tonight!” The tears were now pouring down her face as sobs wracked her body, she ran for the door.
Drake was closer to the door, and he moved faster. By the time she reached it, his body was between her and the exit.
“Move Drake!” She yelled at him as she tried to push him out of the way.
“Please, Riley, wait!” His voice held a desperation she had never heard before. It only made her cry harder.
She hit him, her fists pounding on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and looked over her head at Liam in a panic. He mouthed, “DO SOMETHING! FIX THIS!”
Liam looked back at him with the same panic rising in his chest, threw his hands up in the air and mouthed, “LIKE WHAT?!” He spun around, both hands gripping his hair, mind racing furiously. Shit! Shit! Shit! Why had he pushed the issue? What was he going to do now? What could he do?
He paced the floor frantically. There had to be a solution, but what? She wasn’t willing to break anyone’s heart and he couldn’t live without her. If only there was a way they could all be happy. Suddenly he stopped pacing, his eyes widened, and he spun around to stare at Drake in stunned realization.
She had stopped struggling and was sobbing hysterically in Drake’s arms. Drake’s hand stroked down her hair and her back trying to calm her. He returned Liam’s gaze and asked, “What?”
“Oh my God.” Liam breathed as he made his way across the room to them. “Riley, love, sweetheart, please. Can I?” He gently pulled her from Drake’s arms.
She went without resistance from Drake’s embrace into Liam’s, tears still cascading down her face.
Liam led her back to the chair she had vacated and gently eased her into it. He knelt in front of her, slightly to her right, “Drake, could you get her something for her tears?”
Drake glanced around the room until his gaze fell on a small towel on the drink cart. He grabbed that and took it to her, then he pulled another chair next to her and sat on her other side, rubbing her back with one hand and resting the other on her leg. He gave Liam a puzzled, but hopeful look. He didn’t care if she married Liam. Well, he cared, but it was preferable to her leaving and not being in his life at all.
Liam reached up and placed one hand gently on her shoulder, the other on her leg, “Please, love, calm down. I need you to listen. I have a solution. But you have to calm down and listen. Can you do that?”
His voice was so gentle and tender, it made her cry harder, but she nodded as she fought to get her emotions under control. She turned her head into Drake’s shoulder and reached for Liam’s hand. She felt calmer, more grounded, once she was touching them both. She focused on that feeling and slowly her sobbing began to subside. She pulled away from them and wiped her face. She drew in a few more deep, shuddering breaths before she was able to lift her head and look at either of them. She slowly brought her eyes up to meet Liam’s.
He looked back at her with such love and tenderness, the tears threatened again, but she kept them at bay. Barely.
“Are you ok now, love? Are you ready to listen to my idea?” His hand had grasped hers again and his fingers stroked her palm.
She didn’t trust herself to speak so she nodded.
“There’s a way that you don’t have to choose.” He said softly.
Drake’s head snapped up and his eyes locked on Liam. He couldn’t mean….
Riley’s face was crumpled in confusion, “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’d like to propose a solution, an arrangement, that will include everyone.”
Drake gasped in shock, “Liam, you would agree to that?”
Liam’s eyes shot over to Drake then quickly back to Riley, to focus on her face, so vulnerable and desolate. “Yes. I would give her anything.”
Riley looked back and forth between them, still confused, “What are you talking about?”
“Love,” Liam said gently, still rubbing her hand, “Remember when I told you about the arrangement Madeleine offered me?”
“Yeah…”
“Remember how I told you that these types of arrangements are fairly common in Cordonia?”
She nodded again, still not really understanding where he was going.
Drake snorted, “So common they are literally called Cordonian Arrangements.”
“Quite.” Liam continued, “Riley. I’m offering you one.”
“You’re offering me…what, exactly?”
Liam cleared his throat and glanced at Drake for help, “A Cordonian Arrangement.”
Drake clarified, “It’s an agreement, either informal or written into the marriage contract, granting permission to have, uh, relationships outside the marriage.”
“Like an affair?” She’d circle back to the fact that they had marriage contracts later.
“Not exactly.” Liam explained, “An affair implies secrecy and betrayal. This is more of an open relationship, committed non-monogamy. Something fairly common here. It can be broad, as in allowing either spouse to engage in, well, sexual acts and even full-blown emotional relationships with whoever they choose. Those are generally used for couples that spend a significant amount of time away from each other.”
“Or they can be specific.” Drake continued, “Either in parameters for what’s allowed, or who.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“It means it can specify when it can happen, only on weekends or when one spouse is out of the country, for example. Or it can specify what is allowed, limiting sex to certain acts but not others. It really varies widely because it’s specific to each individual couple and what they agree on.” Drake told her.
“Or it can be exclusive to certain people, or one other person. In this case, I would be agreeing to accept your relationship with Drake. This means we can still marry, assuming you agree, and whatever is going on between the two you can continue.” He tried to keep his voice as even as possible. Any hint that he wasn’t fully on board might send her running to pack again.
She blinked at him, not quiet trusting this turn of events, “And you would be ok with that?”
“Darling, I’ve been dealing with it since Italy. It’s not like this is new information for me. And listen, I thought I would have to marry for duty, I was resigned to have to spend my life with someone like Madeleine, for the good of Cordonia. Having love in my life, it’s far more than I ever dared dream possible. Being able to marry the woman I love? An even further reach. Absolutely not something I ever thought would be possible. Having you in my life at all, is already more than I ever hoped for. I love you, I don’t own you. If this is what needs to happen to keep you in my life, then yes, I am whole heartedly ok with it!” He brought her hand to his mouth to drop kisses along the back. “Please say yes!”
She stared at him in astonishment for a moment then turned to Drake, “And you? You would be ok with this?”
“Campbell…Riley,” He laughed softly, “My God, yes! Is that even a serious question? I have been in torment since that first night in New York, trying to fight my feelings for you because of my friendship with Liam. And I have consistently failed. I already told you, I’m not the possessive type and I would never make you choose between us! That fact that you love me at all is still a source of astonishment for me. I don’t know what you see in me. But if you’re telling me that I can be free to love you and not betray my best friend in the process…. I can’t find the downside to that! I told you the other night that I wanted to be in your life in whatever capacity you wanted me there. I don’t care what it looks like. I’m all in.”
Riley looked down at her lap then nervously shot a glance at Liam, then Drake. She could find nothing, in either of their faces, that indicated they were anything but on board with this arrangement. Hope began to trickle through her. She looked back to Liam and gave him a tentative smile.
His heart clenched in his chest, hope surged through him, he tightened his grip on her hand and asked, “Is that a yes?”
Her eyes slid over to find Drake’s locked on her, hope and fear mingling in his expression. She turned back to Liam and nodded.
“Yes?” He nodded, he really needed to be sure they were on the same page.
She nodded too, “Yes!”
“Oh, thank God!” He stood, pulling her into an embrace.
Drake stood awkwardly to the side, rubbing the back of his neck.
When she released Liam, she turned and threw herself into Drake’s arms.
“Oof! Warn me next time!” But he smiled as he embraced her. His eyes found Liam’s and he mouthed, “Thank you!”
Liam shrugged. He’d done what he had to do to keep her in his life. Now he just hoped he could live with the consequences.
