#bertrand x riley

[harleybeaumont]

Never Have I Ever

Chapter 21 - Let's Just Forget the World

Book- TRR

Series- Never Have I Ever

Pairings- Bertrand x MC 

Chapter Synopsis- Bertrand has a surprise for Riley.

Chapter Warnings- language, drinking, innuendo -but mostly this is a fluffy chapter

Rating - Mature

Word Count- 1,830

A/N - once again, sorry it's been a while since I've posted a chapter. I included a snippet of what happened in chapter 20 to refresh your memory.

A/N 2- submitting for @choicesprompts flufftober event

Song Inspiration - this song is absolutely perfect for this chapter and gives me all the feels. Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol.

_____________________________________________________________

When they arrived back at the estate, it was already dinner time. Riley quickly popped into Max’s bedroom to check on him, and found him sound asleep in bed.

“I’m starving.” Riley sighed as she made her way toward the kitchen, taking a seat beside Bertrand at the bar.

“What would you like to eat? The chef has left for the night, but I can call and have something delivered for you.”

“Anything.. But you pick! I am mentally drained and honestly don’t think I could make another decision tonight if my life depended on it.”

Bertrand opened his mouth to protest, but paused as an idea hit him. “I know just the thing,” he smiled shyly and pulled out his phone.

He was going to have to step way out of his comfort zone for this. 

Chapter 21- Let’s Just Forget the World

After half an hour of bustling around the estate, Bertrand was finally ready to let Riley into his room to show her what he had been working on. He paused outside of the closed bedroom door nervously, starting to have second thoughts. “Why don’t we just go out and pick up dinner instead?”

“Nuh-uh. I have got to see what you’ve been up to. Now let me in.. before I make you,” she smirked teasingly, tracing her fingers down the front of his chest.

Bertrand sucked in a sharp breath and a shiver ran down his spine at her touch. There was no way he could say no to her. He had already accepted that fact. “Alright,” he grinned, reluctantly stepping aside.

He slowly swung the door open and Riley gasped, throwing her hand over her mouth. “Bert..” Her eyes began welling up with tears as she stepped toward the sitting area of his bedroom which had been converted into a blanket fort, with pizza, wine, and pillows on the floor. Fairy lights, which she was pretty sure he got from Max, were laid across the top of the blankets, casting a warm glow around the room. 

Bertrand watched her face with a mixture of hope and apprehension. He had never done anything so ridiculous or sentimental for anyone before and it was terrifying. “I.. I just thought that-”

Riley immediately engulfed him in a hug, squeezing tightly and burying her face in his chest. She sniffled and when she pulled back she was grinning ear to ear. “You did this?”

“I.. Yes.”

“You, Bertrand Beaumont, made a blanket fort.. for us?”

He felt his cheeks heat up and he opened his mouth, not sure what to say. “If you don’t like it, we can go to a nice restaurant or something!”

“This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me!” She wrapped her arms around him again, squeezing tightly. “I’m so touched that you would share such a special family tradition with me. Thank you.” 

He grinned, shocked that she recalled the story he told her about he and Maxwell doing this with their mother when they were young. “You remember?”

“Of course I do! I remember everything you say, Bert.” She laughed at his skeptical smile, “I mean, most things. I’m sorry I can’t remember things like King Leopold’s favorite goldendoodle’s middle name.. but when it comes to you, I remember everything.”

He chuckled as his cheeks pinkened, “You’re just flattering me.”

“I’m not, but I accept your flattery.”

The two sat beside one another under the blanket canopy and Bertrand poured them a glass of wine while Riley placed a slice of pizza on each of their plates. She was absolutely radiating excitement and Bertrand couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.

“What?” She grinned in his direction before taking a sip from her glass.

Bertrand shook his head, chuckling. “Nothing.”

“Are you laughing at me?!”

“I am not. I’m just..I just feel..”

He looked away shyly and she took his hand. “Feel what?”

He met her eyes. “Happy.”

Her heart swelled and she rubbed her thumb across the back of his knuckles. “Me too.”

Bertrand looked up at the blanket draped over their heads, grinning thoughtfully. “This is the silliest thing I have ever done in my entire life, but I cannot imagine anything else I’d rather be doing right now.” 

Riley laced her fingers with his and squeezed. “Me too.”

Once they were full of pizza and wine, they lay on their backs in companionable silence. Riley turned to face him. “So what should we do now?”

“Are you ready for bed?” He yawned, “I’m afraid I had a bit too much wine and my eyelids are getting heavy.”

“No way! I have a tipsy Bertrand Beaumont in a blanket fort.. We have to do something fun.”

“Oh?” His mouth went dry as he pictured what type of fun she had in mind.

“Let’s play a game!”

“Oh.” He realized that he sounded way too disappointed, and tried to correct that. “Alright, what did you have in mind?”

She leaned closer and grinned. “What about, never have I ever?”

He gulped, “I uh.. I believe we’ve played that one before.”

Riley rolled onto her back, a light-hearted laugh escaping her. Her eyes traced the intricate pattern and stitching of the quilt that rested over the chair backs, forming the ceiling of their blanket fort. She couldn’t hold back a smile as she continued to gaze straight up, too overcome with emotion to even glance at the man beside her. She could feel his eyes on her and hear his steady breathing, and she closed her eyes, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne.. Subtle notes of bergamot and sandalwood and the natural pheromones on his skin that both comforted her and drove her wild. 

Her heart was bursting from the unbelievable feeling of normalcy, contentment, and utter joy she felt just laying beside him.  

“Never have I ever.. Done anything like this before.”

“Like what?” Bertrand asked.

“Blanket forts! Camping on the bedroom floor.. None of that.”

Bertrand smiled, “I suppose you got me there. For once, there’s something I’ve done that you haven't.”

Riley laughed, and Bertrand sat up slightly and took a sip of his wine. He lay back down, thinking for a moment before grinning. “Never have I ever.. received a gift on Valentine’s day.”

Riley’s mouth dropped open. “Never? Not even from a little secret admirer in school or anything? I find that hard to believe.”

“Nope. Go ahead and drink,” he nodded to her glass of wine. “I’m certain you have received loads of Valentine’s gifts.”

Riley took a sip of her wine and shook her head. “I’ve had a few. Not for a while, but..”

“So what were your best and worst Valentine's gifts?”

“Oof, that’s a tough one,” she groaned with a smile. “The worst was probably from a boyfriend I had in highschool. He gave me a bouquet of fake daisies that were missing half of the flowers from the stems. And inside the middle was a jewelry box. But when I opened it, there was just a condom inside.”

Bertrand made a face. “Wow. That is.. quite a presumptuous gesture.”

“One that got him nowhere,” she rolled her eyes. “The best Valentine’s gift was probably when I was in elementary school. This cute little boy with curly hair, Jordan McCall.. He gave me a plastic ring he had won at the arcade and a bunch of wildflowers he picked from his yard.” She turned toward Bertrand with a smile. “It’s the thoughtful things that mean the most, you know? Something that you put your heart into.”

Bertrand smiled at her for a long moment, but feeling like he had been staring too long, he cleared his throat and looked away. “Um, it’s your turn.”

Riley tapped a finger against her lips in thought. “Ok. Never have I ever.. had sex with my brother’s best friend.”

Bertrand’s mouth dropped open and his face flushed bright red. “Riley!”

She couldn’t stop her laughter and handed him his glass. “Drink up!”

He took a sip, unable to meet her eyes while a small smile pulled at his lips. “That was a cheap shot.”

“I came to win!” Riley nudged him and grinned, “Besides, I can’t help it. I love making you blush.”

“I'm glad that my humiliation amuses you.”

She rolled onto her side to face him and put a hand on his arm. “It’s cute. It totally gives me butterflies.”

Bertrand blushed deeper and looked away as butterflies of his own swarmed his insides. He tried to change the subject. “So, I suppose we’re tied.”

“Not for long,” Riley smiled cheekily. “You’re going down, Beaumont.”

“Oh really?”

“Really! Hit me with your best shot.”

Bertrand thought for a moment before a confident smirk alit his face.  “I definitely have you now Ms. Brooks. Get ready to take a drink. Never have I ever.. had sex with someone because I felt bad for them.”

Riley met his eyes with confusion and she shook her head. “Never.”

Bertrand arched an eyebrow skeptically. “What do you mean? What about.. You know..” He gestured at himself.

Riley’s heart sank. Had he thought this the entire time? “No, Bertrand. That’s not why I- no, never.”

His mind was racing as he asked, “Then.. why?”

Riley chewed the inside of her cheek, trying not to cross the line they had been tiptoeing toward for the last couple months. Screw it. “Bert, I had sex with you because I wanted to. I wanted you.”

His jaw dropped and he was nearly rendered speechless. “You- really?” Like, you really actually wanted to- not as a lesson, but like- really?”

Now it was Riley's turn to blush for once. She hugged her knees to her chest and smiled shyly. “Yes.”

Bertrand stared straight ahead, mind reeling. The silence between them stretched, neither knowing what to say now. 

Riley took a deep breath and reached out, grasping his hand. She looked directly into his eyes as she spoke. “Never have I ever.. told someone that I was in love with them.”

Bertrand released a breath, his eyes searching her face for a few moments. He was certain his heartbeat was loud enough for the entire duchy to hear.

Bertrand rested his hand against her cheek, swiping his thumb gently across her bottom lip. His eyes were full of a deep longing and affection she had never seen from anyone before. 

“Riley..” he breathed out softly and pressed his lips against hers, cradling her face with his hands. The kiss was tender, yet passionate and nothing like anything they had ever shared before. He lay her back against the soft pillows and blankets on the floor, relishing in the fact that it was really Riley kissing him. Her perfect, soft, gorgeous lips were actually against his. She had wanted to kiss him as much as he wanted to kiss her, and as unbelievable as that was, it was amazing and perfect. Bertrand was so overcome with emotion, he thought he might burst. 

They broke apart after a few moments, and Riley leaned forward giving him one more soft kiss before snuggling up to his side and resting her head on his shoulder. Bertrand wrapped his arm around her, resting his hand against her lower back and tracing soft circles with his fingers. The minutes stretched on as the two lay together on his bedroom floor. 

“Riley.. I.. really need to tell you something.” Bertrand murmured softly. When she didn’t respond, he raised his head slightly to look at her. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was slow and steady. She was sound asleep in his arms and everything was right with the world. Heart in his throat, he kissed her head and whispered. “I love you.”

[kristinamae093]

CFWC's Fic of the Week

New Feature!

Every Sunday, we will randomly pick one fic from the previous FOTW listing as the CFWC Fic of the Week.

This fic will be reblogged on CFWC three more times during the following week, giving it more chances to be seen by more people.

Rules:

Only fics submitted to CFWC are eligible - meaning you must have tagged us. Fics found "in the wild" and reblogged are not eligible.

Creator must be following CFWC.

Creators can be selected more than one time; however, no creator can be featured more than 2 times in any calendar month.

This week's Fic of the Week is:

Congratulations @harleybeaumont

We'll start reblogging it tomorrow!

PAST FIC OF THE WEEK MASTER LIST

[angelasscribbles]

Unexpected Chapter 7: Red Flags

Series: Unexpected

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Maxwell, Riley x Liam

Rating: MA

Warnings: None for this chapter

Word Count: 2,221

My other stuff: Master List.

Liam lay on his back staring up at the ceiling, turmoil swirling through him.

He had finally bedded the American suitor. She was still naked, sleeping innocently beside him as he struggled to reconcile the conflicting emotions she inspired in him.

His moment of vulnerability had been real. His developing feelings for her were also real, but he was leading her on with even the implication that he was going to choose her to marry.

He couldn’t. The council would never approve it, his father would never allow it, and the rest of the nobility would never accept it.

The common people and the press might love her, but she was ill-suited to be queen.

None of the other suitors interested him, it was true, but his interests were never the point. He had tried to be fair, tried to give each woman an equal chance but that ended today. There was no point. She was the one that he wanted, but he would never be allowed to make that choice. Last night everything had seemed so simple, but in the cold, harsh light of day, he knew better.

So, while he was done pretending that any other woman had a chance of taking his heart, his impassioned resolve to choose her for marriage crumbled in the face of reality.

He had to tell her, had to be honest with her. He determined to explain the situation to her immediately but as he glanced down at her sleeping form, refusal to accept his fate surged through him. There had to be a loophole. His mind spun with possibilities, solutions, and avenues that would give him what he wanted. There had to be a way. There was always a way.

He picked up his phone and typed a quick message. She stirred in the bed beside him. Tossing the phone aside, he rolled back toward her just as her eyes fluttered open. He smiled at her with genuine warmth. There was no reason to spoil the night they had just shared, especially when there might be a way around all of it.

He ran a hand down the side of her cheek, “Good morning, my love.”

“Mm,” she stretched her entire body before responding, “Good morning.”

God in heaven, why did she have to look so damn good lying in his bed? Like she belonged there. He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek before telling her, “As much as I’d love to stay here with you, I have a meeting to get to. But please, stay as long as you like. I’ll let the guards know to bring you whatever you require. Breakfast, a change of clothes, whatever you need.”

He would give her the world if he could.

“Are you sure you can’t spare a few minutes?” She purred as her arms wrapped around his neck and her body arched into his.

His entire body exploded with heat in response, “I can be late….”

Forty minutes later he was out the door of his suite, humming happily as he made his way to the monthly budget meeting.

He hurried through his morning engagements distractedly, impatient for the only meeting that mattered. The most important one of the day, perhaps of his life.

Just after his luncheon with the Prime Minister of Italy, the answers he’d been waiting for all day arrived.

They were not the answers he had hoped for.

“You can’t marry her,” Drake slapped a manilla folder down on the desk in front of him, “You asked me to look into her background, I looked. She has a criminal record! Even if the council could overlook her commoner status, they won’t, and shouldn’t overlook her history of scamming and fleecing romantic partners.”

“No,” Liam shook his head in denial as he pulled the folder closer, “The initial background check would have found that!”

“Well, technically she’s never been convicted of anything. But I went beyond the initial check. You said to do a deep dive, so I did a deep dive. She’s had more than one complaint lodged against her by people she scammed out of their money.”

“She’s a con artist?” Liam flipped through the file quickly.

“Specifically, she targets men and women with a little bit of wealth. Takes them for what she can get financially, wipes out their bank accounts then disappears. I’m sorry, Li. I know you really liked her. But I doubt her being our waitress that night was an accident.”

“No,” he shook his head again as he closed the file and pushed it back across the desk, “No one knew we were there; she had no way of knowing who I was-“

“Come on, man,” Drake scoffed, “She didn’t have to know you were a prince to know you were loaded. Your high-end clothing, that Rolex on your wrist, Tariq whining for filet mignon…”

“Perhaps. But it couldn’t have been pre-planned. You chose that restaurant at the last second.”

Drake held his hands up in front of him, “All right. I’ll concede that it wasn’t premeditated. But when she realized you had money….”

“But she knew that it was only for one night. She could not have predicted Max asking her to come back with us.”

“No. But when he asked, she sure jumped at the chance, didn’t she?”

“But she couldn’t have known ahead of time that was going to happen. So, what happened between us in New York was real, Drake, I know it was!”

“Even if it was, there’s no way you can marry her. The optics-“

“The press loves her. We can bury this.”

“Look, I get it,” Drake softened at the desperation in Liam’s voice, “Leo had to abdicate the damn throne so we could be together. But-“

“Can it be suppressed?”

“Maybe. But if it ever comes to light, it will do irreparable damage to your reputation. I don’t think it’s a risk worth taking. Especially since she’s probably only playing you for your money. What happens if she marries you then absconds with millions from Cordonia’s coffers?”

Liam’s body sagged heavily into the leather upholstery of his chair as he considered the repercussions. He had to put Cordonia first no matter his own feelings.

Was she really faking everything?

He could handle the nobility; council members could be bribed. His father would be the biggest obstacle to a union with the American.

But he couldn’t marry her if she was only after his money. He couldn’t risk Cordonia, or his heart, like that.

Drake’s voice drew him out of his musings, “Besides that, I’m pretty sure there’s something going on between her and Beaumont.”

Liam’s head snapped up, his brows furrowing, “Bertrand?”

“No,” Drake snorted, “Maxwell.”

Liam sat up straight in his chair, steepling his fingers and bringing them to his lips, “Why do you think that?”

“They’re always together. He acts weird around her-“

“You always think he’s weird.”

“Weirder than usual. And he’s at her door at all hours of the day and night.”

“His house is sponsoring her.”

“It is,” Drake rubbed his eyes with a sigh, “I have no proof. Just my gut instinct.”

Liam tapped his lips as he thought, “He does have a history of being….inappropriate with women at times.”

“At times?” Drake snorted, “Okay.”

“Do you think he’s been harassing her?”

Drake’s mouth fell open, “That’s what you got out of this conversation?”

“No one deserves to be harassed, Drake.”

“No, of course not! I just meant….” He looked up at the ceiling as if beseeching the almighty for intervention, “Fine. I’ll look into it.”

“Thank you. You’re a good friend.”

“Yep,” he muttered under his breath as he rose, “I’ll make sure the scammer isn’t being harassed by the pervert that brought her here.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

Liam checked his watch. He had ten minutes before his next appointment. Pulling his phone from his jacket pocket, he sent a text to Riley asking her to meet him after the official Suitors Dinner Regina had scheduled for the evening.

He got an immediate response. He always did. Was that because she was falling for him or because she was playing him? He needed answers, and he intended to get them.

Riley breezed down the hallway in the suitor's wing of the palace, still on a high from her time with Liam. After a little earth-shattering morning sex, she had ordered a  decadent breakfast of raspberry crêpes, rashers, and a ham and cheese soufflé and then taken her time eating it, savoring every bite.

She had taken Liam up on his offer and sent the guards for her favorite bath products and a change of clothes from the palace boutique. After a long leisurely bath in the impossibly huge soaking tub in the royal suite, she had booked an appointment at the palace spa. Her nails had needed a touch-up. She had gotten in immediately.

Yes, she thought as she made her way back to her room, a girl could get used to this life. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn’t see him until he spoke, “Where were you last night?”

She slid her eyes sidewise at him, “None of your business.”

Max matched her pace, keeping his body as close behind hers as he could without actually touching her, his hands shoved into his pockets to keep himself from touching her, “But you never came back after your meeting with Bert.”

“I came back.”

“To the palace maybe, but not to your own room.”

She stopped outside her door, and he stumbled into her. Turning to face him, she pinched his cheeks between her fingers and leaned close, “We need to have a talk about boundaries, Max.”

She turned back to open her door then pulled him through and closed it.

At the end of the hall and around the corner, a figure watched them from the shadows.

Drake’s brows were drawn together in a frown. Maybe Liam was right. Maybe Max was being creepy with her. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time he’d been inappropriate with a woman. If he were a commoner instead of a son of the nobility, his ass would have been in a jail cell long ago. But his brother always managed to dig him out of trouble somehow. Bribery most likely.

Surely Bertrand would want to know if his brother was harassing their sponsee. He turned on his heel and headed toward the duke’s room.

Bertrand’s head lifted from the copy of Civility: Manners, Morals and the Etiquette of Democracy that had him thoroughly engrossed as an incessant pounding noise issued from the door of his room. With a sigh, he placed a bookmark between the pages, carefully closed the tome, and sat it on the end table with meticulous precision, ensuring it could not be knocked off by a careless passerby.   

He rose from his seated position and took a moment to smooth his clothing out. One never wanted to look rumpled or unkempt, after all. He crossed the room unhurriedly and pulled the door open slowly. His eyes widened as he took in his visitor. “Sir Drake! What are you-“

“Can I come in? It’s kinda important,” Drake shoved past him without waiting for an answer.

“By all means,” Bertrand grumbled as he moved aside, “Why wait for an invitation?”

“Don’t need one.”

“It is my room-“

“In Liam’s palace,” Drake reminded him drily, “Do you want to know what your brother’s up to or do you want me to just report him to-“

“No, no, no!” Bertrand closed the door quickly before anyone happening by could overhear, “Please…” he gestured toward the scattered seating before squeezing his eyes shut as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “What has he done now?”

Drake didn’t bother to sit as he dove in without preamble, “He’s been harassing Riley.”

Bertrand froze as his eyes popped open. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I overheard him questioning her about her whereabouts last night and when she told him it was none of his business, he pressed the issue, and she told him they needed to have a discussion about boundaries.”

“Where was she last night?”

“That doesn’t matter. The point is-“

“Was she with Liam?” Bertrand tried to suppress the glee in his tone.

“I’m not here to divulge Liam’s business. Are you going to put a leash on your brother or do I need to do it?”

“No need for that. I’ll handle it. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.”

“Yeah…sure,” Drake started for the door, pausing with his hand on the knob, he turned back to Bertrand, “By the way…how much do you know about her past?”

“Lady Riley?”

“No, Queen Regina. Yes, Lady Riley!”

“Just that she was your waitress in New York and shared some kind of adventure with the prince. Why do you ask?”

Drake regarded him critically for several long seconds as Bertrand’s body twitched and his eyes darted around the room, landing everywhere but his face.

He was lying.

“No reason.” Drake exited the room and then stood in the hallway outside Bertrand’s door contemplating the duke’s deception. What was he hiding?

He didn’t know, but he was damn sure going to find out.

[txemrn]

Book: TRR/TRH (events actually occur in TRH Book 1)

Pairing: Liam x MC (Riley); Bertrand x Savannah

Word Count: ~2500

Warning: innuendos; a little language; fluffiness

A/N: I usually enjoy writing fairly angsty TRR material, but when I started gearing up for this past week's @kingliamappreciationweek, I decided I really wanted to write something new that wasn't so dramatic. So, I started thinking about how Liam is a history buff... and if y'all don't know this by now, I'm from Texas, and the thought of that tall glass of water knowing about my home state's history...whew... Give me a moment... This is pure silliness. It's a re-write of Bertrand's bachelor party/Savannah's bachelorette party, and it's just... silly. It does not follow canon very well. But, I hope you still enjoy it! Happy KLAW 2023, friends!

A/N 2: This is my submission for @choicesflashfics week 30! I will be using prompt 3: "That's how the story goes." It will be in bold.

A/N 3: These characters and some of the plot belong to our dear friends Pixelberry. This was not truly pre-read or beta'd. Please excuse my errors.

~👑~

"Alright, lil' ladies with the beautiful bride-to-be!" A burly bartender with a thick drawl and matching beard comes out from behind the counter, making his way to Savannah Walker's bachelorette party.  Delivering a tray of golden caramel-colored shots, he piles each one high with decadent whipped cream. "Here ya go: six blow job shots."

Hana spews out her cocktail, covering her mouth with rosy cheeks.

"Mon dieu! Did–did he just say–"

"Like you don't know what that is, Kiara," Olivia snorts. "Drink up, poufiasse."

Savannah, Madeleine, and Riley cover their giggles, leaning into one another as they take their drinks.

"Wait," Hana holds up her hands as they prepare to toast their third round of shots. "Where's Penelope?"

"Oh, I'm here! I'm here!" She runs up, out of breath, her short hair and denim dress completely drenched.

"What on earth happened to you?" Riley starts grabbing napkins.

"I was checking in with my dog sitter, but the reception here is awful. Plus, it's raining like cats and dogs out—oooooo!" Penelope's eyes beam at the sight of the shots. "What are these?" She leans down to sniff before humming in approval.

"Blow jobs," Olivia smirks.

"Oh!" Penelope nods with curious fascination. "Leo said that about my lips one time–"

"He said what?" Madeleine raises an eyebrow.

"I know, I didn't understand what he meant either."

"No, that's not–nevermind."

"Hold up." Riley raises her hands to silence everyone before turning to Penelope. "Raining like cats and dogs?" She grimaces, glancing at Savannah. "I hope the guys are alright–"

"Gunther!" 

The sudden boisterous voice of Drake Walker echoes through the dive bar, the doors swinging loudly, clapping up against the wooden walls. The large bartender turns, then brightens when he sees his old-time customer and friend coming into his establishment. 

"Whiskers, is that you?"

The girls quietly glare at one another, mouthing the word 'whiskers.'  

The two men grab each other's hands in a shake before pulling into a brotherly hug. Liam, Bertrand and Maxwell file in through the door, shaking droplets from their wet clothes.

"You guys!" Riley jumps up to greet her husband. 

Savannah follows behind, wrapping her arms around Bertrand before brushing a kiss against his lips. "What are y'all doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Maxwell chuckles, throwing his thumb behind his shoulder.

"The campgrounds were rained out," Liam explains, combing his wife's hair behind her ear. "We thought we could stick it out as long as the creek didn't rise too high. But then," he shakes his head, chuckling, "the tents flooded. The truck almost got stuck in the mud."

"Our clothes and shoes are airing out back at the house," Bertrand states, watching his bride fix his wet hair.

"Wow," Olivia snickers, "so much for roughing it for your bachelor party, huh, Beaumont?"

"I beg your pardon," Bertrand stiffens in annoyance, "we almost died out there, duchess."

"It's water."

"Centimeters upon centimeters–"

"Imagine meters of it. Frozen–"

"Well," Riley interjects the budding feud, "I, for one, am happy you guys are out of the nasty weather." She holds her hand up to the bartender, "first round on the crown!" 

"I like the sound of that," Maxwell chuckles.

"'First round on the crown'?" Liam whispers in his wife's ear, humored.

Riley scrunches up her nose, a mischievous grin crawling across her lips. "What can I say?" She giggles, slinking an arm around her husband’s waist. "I've been a queen for over a month, and I haven’t declared anything yet." She turns to her friends. "Let them drink booze!" She glances back at Liam, who's shaking his head at his tipsy wife. "What? I was channeling my inner Marie Antoinette."

"I… caught the reference," he narrows his eyes, gently placing a grip around Riley's neck. "I hope she’s not the inspiration of your own reign," he squeezes his fingers playfully, lowering his voice into a growl. "I'd hate for you to end up like her."

"You're not convincing me otherwise with your hand around my throat, my king." They knowingly snicker to one another, sharing a kiss.

"Okay, you newlyweds," Olivia snickers, rolling her eyes before turning to Drake. "So, um, Whiskers?"

He crosses his arms. "Yes…Red?" He collects a tray of glasses and a fifth of whiskey from Gunther to bring to the table.

"Curious minds want to know about this nickname."

"Awww, you’re thinking about me, Red?" She scoffs as he purposely bumps into her shoulder. "Maybe you'd rather a demonstration of why they call me Whiskers–"

"Drake Elmer!" Savannah scolds. "You're disgusting." She glances to the ladies. "Only Gunther calls him that, and the only reason he calls him that is because of Dad."

"Dad had a rule," Drake air quotes, "that I couldn't taste whiskey until I had whiskers." He nods towards the bartender, "Gunther there served me my first whiskey right after Dad's funeral–"

"Drakey!"  The syrupy voice of Savannah's ex-boyfriend bellows from across the room. "And he brought his royal round up!" The broad-shouldered red-head gives a curt bow, removing his Stetson as he notices Liam, switching to a British accent. "Your majesty."

Liam nods cordially before casually turning towards Riley. "What is it with you Americans thinking everyone in Europe talks with that accent?" Riley giggles under her breath, pinching her husband teasingly.

"Bert!" Chuck opens up his arms, pulling the duke into a tight, bear hug. "How's our groom? Come down here to flex your trivia knowledge?"

"Trivia?" Maxwell questions.

A sudden jolt of excitement hits Drake, his eyes widening as he looks to Gunther. "Is that tonight?"

"You bet yer' asses, Whiskers. $250 cash prize and a bottle of Jack to share."

"Whatd'ya say, Drakey? For old time's sake?" Chuck holds out his hand. Without giving it much thought, Drake clasps Chuck's calloused hand, pulling him into a quick hug. The men begin to hoot and grunt, clapping as they turn to join the rest of Chuck's friends in the corner.

But then Chuck stops, spinning on his heel. He glares at Bertrand before fixing a charming smirk to his mouth. "Where are my manners? Bert, the team is full, or else I'd invite you to join–"

"That's–" Bertrand clears his throat, "--quite alright, I assure you–"

"I mean," Chuck motions to Liam and Maxwell, "unless y'all wanted to make your own team." He glances over his shoulder, “Gunther, what’s tonight’s theme?

"Texas history, fellas," Gunther announces. "Trivia about the greatest fucking country in the world. Texas."

"Ahh. See?" Chuck swings out his arms, shrugging. "That’s how the story goes. Y'all better sit this one out."  With the deep clack of his cowboy boots, he adjusts his belt buckle before slowly strutting back to his seat. 

Seeing the defeat in his face, Savannah runs a hand across Bertrand's chest before giving him a sweet kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry about it, hun," she softly croons, "that's not even your idea of fun anyway."

Bertrand grows rigid. "What do you mean? I like to have fun–"

"Of course, B, just… in other… ways–"

"I," he pulls away from his fiancée, pressing his finger into his chest, "am… the epitome of fun–"

"You're right, but–"

"I'm a crate full of apes!"

Riley looks over her shoulder to Liam, whispering, "Does he know that it's a barrel full of–?"

"Shhh," Liam softly hushes, "just let him go."

"You there!" Bertrand shouts to Gunther, causing everyone to freeze. "We would like to play."

"Uh, Bertrand? A word." Maxwell motions for his brother to join him as he stumbles over to Liam. "Are you crazy?" He whisper shouts. "These people already enjoy making fun of us. Why do you want to do this?" 

"It's the principle of it all," Bertrand grows serious.

Maxwell sighs. "What do you think, Li?"

Liam looks up at Bertrand whose gaze is now attentive to Savannah. She laughs at something Kiara says, causing Bertrand's demeanor to slump a little more, as if each second with her reminds him he's not worthy of her.

Liam gets that.

"I think we should do it."

"See, Bertrand? Even Li–wait, what?" Maxwell's jaw drops. "You think this is a good idea?"

"It's just a game, right?" Liam winks handsomely. "Besides, I think Bertrand needs this."

"But Li… Texas trivia? Those guys reek of BBQ, football and leather."

“And we have survived how many secret coups attacks? Liam shrugs before patting the younger Beaumont on the back. "This could be fun."

—

Liam, Bertrand and Maxwell settle at a bar top table near four other teams, including Chuck and Drake's group.  As Gunther passes out electronic buzzers, he explains the rules. Chuck rubs his hands together in cocky delight as Bertrand wipes his brow with small drink napkins.

"Alright! Is everybody ready?" Gunther announces over a karaoke machine microphone. "Let's begin. When is Texas Independence Day?"

Chuck buzzes in with a proud, sarcastic snicker. "March 2nd."

"Correct!"

"Ahh, snaps, you guys," Maxwell hangs his head in his hands. "This was a bad idea."

"It's only been one question," Liam encourages.

"And we're already losing!" Maxwell whines, covering his eyes. 

"Next question. Before her independence, Texas was governed by how many different nations?"

Liam hits the buzzer, turning to an unsuspecting Bertrand. "Psst… how many forks are in the traditional Cordonian place setting?"

Bertrand scoffs. "Six!" He barks out loud before realizing everyone is silent, staring at him.

"Correct!"

"Huh?" Maxwell looks up, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Way to go, Bertrand!" Riley and Savannah cheer as the other ladies clap and whistle.

"Alright," Gunther starts, "next question…"

The trivia night continues, back and forth, question for question. The other teams at the bar had opportunities to answer, but overall, Chuck and Drake's team remained in the lead.

But not by much.

The men from Cordonia gave them quite a run for their money, thanks to Liam and his wealth of knowledge. But although Liam knows the majority of the answers, he is yet to speak for the team; rather, he turns to Bertrand each time after hitting the buzzer, prompting him with a different question that possesses the same answer.

"Okay, folks," the bartender announces, "this is the last question. If this team," Gunther points to Bertrand, Liam and Maxwell, "chimes in and gets it right, it will tie the game, sending us into sudden death." The bar fills with cheers, patrons shouting with excitement and pounding their fists on the tables. "Here we go. The Texas Revolution started in what year?"

There's a slight hesitation, but finally Liam turns to Bertrand and states, "The ending of the Bavarian Regency of Greece." Bertrand furrows his eyebrows, but Liam gives him a reassuring nod as he hits the buzzer.

He clears his throat. "1835?"

Everyone freezes, a hush falling over the bar in anxious anticipation.

"Folks? We've got ourselves a tied game!"

Bertrand exhales heavily, closing his eyes. Liam pats him on the back while Maxwell cheers, tugging on his brother's shoulder.  The entire bar is in a fuss as Chuck and Drake stare confusingly at each other. Gunther gets back on the mic, and explains the sudden death round, which requires for each team to choose one member to represent them.

"You've got this, Li," Maxwell applauds, Bertrand smiling and nodding.

"I think… Bertrand should take this."

"Pardon my insolence, sir, but I do not find that to be a wise decision," Bertrand argues.

"I agree with my brother, Li," Maxwell nods, "you knew all those answers–"

"But Bertrand scored us those points," Liam counters, "he needs to put up a fight until the game is over. It's the principle, remember?"  

Hearing Liam repeat his words, Bertrand grins, courage blooming in his chest. He looks to Savannah who is clapping, mouthing the words 'I'm so proud of you.' 

"I'll do it."

Bertrand and Chuck step forward for the sudden death round, peering into each other's eyes. "Are we ready, gentlemen?" Gunther asks. Both men shake their heads yes, their gazes not leaving each other. "Let the best man win."

For a split second, Bertrand glances at his fiancée, and realizes he might not be the best man, but to her, he is. And no matter what, he's already won.

"Here's the question: made popular by an Alamo hero, this portable weapon that can kill and butcher game. Name the weapon–"

Chuck buzzes in. "The Swiss army knife." He smiles brightly, pulling out his own pocket blade and twirling it in victory.

Bertrand turns back to Liam and Maxwell, shaking his head. Maxwell mouths, 'that's okay! You did your best!' Bertand shakes his head more adamantly, but now he’s starting to grin.

"Actually," the bartender starts, "that’s incorrect, Chuck." Gunther turns towards Bertrand. "Do you have an answer, my foreign friend?"

Bertrand smirks. "You are referring to the Bowie knife."

A stillness hushes the crowd; Savannah and Riley anxiously wait, hands clasped with bated breath.

"That… is correct!"

The entire room erupts with shouts of praise and earth-shaking applause.  Several men remove their ten-gallon hats to whoop in honor of the winner, the women of the bachelorette party squealing in glee.

Drake shakes Bertrand's hand before pulling him into an endearing hug. Liam and Maxwell both clap the duke on the back in congratulations. Savannah quickly cuts in, throwing her arms around her fiancé as her lips crash into his. Gunther comes over with the prize, and shakes Liam's hand. Maxwell snatches the bottle of Jack and the cash, and holds it over his head like a trophy.  More shots and drinks are ordered, the night carrying on into a wild honky-tonk of a dance party.

Riley finds Liam, roping her arms around his neck as he secures his large hands to her waist.

"I'm so proud of you, partner," Riley attempts a drawl. Liam laughs, kissing her forehead as they begin to sway to the slow country beat. "Bertrand said that you actually never gave him any answers; you just… asked him questions that had the same answer"

Liam nods slowly, "Yep."

"Why?"

"Oh, my queen," he beams looking down at her, "it's the principle."

"The principle?" She cocks an eyebrow.

"A man wants to win a woman's heart."

"But Savannah loves him–"

"That's not the point," Liam counters. "A man wants to win her over… and over and over again. If I gave him the answers, that would've cheated him out of proving to her and to himself that he's worthy of her."

"Do you ever feel that way about me?" She croons.

A rosy hue swirls across Liam's cheeks. "More than you realize."

Riley presses a tender kiss to her husband’s chin before continuing their dance. "But… I gotta ask. When did you become so smart about Texas history?"

Liam chuckles. "I've been best friends with Drake Walker since I was 8 years old. We used to do our studies together, and… he was terrible at history."

"So?"

"So?" Liam stifles his toothy grin, licking his bottom lip. "Who do you think did his Texas history homework?"

"William Rys!"

~👑~

Thank you so much for your support! Every like, comment and reblog means the world to me! 🖤

~👑~

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[tessa-liam]

Turning the Page

Only You Can Love Me This Way 

Chapter 13 

Choices, The Royal Romance, The Royal Heir AU 

Series Premise: As Riley Brooks journeys through life as a single parent in New York City, an epiphany strikes as she contemplates the future for herself and her two-year-old son. 

Turning the Page Series Masterlist

My Complete Masterlist 

Main pairing: Liam Rys x F!OC Riley Brooks 

All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except William Brooks (Rys) and Matteo Magro, who both belong to this series. 

Category: On-going series, contains angst/fluff/depression. Cross-over fic with Choices, Perfect Match. 

Rating: M 🔞 - Warnings – Series will have crude language, weapons, NSFW material – not Beta’d - please excuse all errors. 

Words: 3624 

Only You Can Love Me This Way

Chapter Summary: Olivia continues to mentor Riley on how to adapt to Cordonian nobility. Maxwell, Bertrand and Savannah babysit William and Bartie, taking them on a Lythikan adventure. Liam and Riley re-connect and discover that their love story is stronger and better than ever. 

Music & Title Inspiration: Only You Can Love Me This Way, Keith Urban 

A/N1: In this alternate universe, after King Constantine orchestrates two individual scandals to humiliate and entrap Riley Brooks and Olivia Nevrakis in shame, Madeleine Amaranth secures her position as the Queen of Cordonia. Riley, as the King’s mistress and Olivia, in self-imposed exile. Tariq is never found.  

A/N2: Damien Nazario has been assigned as William’s personal bodyguard. (Series cross-over with ‘Perfect Match’) 

A/N3: My submission for choicesjunechallenge, prompts: spatial-hotel / temporal-beginning/   dialogue- “Up for a little trip?” 

El Alami residence, Rabat, Morocco 

With her ankles crossed delicately underneath her, Madeleine El Alami pulled out her cellular to check the status of the Uber driver. It was still incredibly early in the morning in Morocco, and time was of the essence. Her flight was scheduled to leave in ninety minutes from Rabat – Sale International airport and nothing and/or no one was going to halt her journey. Not even her husband.  

Peeking out from between the fence columns outside her home, she could see the city coming alive as the sun's first rays illuminated the horizon. The people who had been hushed moments before, now filled the streets, greeting each other and heading off to start their day. It was a side of life Madeleine had never experienced before, a stark contrast to the opulence and splendor of her former life at the Cordonian palace. It was a reminder of the sacrifices she had made to follow her heart to be with her lover, Eduardo.  

Now five months pregnant, the former queen, now the wife to the Moroccan diplomat, was leaving this world behind. While her husband slept, Madeleine, along with two hand servants were waiting for the Uber vehicle to roll to a stop at the estate’s front entrance. Her suitcases were hefted on board, as she sat down in the rear seat and buckled herself in. The driver shut the door and the car slowly rolled away, the servants went back inro the estate. 

Her parents' disappointment and dismay had only grown when she told them about her unborn baby on their last visit. Her father coaxed her to pack up and return to his duchy in Karlington, England and start over. Her mother wanted her to move back home to Krona, Cordonia. As usual her parents were worlds apart when it came to their only daughter and her well-being, but they were united against Eduardo. 

However, she was done with being controlled by Eduardo.  Done with her father's demands and her mother's nagging. This time, she was going to do what she wanted to do. And what she wanted to do was to spend the rest of her pregnancy alone. 

As she Uber drove to the airport, Madeleine left her husband, forever closing that chapter, watching the world go by; but not seeing anything. Her mind turned to the letter she had left for her husband. She had no regrets for her actions but hoped her words would provide solace for him. 

She felt nothing. No sadness. No loss.  

She had already mourned her former life and the loss of her title as queen. In its place was a new sense of freedom. And with that new sense of freedom came the hope for a new life, with the baby growing inside her. 

Nevrakis Lodge, Lythikos, Cordonia 

"Are you excited to see Uncle Maxwell and Aunt Savannah today, William?" Liam spoke as he was getting his little prince ready for the day. William giggled. "Yeah!" 

"And you get to ride in a carriage! You have never ridden in one before, have you?" Liam smiled as his son's excitement grew. "YES! Horsies!" the little boy replied enthusiastically, his eyes wide with excitement. Liam chuckled. "Let's go get some breakfast and then we can go and wait for Uncle Max.” 

"Okay, daddy!" William beamed; his excitement shined brightly from his big blue eyes. 

As they entered the hallway, they heard a familiar voice call out, "William! Look at how big you are!" 

"Unca Max!" William cried out, running towards his favorite uncle. 

Maxwell scooped the little boy up in a bear hug, smiling widely. "We're going to have so much fun today, little man!" 

"Where's Bartie?" William was concerned, his eyes searching for his newfound best friend. 

"I'm over here," Bartie replied, popping out from behind his mother. "I wanna play with the horses, too. Can we, Mommy? Pleeease?" 

Savannah gave her son a loving smile. "Well as long as the two of you eat your breakfast first." William bounded over to his little friend. "YAY!" The boys both cheered. Liam strolled over, "Savannah, hello. You look well this morning," Liam kissed her cheek. 

"As do you, your majesty," she replied with a curtsy, bowing her head. “Liam, I am so happy and excited for you and Riley.”

"Thank you, Savannah."

Liam clapped Maxwell on the shoulder. "It is good to see you both, too, Lord Beaumont, Duke Ramsford." 

“Your majesty.” Bertrand bowed and smiled, then stepped back to join his wife. 

"Good to see you too, Li." Maxwell grinned at his childhood friend, as the men watched the boys follow Savannah as she grasped their hands. 

Liam shook his head, a grin on his face. "Those two are inseparable. It's a good thing Bertrand has gotten over his fear of children." 

Maxwell laughed. "Bertrand loves kids, he just has to be the most uptight person on the planet." 

Liam chuckled. "I suppose that's true." 

"Hey Max, are you ready?" called out Savannah from down the hall. 

"Ready to eat always, Savvie ... as I"ll ever be," Maxwell replied, turning to Liam. "So, what's the plan for today?" 

Liam gave a mischievous smile. "Well, I thought you could spend the day with William and Bartie, giving Riley and I a chance to have some alone time." 

Maxwell grinned. "Hah ... sounds like fun," he winked. "You're going to owe me, though." 

Liam rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you want." 

Maxwell chuckled. "Alright, let's get this show on the road. The kids and my stomach are waiting." 

Liam turned back to adjust his tie and reached for his suit jacket which was draped over a wing chair. He walked to the foyer to meet with Riley and Olivia, Bastien following discreetly behind him. 

"You're dismissed, Damien," Liam said. "I appreciate your vigilance. 

“Of course," Damien bowed and took his leave, joining the other members of the Royal Guard in the hallway. As he closed the door, his eyes wandered across the hallway, where he watched Olivia wrapping William in a hug before turning toward the foyer and the waiting limo outside. 

Damien had been captivated by Olivia from the moment they were introduced. As he watched her wrap the little crown prince in a hug, his mind wandered. 

He could not help but admire her grace and elegance, the way her fiery hair shone underneath the chandelier or when her eyes sparkled when she laughed. 

Damien knew he could never have her, but the thought of being able to spend time with her, to make her laugh and see her smile, was enough to fuel his dreams. 

He wondered what it would be like to hold her in his arms, to kiss her soft lips and feel her body pressed against his. 

But that was all it could ever be, a fantasy, a dream. 

‘What would a Duchess ever see in a guardsman? Olivia is a rare beauty,’ Damien mused. ‘She's not like any other noble, and she doesn't seem to care about the status or title.’ 

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening, and he straightened up, adjusting his uniform. 

As Damien thoughts went back to his post, his eyes drifted back to Olivia, and he could not help but wonder if there was a chance, however small, that his dreams could become a reality. 

*** 

“Olivia, why are you being so secretive?”  Riley inquired again, after spending the morning shopping for clothes and accessories in the city center, the limousine rolled to a stop at the Nevrakis lodge entrance. 

Bastien opened the limousine door as Olivia stepped out. Glancing back to Riley, she smirked, “You are one lucky lady”. Riley’s eyebrow lifted in question. “You, my dear have a final challenge to endure." 

Riley sat and blinked as she took in her words. After reaching for her bags Riley turned her attention to exit the limo after Olivia, when she heard a deep baritone voice, "...Hi." 

Riley looked up to see a six-foot, 4-inch-tall familiar man looking at her with a huge smile. Dressed in a crisp, sleek suit overtopped by an Armani topcoat 

"Liam? ...What are you doing here?" Riley’s eyes went wide as she looked up at her lover. 

"...And dressed like that?”  

“Love, I wouldn't dream of being underdressed for your final challenge." Liam smirked and then chuckled softly watching Riley’s look of disbelief. 

"So, you're here for the challenge too?" 

"You bet. I've been waiting for this moment since you came back to Cordonia." 

"Liam, what is going on?" 

 “This is our final destination. According to Olivia, I am the challenge.” 

"And that would be?" 

Liam smiled wide, not giving out any clues.

"Oh my, this isn't a game show, right?" 

"Not to worry, love. All I know is that Olivia has prepared something for us and it's a surprise." 

"Okay. So, what is this surprise? Please tell me."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to spoil the fun." 

"Liam, I don't like surprises." 

"Love, I know ...I can see that. But, I think you will like this one. This is our last day in Lythikos; I've already been briefed and we're going to have a blast." 

Olivia’s watched their exchange and added, “the last thing you need to get back into fighting form is to reconnect with what you are fighting for. 

...And you have always been driven by your love for Liam; for your family.”

Liam slid his arm around Riley’s waist pulling her close to him. “Which was an unusually sentimental thing to hear Olivia say.” 

Olivia sighed, “a bit saccharine for my tastes, but to each their own. I always thought love was a weakness, but you seem to actually draw strength from each other.” 

Riley’s scrunched her eyebrows, “Just to be clear, my last challenge is to spend time with King Liam Rys?” 

“The whole day, actually. Olivia is taking us into town.” 

“Everyone else will help me take care of William while you’re away.” Olivia added.

“Sweet! Free daycare! I’m really warming up to Lythikos hospitality.” 

“It’s a circumstantial offer. Cherish it while it lasts.” 

Liam kissed Riley’s cheek, “believe me, we plan to.” 

“But Olivia, you’re supposed to be looking into our Madeleine problem....and the press.” 

“Damien and I will dhave everything covered; I promise. 

And you have your marching orders. Reconnect and start fresh, that you may crush your enemies on the morrow.” 

Liam grinned, “Ah, Romantic.” Placing his hand on the small of her back, Liam steered Riley back into the lodge to change into the evening wear that she bought in town. 

Standing at the entrance of the dining room, along with the other guards, Damien Nazario stood vigilantly watching the crown prince. His eyes were sharp and ever watchful. As a trained ex-secret service agent and bodyguard, he knew when people were watching. 

His attention was suddenly drawn to a smattering of voices outside in the main hall, and a moment later, Duchess Olivia Nevrakis entered the dining room, and Damien felt his breath catch. 

She was stunning. She had been stunning the night before, but he had not noticed her beauty fully. This morning, the Duchess wore a form fitting black and grey suit. Her vibrant red hair was done up in a chignon. Damien was entranced by her, but he knew better than to stare. He tore his eyes away from her and glanced down at the floor, taking in the shiny black patent leather of her boots. He swallowed, wondering how they would feel around his neck. He shook his head, trying to clear the image from his mind. He looked up, and his eyes once again caught sight of her, this time her stormy blue green eyes were looking straight into his. 

She arched an eyebrow and tilted her head as she regarded him. Damien's cheeks warmed. 

"Good morning," a voice sounded beside him. 

"Morning," he mumbled, glancing back to where the Duchess had been, only to find her gone. 

Drake chuckled. "See something you like?” 

***

Inside the limo, Liam and Riley arrived outside an upscale restaurant in the city center.

Bastien opened rhe passenger door and Liam stepped out, holding out his hand for Riley. She took it and climbed out of the limo. She gasped when she looked at the building in front of her. "This is beautiful." 

"You are beautiful," Liam smiled. "And tonight, you will be dining on the best seafood this side of Paris." 

"That's a high bar to live up to." Riley's eyebrows raised. 

Liam chuckled. "It can certainly get the job done." 

They were escorted inside the restaurant, with Liam's hand on the small of her back as they were led to a secluded table overlooking the city center. 

Liam pulled out Riley's chair and she sat down, exposing her long tanned leg through the side slit of her cocktail dress. He sat down and his eyes drank in the sight of her, his gaze lingering on her legs. 

Riley blushed. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare." Liam looked down. 

Riley reached across the table and took his hand in hers. "Look all you want, Your Majesty." 

Liam lifted his head and locked eyes with her, his blue orbs sparkling. "I have wanted to do this since the night of the Coronation Ball. You were breathtaking that night. I wanted to sweep you into my arms and dance the night away with you. But there was always someone or something getting in the way." 

Riley grasped Liam's hands in hers ...

"Mmm, this whole place smells like fresh bread. I want to eat that smell." 

"I will order the kitchen to prepare you a fresh loaf immediately." Liam grinned. 

Riley threw her head back and laughed. 

"Please do. After Olivia's challenges, I feel like I could devour this entire restaurant." 

"I love the sound of your laugh," Liam whispered. 

Riley's heart skipped a beat. 

Liam's grin widened. "I hope we have many more dates just like this. After Olivia's unique brand of 'help', we've definitely earned this day." 

Riley giggled. "That was the nicest way of saying Olivia was a royal pain in the ass." 

Liam let out a chuckle. "That was very diplomatic of me, thank you." 

Liam smiled as a steaming breadbasket and the entrees were set down on the table. The waiter tops off Riley's red wine and sets a glass of scotch down for Liam. 

Riley picked up her glass and held it aloft. "A toast. To us." 

"To us," he echoed, clinking his glass against hers. 

As Riley takes a sip, the waiter places a small dish in front of her. Inside is a thick chocolate sauce in the shape of a heart, the word "love" written in script, and two berries. 

Riley looked from the dish to Liam, her lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Chocolate covered strawberries? Are you trying to seduce me, Liam?" 

"That depends," Liam replied, a matching grin forming on his face. 

"On what?" Riley asked. 

"Whether or not it's working," he whispered. 

Riley's eyes met his and they burned with desire. 

"I'll take that as a yes." His grin widened and he leaned across the table. Liam took Riley's hand in his, his fingers tracing slow circles on the back of her hand. "You are beautiful. I wish we could have been together from the start." 

Riley's lips formed a soft smile. "So do I, Liam. I don't want this night to end." 

"It doesn't have to." Liam reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, laying them on the table between them. 

"Up for a little trip?” 

Riley's eyes widened. "Are you suggesting we run away together?" 

"One of the best kept secrets in Lythikos is a glass igloo tucked away in the mountains. The perfect view of the stars, the perfect view of the valley." 

Riley bit her lip and looked up at him from under her lashes. "I think I might have found the perfect view right here." 

"It's also very secluded. Not another soul for miles." Liam winked. 

Demurely smiling, Riley added, "I can think of a few ways to take advantage of that." 

"So can I ... if you're up for the trip." 

Riley picked up the keys, the smile on her face growing wider. "Let's skip the dinner and jump right to the dessert."

"Then we should leave right now," he suggested, his eyes never leaving hers. After a few calls, Liam stands and offers his arm to Riley. 

Riley slipped her arm through his and together they headed out of the restaurant, and back into the waiting limo. 

The driver was already waiting and pulled the car into the traffic. They passed through the city streets and up into the mountains. It was dark when the car finally pulled up in front of a domed glass structure. Stepping inside, the entire frozen mountainside stretched out around on all sides, a beautiful aurora shined through the ceiling panels. 

"Oh Liam, this place is unreal ... it's all the natural wonder of camping with the comfort of a five star hotel." 

"And a lot more privacy." Liam added.

"After the past few weeks, I really wanted to get you away and alone," Liam softly spoke, his arms slipping around Riley's waist. 

She placed her hands over his. "Me, too. I don't want this day to end." 

"I have one more surprise for you." 

Riley smiled. "Is that why you brought me here? For a surprise?" 

"No. I brought you here because I want to be alone with you." He kissed her cheek, his lips trailing along her jawline and down her neck. 

Riley's eyelids fluttered and she tilted her head back. "Mmm, is that so?" 

Liam nuzzled his nose against the spot behind her ear. "I wanted to do this all evening." 

"What's stopping you now?" 

He grinned. "Nothing." 

Liam pressed his lips to hers. She melted into him and deepened the kiss. His tongue sought hers and they moved together in unison. He cupped her ass and pulled her into him, her curves conforming to his body. 

Riley's hands tangled into his hair, her fingers tugging. Liam moaned into her mouth, his desire rising. Together tumbling back onto the bed, legs tangling as they fall down onto the plush mattress. 

A while later, Liam's fingers combed absently through Riley's hair as they watched the way the colors and lights swirled around, constantly changing.... It was hypnotic. 

"When I look up into the sky ... I see you. I see something beautiful, brilliant, untamable ... a breathtaking force of nature. I know that we have been through a lot, but when you're in my arms like this ... I also know that we can find a way through it together, if you'll let me."

Riley sighed happily. "Liam..."

*I know, love, that I said I wouldn't bring it up again, but after tonight, I need to tell you that I'm so sorry for everything." 

"Liam, it's okay, I know you had to do it. I know the weight of the world was on your shoulders, and you had to do what's best for your people, that's your duty. But you have to also do what's best for yourself. We all do." 

Liam's grip tightened slightly around her waist. "That's what I want. You...

"Riley. I love you. And William. I can't imagine my life without you both in it."

"I love you too, Liam," she whispered. "So much..."

"Do you forgive me?" Liam asked quietly in earnest. 

"Of course, I forgive you. I am so sorry that I was a coward and left without telling you about..."

"SSHHH! There is nothing to forgive you for, Riley. You were just doing what you felt you had to do. I am so sorry that the court was so unfair to you. My father ..." 

"Liam, please. Let's just focus on the present."

"... and the future." LIam added with a kiss...

@choicesficwriterscreations @thosehallowedhalls

[angelasscribbles]

(Maxwell Beaumont x Olivia Nevrakis) in a Choices The Royal Romance Crackship AU

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh YOU DID IT!!! YOU DID IT!!!!! It's NOT a crack ship, it's REAL!!!!!! I have bee WAITING for this!!!!

I think I just hyperventilated a little

Granted it was wooden, because who in their right mind would give a seven year old a real one, no matter how badly he longed for the ones at Ramsford? But still, she gave it to him. Not Liam. Not Drake. Him. Maxwell Percival Beaumont received a sword similar to her own Zenobia.

Of course he fell in love with her over a sword! This is the most Maxwell thing ever!

In what would become a way of life for him, Maxwell eagerly followed her all while ignoring what anyone else said or thought about it.

AH!! This is exactly how I HC Max in love!!!! GAHHHHHH, I'm already completely invested in this pairing!!!

"Effulgent?" Liam tilted his head as he read all that Maxwell had written.

The poem to the noble girl in canon was to her!!!

I am IN LOVE with this story!!!

Thirteen years after that poem...

I don't know why this line is funny to me, but it is

He rubbed his hands over his face. His only hope was that Liam would fall in love with someone.

OMG, You're a freaking GENIUS!! I Love this take on why he was so keen to find someone for Liam to fall in love with!

This is it! This is the year where she'll finally admit I am her perfect match.

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEe!!!!!!

OMFG, I am SO invested!!! I need the next chapter like yesterday!!!!

I cannot tell you how much I love these two together! They hit that perfect dynamic for me: Dommy woman, subby boy UGH

Too late! Now that I see them in this light, I cant unsee it! Again...

Thank you for this!

Can't Take My Eyes Off of You

(Maxwell Beaumont x Olivia Nevrakis) in a Choices The Royal Romance Crackship AU

Masterlist

Song Inspiration for Series: Can't Take My Eyes Off of You by Lauryn Hill

Song Inspiration for Maxwell: Dance Alone by Blanks

Prologue

July twenty-fourth.

That date would always be special. Frankly, there was no better day of the year save for Christmas and New Year's. Maybe a birthday, but nah. July twenty-fourth was the day to celebrate.

At least, that was what Maxwell Beaumont thought.

Ever since he was a little boy, that particular day of the year was the event of his life. It was the one day where he used all his boldness and wild planning to shoot his shot. It was the one chance he took to win what had become the Holy Grail of Women.

He used that particular date each year to get Olivia Nevrakis to realize he was her true love.

It really was all her fault. He'd been a little boy, minding his own business, when she'd done something so incredibly awesome that he couldn't help but fall head over heels for her.

She, the coolest swords woman he'd ever seen in his seven years on this earth, gave him a sword.

Granted it was wooden, because who in their right mind would give a seven year old a real one, no matter how badly he longed for the ones at Ramsford? But still, she gave it to him. Not Liam. Not Drake. Him. Maxwell Percival Beaumont received a sword similar to her own Zenobia.

"Whoa!" He held it as if she'd handed him something incredibly precious. "Does it have a name like yours, Libby?"

"Uh huh." She beamed at him for knowing that swords should. "It's called Diavolos. He was Zenobia's brother.''

"Cool." He breathed, giving it a few practice swings.

She then placed her little hand over his to help guide him in a proper form.

Maxwell hadn't thought anything about her doing so. After all, she was his friend. They touched all the time playing together. But, Drake had seen them and began to taunt them.

"You'll get cooties, Max!" He shouted while running past. "Don't let her touch you!"

Olivia glared at him. Her sword trembled in her fist as she jerked her hand from Maxwell's. Color bloomed on her cheeks over being caught touching a boy of all things.

"Come on." She ordered, stomping further into the hedge maze. "We can practice over here."

In what would become a way of life for him, Maxwell eagerly followed her all while ignoring what anyone else said or thought about it.

****************

Five years later...

"Effulgent?" Liam tilted his head as he read all that Maxwell had written.

"Yeah! Her smile is radiant! It always makes me feel like I'm glowing." Maxwell told him.

"Who is this for?" Liam asked.

"Oh." Maxwell's face flushed a bright red from the tips of his ears down to his neck. "Just um, someone."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Liam added.

"No, it isn't that I don't want to. It's just, well, she's special to me." Maxwell admitted.

"She must be." Liam flipped through the pages of poetry his friend had created.

"Do you think she'll like it?" Maxwell asked.

Liam glanced up at his friend's hopeful expression. "I don't see why she wouldn't. Most girls seem to love poetry."

"She isn't like most girls." Maxwell muttered. "She isn't like any of them."

He fought against his doubts. It was July twenty-fourth, after all. This was the day to give her something special he'd spent weeks on. That poem would show her that his heart was not only true, but also hers.

Liam handed it back to him. "Good luck."

"Thanks!" Maxwell beamed at him. "I'll let you know if it works!"

He dashed out of the prince's chambers and hurried off to find Olivia.

**************

Thirteen years after that poem...

Maxwell took a long, deep breath then slowly released it.

"This is the year."

"You are correct." Bertrand grumbled. "This is the year everyone finds out that we are ruined."

"That's not what I meant." Maxwell grinned at him. "Good things are going to happen this year for us. I can feel it!"

Bertrand humphed. He couldn't feel anything but dread over the world finding out what a failure he'd been as a duke.

"Lady Bethany called. She refused our sponsorship."

Maxwell shrugged. "We'll find someone."

"How?! The season starts in three days! We won't find any decent woman to represent House Beaumont!" Bertrand shouted.

"Maybe we'll find someone indecent." Maxwell teased.

"Maxwell!" Bertrand pinched the bridge of his nose and took a few deep breaths. "I don't have time for your foolishness."

"Look. We'll be fine." Maxwell wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulders. "I promise we'll find a way out of this. Besides, Liam already has more women than he knows what to do with."

"I'm not as worried about Liam as I am our reputation." Bertrand grumbled. "I have no doubt with all the ladies taking part in this that he'll find the perfect queen. What will people think about us not having a suitable option for him?"

"Hold up." Maxwell's eyes widened. "All the ladies of the Court are participating in this?"

"Everyone that's single." Bertrand's brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing." Maxwell slumped down into a chair. "Just my whole world and future crumbling right before my eyes."

"Your whole world? What are you talking about?" Bertrand demanded.

"It's no big deal." Maxwell got to his feet. "I um, I have to go call Drake. We plan on taking Liam out for a bachelor party before all the craziness commences. Want to come along? It'll be like old times."

"No thank you." Bertrand began to head towards his study. "I've got some things here that require my attention."

Maxwell waited until the door was shut before he fell back in his chair. His mind whirled with the possibility of Olivia not only being a choice for Liam but in her actually being chosen.

"Who wouldn't pick her?" He mumbled to himself.

He rubbed his hands over his face. His only hope was that Liam would fall in love with someone. There was a good chance he might, especially if some new ladies were added to the mix. Then once the prince chose someone else, the field would be wide open once more for Maxwell to try again.

He usually waited until the twenty-fourth to go big.

Maybe I should mix it up this year. Instead of throwing everything I got on that one day, why don't I do something each day that makes her notice me.

They would be stuck together at all the upcoming events. Though she'd be there for Liam, it didn't mean that she couldn't have her attention stolen away from the prince every now and then.

Maxwell had never once been subtle with his crush. He thought Olivia appreciated blunt honesty, and maybe she did. Maybe if he wasn't overtly professing his undying love, it might shake her up some and want to know why he wasn't pursuing her like crazy.

He grinned to himself as a plan began to take tentative shape.

This is it! This is the year where she'll finally admit I am her perfect match.

[cordonianroyalairlines]

All I Want for Christmas Part 1

Series: Cordonian Royal Airlines

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings for series: Various

Pairing for this chapter: Riley x Drake, Liam x Max

Word Count: 2,475

Rating: General

Warnings for this chapter: None

A/N: Listen. I had an idea for the @choicesprompts #rewritechallenge holiday edition. I had the whole scene in my head, but then I decided it needed a little lead-up. Then I decided the lead-up needed a lead-up and then these characters completely just took over, threw my script out the window, and took a whole detour to examine a little budding romance between Liam and Max when this story was supposed to be focused on Drake and Riley (and it still is, mostly).

Long story short, it got a little out of hand so I have split it into two chapters. I'm tagging all of the following:

@choicesprompts rewrite challenge, holiday edition TRR x Untamed Heart (one of my all-time favorite movies). @choicesficwriterscreations holiday prompt: Stuck together in the snow; @choicesdecember2023 Christmas and @choicesholidays: This is the worst Christmas ever.

“Goodbye, Mrs. Lassiter, have a pleasant stay!” Riley waved with a smile painted on her face as the last passenger debarked. The smile faded from her face as the guests disappeared down the jet bridge and her eyes took in the heavy snowfall blanketing the runway.

Max noticed her despondent expression. “You okay, Ri?”

She turned toward her best friend and coworker with a sigh. “Remind me again why I volunteered to work this flight?”

“Uh…because your sister is getting married in less than two months, and you needed the overtime to pay for the ridiculous over-the-top bachelorette party she wants.”

“Right. Amelia,” Riley nodded to herself, “I’m doing this for her.”

“I think you do too much for her, Ri,” Max clucked at her like a mother hen, “She takes advantage of your generous nature.”

“Oh, Max, it’s fine. You only get married once!”

He arched an eyebrow at her.

“Okay,” a giggle burst out of her, “Hopefully, she only gets married once!”

“Frankly, I’m surprised she found anyone willing to marry her. Is there something wrong with him?”

“Max!” Riley laughed as she thumped him playfully on the shoulder before turning serious. “I just hope we’re able to take off tomorrow as planned.” Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and she had promised her mother she’d be home so she could spend Christmas day with her parents and siblings.

“I wouldn’t count on it.”

Riley turned toward the voice to find the pilot striding toward them. Captain Liam Rys stopped in front of the flight attendants to announce, “There’s a blizzard headed straight for us.”

“Maybe we could just fly out right now—” Riley started hopefully.

“That’s a negative,” Liam cut her off, “that would put me over my flight limit for the day. We’ll proceed to the hotel as planned and hope for the best but be prepared to spend Christmas here.”

“Remind me why you agreed to fly into Estonia, the blizzard capital of the world, two days before Christmas?” Max grumbled.

Liam’s eyes flicked to him in annoyance. “Because of the obscene amount of money Mr. Lassiter was willing to pay for me to do so. You’ll thank me when you get your next paycheck and there’s a substantial bonus on it, on top of the holiday bonus you just received.”

“It’s okay,” Max shrugged with a tinge of disappointment in his tone, “My brother is in Japan anyway.”

Liam’s expression softened a little. “I’m sure he wishes he could spend Christmas with you.”

“Well, he’s flying with Leo, which he loves. I’m just disappointed that we’re almost never assigned to the same flight.”

Liam averted his eyes, unwilling to tell Max that was on purpose. Bertrand had requested that Max not be on the same flight as himself after the younger Beaumont’s enthusiasm became embarrassing for him. Max had gushed to a passenger about his pride in his older sibling, proudly articulating that, “My brother’s the co-pilot. He’s really good at it. He’s almost good enough to be the pilot!”

Liam shuffled his feet awkwardly, then nodded at Max, “Yes, well…. See you at the hotel.”

“You will?” Max’s head whipped around in surprise. Liam had never expressed an interest in seeing him outside of work before.

“Well, he was a little snippy,” Riley observed as Liam disappeared down the sky bridge.

“But did he seem….I don’t know…interested in-“ a flush crawled up his neck and then flared across his face, “Never mind. Of course not.”

Riley’s brow furrowed. “Interested in what?”

“Nothing. Let’s just get this cabin cleaned up so we can go.”

***

Riley awoke the next morning to sheets of snow pouring from the sky, blanketing the city in white as far as she could see from her hotel window. Which wasn’t that far. The snow was coming down too fast and too thick for her to see past the parking lot.

“Shit!” She aggressively pulled the curtains closed and dove back under the covers.

***

“So, what have you two been up to all day?” Liam asked as the four-member flight crew sat down for dinner in the hotel restaurant.

“Well, I slept in, then I called my mom to let her know I wouldn’t be making it home today and probably not tomorrow either. Then I drown my sorrows in a steaming hot bubble bath.” Riley responded as she pulled the menu over to her.

“Yeah, but then we saw a movie,” Max reminded her. Turning to Liam, he rambled excitedly, “This hotel has a theater in it. There was popcorn and everything! And then we took a cooking class! Can you believe that? The hotel chef hosts a class here once a week, but they did an extra class today because it snowed everyone in.”

Liam smiled at Max’s enthusiasm. “That sounds like fun. Now I feel boring. I read all day. Drake, what about you?”

“What about me?” Drake was busy shoveling a complimentary roll into his mouth.

Riley laughed. “Have you not been listening to the conversation? He wants to know what you did to keep busy today, you dork.”

Drake grabbed his water glass and chugged the cold liquid down to cover the fact that he had not heard a word of the conversation since Riley stopped talking. He was still picturing her in that bubble bath. When he sat the glass down, he responded, “I did my usual morning workout. The gym here is excellent. Since I couldn’t go for a run, I hit the heavy bags and then swam a few laps.”

“How many is a few?” Max asked.

“Twenty.” Drake’s eyes flicked to Max as he answered before landing quickly back on Riley’s face searching for any clue that she was impressed, or at least interested in him.

Not that he cared. She was a coworker, and he didn’t date coworkers.

“All before lunch?” She raised an eyebrow.

He wasn’t sure if she found his morning activities impressive or stupid. Her expression gave away nothing. “I find it hard to sit still,” he answered.

Liam scoffed, “You sit in the cockpit for hours at a time.”

“First of all, that’s different. I’m doing plenty as you well know and second of all, that’s why I need more physical movement when I’m on the ground.”

“Makes sense to me!” Max nodded emphatically as the waitress arrived with the menus.

They ordered their food and ate while making companionable chit chat. After dinner, Max suggested they continue the night across the lobby.

The hotel bar was crowded. The four coworkers quickly parted in the crowd. Drake and Liam navigated to a small table in the back and ordered drinks.

“You don’t want to ask her to dance?” Liam nodded across the room to the dance floor where Max and Riley were laughing and twirling to the music.

Drake followed Liam’s eyes and froze as he watched her sway and shimmy to the thump of heavy base. “I don’t dance.”

“I’ve seen you dance.”

“Not well.”

“So, you’re worried about embarrassing yourself in front of her?”

“What? No!” Drake reached for the tumbler of single malt scotch as the server placed it on the table in front of him and took a long pull as his mind spun with ways to shift the conversation away from his nonexistent love life. “What’s going on with you and Max?”

Liam startled so hard that bourbon sloshed over the rim of his glass. He stared at Drake in a blind panic. “What do you mean?”

“I mean….you usually pay no attention to what the flight attendants are doing when we have layovers. Yet you invited everyone to dinner tonight and you’re the one that was watching them dance. I’m pretty sure you’re not into Riley because if you were, you wouldn’t be pushing me toward her. So that leaves Max. Tell me I’m wrong.”

He lowered his glass to the table with a sigh. “It’s that obvious?”

“To me, but I’ve known you for a long time, Li.”

Liam blew out a long breath. “Shit.”

“Why don’t you just tell him you’re interested?”

“No,” Liam shook his head vigorously, “I can’t do that!”

“Why not?”

“So many reasons! Starting with the fact that I’m his boss and that’s a sexual harassment suit waiting to happen.”

“Not if he likes you back,” Drake countered.

“That’s not likely.”

Again, Drake asked, “Why not?”

Liam scoffed as he gestured toward the dance floor. “I mean, look at him! He’s fun and popular and hilariously funny. And look at those dance moves! He’s interesting and cool. What could he possibly see in me?”

“Hey, don’t sell yourself short, man.”

“I’m a stick in the mud and you know it. I was the president of my debate team. He was the lead in his school’s production of Beetle Juice.”

“How do you know- “

“Bertrand told me.”

“So, you’ve been pumping his brother for information?”

“Not the point. He’s amazing and fun and talented and I’m….me.”

“Liam, come on, man, you-“

“When I was twelve, I read law books for fun.”

“Geez, okay. Never mind. You’re definitely going to die alone.”

“Shut up,” Liam laughed, “I know you think I’m being dramatic.“

“You fly planes for a living,” Drake reminded him. “In my experience, a lot of people find that sexy.”

“Yes, well, I know your experience is quite extensive in that area but-“

“Are you calling me a man whore?”

“If the shoe fits….” Liam muttered into his drink.

“Insult me all you want, but it isn’t going to change the fact that you’ve got it bad. You should just tell him.”

“Oh, okay, Mr. I don’t like Riley.”

Fuck. Drake took another long drink. The conversation had come full circle. His eyes drifted across the room to find her again. She was still with Max.

***

Riley led Max off the dance floor and to a table as she flagged down a server for some water. “What’s up with you tonight?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’ve been acting squirely all night and you keep looking around like you’re searching for somebody. What’s that about?”

Max flushed, “Ah….I think I might have a thing for Liam.”

“Wait…what?” Riley shrieked, then clapped her hands over her mouth.

“I don’t know….” Max dropped his eyes to the table. “I mean, you know, he’s hot or whatever.”

“Max!” She slapped his shoulder. “Since when? And why didn’t you tell me?”

He shrugged. “Just recently I’ve started to notice him more, that’s all. He’s always being nice to me and- “

“He’s nice to everyone.”

“I know, but it’s more than that! I can’t explain it, okay? It’s just…the way he looks at me sometimes….”

“I have never seen you act shy before! You hit on that model last week!”

“Oh, him? Yeah, but that was just--”

“That man is an international star, and you had zero qualms asking for his snap.”

“I know, but- “

“And he gave it to you!”

“Sure, but Liam isn’t just a pretty face, Riley! He’s so fucking smart and serious. He’s sophisticated, and there’s just no way he’d be into a goofball like me.”

“Ah, Maxey, anyone with half a brain would be into you.”

“You’re just saying that because you’re my best friend.”

“Yes. But also because it’s true.”

“No, it’s not. I’m the general fuckup in my family. Just ask Bertrand. Or my father.”

“Max, you’re not a fuckup!” Riley admonished. “You’re just different from your brother and father, thank God! I’m sorry, I know you love him, but Bertrand is the most boring man alive, and your father is a dick, so please don’t judge yourself by his opinion of you.”

“Bert’s not boring. He just had to grow up fast. My father put a lot of pressure on him and he, unlike me, rose to the challenge. I mean, look at us. He’s a pilot and I’m a flight attendant. Do you remember what my father said when I told him I wanted to be a flight attendant?”

“Yes, but on the bright side, it was the first time he acknowledged your sexual orientation.”

Max snorted, “That’s not funny, Riley.”

“You laughed.”

He bumped her shoulder with his own with an amused shake of his head, “If your point is that my father is a homophobic, controlling, abusive asshole whose opinion should mean nothing to me or anyone else with a lick of self-respect, then point taken.” He lifted his glass to her.

She lifted hers and tapped it into his with a grin. “My work here is done. Now go over there and ask him to shoot darts or something.”

***

“All right, well, this has been fun, but I’m going up to bed now.” Liam pushed away from the table and stood up, stretching as he did so.

“You really are a stick in the mud,” Drake laughed as the server cleared their table and asked if he could get them anything else. “Yeah, an unopened bottle of what we’ve been drinking tonight.”

Liam turned to go but froze as a voice that sent heat shocking through him spoke, “Hey…Liam….you wanna…go play darts or something?”

He turned to find Max smiling at him. Trying to push down the rising panic in his throat, his eyes flicked to Drake, who just gave him an amused smile, then back to Max, who looked uncharacteristically nervous. “Uh…. sure.”

“Great!” Relief washed across Max’s features. Then he remembered himself and begrudgingly turned to include Drake in the invitation. “Would you like to join us?”

“Nah, I’m good. You two go ahead. I’ve got a bottle of top-shelf whiskey, and this hotel has steak on their room service menu. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay then, goodnight and Merry Christmas,” Liam didn’t meet Drake’s eyes as he waved bye and then followed Max to the dart boards lined up against the far wall.

Drake chuckled to himself as he took the bottle from the server and thrust a handful of bills at him. He started for the door, then thought better of it and backtracked to the bar, reaching across and grabbing a clean tumbler to take to his room with him.

He had to dodge a bunch of drunk people on his way back, causing him to veer off course until he was damn near on the other side of the room.

It wasn’t so much that he saw her as he felt her presence. His head lifted and his eyes somehow went straight to her despite the dozen or so people between him and the table she was seated at. Without making a conscious decision, his body angled in her direction, and he made his way over to her, reminding himself the whole way that he didn’t get involved with coworkers.

[kristinamae093]

Ghosted

Ghosted- Blindsided (Chapter 1)

Series Summary - Prince Liam fell for Riley Brooks hard and fast. A marriage filled with love and devotion was within his reach. But everything changed when she vanished just before the end of the social season. As everyone voices their concerns regarding her scandalous departure, a confession from an unlikely source turns Liam's world upside down and makes him question everything around him.

Book/Pairing - TRR- Liam x F!MC (Riley Brooks), hints of Liam x Madeleine

A/N1: This AU starts right before the beginning of the engagement tour. There is a two-month lapse between the coronation and where we pick up, but we will stray from canon.

A/N2: This has been heavily preread by a number of amazing people. There's so many to list, and most of you requested to be tagged anyway. But you know who you are, and your help and guidance has been crucial during this process.

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

Liam quickly made his way through the halls of the Applewood Estate, intent on reaching his destination. He had received a text from Maxwell requesting him to come to Lady Riley’s room. Although bewildered and slightly concerned, the Prince agreed to Maxwell's summons at such an early hour. 

He approached the door and knocked; Maxwell quickly opened it and ushered him inside without saying a word. Liam took notice of Maxwell’s red-rimmed, swollen eyes. His usual peppy demeanor was nowhere to be found, instead replaced with despondency. He began pacing back and forth anxiously in the space between the couch and the bed. 

As Liam entered the room, he saw Bertrand in a chair in the corner; his elbows were on his knees, his head rested in his palms. His shoulders subtly shook, and Liam swore he could hear his breath hitch. Bertrand did not stand for or acknowledge the Prince’s entrance, not that Liam wanted him to; it was just very un-Bertrand-like and gave Liam an uneasy feeling in his stomach. 

And he didn’t see Riley.

“Maxwell, what’s going on?” Liam asked as he took a couple of slow, cautious steps further inside.

“It’s…It’s Riley…”

Liam gave Maxwell a quizzical look. “What’s wrong? Where is she?” He felt his heart rate quicken immediately. The air in his lungs suddenly had a burning sensation with every breath he took. 

Maxwell stopped his movements and turned to him, “That’s just it… She’s… She’s gone…” he covered his face, as his emotions began spilling over. He took a deep, shaky breath before he started again, “I came to get her this morning to leave, and…”

“What do you mean, she’s gone? She’s here somewhere! Perhaps she’s at breakfast… o-or with Hana.” 

“Look in the closet! Look in the dresser! Everything’s gone!” Maxwell cried and resumed his earlier steps.

Liam turned and strode to the closet, stopping to flip on the light switch. Empty.

He rushed across the room to the dresser and ripped open all the drawers. Empty. 

Liam stood and stared wide-eyed at the empty drawers. He ran his trembling hands through his hair as his mind raced, trying helplessly to find a solution that made sense. However, he could hear no coherent thoughts at that moment over the sound of his heart as it thundered in his ears. The burn in his chest intensified; his windpipe felt as if it were slowly constricting with every labored breath he took.

“What?! No…. No…. You-you were supposed to leave in a little while, right? That’s why she packed all her belongings. She-she could have left before you or-”

Drake heard the commotion from his room next door and barged into the room. Liam turned from his spot by the dresser to face him, his usual stoic facade replaced with a distressed expression that made Drake’s anxiety heighten. Maxwell stopped his movements to face him, but quickly started again. Bertrand raised his gaze momentarily, but immediately put his head back in his hands once he saw who it was at the door. 

Drake slowly entered the room and cautiously approached Liam. “Um……… Everything alright here?” 

“No! They’re saying Riley’s gone! That’s… that’s absurd! I just spoke with her last night!” Liam barked. 

Drake’s eyes widened, but he shook his head. “No way! I would’ve heard her! I was right next door.” He turned to face Maxwell. “She’s here somewhere, Beaumont. Stop freaking people out over nothing! Did you even try calling her?!” 

“Of course, I tried calling her! I’m not a complete idiot! That’s how I found this!” Maxwell huffed as pulled a phone from his pocket.

Riley’s phone.

Both men froze and stared, perplexed, at the phone in Maxwell’s hand. They slowly turned their attention back to his face. Maxwell looked up to meet Liam’s gaze and saw the anger and confusion in his eyes. 

Liam had grown impatient and moved to where he stood in front of Maxwell. “I demand to know what is going on. NOW!” He bellowed as he leaned over the shorter man.

Maxwell winced at Liam’s volume. He closed his eyes and took a deep, shaky breath to stabilize himself before he started. “I knocked on the door like I always do, and she didn’t answer. I turned the doorknob just to see if it was open, and it was. So, I came in…” He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but it was to no avail. “I looked around and noticed her stuff was gone, but it didn’t phase me at the time since we were supposed to leave soon... So I… I called her……”

“Out with it, Beaumont!” Drake shouted. 

Before Maxwell could respond, Bertrand piped up from his spot in the corner, head still in his hands, “Show them.” Both men snapped their heads over to Bertand, then slowly panned back to Maxwell, who had returned his gaze to the floor. 

When Maxwell met their eyesight again, his tears streamed freely down his face, “I could hear her phone ringing... I… I found it inside the bedside table…. And I found this with it…” He pulled a folded up piece of paper out of his pocket, and carefully sat it on top of the phone.  

Liam took the device and paper gingerly. The room was silent, aside from heavy breaths of anticipation. He stared at the paper for what felt like hours before he slowly unfolded it. His heart shattered into a million tiny pieces as he read it:

I’m sorry.

-R

A knock on his study door interrupted Liam from his daze. He spun away from his position at the window behind his desk and sat up straight in his chair. He busied his hands with a stack of papers that lay in front of him before he granted them entrance. 

“Hey, Li.” Liam looked up and saw Drake enter, and stood to shake his hand as he approached his desk. 

Liam headed towards the bar cart in the corner and poured a drink of scotch for himself and Drake. He took both glasses and went back to his desk; he handed Drake one as he went before he settled back into his chair. 

“So, what brings you by, Drake?”

“Oh, I was out and about, thought I’d stop by. I was actually hoping to bust you outta this place for a bit. Hit that bar we used to go to, even invited the Beaumonts.” 

Liam feigned shock. “You, Drake Walker, invited the Beaumonts?!”

“I can take it back.” Drake smirked with a shrug.

“No, I was just shocked you willingly want to hang out with Maxwell. And they’re actually going to come this time?”

“Max is. Sounded excited. He said he was more than ready to ‘trade the spreadsheets in for a dance floor’,” Drake rolled his eyes, “but it’ll be nice to see him, kinda miss that little fucker.”

“I agree. He always had a way of making things lighter. Well, before….” Liam trailed off and stared blankly past Drake to the fireplace. 

“Yeah, I know. I feel bad for them. But nobody saw that shit coming, nobody.” Drake sighed before continuing, “Look, man, let the past be the past. Stop sitting here sulking! Look to the future!”

“I don’t know what’s worse, thinking about the past, or a future with Madeleine.” Liam made a face of disgust. 

“Touche, but you’re a smart man! I know you can get out of that! I don’t know how, but I’m sure you can find a hidden Royal loophole or some shit!”

Liam let out a heavy breath. “I wish it were true, but at this moment, I am indeed engaged to Madeleine, with no end in sight.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t try to be happy, Liam!” 

Liam ran a hand down his face before he responded, “I don’t think I know what happiness is anymore,” in a soft voice.

“Come on, Liam. Let’s go out and have some beers, like we used to! Forget about all the bullshit for one night? Especially before the engagement tour kicks off.” Drake suggested hopefully.

“I’ll have to let you know about that. Actually, I have a dinner meeting with the French ambassador, and I’m not sure how late it will be when we’re finished.” Liam gave Drake a sad smile. “But please make sure they stop by if they show up. They should not be trying to hide from me, anyway. I’m their friend. And if anyone understands and sympathizes with the mess they’ve found themselves in, it’s me.”

Drake returned Liam’s sad smile before he stood once more and extended his hand for a handshake. As their hands met, they heard a sharp knock at the door. Liam followed Drake across the room and patted him on the back as he did so. When he opened the door, both his and Drake’s jaws hit the floor.

“Olivia!?” they both gasped at once.

“Surprised to see me?” Olivia smirked as she strode past them into the room and sat on the couch in front of the fireplace. 

Liam and Drake stood, eyes wide and mouths agape, staring at her. She crossed her legs and rested her hands in her lap, and began tapping her manicured nails on her thigh. After a few moments, she rolled her eyes and quipped, “Most people usually greet one with a ‘hello’ or, in my case, ‘Greetings, esteemed Duchess Olivia Nevrakis’.”

Liam closed the door and he and Drake crossed the room to the set of chairs in front of the couch Olivia sat upon. They remained silent, each trying to gather their thoughts. 

Finally, Liam spoke. “Where have you been?” 

“Around.” 

Liam scoffed, “I was going to pick you but you fucking disappeared! You left me wondering why not one, but two of my suitors hightailed it!”

Olivia kept her tone neutral, despite Liam’s apparent anger. “I didn’t have a choice… I received a letter the night of your coronation. It said if I refused to leave, they would release a media narrative exposing my parents' true demise.” 

Liam felt indignant. “What?! But they died in a political assassination, Olivia! We’ve known this since we were children!”

“That’s what I thought as well, but along with the letter, I received evidence. They did not die protecting the Crown, they died trying to overthrow the Crown.” Olivia pulled a manila file folder from her bag. She opened it and put the letter, along with the proof, on the table in front of them. 

Liam scanned over every detail as his mind overflowed with questions. Olivia’s admission shook him, but he remained steadfast with his frustration over her secrecy. Drake sat next to him with his own stunned expression as his mind developed questions and assumptions of his own. 

As he continued to filter through the papers, Liam looked at Olivia with narrowed eyes and snapped, “Why didn’t you tell me?! I could have helped you!” 

Olivia looked away from Liam and quietly said, “I… held my parents on a pedestal for so long. To have all that information dumped on me at once…” she shook her head, “I just fled… I wish I hadn’t, but at the time…”

Although he continued to feel slightly frustrated Olivia hadn’t told him, Liam relented. “I wish you would have said something before you left, but I also understand your reasoning. You obviously know I had my own… things happen that night, so I cannot hold your reaction against you.”

Olivia didn’t respond, but nodded her head in acknowledgement. Liam continued, “Who sent you this?”

“I’m not sure. I tracked it through six different middlemen, but I’ve hit a dead end. All I know is whoever did this went to great lengths to keep their identity hidden.”

Olivia regarded her friend and King sitting in front of her closely, as he continued through the documents. Even before she started dropping truth bombs on him, he didn’t look like Liam. His eyes were tired, the bags notable. She noticed a forming 5 o’clock shadow on his face and saw that his forehead appeared permanently creased with worry lines. 

Olivia had been watching the news to see how Liam was faring during his first couple months as King. She could see his eyes, devoid of emotion, as he gave press interviews. He gave a forced smile, and his shoulders slouched ever so slightly. His voice missed that gusto he used to have, and his laughs were clearly a front. To anyone else, he was Liam, being the dutiful King. But Olivia knew him better than that. Even from afar, she could tell Riley’s sudden departure and the scandal had taken a toll on him. 

Olivia wasn’t sure how Liam felt about the rumor, or if he looked into her disappearance at all. She knew that approaching the subject could go a multitude of ways, but she had to take her chances. In the couple of months since Liam’s ascension, Olivia had plenty of time to piece things together. But Liam hadn’t known about the blackmail they had threatened her with. 

Olivia sat forward and tentatively asked, “Liam, what do you know about the Riley situation?” 

Liam scoffed, “What do you mean ‘Riley situation’? She disappeared! Left a note and vanished. But apparently not before fucking Tariq!” he huffed.

Okay, anger it is, Olivia thought to herself. She sat forward and leveled her eyes with his. “Did you do an investigation?”

“Bastien searched for her after she left and found nothing.” 

“But did you inspect the estate? Or her room? Any place that could have held some kind of trace?” 

“I was a little busy, Olivia. The Social Season couldn’t come to a standstill.” 

“I get that, but you didn’t think to investigate after the fact? You just accepted that Riley had apparently chosen to run off into the night with Tariq, of all people?”

“What was I supposed to do? Put the Social Season on hold hoping to find a ghost? Or waste time trying to find her after I took the throne, when I clearly had more important matters to attend to? She packed her shit and left without a word to anyone. And yes… apparently with Tariq.” Liam snapped as he shook his head

"Are you serious right now?" Olivia exasperated, her face in a completely dumbfounded expression. 

"There isn’t even any evidence to support this baffling theory you’ve concocted!”

“Oh, but there is, if you know what to look for,” Olivia smirked. 

“I don’t have time for this. I have a dinner meeting soon and I need to prepare.” Liam insisted as he stood from his chair and walked back to his desk. 

“You don’t find it at all odd that someone took photos of her from outside a fucking window? How did they even get such an angle when Riley’s room was on the second floor of the estate?” Olivia questioned from her position on the couch.

“Maybe they just got caught doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing.” Liam retorted, as he gathered stacks of paper on his desk. 

“Liam, man, I think you should hear her out…” Drake cautiously said as he stood from his chair and crossed the room to stand in front of Liam. 

“Why? Why should I?” Liam asked, face red with indignation, “You just told me to leave the past in the past. Now suddenly it’s okay?”

“Look, all I’m saying is it would make sense.” Liam gave Drake a scowl, but he continued, “I don’t want to believe that the Brooks we knew would do that! If there’s a chance that something happened to her, or she got set up, I wanna know…”

Liam squinted his eyes at Drake before he snapped, “Maybe we didn’t know her at all!!” 

“I call bullshit! I think you know deep down, she did not run away with fucking Tariq!” Olivia abruptly interjected. She had to count to ten in her head, as any sense of calm she had felt was quickly vanishing as Liam remained in denial.

In all honesty, Liam wanted to believe something was amiss in the beginning. When Bastien searched for her and found no signs of her in New York, it devastated Liam. He assumed she had left because the pressure of being with him was too great a burden to carry. He went through the last bit of the social season like the good Prince he was supposed to be. Although he felt numb, like a large portion of himself had disappeared with Riley.

Liam had thought of a last-minute plan to continue his search for her, but abandoned all efforts when the scandal came to light. His devastation turned to rage, mostly stemming from public humiliation. He knew the blame ultimately lay with himself for his reaction to the story, but it was easier to blame Riley; she was not around to defend herself, anyway, and no evidence proved otherwise.

Liam convinced himself that her affair with Tariq was the answer to the question of why Riley had left. Although, he often found his heart to be in turmoil with his head over the decision. 

Liam had since thrown himself into his work. He found the longer he kept his Crown on, the less time he spent spiraling into the ‘what ifs’. It was useless to fight against it, although he found it to be easier to ignore as time carried on.

More than that, he needed to mend the dent his reputation had suffered right off the bat. His reign began with disgrace and indignity; he was bound and determined he would not find himself back in that position again.

But as Liam stood there and listened to Olivia and Drake, he could physically feel the brief glimmer of hope he had buried so long ago start flickering within. It was incredibly subtle, but there nonetheless.

Liam sighed and reluctantly walked back to the chair across from Olivia, Drake close behind. 

“Okay. I’ll listen.” Liam said as he sat down, his tone neutral. 

Olivia pulled a set of the photos of Riley and Tariq out of her manila folder. Although they appeared substantially enlarged compared to the small tabloid size Liam and Drake had seen before.  

She presented them with an image, a closer shot of Riley and Tariq, Riley's back pressed against the window. She held it up to them and continued, "There’s no sign of physical affection on Riley’s part. See her arms? It looks as if they're directly at her sides, there's no extension to her elbows whatsoever. Not anything huge, but worth noting in my eyes, considering she isn’t touching him in any photo."

“Her touching him is the least of my worries here, Olivia.” Liam snapped.

Olivia picked up a different picture, another close up of Riley and Tariq, but their bodies had marginally turned. “This one, you can see her head turned slightly to the side. If you look closely, you can see discoloration around her eye, as well as what appears to be a laceration on her cheek.” She sat the photo on the table for Liam and Drake to see. 

“Could have been different lighting, a shadow, anything. This proves nothing.” Liam shook his head, his irritation escalating.  

Olivia did not say a word, only sat a photo on the table that was a full view of the entire window. The angle remained similar, but this was the only one where Riley and Tariq had completely changed positions; this time they stood face to face. Riley's back was nearly out of view, but a hand of Tariq's was around her waist. Her face was hidden facing the opposite direction, but Tariq wore a wide grin on his that was clear as day, even in the low lit night. But that is not what had been troubling Olivia the most. 

“This is the original. At first glance, all you would see is Tariq and Riley. But when you increase the exposure…” Olivia trailed off and reached for yet another photo; the same as before, but much brighter. 

Liam and Drake sat forward, each man hunting intently to see the relevance. Drake saw it first and gasped when he spotted it. Liam turned to Drake with a look of puzzlement, silently asking what he had found. Drake pointed to a corner of the photograph, away from Riley and Tariq.

“Is… is that?” Drake stammered.

“A person? Yes.” Olivia answered with certainty.

“Who is it?” 

“I can’t tell who it is. I spoke with someone about trying to do facial recognition, but they said because of the quality of the photo blown up, it wouldn’t be possible. The original is too dark to even recognize a face.”

“So it’s a dead end, and this has been a waste of time!” Liam exclaimed. He shook his head and sharply sighed before he continued, “Look, Olivia, I appreciate what you were trying to do, but this isn’t a mystery. She left.”

“You still don’t see it, do you?”

“No, I saw it. There’s an excellent possibility it’s once again just a shad-”

“Do not say it’s a fucking shadow, Liam! You can clearly see a person’s silhouette there!”

“But not prominent enough to be identified.” Liam said in a flat tone. 

Olivia rolled her eyes before she snapped, “Okay. So it’s unidentifiable. But can we talk about why there’s some random person in the corner watching while they’re apparently ‘having relations’?!”

Liam became mute, aside from his heavy breaths, the agitation he felt written all over his face. Although a part of him wanted to counter, he couldn’t establish a response to Olivia’s question.

Olivia smirked at Liam’s silence. “That’s what I thought.”

“I think it’s worth checking out…” Liam snapped his head over to Drake with a look of annoyance, but Drake continued. “You can’t deny there’s someone else in this picture, Liam!” 

“How do we know these are real and not fabricated?!”

Olivia narrowed her eyes at Liam. “You think I’d bring you doctored photos? Really?”

“I’m not saying you would purposefully! I'm only saying it's a possibility!” 

Drake answered, “We’ve spent all this time wondering what happened and why she left. We finally have some kind of lead, and you don’t want to check it out?”

Liam groaned and ran a hand down his face. “Even if I wanted to investigate further, once the Engagement Tour starts I will be incredibly busy. I don’t have the time, nor the patience, to investigate grainy photos.” He stood from his chair and rushed back to his desk. “I’m glad you’re here, Olivia. Hopefully, you’ll be joining us on the engagement tour. If you two will excuse me, I must be going.” 

Olivia and Drake watched as Liam quickly gathered his belongings, strode to the door, and slammed it shut behind him. They sat in silence for a few moments, each trying to gather their thoughts about the situation that sat in front of them. 

Drake finally quietly spoke. “You think something could’ve happened to her?”

Olivia sighed, her eyes softening at the question. “I really don’t know. I have a hunch that my blackmail and whatever happened to Riley share a relation. If I wouldn’t have left, there would have been two scandals that hit the news cycle that night. That doesn’t sound coincidental to me.”

“No, it doesn’t. But what do we do about Liam?”

“Has he been like this since the coronation?”

Drake exhaled and nodded his head. “Pretty much, yeah. He goes back and forth from depressed to straight up pissed off. I’ve never seen him so unhinged. After she first left, it was almost like he was grieving a loved one who had passed away.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, I very much remember watching Liam sulk in the corner with you all night at the Beaumont Bash.”

“Yeah. But after the coronation, you could almost see the switch flip. He wasn’t really sad anymore, just fucking enraged. Wouldn’t talk about her, wouldn’t even let me talk about her. He’d get irate and leave.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah… He’s calmed down a lot, but I know it’s eating him inside. He can sit here and tell us he doesn’t believe it, but I think he’s known from the beginning that something wasn’t right…”

A brief stillness overtook the room before Drake leaned forward and asked, “You know why he was so mad you left?” 

“Because he got stuck with she-demon?” Olivia chuckled.

“Well yeah, there’s that. But… he had a plan.” 

“A plan?” Olivia asked, her confusion prominent. 

“Yep… He was going to pick you so he could keep looking for Riley after the coronation.” 

Olivia’s eyes widened. “Really?” 

“That’s what he said, anyway. But after the scandal… He never spoke of it again. I don’t know if he gave up because he had to pick Madeleine, and felt like he couldn’t look for her or…” 

“I should be spiteful that I was the second choice to begin with, but I take the utmost satisfaction in knowing Madeleine was publicly the third choice.” Olivia laughed with a sneer. She continued, “But I don’t think for a second he truly believes that bullshit story. He’s only covering his own ass for how he reacted.”

“Oh yeah. Connie ripped him big time for that.” Drake stated with wide eyes. 

“I imagined so.”

A content silence overtook them, aside from the sounds of light rain as it tapped against the windows. Drake sat back, turned his head to the ceiling, and let out a breath of air. 

“I always wondered how she got out of there. There were so many people there, and I was in the room right next to hers…” Drake trailed off.

“And you didn’t hear her, or anything?”

“Not a peep.”

“That is odd.”

Drake sat up and faced Olivia. “I think we should check into this. I know Liam didn’t seem to believe the idea, but there has to be something out there. Some kind of clue, anything. Even if we find out, she really ran off with Tariq.” His face grimaced at the thought. 

“Oh, I plan to. The blackmail I received and whatever happened to Riley have to be connected, I just don’t know how, yet. But they’re messing with the Duchess of Lythikos, and I don’t take kindly to threats.” 

“Well, I wanna help.”

Drake’s phone chimed with a text message. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw that Maxwell had answered his earlier text. He quickly shot a response before he turned back to Olivia. “I’m gonna go meet Maxwell for a couple of drinks. You wanna come? Maybe Max knows something, or we can try to assemble a plan of some sort.”

Olivia debated it briefly before she let out a heavy breath. She rubbed her index finger and thumb over her nose and whispered to herself, “Zenobia give me strength.” 

Tags (If you'd like to be removed at any time, just let me know.): @choicesficwriterscreations @ao719 @txemrn @imashybish @emkay512 @queenrileyrose @kingliam2019 @riseandshinelittleblossom @dcbbw @tessa-liam @twinkleallnight @amandablink @cordonia-gothqueen @sfb123 @harleybeaumont @bebepac @charlotteg234 @aussiegurl1234 @jared2612

[dcbbw]

Hey, I wonder what it would look like if Liam gave Riley permission to hook up with someone one last time at their party in Las Vegas, and Riley asked Liam to sleep together. It would be very interesting, because PB does not have that option.

Thank you so much for this ask @busywoman! Fun fact: when I first joined the fandom, there was a story of the Vegas fling taking place between MC and her chosen LI (Drake).

*Sighs nostalgically* That was a good story.

This one, probably not so much but here’s hoping you enjoy it! Using my Timing Liam x Riley (The Otters/Baby Riam) for this drabble and including an answer to your previous ask regarding a lighter, happier proposal for them.

Also using @choicesflashfics Week #20 prompt #1: “The word ‘love’ doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what I feel for you.” It will appear in bold.

No one’s eyes but mine have looked this over, so pretty please excuse any and all typos, missing/extraneous words, and/or grammatical errors. MS Editor rates this story as 99% error free.

All characters belong to Pixelberry.

Song Inspo: Love You, flowerovlove

Word Count: 1,346

Pairing: Liam x Riley

Rating T for Teen (No triggers, just a couple of curse words and if you sniff really long and very deeply, you may catch a whiff of lemon)

Las Vegas, Nevada

“Is there anything else you desire, my love?” King Liam of Cordonia loudly asked over the blaring music as he helped his fiancée down from the tabletop they had just danced upon.

Riley Brooks did not answer as she concentrated on placing her foot, shod in strappy sandals with too-high heels, firmly on the ground.

“Food? Drink?” The royal persisted.

“Damnit, Liam! I am trying NOT to die here!” Riley snapped, annoyance and fear lacing her voice.

The King’s fiancée was scared of heights, but more than that, she had a fear of falling. Both were a very real possibility when the tables were a good four feet tall. The last thing Riley needed was to faceplant  and suffer a head injury, broken bones, or worse.

The couple were in Las Vegas with their friends and members of Court to celebrate their engagement. Liam had insisted they have a stag and doe party because he could not bear another moment not being by Riley’s side.

Riley didn’t mind; she had tagged along with Madeleine on her bachelorette party and had crashed Liam’s bachelor party during the Engagement Tour. With none other than Drake Walker aka Agent Marshmallow. She had been so disappointed when Drake didn’t beat the hell out of Bertrand, but even more regretful at having to leave behind a plate of steaks.

During their stay, the couple had taken in the sights of Las Vegas, gambled at a casino where Riley lost $2,000 dollars but won $89 dollars and a coupon to the gaming house’s early bird lunch special, valid only Sundays through Thursdays. There had been a magic show, a scavenger hunt, and a night at the hottest club in town. Tonight was the last of festivities; the entourage was flying back to Cordonia in the morning.

Liam pulled her into a protective embrace once she was safely on solid ground, pressing a wet kiss against her temple. “You’re safe, love. I’m here to protect you.”

Riley briefly closed her eyes as she laid her forehead against the crook of his shoulder. The touch of Lim’s strong arms around her never failed to fill her very being with a feeling of safety, of warmth.

“There is one more thing that would make this entire trip absolutely perfect.” She pulled away from Liam ever-so-slightly so she could look him in his eyes.

“And what would that be?” he asked with a tipsy smile.

“I wanna have a fling!” she said excitedly.

Liam’s arms dropped quickly away from her body; his face was ashen-colored, and his expression was one of stupefied disbelief.

“WHAT?” he yelled.

“What? This is MY party! You’ve already had one! Besides, we’re in Sin City. Debauchery is expected, Liam!”

“With WHO?”

“Whom,” Riley corrected as her eyes scanned the hotel rooftop.

Liam stared at the woman he loved more than life itself. This had to be a joke. Why accept his proposal if she still wanted another?

“Lady Riley Brooks, would you make me the happiest man in the world and do me the honor of being my wife?” Liam asked as he knelt on one knee.

Riley looked down at Liam and the diamond ring nestled in the crushed black velvet box, then up at the Statue of Liberty before answering.

“Okay.”

Liam’s brow knitted, and confusion filled his eyes. “That … is not quite the reaction I was expecting.”

Riley stared at him, realization dawning on her face. “Oh … OOOHHHH. Hold on!”

She batted her lashes and pressed one of her palms over her heart. In a simpering, affected voice, she threw her head back and shouted, “YES, LIAM! YES! A THOUSAND TIMES, YES!”

She looked down at Liam when she was finished. “Better?”

The King rolled his eyes. “Let me just put the ring on your finger, please.”

Perhaps it was revenge of some sort because of the Coronation night disaster which resulted in him betrothed to Countess Madeleine. Riley’s hurt and anger had been palatable; the therapy he had suggested they both take part in had exacerbated the emotions.

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

Swallowing heavily over the sudden lump in his throat, Liam spoke softly. “I promised to never deny you anything. You can have your fling. All I ask is that you never mention it to me. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. And tomorrow morning, you are MINE. ALL MINE for all eternity.”

His lips snatched hers in a searingly passionate kiss before he turned away, disappearing into the crowd. Riley watched him walk away; his gait was stiff and his shoulders slightly slumped. She shrugged before turning in the opposite direction.

Liam made his way to the bar where he ordered a double scotch on the rocks. He swiveled his chair seat around so he could have a better look at which one of his “friends” would soon be fucking his fiancée. Jealousy, frustration, sadness, and hurt flowed through his body.

She said she had forgiven him.

She said his was the greatest love she had ever known.

His dark brown eyes traveled slowly over the crowd: Drake, Leo, Max, Rashad were still in attendance; they were surrounded by Duchess Olivia and Countess Madeleine. They all had drinks in hand, and guffawing loudly at a story Leo was telling.

Penelope and Kiara were holding plates of food, eating while swaying to the DJ’s remix of an American rap song.

He did not see Riley.

Liam turned at feeling a tapping on his shoulder. His eyes widened at seeing Riley. She had a plate filled with buffalo wings and engagement cake.

“Hey!” she greeted as if she hadn’t just asked her intended for permission to have sex with someone else.

“No one took you up on you offer?” he huffed as he turned away from her.

Riley looked confused. “What offer?”

“YOU ASKED ME FOR A FLING!”

Riley bit into a wing, crossing her eyes at how delicious it was.

“Yeah, I asked YOU, idiot! I don’t need your permission to have sex with someone else, and I certainly wouldn’t tell you. Too much transparency is not a good thing.”

Liam faced his fiancée. “Do you want someone else?” he asked as he reached for a piece of chicken.

Riley slapped his hand away. “No. I’m in love with you, Liam. The word ‘love’ doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what I feel for you.”  

She turned to face him, red dots of sauce speckling her lips. “You’re more than enough.”

The relief Liam felt filled his face. “Thank God.”

He tried again to snatch a wing; Riley let him have one.

“But why all the cloak and dagger? You know you need only say what you want.”

He bit into the chicken, his eyes widening in surprise. “These are good!” He attempted to snag another piece but pulled his hand away upon seeing Riley’s arched eyebrow.

“Because I wanted food first! If I told you the fling was with you, I would’ve missed out on these wings! And I may want some pancakes when I get back to my room. A girl gotta eat, Liam!”

Liam leaned into her, his lips brushing against the skin of her neck. “I have a much better way of satisfying your appetites, love.”

Riley giggled when his breath tickled her flesh. “Does it involve pancakes?”

“What about syrup?” he questioned in a husky whisper against her earlobe as his fingers walked up her fabric-covered thigh.

The tip of Riley’s tongue licked her upper lip. “You’re gonna have to do better than that. I’m giving up buffalo wings, cake, and pancakes!” she moaned.

She felt his hand pushing to get between her legs, and she shifted slightly in her seat to allow him access.

“Chocolate syrup,” Liam clarified while his fingertip rubbed slowly against the crotch of her panties.  

“Let’s go! The night isn’t getting any younger!” Riley was out of her chair and halfway to the elevator with Liam close on her heels.

“DON’T FORGET MY PLATE!"

A/N: Not sure if anyone will see this because it is 3:16am and tags are super wonky, not formatting, and I have a head cold; so giving up the ghost here. If you see it and read it, hope you enjoy it!

@jared2612 @ao719 @marietrinmimi @queenjilian @indiacater @kingliam2019 @bebepac @liamxs-world @mom2000aggie @liamrhysstalker2020 @neotericthemis @twinkleallnight @umccall71 @superharriet @busywoman @gabesmommie1130 @tessa-liam @beezm @gardeningourmett @lovingchoices14 @mainstreetreader @angelasscribbles @lady-calypso @emkay512 @princessleac1 @charlotteg234 @queenrileyrose @alj4890 @yourfavaquarius111 @motorcitymademadame @queenmiarys @choicesficwriterscreations @burnsoslow

[bebepac]

Six Sentence Sunday 03.26.23

Ooooh. Boy..  Here we go.  Some of you all may remember this chick.  Well she’s back messing with stuff again.  I apologize in advance for some of the snippets you’re going to see today.  

Things I’ve written lately: 

The Cordonian Arrangement: Shattered Heart

The Cordonian Arrangement: Memories of You

The Vampires Live On: Part 3

Original Post: 03/26/23 at 8:01PM EST

The Book: TRR  Chapter 8: Garden Party Photo Op Series:  The Life Of Riley: Book 2 Pairings: Liam x Riley Status: Still in the writing process.  

Special Request  fic :)   and has a companion chapter to Heroes and Villians

She smiled when she woke up yet again, amongst the soft plush covers and mattress that felt like she was sleeping on clouds.   Opening her eyes, she glanced around the ornately decorated room. Waking up there every morning  always felt like she was in a dream.  She jumped up ,from her bed running  over to the balcony, throwing open the doors, as if she expected the gardens below not to be visible.  But it was, every single morning.  She had been in Cordonia a little more than three weeks; the ending of the first week at the palace where she was participating in Prince Liam’s social season.  She was living her own Cinderella story thanks to Prince Liam Rys, who after spending the night with her in New York, asked her to come visit him in Cordonia for a week, and then asked her to stay..

She was not the only one living their own Cinderella story that had Liam to thank.  A young Nicolas Karahalios had everything he owned packed in a duffel bag slung over his shoulder and was standing at the palace gates waiting for entry.

“Full name, and state your business at the palace.”  

“Karahalios, Nicolas A. I’m training for the Kingsguard.”  

The sentry took out a clip board and scrolled through the names.  Nico sighed in relief when the guard picked up a pen and checked his name off the list.

“Right on time,  head through those double doors there to take your photo for your level two identification, and from there, you’ll go to uniforms for your cadet attire.”

“Thank you.”  

“Good luck, kid.”  The guard nodded to him, opening the gate.  

“Thank you, Sir!”  

Nico slid the strap of his bag up higher on his shoulder and stood in amazement as the palace gates opened for him. He took a deep breath and stepped forward.

Nico was officially on palace soil for the first time.  

“Come in Maxwell!”  Riley said when she heard his knock.  

Maxwell smiled as he walked through the door.

“You know, we have to stop meeting this way.”  

Maxwell laughed  but the door remained open for Bertrand to walk through.   Riley tried to hide her annoyance.

“Yes Bertrand, what did I do wrong now?”  

He looked her over.  

“Nothing that I can tell as of yet, but you did just wake up, which already means you have a late start.”  

“Still getting used to the time difference.”  

“That didn’t matter last night when you were at the dive bar drinking with Drake Walker acting like you’re still a college student.”  

“You’re acting like your brother Maxwell wasn’t there too.”

“Little Blossom! Way to throw me under the bus!”

“I feel like I’m the only one taking this whole arrangement seriously, keeping you two in check is like herding cats.”  

“Meow.”  

Maxwell chuckled.  

“Do not encourage her Maxwell.”  

The Book:  TRR Part 4: The Vampires Live On Series:  The Vampires Live On Pairings:  Liam x Riley (in this decade)  Gabriel x Alice in the past. Status: Still in the writing process.

Gabriel consoled me as I cried.  

“Are you happy we made it here?”

“Very happy. I promise these are happy tears.   I felt like I was robbed of the opportunity to give her a proper goodbye.”

Gabriel looked visibly hurt by my words. I grabbed his arm to reassure him.  

“It was not your fault, you did what you had to do to keep me safe, to keep us safe.  I understand why you did it.  Though, it still does not sway how I felt and have felt all of these years.  The world should be more evolved, and it’s not. And because it wasn’t, I couldn’t even say a proper farewell to my sister, when I really needed to do it.”  

“The world never changes. Yes, there is a lot more technology now that has made life remarkably easier, but the core of people… never change.  I have walked this earth for long enough to realize that.”

“The things you’ve seen I can’t even imagine, especially in the earlier years.”

“Yes, it was quite a different time. I must leave for a little bit, but I will return shortly, then we will go out for dinner.”  

From the time Gabriel left to the time he returned all I had thought about was Clara and the picture of the two of us.

“I have a present for you.”  

He held out a small wrapped box for me to take.  

“What is this?”  

“Something you really wanted, and deserved to have.”  

“This is so sweet.”  

When I tore open the box, inside, was the framed picture of me and Clara.

“Gabriel….”  

“You deserve more than just to see Clara in only your dreams. This picture should lie with her family and now it does,  and if you look closely, you can see Maxwell in it as well, and he’s looking at Clara, smiling.”  

“He loved her so much.”

“He did. And you can see it as clear as day here.”

The Book: TRF Part 8:  Where Do We Go From Here? The Series:  The Cordonian Arrangement Pairings  Former Riley x Nico (Riley X M!OC)  Liam x Riley? Status:  Still in the writing process.

It was barely dawn and the sun was only creeping slightly through the windows. When she moved, his embrace tightened, pulling her back close to him, leaning in, to kiss her neck. Still waking from her slumber, it felt like a typical morning  that she had lived every day when waking in his arms was commonplace. Riley moaned softly as he continued to gently nibble her neck, pressing her body into his.

“Let’s stay in bed.  Don’t go…." she mumbled in her sleep. “Stay with me.”  

“Always.”  

His voice made her immediately  leave that place of pre woke slumber to soberingly wide awake, quickly pulling away from him.

“Liam….”  

Fully awake, all the memories of the last few months, and from last night flooded back to her in a wave.

Observing the shock and almost disappointment in her eyes, shielding her bare body from him with the sheet, Liam knew.  

“That wasn’t intended for me, was it?”

She didn’t want to lie to him, and she couldn’t look him in the face either.

“No… I’m…. sorry….” She headed towards the door still draped in the sheet from the bed.

“Riley, we need to talk about this.  There’s a reason you came to me last night. It felt right for us to be together that way.”  

“For a brief second, this morning I forgot the horror that has been these last 3 months that has been my life.  Last night, I was lonely… I wanted to feel…. Connected to someone again. I didn’t  mean to give you the wrong idea.”

“Do you regret it?”

“No… I don’t regret it… but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a mistake.  It was a mistake Liam.  We have way too much history for me to think that you would simply be okay with this.”

“We made love last night Riley.”

“We… didn’t.  It was just sex.  I’m still in love with my husband.” Glancing down at her ring on her finger that she was still wearing.

“Your husband is dead.”  

Riley gasped in shock.  Liam immediately wanted to take the words back.  

“Who are you?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like it came out Riley. Forgive me, I didn’t mean it Riley. I promise you I didn’t.”

“Get out of my house.”

“Riley…. We’re supposed to take Angelo to the zoo today.”  

“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE NOW!!!!”

[queenmiarys]

Please excuse any errors or mistakes and I want to say thank you to whom all reads. Happy Sunday everyone.

Through  Hell and back

Trr none royal

Pairing: Olivia x Anton

Chapter summary: it's Juliana's birthday and Olivia cut loose and has some fun but confused about Anton's reaction after the party.

Warning: mentions of attempted rape, being tipsy and light profanity.

All characters belong to pixelberry I just borrowed them for my stories.

Word count 1,928

Song inspiration:

Part 2 Green eyed monster

It was Sunday afternoon. Olivia turned over and grabbed her phone, it was now 2pm. " Oh shit Liam."

She dialed his number."I'm so sorry but on the way?"

    

"Liv, we talked with Kiki earlier and she explained your date went over, so I understand I told her to let you sleep, besides you are coming to Juliana party tonight right? 

"Sure I'll be there."

Are you bringing this new guy along?" 

"I don't think so."

"Really you should invite him."

When Olivia arrived at the party, everyone was having a good time. "There you are, Max said, slurring his words." So we don't get to meet this new guy?" Kiki said that he was hot,  but I bet not hotter than me." He laughed, I could already tell he was tipsy. . 

"Babe, come with me so you can cool down some." A wicked grain from Juliana all it took and he followed her upstairs.

—------

Liam and Mia had walked over to Olivia.

"My love, would you mind if I spoke to Olivia for a moment?" Liam said to his girlfriend 

"You know I don't mind, baby." 

Once they made it outside." So you really like this guy Anton?"

"He's okay, but honestly I really don't know him well. We just went on one date."

"Have you talked with Drake at all?"

"No not at all, it's been over a year since we spoke."

"Here's the thing, remember Riley?"

l

"You mean his girlfriend??"

"Yeah her."

 

"Would you just get to the point already?"

"He asked her to marry him last week." 

"Why would you be afraid to tell me this?"

"Well No one really knows how serious the two of you were, but  I knew you both loved each other and despite him meeting this Riley girl you'll always be his first love and the same for you."

"Liam it doesn't mean anything." She couldn't stop the tears from falling.Liam just held her without saying a word for a few minutes. 

"I'm here for you, we can talk about it if you want or not."

"Did you know he was my first?"

"I figured as much, you were so  very young."

"Come on, you guys are only 2 years older than me."

"True, but you know how Drake is, you know he went against his own rules and took a chance with you only being 16, I remember right before you got together you two were always at each other's throats, I remember when he confused he had feelings for you and wanted to come forth, he thought you hated him, you know I encouraged him to just talk to you and treat you better."

.

" Thank you for that, um We should go back in before they come looking for us." She said to change the subject and to keep from reliving the past, besides he's engaged now. 

"Yeah I suppose so, so when do I meet this Anton guy?" Oh look at that smile you really like him huh?"

"He seems alright." 

They returned to the party. "Come on people let's dance the night away a very drunken Bertrand yelled out, Maxwell re entered the party with a change of clothes on, Bertrand and Maxwell broke into dancing to,  it actually look like Max had taught his brother some moves, what was impressive was that Bertrand was so drunk he threw off his shirt, and throw it over his head to Penelope who caught it and was super excited, Bertrand winked at her, until he saw Savannah walk up behind her. 

—--------------- 

Drake called Juliana on FaceTime. " Hi Drake oh hi you must be Riley?" 

She smiled. "Yes, nice to meet you."

"Same here he's told me so much about you

"Excuse me, but I called to wish you Happy birthday kid, I really wish we could've been there."

"I totally understand." She said giggling. Some things never change. Drake will always be himself, she thought.

Olivia was walking past, Juliana was talking and she heard Drake voice but also another female, she peeped in to see a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes,  her heart sunk in her chest, it's been over a long time she thought who could blame him for moving on it had been 2 years she was brought from her thoughts when she heard Juliana speaking again

"Look guys, I hate to cut things short, but I need to get back to my party."

Okay Juliana talk later."

—-----------

"So that's Maxwell's wife?" She's beautiful." 

"So are you, Brooks, and yes I was certainly surprised when Beaumont got married, he was pretty wild back in the day." 

"I've only met Liam in person, and your sister, I would like to meet everyone else, and that video call doesn't count."

"One day you will, Liam has invited you to his wedding, you know I'm the best man so I would be going down early.

" Just how early?" 

"I need to go a week in advance." 

"I can't let them have you for a week." She teased pulling his 6"3  frame down to her 5"4 and kissed him."I love you Mr Walker."

"I love you too."

He couldn't help but to think of Olivia and the way she used to do the same, only Olivia stood 5" nothing. He closed his eyes and shook his head. 

"Baby I need to take a walk, just to clear my head." 

"Okay baby, don't be too late." 

He walked to a nearby park.

" Liv, stop, why do you act like you hate me so much?" 

"Drake please just go."  " I didn't ask you to be my knight and shining armor."

"Look at me, did Jason, just try to hurt you?" She started to cry. That was all the confirmation he needed. "That son of a b**** , "Beaumont, can you sit with Liv till I return?"

"Go ahead, I won't leave her." 

Once Drake made it inside  Jason was standing surrounded by several  females. "Just who I was looking for, I'll  teach you to never touch a lady when she says no." 

Drake punched him and he fell to the ground,  Drake continued to punch him. Until Liam jumped in front of him,  pleading with him to stop. 

"Drake you're going to kill him, come on go with me and get some air."

They got outside." What the hell happened?" 

"That sob tried to rape her, she's a mess, Liam you know how I feel about her."

Once he returned home Riley questioned him going home "Oh, so you want to go without me?"

"Brooks, it's my best friend's wedding. I can't miss that."

He pulled her over to him, and gently kissed her neck." 

"Come on, let's  go take a shower, we will meet up with your mom in a few hours.

"We can just get ready then."

Brooks, I love you, but you take forever to get ready for like 2 to 3 hours and on top of it all, you hate waking up it takes you 30 minutes to wake fully up." 

"Let's pick something to wear,  and take our shower together."

4 hours later. 

"Brooks,  get up  it's been 30 minutes, it's 9:30 we are supposed to meet your vmom in an hour. " 

"I'm up." Drake was just staring ." Don't worry it's going up in a messy bun, it's only mom."

__________________

Olivia work up to her phone Vibrating, she and Juliana, joined by Kiara and Penelope all fell asleep while watching a movie, everyone was drunk except Mia 

"Hello?" She answered. "Oh Anton, how are you?"

"I'm good, so did you have fun last night?"

"It was okay, wish you could've come, me and most of the girls ended up watching a movie falling asleep."

"So you are still there?"  A hint of jealousy came into his voice. But he quickly changed his tone

"Yes I am, 

"I have to go, talk later." He quickly hung up the phone in her face. 

She stood there in shock for a moment. "Is everything okay?" Mia asked whom Olivia didn't know was in the room.

"Yes it's fine, I got to get to work." 

"Me and Liam both too, it's a good thing I own my own business." Today I'll do 12 till 8.

"There you are my love." Liam gave her a kiss and handed her some money. Remember no ATM use, remember off limits."

She let out a sigh. "Okay I promise. "

"Gotta go." he gave her one more kiss

"What's this you not getting money from the atm?" You have new shoes and a new handbag? Olivia said, rolling her eyes. 

"It's the reason Liam went all crazy on me, and he's been very strict on what I spend, I mean the man puts my bank account to shame. He's only 22, he gave me 20 bucks and said that should be enough for lunch." 

"He's always saved up, but he's also indulged in his lavish gifts as well. "

"He's just showing me how to save and what I should invest in, well I must be going now."

Everyone rushed off to work.

—-----------------

Two weeks later,  Anton had come over for dinner. Olivia wasn't the greatest cook, but her mom taught her a few Pasta dishes and how to make the sauce to go with them. "It smells wonderful in here, I didn't know you could cook."

"Well not really,  these few dishes I know were passed down from my mom, I used to help her a lot." 

There was a knock on the door. "Ki did you forget your keys?" She said as he opened the door revealing her father and brother standing there. "Father, Joel

"We just came to see, would you like to go get a bite with us?".

 

"While father I have company, and I cooked

"You cooked as in food?"

"stop it, of course I cooked food silly .

"you must really like this new guy?" Can we meet him

"Sure brother, come in." She opened the door and they all went into the dining room and introduced them, her father knew who Anton was already

"Anton this is my father Lionel and my brother Joel

"Nice to meet you." They both said in union.

They sat and talked for a while, but it was just something that Joel didn't like about his sister new man.

"Sis I hate to run but I got some stuff to handle."her brother said as he stood up to leave.

She hugged her brother and walked him out.

"So what do you think brother?" 

"I honestly don't know yet sis, I mean so far I don't like him, he just has a negative vibe and until then I can't say what it is but I don't like this guy sis."

"You don't like anyone I date so what else is new?" Are you dating anyone ?"

"I was just hooking up with this guy named Kevin." 

"So no one special?"

Maybe when I'm old enough, 27 is still young and beside no one looking for me to marry or have a child, since I don't swing for the right team, as aunt Lucinda always tells me how it's a sin to date men and all."

"You can't listen to her, she is so wrapped up in us but doesn't see that Amber is Bi and Casey may be as well, it'll serve her right for looking down on people." 

"Thanks you're the best little sister."

"I'm your only sister." She said with a big smile..

"Let me get back to Anton." She hugged him and went back inside.

Anton sat in the dining room talking to her father but watching the scene out the window. 

"Dinner was delicious, but I must be going." He hid how angry he was that her dad and brother crashed their date.

@kingliam2019 @choicesficwriterscreations @twinkleallnight @alj4890 @kaitycole @karahalloway

@honey358luv @harleybeaumont @kingliam-rys @tessa-liam @bebepac @dcbbw @mom2000aggie

@lolablackwrites @luvquit @shewillreadyou @yaniradolton @yolandawalker @yourmajesty09 @storyofmychoices @queenrileyrose @ao719 @angelasscribbles @aussiegurl1234

[harleybeaumont]

Never Have I Ever

Chaper 20 - Watershed

Book- TRR

Series- Never Have I Ever

Pairings- Bertrand x MC 

Chapter Synopsis- What started out as a humiliating ordeal with Savannah has turned into a huge realization for Bertrand.

Chapter Warnings- language, sensuality

Rating - Mature

Word Count- 2,980

A/N- I know it's been a MINUTE since I posted, but I'm back and ready to continue this story! Since it's been a while since I posted the previous chapter, I'm going to include a snippet of what happened at the end of chapter 19 to refresh your memory.

_______________________________________________

Bertrand closed his eyes tightly and imagined Riley in front of him. Instead of the overwhelming scent of Chanel No. 5, he caught the faint note of Riley’s floral shampoo. Suddenly he could taste Riley’s strawberry lip gloss. He caressed her cheek, knowing there were adorable tiny freckles beneath his hand. He ran his fingers through her golden locks which were probably just let out of a messy bun or braid. He felt her arms wrap around him and she whispered against his ear, “Do you want me, Bertrand?” His mind flashed back to Riley laying beneath him, her plump lips curving into a sexy grin as she uttered, “fuck me, Bert.”

Savannah whispered against his ear, “Say my name. Tell me you want me.”

Bertrand smiled with his eyes still closed tightly and replied, “I want you, Riley.”

__________________________________________________

Chapter 20 -Watershed 

Bertrand flailed his arms in an attempt to steady himself as Savannah quite literally tossed him out of her bedroom and into the hall. “Savannah, can we just talk about-”

“No, we cannot!” She shrieked, looming in the doorway with her blouse still unbuttoned.

A creak in the hallway snapped their attention to a very startled Riley, who was holding a bag of Chewy Chips Ahoy, attempting to return to her room to watch some trash TV with a late night snack.

“Oh, isn’t this just perfect!?” Savannah spat, now directing her ire at Riley.

“Savannah, please lower your voice! People are trying to sleep and we don’t want to cause a scene.” Bertrand whispered with his hands held in front of him as if trying to calm a wild animal.

“A scene? A scene?! I’ll give you a scene!” Savannah shouted, picking up a vase from a nearby table and raising it over her head, poised to hurl it down the empty hallway. Suddenly her entire demeanor changed and she took several deep breaths. “No.. No. Lady Savannah Jane Walker is better than this. That’s right. She’s a lady. She doesn’t need to lower herself to yelling and screaming and throwing things. Especially not over a man who turned out to be nothing more than a lying, cheating scoundrel.”

Riley watched the scene before her in utter confusion and brought a cookie to her mouth, chewing slowly. This was wilder than anything she could have seen on TV. 

Savannah took another deep breath before fixing Riley with a murderous gaze. “And don’t worry, he’s all yours!” She spun around, stomping into her bedroom and slammed the door behind her, leaving Bertrand and Riley alone in the hall.

“Riley.. I..” Bertrand started, but Riley nodded her head toward her bedroom which was thankfully at the other end of the hall from Savannah’s.

“Come on. It’s probably safer if we talk away from.. Whatever that was.”

Bertrand dropped down onto Riley’s bed with his head in his hands. 

She touched his shoulder softly, “What happened?”

He sighed and mumbled without lifting his head, “Utter humiliation. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Riley?!” Savannah snapped, breaking the kiss and jerking away from him.

“What?” 

“You just called me Riley!” 

“I’m certain I did no such thing.”

Savannah’s brows furrowed and she looked as if she might physically hurt him. “You did! You son of a bitch! I knew you had a thing for her!”

“No! It’s not like that!”

“So that tramp got her hooks into you!”

“Savannah, that’s not-”

“Don’t lie to me, Bertrand! Are you two having sex?”

“I-I-I.. no?”

“Oh my god! You are!”

At that point, Bertrand could do nothing but drop to his knees and beg. “Please don’t tell anyone!”

Savannah’s mouth fell open and she ran her hands through her hair, pulling slightly so several strands stuck out wildly. “You think I would tell people about this?! This is humiliating for me! The man I’m courting is sleeping with common trash! My reputation would never recover if people found out! Why this whole thing makes me-”

Savannah suddenly stopped and took several deep breaths, speaking with an eerily calm voice. “No, no. Calm down Savannah. You can fix this. There are still several eligible men at court. What’s that idiot’s name? The one who is going to be an earl? Neville? Yes. Yes. We can do this. There’s still time for you. You’re young and beautiful. You’re going to be a countess.”

Bertrand watched her with wide, and slightly fearful eyes before saying, “I am truly sorry for-”

Savannah’s expression once again turned heated. “Oh, you're going to regret this! When I think of all the time I wasted with you, you pathetic, stuttering mess of a man! Get out of my sight!” 

He jumped up and rushed for the door and Savannah shoved him roughly into the hallway.

Riley rubbed his back soothingly, trying her best to comfort him. She wished she could have been a fly on the wall for whatever weirdness happened back there. “Ok, we don’t have to talk about it.” She smiled and held out the bag, “want a cookie?”

Bertrand looked up from his hands and burst into laughter and Riley couldn’t help but join in. He smiled genuinely, clearly thankful for some relief from the earlier tension. 

“I should probably go.” Bertrand shook his head, looking back down at the floor. “This has been an.. unusual night.”

“Understatement of the century.”

He stood and headed for the door. “I apologize that you had to witness all of that. And I truly hope that you are feeling better than you were earlier today. I was quite worried about you.”

Riley smiled and held out her arms. “Come here.”

Bertrand returned her smile and stepped toward her, easily melting into her embrace. His heart instantly stopped racing. His body erupted in goosebumps and he felt warmer and safer than he had in his entire adult life. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck, breathing in everything about her. The warmth of her embrace and the softness of her skin sent him into a comforting and calm place that he didn’t ever want to leave. Despite the horrible night he had, everything was suddenly right with the world and he couldn’t have been happier.

After a few moments, they separated and Bertrand headed back to his own room. As soon as he locked his door, he slumped into a chair, groaning as a new and bittersweet realization overtook his entire being. 

There was no use denying it anymore. Riley was his calm, his home. And he was in love with her. Hopelessly, desperately, madly, and completely in love.

_________________________________________________

The following day, the court returned to the palace to prepare for Liam’s upcoming coronation, but the Beaumont’s stayed behind a few more days to attend some upcoming appointments. Bertrand was thankful for some time away from the court, in particular, Savannah. He desperately needed time to think about.. Well, everything.

Bertrand had spent the last four months implausibly falling in love with the woman he had been training to be a queen. When Maxwell convinced him to sponsor this woman, the only reason he allowed it was because having someone from his house be chosen would be a way to secure his legacy. But each day spent with Riley, made him care less and less about his legacy, and more about something new. Something he had never cared about before. 

His own happiness.

Growing up, Bertrand always struggled with the guilt that inevitably accompanied any sort of happiness. His childhood and teenage years were almost completely devoid of any sort of joy. Under the scrutiny of his father, he had grown up far too quickly. There was always something he needed to improve on, and his father made sure to inform him of this on a daily basis. His adult life was spent going through the motions of trying to keep house Beaumont in good standing. There was no time for frivolity or romance in any way. Not until people in court began questioning why he hadn’t chosen a wife, did he begin to accept Savannah's persistent propositions for a date.

What was he supposed to do now that everything had changed?

______________________________________________

Riley knocked on Maxwell’s ajar bedroom door, pushing it open when he didn’t answer. “Max? You in here? Ready to go?”

A retching sound from his adjoining bathroom caught her attention. She peered around the corner and found Max slumped over the toilet. “Max, are you ok!?”

“Ughhhh.. Don’t look at me.”

“Aw, honey, what happened?”

“Armando has a stomach bug.”

Riley ran some cold water over a washcloth and blotted his forehead and neck, “Ah, that makes sense. Since you always have your tongue down his throat, you caught it too.”

Max coughed and waved Riley away, “Thank you, but I don’t want you to see me like this. I’m too hideous!” He sniffled dramatically, “Remember me as I once was, Riley. The cool, sexy, charismatic, life of the party.”

“Max, you’re going to be ok!” Riley tried not to laugh at his melodrama. “I’m going to get you some sprite and crackers and pepto bismol. Do you want me to call the doctor?”

Max put his head in his hands, “No, Armando said his is almost over, so it looks like a 24 hour bug.”

After a few moments, Riley returned with a tray full of snacks and medicine and placed it on the nightstand. She turned down his bed, clicked on his TV and lowered the lights. Max staggered into bed and pulled the sheet up to his chin. “Thank you. You’re an angel, you know that?”

She placed the washcloth on his forehead and chuckled, “I don’t know about that.”

Maxwell gasped, “Oh no! Your appointment at the boutique is today!”

“I’m sure I can reschedule.”

“No way! Do you know how many favors I called in to get you into Levre Rouge Boutique at such short notice? You have to get a killer dress for the coronation and show up all those snooty, prissy twats!”

“But.. I don’t want to go alone.”

“Ask Bertrand!”

“Do you think he’d really want to go dress shopping with me?” Riley laughed skeptically, but paused when she noticed the thoughtful look on Maxwell’s face.

“I think he’d be happy to do literally anything with you, Riley.”

Her heart fluttered and she couldn't keep the smile from her face. She patted Maxwell’s hand and made her way to the door, still unable to stop grinning. “You’ll let me know if you need anything, right?”

“I will.” Max smiled and settled into bed. “Now go get something sexy, bitch.”

______________________________________________________

Bertrand waited in the crisp, white and red sitting area of the fanciest dress shop he had ever seen in his life. Levre Rouge Boutique had dressed princesses, celebrities, heiresses, and everyone in between. Whatever they chose for Riley to wear to the coronation would surely be jaw droppingly gorgeous. Not that she needed a new dress for that.

“Ready for the first one?” Riley sashayed out in a sleek, forest green dress that hugged her curves all the way down to the top of her thighs, where a long slit began, ending in a pool of silk at her feet.

She stuck out her leg, allowing the slit to open completely and Bertrand swallowed hard as his eyes betrayed him, taking in every inch of skin he could. “It’s um, um..”

She grinned and waved him over to her side in front of several floor length mirrors. “Come over and see it properly.” She twirled and flared the dress out. “It’ll need to be taken in a bit, and it’s way too long, but the seamstress said they can have any alterations done overnight. Apparently you Beaumont’s have a lot of clout around here for some reason.” She winked and nudged Bertrand, who hadn’t taken his eyes off of her. “That.. was a joke. I mean, obviously you have clout being nobility.. Bert, you ok?”

He cleared his throat and met her eye line, desperately trying to avoid the ample amount of cleavage protruding from the top of the gown. “It’s lovely. I mean, you’re lovely. I mean, you look lovely.. In the dress.” Bertrand cringed. Somehow he always made a mess of everything he said when she was around.

She smiled and took his hand. “Thank you.”

A plump woman with gray hair pulled into a tight bun blew into the room in a cloud of tape measures and fabric. She spoke to Bertrand with a melodic french accent, “We are honored to have you here, Your Grace. And what do you think of your date's dress? You two will surely turn heads at the coronation in a gown this exquisite.”

“Oh,” Riley turned toward Bertrand, and the two blushed simultaneously, dropping one another's hands and stepping back. “We’re not-”

“She's not my-” Bertrand started. “She's my, uh..”

“Friend!” Riley finished for him. “He’s helping me find a dress. We’re friends.”

“Yes. Friends.”

The woman regarded them skeptically, but grew wide eyed as she seemed to finally recognize Riley. “Oh, mon Dieu! I apologize. When Lord Maxwell contacted me, I did not realize I would be dressing the prince's American suitor! I am so embarrassed. I should have known-"

"It's fine," Riley assured her with a smile. "Don't worry about it."

Yvette regained her composure and turned to Bertrand slyly, "Date or not, you must admit that the green brings out her beautiful eyes, no?”

Bertrand met Riley’s emerald eyes and smiled. “It does.”

Riley grinned back at him and turned toward the mirror. “Madame Yvette, I’m a little worried this one might be too revealing for the occasion. The slit is so high. Would it be inappropriate to wear in front of royalty?”

Yvette tapped her cheek thoughtfully, “Oui, you may be right. Follow me, darling, we will find you something perfect.”

After an hour and a half of trying on dress after dress, Riley had narrowed it down to two. “Bert, I can’t choose! Which one is your favorite?”

“Oh, I don’t think it should be up to me,” Bertrand shook his head.

“Well technically you are paying for it,” Riley wrinkled her nose slightly. “Which I still feel bad about by the way.”

He smiled, “And I’ve told you before, don’t worry about that. Which one do you like the best?”

“Ah, I don’t know! Let me see the other dress one more time!” She changed out of the sequined, mauve gown and back into the scarlet one, then reemerged into the dressing area where Bertrand was waiting patiently. “I’m sorry, this must be so boring for you. We’ve been here forever and I’m so indecisive.”

“You cannot rush perfection!” Madame Yvette mused as she adjusted the dress on Riley, tucking and pinning fabric until it fit just right. “And this, darling.. This is perfection.”

Bertrand simply watched in awe of how gorgeous Riley looked in absolutely everything. He had seen her in ballgowns, pajamas, jeans, and absolutely nothing at all and she was always resplendent. And not just in her appearance, in everything about her. The way she carried herself, the way she could find the good in any situation, the way she cared about everyone.

His heart clenched as he imagined the two of them as a couple choosing an outfit for a ball they would be attending together. They would dance and laugh and everyone would be jealous of him for having the most perfect woman in the world on his arm. It was never going to happen, but it was an amazing thought.

 Madame Yvette was called away for a phone call, leaving the two alone. Riley made her way from the platform to the couch where he was sitting and held out her hand. “Dance with me.”

Bertrand was sure he gulped aloud, but he stood immediately. “Dance? Here?”

“Ya, then I can see if this one feels right for a ball. Let’s give it a test drive.” She held her hand out and smiled, “please?”

Bertrand shook his head and grinned, before grasping her hand and wrapping his other arm around her waist. He looked down shyly and Riley leaned her body closer to him.

“Doesn't the fabric feel good? I’ve never worn material so soft and silky before.”

Bertrand nodded, still unable to look in her eyes.

She moved even closer to his body until there was no space left between them. “Touch it.”

He tentatively ran his hand down the fabric of her lower back, sucking in a sharp breath when she took his hand and brought it down further. 

“It’s.. quite nice.”

Riley lay her head against his shoulder and he held her close as the two swayed together to the soft jazz music playing over the boutique's speakers. “I bet this seems silly, doesn’t it? Spending all this time picking out a dress.” Especially since there is no way I’m going to marry Liam.

“Nonsense. Besides, any time I spend with you is enjoyable.”

Riley felt a warmth in her chest at his words. “Bertrand, you’re too good to me. I really don’t deserve everything you guys have done.”

Bertrand stopped dancing and looked into her eyes, more serious than she had seen him before. “Never.” His thumb traced softly across her cheek and he leaned in closer. “You deserve everything and more.”

His pulse was pounding as she smiled sweetly at him. He swallowed hard, speaking directly from his heart for once. “Riley.. I need to tell you something. I-”

“Have we made a decision, madame?” Yvette called out from the hallway as she made her way back to the dressing room.

Riley and Bertrand jumped away from each other quickly and Bertrand took out his phone in an attempt to appear nonchalant. Riley looked down at her dress and smiled. “This is the one.”

_______________________________________________

When they arrived back at the estate, it was already dinner time. Riley quickly popped into Max’s bedroom to check on him, and found him sound asleep in bed.

“I’m starving.” Riley sighed as she made her way toward the kitchen, taking a seat beside Bertrand at the bar.

“What would you like to eat? The chef has left for the night, but I can call and have something delivered for you.”

“Anything.. But you pick! I am mentally drained and honestly don’t think I could make another decision tonight if my life depended on it.”

Bertrand opened his mouth to protest, but paused as an idea hit him. “I know just the thing,” he smiled shyly and pulled out his phone.

He was going to have to step way out of his comfort zone for this. 

[choicesficwriterscreations]

The Royal Romance Masterlist 4/4

✒️= Fanfic | 📱= Text Fics/Edits | 🎨= Fanart Ⓜ️ = Mature Content 18+ | 🔥 = Explicit/NSFW 18+ 🏳️‍🌈= LGBTQIA

October 2023

Week ending October 7, 2023

8 Ball, Corner Pocket ✒️Ⓜ️🔥| Drake Walker x MC - @georgiesgirl1223

Black Silk (Series) ✒️Ⓜ️| Liam Rys x mc, Drake Walker x mc - @ausiegurl1234 Chapter 19: The Truth ✒️

Cordonian Kareoke (Series) ✒️| LIam Rys, Drake Walker - @angelasscribbles Leo Take 2

Ghosted (Series) ✒️Ⓜ️| Liam Rys x MC - @kristinamae093 Chapter 9: One Step Forward

Marry Me ✒️| Drake Walker x MC - @georgiesgirl1223

Never Have I Ever (Series) ✒️Ⓜ️| Bertrand Beaumont x MC - @harleybeaumont Chapter 21: Let's Just Forget the World

Royal Surprise ✒️| Liam Rys x MC - @eadanga

...Sometimes Not (Series) ✒️| Liam Rys x F!OC - @ao719 Part 11: All I've Ever Known

Week ending October 14, 2023

Ghosted (Series) ✒️Ⓜ️| Liam Rys x MC - @kristinamae093 Chapter 10: Two Steps Back

Thro(n)es of Passion Part 2: A Bad Romance One-Shot ✒️Ⓜ️🔥| Liam Rys x MC x Maxwell Beaumont, Drake Walker x MC - @angelasscribbles

Turning the Page ✒️Ⓜ️ | Liam Rys x MC - @tessa-liam Part 4: I'm the Problem

Victim of Love (Series) ✒️Ⓜ️| Liam Rys x MC, Drake Walker x MC - @angelasscribbles Chapter 13: Torn Chapter 14: Yes and Maybe

September 2023

Week ending September 30, 2023

Week ending September 23, 2023:

Black Silk (Series) | Liam Rys x F!OC, Drake Walker x F!OC - @aussiegurl1234 Chapter 18: The Fire ✒️Ⓜ️

Black Silk Art by @rosefuckinggenius (C: @aussiegurl1234 ) 🎨Ⓜ️

Cordonian Karaoke (Series) | Liam Rys & Drake Walker & MC - @angelasscribbles Cordonian Karaoke Duet: Riley & Liam ✒️ Cordonian Karaoke: Drake's Response ✒️

Liam Rys x Riley Brooks 🎨by @rosefuckinggenius (C: @tessa-liam)

Midnights Like This (Series) ✒️| Leo Rys x MC, Liam Rys x F!OC - @queenrileyrose Part 10: Harder to Hide Than I Thought

The Princess's Secret Part 2 ✒️| Drake Walker x MC - @liamsqueen1984

Turning the Page (Series)✒️| Liam Rys x MC - @tessa-liam Chapter 3: Regrets Ⓜ️

Week ending September 9, 2023:

Favorites (Part 3) | Liam Rys x MC, Heir x OC - @mand-delemonde

Here Comes the Sun (Series) | Liam Rys x F!OC, Drake Walker x MC - @kristinamae093 Part 6

Smoke & Mirrors (Series) | Liam Rys x MC - @tessa-liam Chapter 9: Hidden In Plain Sight Ⓜ️

Sometimes Not (Series) | Liam Rys x F!OC - @ao719 Part 9: Holding Out

Through Hell and Back (Series) | Olivia Nevrakis x Anton Severus - @queenmiarys Part 2

Unexpected (Series) | Maxwell Beaumont x F!MC - @angelasscribbles Chapter 6: Liam Ⓜ️🔥

Wishful Thinking | Drake Walker x F!OC - @xxrainbow-princessxx

Week ending September 2, 2023:

Black Silk (Series) | Liam Rys x F!OC, Drake Walker x F!OC - @aussiegurl1234 Chapter 17: He's Coming Ⓜ️

Dark Elf (Series) | Liam Rys x MC - @angelasscribbles Chapter 6: Blood Bound Ⓜ️🔥 Chapter 7: Spirt Bound Ⓜ️🔥

The Dark Kingdom (Series) | Liam Rys x MC, Drake Walker x MC - @angelasscribbles Chapter 5: Fated Ⓜ️

Ghosted (Series) | Liam Rys x MC - @kristinamae093 Chapter 8: Always Watching Ⓜ️

Hana Lee x MC Fic by @shreyamistry

Laws End (Series) | Various Pairings - @angelasscribbles Chapter 5: Murder at Vista Heights Ⓜ️

Never Have I Ever (Series) | Bertrand Beaumont x MC - @harleybeaumont Chapter 20: Watershed Ⓜ️

[angelasscribbles]

Unexpected Chapter 11: Let's Be Happy

Series: Unexpected

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Maxwell, Riley x Liam

Rating: MA

Warnings: None for this chapter

Word Count: 2,919

My other stuff: Master List.

Riley folded clothes and placed them into a suitcase as her mind ran through last night’s events.

Everything was out in the open now. Max had always known about Liam, of course. But now Liam knew about Max as well.

The reveal had gone far better than she would have imagined. She wouldn’t go so far as to say Liam hadn’t cared. He had been a little hurt, a little angry, a little jealous even. But by the night’s end, they had been on the same page.

She would stay in Cordonia. She would continue her relationship with him. He would marry someone else. She would be free to continue her relationship with Max.

Bertrand was going to be livid. She did not doubt that he would make good on his promise to withdraw House Beaumont’s support, both publicly and financially. He’d likely cut Max off as well.

Liam had brushed her concerns about the future aside, telling her not to worry, he’d handle it. For now, she would keep her room at the palace. She would attend the engagement tour and before they left, she would move into a new suite of rooms in the royal family’s wing.

She wasn’t crazy about not having a solid plan for the long term and she was even less thrilled about living in a room right down the hall from Liam’s wife, especially if that wife turned out to be Madeleine.

Liam had assured her he had no intention of marrying the countess, but Riley wasn’t sure that Kiara or Penelope would treat her much better.

There was a knock and Riley crossed the room to open the door for Hana. She pulled her inside and enveloped her in a hug. “I’m so happy to see you!”

Hana returned Riley’s embrace with a laugh. “I’m always happy to see you. But why, specifically?”

“I have a lot to tell you, but you first!” Riley released her and returned to folding clothes to place in her luggage. “I am dying to know what you were talking about last night. What did you mean when you said you weren’t sure you still wanted to marry the prince?”

Hana sat on the edge of the bed and stared down at her hands. “I don’t want to marry Liam. I mean, I did, when I first got here. In addition to making my parents happy and being able to put my considerable skills to good use as queen, he is hot as hell.”

“Right?” Riley laughed in agreement. “I didn’t hear a downside in there!”

Hana looked up with heated cheeks. “What about you?”

“What about me what?”

“If he chooses you, will you say yes?”

“Oh, he’s not going to choose me.”

“You can’t be sure of that.”

“I can. We discussed it last night.”

Hana couldn’t hide the astonishment that crashed through her. “I knew you were close, but I didn’t realize he was confiding in you about such things. And if you’re that close, then why wouldn’t he—”

Riley dropped the blouse she was folding and grabbed Hana’s hands. “I’ll tell you everything, but not until you tell me why you don’t want to marry Liam. You would be a great queen.”

An idea seized hold of her. Hana would be a great queen. And she wasn’t a bitch.

Hana screwed her courage up, determined to say what she had come to say. The next time she would see Riley would be at the Beaumont Bash, an event sure to keep her too busy with hostessing duties to find a moment alone for a conversation. Then after that, the Coronation Ball.

It was now or never.

She drew in a deep breath and blurted out, “I can’t marry Liam because I’m in love with you!”

***

Drake lifted his hand to knock just as the door to Liam’s office opened and the prince’s personal lawyer stepped out. “Rashad, I didn’t realize you were here today.”

“Last minute meeting,” He explained as he nodded at the other man, “Nice to see you. I’m on my way out.”

“Nice to see you, too. Hello and goodbye.” Drake chuckled as he entered the office and closed the door behind him. He took in his best friend’s demeanor. “Wow. You look downright chipper this morning.”

Liam grinned at him from his place behind the highly polished mahogany desk. “Oh, I am! I spoke to Riley last night and I think I have everything figured out, Drake.”

Drake suppressed a long-suffering sigh. “I thought we settled this. You can’t marry her—”

“Oh, I’m not. I can’t. You were right about that. And she doesn’t want to be queen, anyway.”

Drake had been reaching for a donut on the service cart. His hand froze midway as he did a double take. “What now?”

“She doesn’t want it, Drake. Can you imagine? A woman who doesn’t even want the damn crown!”

“And you’re happy about that? Because yesterday you were still trying to find a way to marry her.”

“I realized I can’t marry her. You were right about her and Max.”

Drake poured a cup of coffee to go with the donut and sat down across the desk from Liam. “I’m very confused. She doesn’t want to marry you, and she’s fucking Beaumont. Why are you happy?”

“Because my overstepping, interfering stepmother is right about one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Queen is a job title. One that Riley is neither prepared nor suited for.”

“Okay….”

Liam leaned forward with excitement. “I thought I needed her to marry me to be happy, but I don’t!”

Drake lifted an eyebrow skeptically. “You don’t?”

“No. I don’t. I just need her in my life, and she’s agreed to it. I’m determined to make this work. My marriage will be in name only.”

“But….she’s still sleeping with Max, right? You’ll never be able to reign her in. That girl is a wild card.”

Liam leaned back in his chair with a grin. “Perhaps I like that about her. She just follows her heart and does whatever the hell she wants. What freedom that must be.”

“That’s one way to look at it.”

“Yes. But also look at it this way. I’ll always know she’s choosing to be with me because she wants to, not because she has to.”

“How do you figure?”

“You know I’ve always had issues with women wanting the crown more so than me.”

“Yes…”

“She doesn’t want it and she won’t have it. There will be no marriage contract to bind her to me. Every moment we spend together will be because she wants me. Liam, the man. Not the king, not the crown.”

“I think you’re forgetting one very important thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Your money. She may not want the responsibilities of the crown, but how can you ever be sure she isn’t just enamored of your wealth?”

“Ah. I have a solution for that as well. That’s why Rashad was here.”

“I don’t follow.”

Liam pushed a folder across the desktop.

Drake flipped through it and whistled. “Wow. You really have thought of everything.”

 “I know.” Liam gave him a self-satisfied smirk as he rose from the desk. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go pack.”

Drake’s head snapped up. “Pack? Why? We don’t leave for Ramsford until tomorrow.”

“Court doesn’t. Riley and the Beaumonts are leaving this morning. I plan to surprise her there.”

“At Ramsford? Where she’ll be with Max?”

“I can handle Max,” Liam assured him with a scowl. “It’s Bertrand I’m worried about.”

“Bertrand?” Drake sat up straighter, “Explain.”

Liam quickly filled him in on what Riley and Max had confided to him before heading to the royal quarters to pack.

***

Thirty minutes after arriving at Ramsford, Liam was alone with Riley. Bertrand had been thrilled to provide them with a private sitting room and shoo all the servants away from the area.

Riley’s eyes flicked back and forth from the paperwork in her hands to the man standing in front of her.

Liam was vibrating with excitement as he waited for her reaction.

She shifted through the documents in confusion. “I don’t understand. You’re giving me Valtoria?”

His grin broadened. “Yes!”

Her brows drew together. “What is it?”

“It’s a duchy.”

“Wait. You can just give someone a duchy?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Yes, of course?” She scoffed, “This is brand new information to me, Liam!”

“You’ll be a duchess, complete with full Cordonian citizenship and voting rights in the House of Lords.”

“I’ll be a duchess….”

“Yes, with everything that entails. Lands, titles, bank accounts—”

Her head jerked up as her eyes flew from the document she was holding to his face. “Bank accounts?”

“Naturally. You don’t need Bertrand’s money and you won’t be beholden to him or anyone else for anything from here on out.”

“Liam, this…this is incredibly generous, but I don’t know anything about running a duchy!”

“You don’t have to run it, Riley. You can appoint a prime minister to do all the work.”

“And I’ll keep this as long as I’m your mistress?”

“You’ll keep it, regardless. I have signed and filed all the paperwork, Riley. It’s yours with no strings attached.”

Her mouth fell open in disbelief. “Why would you do this?”

“Why?” He took her hand in his. “Because it would kill me if I ever thought you were sleeping with me out of some sort of obligation or because you felt backed into a corner financially. And because I love you. If you cut me out of your life tomorrow, I can live in peace knowing that you’re taken care of.”

“Liam…”

“I’m sorry I can’t marry you, Riley. But your future is secure, with or without me in it, so would you please stop worrying about that?”

She threw herself into his arms.

After several moments filled with laughter, tears, and lots of kissing, she pulled away from him. “This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me, Liam. I love it and I love you. I feel selfish for asking, but there is one more thing I’d like to ask of you.”

“I’m gratified that you’re so happy. It gives me great satisfaction to please you. If there’s something else I can do, please tell me.”

“I want you to marry Hana.”

***

The moment the guests arrived, Liam pulled Hana aside for a confidential chat. Then he spoke privately to his father.

“I had hoped you’d choose Countess Madeleine.”

“And I had my heart set on marrying Lady Riley.”

“The council—”

“Won’t approve her. And neither will you. I know. Lady Hana isn’t your first choice, nor is she mine, but she’s an excellent compromise. She has the correct background and education. She’s poised, talented, charming, and beautiful. She should have no trouble securing council approval.”

Constantine laughed with relief, proud to see his son making logical compromises. He had been worried Liam was going to be intransigent about marrying the waitress. The lady from Shanghai was indeed an excellent choice. Regina wouldn’t be happy, but he could handle his wife. Clapping his son on the back, the king assured him, “I’ll have them get the approval pushed through by tomorrow.”

***

The Beaumont Bash went off without a hitch. The overnight guests were served a late brunch the next day. Liam insisted Riley return to the palace with him.

“Surely you don’t need her for the cleanup? You have staff for that, right?”

Bertrand nodded his agreement with glee. “Yes. It’s fine. Go. Go.”

Liam pushed away from the table and held his hand out to her. “Come, Riley. I’ll walk you to your room. Max, would you please join us?”

Max looked up from his plate in surprise. His eyes flicked to Bertrand, who was shooting daggers at him, then back to Liam. “Um…yes, sure.”

Liam ushered them into Riley’s bedroom and closed the door before turning to face them. “Take anything you care about. You too, Max. The day after tomorrow Bertrand will realize that his plan has failed. I want you both out of his reach. The worst he can do is withdraw his support of Riley and disinherit you. It won’t matter. As I’m sure she’s shared with you by now, Riley is a duchess in her own right. Regardless, you’re both welcome to stay at the palace for as long as you want.”

“With pleasure!” Riley was already pulling her suitcase out.

Max watched Liam’s face closely. “I understand why you’re helping her. But why are you helping me?”

“It’s the same answer. You’re important to her, she’s important to me. I hope you prove worthy of it. Now go pack. We’re leaving in an hour.”

***

It was coronation night, and everything was in place. Liam hummed happily as he stepped out of the bathroom into the small but elegant sitting room just down the hall from the grand ballroom to find Madeleine waiting for him. His jaw clenched in annoyance. “What are you doing in here? This is a private room.” He was going to have a very stern talk with his head of security.

“We need to talk.”

“What could we possibly have to discuss?”

“Our engagement.”

Liam tipped his head back with a sigh. “We are not engaged, Countess.”

“But we should be. I know you’re in love with…” she grimaced, liked the words burned in her mouth, “…the American. But arrangements can be made for that…”

“I’m aware of what I can and can’t do!” He turned his back on her and headed for the door.

She lunged after him, grabbing his sleeve and jerking him back toward her. “What other woman is going to offer you the freedom to—”

“Any of them!” He jerked his arm free. “Do you imagine I’m going to enter into a marriage contract without a Cordonian Arrangement codicil? Looking the other way while your spouse has dalliances is politically arranged marriages 101, Madeleine. You should know this.” Liam shook his head. “I’m disappointed, honestly. For all the talk of your political acumen, you have very little.”

“I have what it takes to be queen, Liam, and you know it!”

“No, you don’t. You’re not fit to rule. You paint yourself as regal, but you’re not, you’re just plain mean. You intend to rule through fear and intimidation based not even on any power of your own, but on mine. The fact that you don’t realize you have no power is pathetically evident in the way you’re behaving right now, as if you’re holding all the cards in this dynamic.”

“I’m simply trying to look out for you, Liam. The monarchy needs to be strong, you—”

“You think you’re the best choice for Cordonia?”

“Yes, of course! It’s my duty—”

“You don’t care about duty. You like lording your position over the other ladies of the court. Do you think I don’t see that?”

The countess straightened her shoulders indignantly. “That’s not true! I am committed to serving my country!”

He adjusted a cufflink as he gave her a considering look. “Do you wish to be queen, Madeleine?”

“You know I do!”

He stepped into her personal space. “How much?”

“What?”

He took her arm and pulled her closer. He lowered his head so that his lips were just inches from hers. “Will you fulfill your wifely duties?”

She flinched, but she didn’t pull away. “Of course. We must produce heirs—”

He ran a finger down her cheek, then down her bare arm. “And you’ll look the other way while I take whatever lovers I so desire?”

“I’ve already agreed to this! What—”

His fingers dug into her arm deeper. “Will you be nice to the other ladies of my court? Stop being a bitch to the servants?”

“I…I suppose I could be a little…softer…”

“I don’t like your father. Are you willing to cut him out of your life?”

She hesitated for a scant moment and then whispered softly, “Yes, I’ll do it.”

He shoved her away with a laugh. “See? No power. Stop acting like you have anything to bargain with.” His eyes ran down her body, “Other than your physical attributes. But every other lady here has those as well. What else do you have to offer? You are not smarter than Kiara, you are not more cultured than Hana, you are not more charming than Penelope and you’re sure as hell not Riley.”

A primal roar broke out of the usually composed blond. “You can’t marry her! The nobility will turn on you. You—”

“I never said I was going to marry her.”

“But….the matching outfits at the Beaumont Bash….the diamond and sapphire necklace around her neck that she obviously can’t afford….the two of you sneaking off into the hedge maze…”

“I’m sleeping with her. I love her. But I’m not foolish enough to marry her.”

“Then who—”

“You’ll find out when everyone else does.” He pulled the door open and then paused. Looking over his shoulder, his voice dropped low and menacing. “Oh, and Madeleine? If I find out you were involved in the attempted sabotage of Lady Riley or Duchess Olivia, I will make sure you pay for it.”

Madeleine stiffened slightly as her eyes widened. Then she sniffed indifferently. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“For your sake, I hope that’s true.” He left without another look back.

[txemrn]

Déjà Vu

Chapter 1

Series Summary: After an unforgettable night with a stranger, Princess Eleanor finds herself caught in a secret love triangle between a noble and a commoner.

Chapter Summary: Eleanor prepares for a night out with her best friends despite her mother's wishes for her to attend a special family dinner.

Pairing(s): Liam x Riley (in discussion); more to be revealed

Word Count: ~2740

Warning: 🔞 Mature Audiences Only 🔞 this chapter references drinking; brief language

A/N: Welcome to my Crack Fic! No one asked for this... at least no one of sound mind, and if you're a big fan of TRR, you might actually hate this (no, I'm not killing Liam!). When I pitched this idea (half-joking, half-serious) to some buddies after reading the book Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas, the eager encouragement I normally receive was met with (what's that TikTok trend with that T Swift song?) "horrified looks from everyone in the room". But... I could not get this idea out of my head. So, here we are! I have a general idea of where this story is going... but I'm actually leaving myself open to possibilities. No matter how the road twists and turns, I would be honored if you join me!

A/N 2: This story takes place approximately 2 decades after TRR/TRH. I have made some canonical changes (they will be mentioned). Characters and some plots belong to our friends at Pixelberry! Huge thank you to @charlotteg234 for looking over this for me (and laughing like a maniac with me)! This was not Beta'd; please excuse my errors.

~🖤~

Eleanor

Tapping my newly manicured nails against the glass topper to my vanity, my gaze nervously shifts back and forth between my choices for the evening. I don’t know why this is so hard–or why it’s taking me this long to decide–but somehow, here I am in quite the conundrum.

Perversion or Temptress: that’s it. But, when it came to darkening the outer-corner of my eyelid, picking the right hue of eyeshadow matters. Yes, yes, they’re both a deep black; one is a dark matte that has the potential to smudge all over my porcelain face, but the other one, while dark, has little flecks of silver.

Biting my lip, I look at myself in the mirror before looking back at the YouTube tutorial I was following.  I feel silly making such a big deal over the color; afterall, this is supposed to be fun. Normally, for me, it is.  I’m actually really good at doing my own make-up, thanks to the internet and to my mother who convinced my father when I was fourteen that mascara and lipstick would not lead me down the path of destruction and eternal damnation.

Well, I guess I should clarify: I do a great job on my make-up, my everyday natural, diplomatically poised look. Think lots of pinks and taupes. It’s the latest trend for crown princesses; I should know.

But tonight, I wouldn’t be Princess Eleanor. I didn’t want to be Princess Eleanor. 

Dangit, that came out wrong. I don’t mean to sound like some stereotypical spoiled brat that is born into money and power, who craves freedom from her poor little privileged life.  I am content–actually, very grateful for the life I have been born into. I have been given incredible opportunities and experiences because of it. But, I’m not naive; I know I have a high-calling, one filled with much responsibility and dedication. Someday I will be queen of Cordonia.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves... 

Tonight, I’m just Nora–at least that’s what my friends call me, and since I’m turning twenty this coming Tuesday, they wanted to take me out over the weekend. This weekend. See? Responsible. But, there is just one problem���

There’s a sudden knock on my door, my mother instantly inviting herself in.  “Dinner’s in thirty Eleanor–”  she freezes as her eyes grow wide. “Y–you’re make-up… don’t you think it’s a bit on the, um… heavy-side?”

“Mom,” I singsong, "it's supposed to be. This is how all the celebrities and models wear their make-up when they hit the town." 

"Hit the town?" My mother gave me that eyebrow, the one that gives away her true unspoken feelings. "You're going out tonight?"

"Mhmm. To dinner." I settle on Urban Decay's Perversion, and start tapping the color against my eyelid. "I told you and Daddy that Josie and Beth were taking me out–"

"Eleanor," my mom shot her first warning signal with her tone. "We discussed that tonight wasn't a good night. And if you ladies could do things tomorrow–"

"It's just a family dinner," I continue to work on my look. "Daddy said it was fine–"

"But you know how important this dinner is. We have a special guest."

Yes, yes. We know.

His name is Drake Walker, and he is–well, was, my parent's best friend back in the day before I was born. He actually grew up with my dad, Drake's father serving as my Grandpa Rys's royal guard when he was king of Cordonia.

But, then there was a falling out of some sort…well, that's according to my Uncle Leo. He means well, but I'm fairly certain the truth has been stretched.

Anyway, I'm not too clear on what happened, but shortly after my parents got married, Drake moved back to his home in America to start a normal life. He never settled down with a wife, but he kept busy with his construction company.

That is until four months ago when he discovered his business partner had been siphoning company funds into off-shore accounts. Now he spends his days laid up on the couch with a fifth of whiskey. And broke as a joke.

Drake's brother-in-law Bertrand Beaumont, the Duke of Ramsford, serves on the royal council with my parents, and after a late meeting one night, he shared the truth about their former best friend. 

Daddy and his bleeding heart… sure, he can see fiery red from time to time and his temper can bubble over, but my father is known for his grace, forgiveness, and charity towards others. He contacted his old friend… which then led to an invitation back to Cordonia.

'It's only for a little while, until he gets back on his feet,' Daddy assured my mom.  'We'll give him tasks around the palace until then.'

Mom called it a 'midlife crisis'. I don't think I was supposed to hear the latter part.

I began to draw on my eyeliner as my mother crossed her arms, glowering at me. Feeling the disappointment radiate from her glare, I stop, shrugging my shoulders. "What?"

"Part of being royal is posing as a unified front as a family."

"You act like this is some official business or a press event–"

"Our closest friends are going to be here, Elle, and–" she stops, her eyes playfully smoldering as her voice becomes angelically romantic. "--I think even Bartie is coming." 

"Mom!" I chuckle, my cheeks pinking in embarrassment from her inflection. "It's not like that with him."

Oh, but it was…

Bartie Beaumont is one of my closest friends. He's a few years older than me and well… I really enjoy spending time with him.  He's incredibly kind and charming in and out of social situations. He's quite handsome with his dark, well-kept hair and deep chestnut eyes. And smart–goodness, he's smart. He can keep up with my father, round-for-round in debating politics and foreign policies.

He's always been fiercely protective of me, even when I was a little girl. But he was always just Bartie, my honorary older brother… that is until he asked me to dance at a charity gala when I was sixteen. I had never been asked to dance by a boy before; I was normally paired with other noble children, usually from the suggestion made by their mothers. But this? It was different… and special. Someone chose to dance with me because they wanted to. And until that moment, I never understood what it meant to let a partner 'lead you', and well… I digress. It was nice. Bartie… he's just nice.

"But seriously, Mom," I continue, "the girls have already set everything up for tonight, and I'm the guest of honor for that. I can't just stand them up."

My mom gives me a long sigh. She's having that internal argument with herself where she compares her younger years as a commoner versus her younger years as a royal. "I guess I was hoping you'd get to meet your Uncle Drake tonight–"

I couldn't control my giggles. Growing up, Mom and Dad always referred to their close friends as 'Aunt' or 'Uncle', like my Uncle Max and Aunt Livvy. But they were also active members in my life that I saw frequently. 'Uncle Drake'? I don't even know the guy. 

"Isn't he living on our couch for a while? I'm sure I'll meet him at breakfast sometime." 

My mom pursed her lips. I think she realizes she has no other reasons to keep me home. Thank goodness.

"Is Lars going with you, or is one of the other guards?"

"Mom," I whine.

"Eleanor, you know the rules–"

"But I just want to be a normal twenty-year-old for the night–"

"Almost twenty-year-old," she smirks, stepping forward to fidget with my wavy, honey-brunette hair. "It's just not safe, baby. People know who you are–good people… and bad people. Even under all of this make-up, people will still recognize you."

I give a little huff, but she was right. I once dyed my hair purple and wore thick-rimmed frames to a show for a local punk band, and I'm pretty sure I posed for more photos with fans than the musicians.

"Fine, I'll ask Lars," I give my mother a half smile. "Anything else, your majesty?"

"One more thing," she twirls me around to face my reflection in the mirror. I'm keeping it pretty casual tonight with a white shirt and black ripped skinny jeans. I am pairing my black moto jacket with some gold accessories and my red Jimmy Choo pumps. Surely the woman doesn't think I'm showing off too much skin. 

Suddenly, she raises my shirt in the back and unclips my white bra.

"Mom!" 

"Eleanor," she snickers, shaking her head at me. "We've been over and over this ever since you got boobs: white shirt, nude undergarments."

I whip off my bra, quickly grabbing a skin-tone t-shirt bra. "No one's going to be looking."

"Someone is always looking." 

After hooking my bra and smoothing out my tee, Mom gave me an approving nod. And then she put her arms around me, pulling me into a hug. "Have a good time tonight. I love you, my twenty-year-old baby."

"Almost twenty-year-old baby." We both fall into titters as we squeeze each other closer. "I love you too, Mommy."

------

I text my bodyguard Lars to let him know about the evening, and as expected, he'll be ready with the car in ten minutes. 

Poor guy was ball-and-chained to me when I got my driver's license. I'm sure when he signed up for the guard, he pictured himself traveling around the world, looking like a badass with my dad. Instead, he got me, and the only traveling he normally does is to gather my morning espresso and cronut. He's made more trips to Sephora than any man should ever make in his lifetime–even more than my Uncle Max.

He's a good guy… if you like the serious, never-crack-a-smile type. He looks like John Cena with a permanent angry expression, complete with a single bulging vein in the center of his forehead. He's a man of few words despite my attempts to make him laugh, but underneath all the brawn and muscle, he has a big heart. He has literally given me his coat so that I wouldn't have to walk through a puddle of half-melted snow. And to think, he has sworn to give so much more for my own life… 

My phone abruptly pings. Beth.

>>> "Hey, bday bish! R U ready for the nite of ur life?"

I chuckle under my breath after reading the text. Night of my life… She always has a flare for the dramatics, but then again Beth has always been the life of the party. She has more personality in her pinkie finger than all of the citizens of Cordonia combined. Her mother is the Countess of Fydelia, and ever since Beth's father left, she's been indisposed.  Mom says that's a more tactful way of saying, 'alcoholic'. 

Beth walks more on the wild side, a real risk-taker. When I get in trouble, chances are she is somehow involved, like the time I got caught with a bottle of Smirnoff Ice at the Baron's Ball. Ugh, talk about the hangover from hell… and that wasn't even my punishment…

But she, along with Josie, are my ride-or-die. My BFFs. My "You jump, I jump, right?". We've grown up together, became women together, and nothing was about to ruin that bond.

I fire a text back to Beth. 

>>> "Can't wait! My car will be ready in a few. What restaurant are we meeting at?"

My phone instantly dings, catching me off guard in my attempts to glide on some lipstick. That was fast. I tap on the message.

>>> "We're coming 4 u! Be ready!"

My face falls. I know it's probably hard to believe, but my friends often forget that I'm a princess. Like, the legit crown princess of Cordonia, and because of that, I need a bodyguard present during all activities outside of the palace that have not otherwise been secured by the royal guard. As you can imagine, that rule made me so popular in grade school when my parents tried giving me a 'normal life'.

In retrospect, I'm quite grateful for the security through the years, especially when I hear about plots made by secret coups against my dad. But still, it would be nice to get my own darn breakfast. And I'm sure Lars would love to sleep in for once.

I text back.

>>> "And Lars"

>>> "R U kidding me? Ur shadow has 2 come?"

I let out a defeated exhale.  She knows this. My phone suddenly rings, her picture lighting up the screen. "Hey–"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" She sounds irritated, as if I did this maliciously to her.

"Beth, you know my parents won't allow me out without him or any other–"

"He can't come with us," she interrupts. I can hear Josie in the back, trying to calm Beth down. 

"And do tell–" I cross an arm over my chest, raising an eyebrow, "--why is that?"

She lets out a huge sigh. "Fine. It was supposed to be a surprise for your birthday, but–" she hesitates, sucking on her front teeth.  "I got us three VIP passes into Core!"

I blink a few times, racking my brain for this to somehow trip a memory. "Core?" Nope. No tripping. "What's Core?"

"Nora!" She scoffs in disbelief. "It's only the newest and hottest club in town. Tonight is opening night. Half price shots–"

"Uh, Beth–?" I could feel my stomach sinking under the weight of her excitement. And Josie wasn't any better, squealing over the line. 

A club? Like, with dancing and drinking? I had never been to one before. And something tells me that the king wouldn't be too approving of his nineteen-year-old daughter partying with half-drunk strangers, groping her in the name of dancing. Still, it sounds like so much fun.

"--and we have a VIP table with bottle service until midnight!"

"Beth!" I call out to get her attention again. "There… there's just no way I can do that. Especially without Lars."

"C'mon, Nora. It's your freaking birthday. You're supposed to let loose–"

I hang my head into my hands. "You know I want to, but… I–I can't do that. My parents–"

"--don't have to know."

That silenced me real quickly into deep thought. I might not be the world's most perfect child, but I have learned never to hide things from Liam and Riley Rys. Never. 

But I'd be lying if a glimmer of hope and excitement didn't blossom in my chest at the thought of going out despite my parent's knowledge. Besides, I am an adult; I'm almost twenty for crying out loud. If anything, I've shown them how responsible I am, and that I can be trusted. Plus, Aunt Livvy has taught me more than enough self-defense maneuvers that I could probably take a second job as a spy with her wife.

Okay. Maybe Beth has a plan.

"And how won't they find out? Lars has to give a detailed report–"

"We won't bring him."

That's the plan? I snicker under my breath, chewing on the inside of my cheek. "And… how do you suggest I get rid of him?"

"Why not a sleepover?" I hear Josie suggest in the background.

A sleepover. That could work. There were few places I could go where security didn't have to be right beside me once a building was given the all clear. Beth's house happened to be one of them. 

"But I'm already dressed up. And–and I told my mom we were going out–"

"So?" Beth interjects. "We changed our minds. We'll have dinner catered."

Crap. Am I really considering this? I look at my reflection in the mirror as I twist my lips. Dangit. And I'm having a really good hair day.

"What's it gonna be, Nora?"

I take a few cleansing breaths. I can feel my pulse, galloping like a racehorse in my ears. Could I actually get away with this? I've been to Beth's house thousands of times. The guard comes in, does a quick sweep, and then keeps watch outside, never to return until it's time for me to leave. We could sneak out the back through the guest house. He would never know.

I swallow thickly, adrenaline pouring into my veins.

"Okay. Let me make a call."

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[alj4890]

Can't Take My Eyes Off of You

(Maxwell Beaumont x Olivia Nevrakis) in a Choices The Royal Romance Crackship

Masterlist

Part 5

"Can I ask you something?" Riley picked up another stone to skip across the small stream.

"Sure. You can ask me anything." Maxwell tossed his.

"Have you ever been in love?" She asked.

**************

Ramsford...

"Maxwell? Hey!" Riley waved her hand in front of his face.

Maxwell blinked a few times as he slowly came back to the present.

"Good to have you back." She teased. "I was worried you were going to leave me all alone with our caviar creation."

She held up a container of paprika. "I'm also pretty sure you're going to make it to where my fingerprints are the only ones found on this so Bertrand will know who to kill if these appetizers don't come out right."

He chuckled while taking the paprika from her.

"Nah. I'd never let you take the fall for one of my ideas." He began to sprinkle a little on top of each spoonful.

"What else needs to be done?" Drake asked while coming around the corner. His nose wrinkled over their choice in food. "Or am I free to go?"

"Um..." Maxwell picked up his phone and breathed a little easier. "Oh thank God. Bertrand found a caterer. All we have to do now is clean up the place."

He slipped his phone back in his pocket then helped Riley and Drake put the trays of hors d'oeuvres back into the fridge.

Once Riley left to check to see what Bertrand wanted them to focus on next, Drake spoke up.

"You seem more distracted than usual."

Maxwell paused in scrubbing the counters. "I do?"

"Yeah. You're quiet. It's almost as if you're in deep thought." Drake added.

Maxwell shrugged. "I guess I have been."

Drake eyed him over the handle of his mop. "Is something wrong?"

"You mean beyond the obvious money woes of House Beaumont?" Maxwell quipped. "Or my brother pointing out every single mistake I make? The pressure he feels and is passing onto me if Riley fails to win Liam."

"We all know Liam's going to pick Riley." Drake reminded him.

He went back to mopping the floor and muttered, "Who wouldn't choose her?"

"I hope so." Maxwell completely missed the hint that Drake might have fallen for Riley too. "Then maybe my life can begin."

Drake paused once more. "Begin? What are you--"

Maxwell tossed his scrubber in the sink. "We should um, probably go see what Bertrand wants worked on next."

He hurried out before Drake could ask him to clarify.

Maxwell spent the next few hours trying to work alone. Normally he'd be over the moon to be preparing for the annual Beaumont Bash. He had a sense of pride that their parties were the ones held to end the social season on a high note.

This year though, he wished they could skip it completely.

It wasn't just the money troubles or the fact that Bertrand was one temper tantrum away from a massive stroke, it was the competition that was getting to Maxwell. He knew Riley and Liam were soulmates and honestly, he couldn't be happier for them.

His own happily ever after though seemed less likely to occur than ever before.

Ever since his conversation with Olivia on the beach, the two had not interacted. At Applewood, he kept his distance and focused on encouraging Riley. Olivia in turn did the same with him, yet she seemed to go out of her way to talk to Riley. Surprisingly, both usually were smiling and not in the I really hate you but appearances demand I look like I adore you type smile that many at court were forced to wear.

Maxwell was dying to ask Riley what Olivia said in those moments. He summoned all his willpower to hold those questions at bay and tried instead to keep things light and optimistic for Riley's sake. Bertrand was adding so much pressure on her as it was that the last thing Maxwell should do would be to involve her in his own miserable love life.

If anyone has a real shot at being with the one they want, it's Riley and Liam, Maxwell thought. So I should do all I can to make that happen.

He released a deep, heartfelt sigh. He knew it was pointless to pretend he didn't still want to do all he could to win Olivia. He was simply, for the first time in his life, unsure how to go about it from this point.

**************

The next evening...

Olivia took the lead of ladies walking into Ramsford. She glanced around noting all the typical decorations that the Beaumont's were notorious for. She knew that by the end of the night most of it would be strewn about, tangled up with the drunken people who would later try and pretend they were decent nobles.

She ignored the whispers of the ladies wondering what might happen tonight. She already knew they'd be beyond intoxicated before three in the morning. She could care less about the party or the food or whatever shenanigans the Beaumont brothers had up their sleeves.

She only wanted to see two things.

The first was to be able to observe more of Liam and Riley. She'd spent time since the beach watching them throughout the stay at Applewood. There was no denying the mutual attraction the two shared. Since Maxwell insisted that Riley was sweet, she began to go out of her way to talk to her.

As much as it galled her to admit, Maxwell was right. Riley really was sweet. Thankfully, she wasn't too sweet or Olivia would lose all respect for her. After interacting with her at Applewood, she realized that out of everyone here, she might be able to tolerate losing Liam a little easier if she lost to the American.

The second thing she wanted to see was how Liam and Maxwell acted with herself.

Her lips firmed into a thin line the moment she stepped into the ballroom. While the ladies behind her cooed over the decorations and Riley's sparkly blue gown, she focused on the one man who'd thrown her whole way of thinking out of whack.

Maxwell was beaming with delight over the praises he was hearing. As happy as he was, one would think he'd been the one to prepare the food and decorate the place.

Olivia waited until Bertrand pulled Maxwell away for a private word before approaching Riley. After a quick greeting that wasn't as smug or cold as she normally would have given, she sat down at one of the front tables.

It was the perfect vantage point to watch Liam. Her eyebrows furrowed for a second to see him in a tux that not only matched Riley's royal blue gown, but also the Beaumont colors. It was a blatant statement that Liam had not made for anyone else during the season.

It wasn't manners that made him wear it. If that was the case, then he'd have worn what she'd offered him at Lythikos. He was polite about the red jacket with black dress shirt and slacks, but told Olivia he couldn't wear it since he was supposed to be giving every suitor equal treatment.

I see that notion didn't last long.

"You noticed it too?"

Olivia looked up at Madeleine.

Madeleine's court mask slipped to reveal her obvious disdain. "I think it's in poor taste."

Olivia humphed. "I never suffered a moment of doubt that you would think of it that way."

Madeleine narrowed her eyes upon Olivia.

"This doesn't bother you?" She snapped.

"It's clothes, Madeleine." Olivia replied. "He's yet to get down on one knee and propose to Riley."

"I would have thought you'd be furious with this statement he's making. After all," Madeleine sneered, "you are madly in love with Liam."

Olivia glared at her.

"There's the reaction I was expecting." Madeleine needled. "I'm surprised you haven't challenged her to a duel."

Olivia's glare slowly turned to a smirk.

"It must be hard for you to lose out twice for the crown." She struck back. "Seeing Liam go ahead and voice his choice without saying a word probably makes you think how you'll have to return home in shame once more."

Madeleine stilled at her words.

"But you have parents who understand failure, don't you?" Olivia smiled at her. "I mean, they would have to by now, wouldn't' they?"

Before Madeleine could utter a denial, Olivia waved towards the back of the ballroom.

"Better go find your seat Maddie. One would hate to be caught gawking over the loss of another prince."

Madeleine stormed away with her head held high.

Olivia smiled to herself as she reached for her wine glass.

Tonight might not be so bad after all.

*****************

After dinner...

"Excuse me." Olivia glanced at Riley then turned towards Liam. "May I speak to you for a moment?"

"Of course." Liam still had a hold of Riley's hand. "It's been days since I've had a free moment to speak to, you, Lady Olivia."

Olivia watched as he leaned close to whisper to Riley. His lips brushed the delicate shell of her ear before placing a kiss right below it.

Riley's and Liam's eyes met in a heated exchange as she vaguely promised to think about it.

Olivia mentally rolled her eyes. Clearly they were planning a rendezvous. Any imbecile could see that. They needed some lessons in subterfuge if they were going to try and hide their mutual regard for one another.

It'll all be over soon. Then there will be no reason to hide anything.

She blinked over that thought. It wasn't because she thought about it, but rather the lack of emotion it evoked. It was as if her heart already accepted the fact that Liam was in love with someone else.

Her mind though, still needed proof.

Once Riley disappeared into the crowd, Liam turned expectantly back to Olivia.

The loud music, laughter, and shouts of conversations left little chance to discover if Liam truly felt nothing for her. Taking his hand, she pulled him down a hallway that led to the Beaumont's study.

Once they were behind closed doors, she perched her hip on the edge of the desk and studied her prince.

Liam lifted an eyebrow when the silence stretched between them.

Olivia searched his eyes. "You've made your choice, haven't you?"

"I..." He rubbed the back of his neck while a sheepish smile played about his lips. "I suppose there's no hiding it from you."

He gave her a decisive nod. "I have."

Olivia blinked over actually getting him to admit it.

"Riley is your choice?" She prodded.

He nodded. "I'm in love with her."

Olivia grimaced. As much as she knew this was the case, it still stung to have her dream destroyed in one conversation.

"Are you certain?" She found herself asking.

"I am." Liam grinned at her. "I can't tell you how good it feels to admit it to someone who is a close friend of mine."

"I can imagine." She mumbled.

Shaking off the sting of his declaration, Olivia asked him a question she hoped would help herself.

"How do you know that Riley is the one?"

Liam sat down on one of the leather wingback chairs. He propped his chin on his fist while staring off into the distance to think of how to answer her.

Olivia took the chair across from him and did her best to wait patiently for his answer.

"There are so many things about Riley that made me realize she is the one for me." He began. "From the moment we met, she has been all I can think about."

Olivia grimaced somewhat. If one were to go with her own mind, they would find it filled with Maxwell. It was irritating how often he took over her thoughts.

Liam's pensive expression softened as he continued to explain. "When we kissed, I felt an instant passion. Not just desire, but a need for it to never end, as if," he hesitated in trying to describe it to her, "as if my body only recognized her touch."

Olivia blinked over that. She recalled both kissing Liam and Maxwell the night of her ball. Of the two, Maxwell's had ignited a passionate response in her.

But is his touch the only one my body will recognize?

"The few precious moments I've had with her and getting to know the type of person she is, the more I want to be around her." He turned his attention back to Olivia. "I fell in love with her during those moments. Riley is everything my heart yearns for."

Olivia gave a brisk nod. "I see."

Liam reached over and took her hand. "I know that many believed you would be my choice. Most of my advisors insist upon you being my choice."

She stilled, not entirely sure she wanted to hear what else he had to say.

"If I had never met, Riley," he lowered his eyes to their hands, "I would have chosen you. You are one of my oldest friends. I trust you, admire your strength and loyalty, and believe you would make an amazing queen."

He lifted his eyes back to hers. "Now that I've experienced what love does to a person, how could I choose anyone other than Riley?"

Olivia squeezed his hand. "Of all the people I know, you're one of the very few I actually care about."

Taking a deep breath, she attempted to smile at him.

"And since I care, I actually want to see you happy. If Riley is what you want, then she is the one I hope you get in the end."

Liam's smile lit up his entire face. He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a tender kiss to her knuckles.

"I care about you too." He searched her eyes. "I hope I haven't hurt you."

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "I've known for some time that you felt something for Riley. Anyone with half a brain can see it."

He chuckled. "True. I've never been good at hiding my feelings." He kept hold of her hand. "But, I would never intentionally hurt you."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Liam."

"I know." He gently let her hand go. "I wish that you could find someone worthy of you."

She hesitated. "I think there might be someone."

His eyebrows rose. "Really?"

"Maybe." She clarified. "I think I need to do a few more," she searched for the right word, "experiments to know for certain."

"Experiments?" He began to laugh.

Olivia glared at him. "Not all of us are so certain when it comes to love."

Liam held his hands up in surrender. "I meant no offense."

She eyed him to see if he was making fun of her or not.

He bit back a smile. "I simply never thought of discovering love as an experiment. I suppose it is when one thinks about it."

"How so?" She asked.

"There's definitely a chemical reaction." Liam teased. "Being touched by the one, hearing their voice, or simply seeing them across a room sets off endorphins. Everything in your body, your mood, your very way of seeing things in the world is altered by their presence."

He smiled warmly at her.

"I say perform all the experiments you need to know if you have found the one."

Olivia relaxed back in her chair. Seeing now that she wasn't being foolish in her path forward helped in her knowing what steps she should next take.

"I shall." She declared.

Liam rose to his feet and began to walk towards the door.

"Liam?"

"Yes?" He turned back towards her.

"Thank you."

He bowed to her.

"Anytime, your grace."

With another smile, he left her alone.

Olivia's pleasant expression changed to one of frustrated resignation. She supposed she'd hoped there was still a chance with Liam because he'd been the one her mind had accepted so long ago. Now, she could see that there really was no use in thinking like that any longer. Even if Riley were to refuse Liam's proposal, she knew she could never be with him.

Liam wasn't the kind of man to stop loving someone just because they refused to return his affection. Olivia knew her own pride and heart couldn't take being with someone who didn't care for her in the same manner. A Nevrakis either gave everything or nothing and expected the same in return. There was no in between.

"I can't believe it's come down to this." She grumbled to herself.

Of all the men she knew, there was only one who had given everything. To find out if she could do the same, she needed to test the waters a bit more.

"How in the world am I to get Maxwell alone at a party?"

**************

Many, many hours later...

Maxwell hummed to himself as he left Hana's room. Ending the wild party with a game of truth or dare with his friends was the perfect way to end a crazy night. Plus, it'd helped him at least for a little while, not think of Olivia.

How much more fun would it have been to see Olivia do a dare or admit a truth?

He knew what he would have dared her and he knew what question he'd ask. What would have happened might have left him even sadder than before.

Can't have that, he argued with himself. Who wants a depressed Maxwell hanging around?

He unlocked the door to his room, pausing halfway inside. He glanced down the hallway where he knew Olivia was. He'd been the one to clean and prepare her room. He wondered if she even noticed he'd made certain to have a bouquet of red roses in there. Did she notice the red throw he'd left draped over the Beaumont blue chair? Did she even recognize the meaning behind doing something like that?

"Probably not." He mumbled, closing his door behind him.

Maxwell had left his desk lamp on before the party began. The rest of his suite was shrouded in shadow, giving a quiet almost serene feeling after hours of absolute drunken chaos. It was just what he needed to bring him back down off his adrenaline rush.

He began to undress. Kicking his shoes off, he next dropped his pants. Stepping out of them, he stumbled over to his dresser while pulling his shirt off.

He dug around in the dark for a soft T-shirt to sleep in. After finally pulling one on, he stilled to hear a knock on his door.

When it happened a second time, he rushed over to it in the hopes of seeing Olivia. He'd lost sight of her during the beginning of the Beaumont Bash. He'd hoped to find a way to talk to her. Maybe see how things were going and if she'd finally given up on Liam.

His smile disappeared the moment he saw his brother.

Bertrand swayed, nearly toppling over.

"My dear Maxwell," he slurred, "could you be so kind as to point me in the direct- *hic* -shun of my quarters?"

He glanced down, his eyebrows nearly disappearing in his hairline.

"Good god, man! You lost your pants!"

Maxwell tugged his shirt down in an effort to hide his boxers.

"Did an acrobat steal them?" Bertrand laid a commiserating hand on Maxwell's shoulder. "I believe one stole my vest."

"You're wearing it on your head." Maxwell told him.

Bertrand reached up and pulled it off, causing his hair to stand on end. "The blackguard returned it!"

"Uh huh." Maxwell turned his brother around. "Straight down there is your bedroom. Only door at the end of the hall."

"Right." Bertrand stumbled in that direction. "Thank you."

"Anytime." Maxwell watched to make certain he didn't accidentally go into anyone else's room.

His breath caught in his throat the moment Bertrand bumped into Olivia's door.

Nothing happened, leaving him slumping his shoulders and returning to his own room.

Maxwell finished up his nighttime rituals in his ensuite bathroom then finally collapsed on his bed.

"What a night." He mumbled into his pillow.

"Yes, it was."

His eyes flew open. In his haste to reach his lamp on his nightstand, he knocked a glass of water off. Cursing, he blinked against the brightness.

There beside him on the bed was the only woman he'd dreamt of one too many times in that exact spot.

Olivia calmly sat there, hands folded in her lap. She'd puffed up some of his bed pillows to put at her back as she reclined in an almost upright position.

"You're here?" He asked, unable to wrap his mind around the concept.

"So you see." She replied.

"In my room?" He continued. "You're here in my room? On my bed?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "No. I'm on Bertrand's bed. Of course I'm on yours!"

Maxwell's eyes widened. His lips parted to ask more questions yet nothing but a squeak slipped out.

Olivia leaned closer to him, her brow furrowed in irritated concern. "Are you going to be sick?"

"No." He rubbed his eyes. "I'm pretty sure this is a dream."

She rolled her eyes once more. "It's not."

"That's what you usually say during my dreams." He argued.

Olivia reached over and pinched him. "Now do you believe me?"

Maxwell shook his head. "You do that in my dreams too."

Olivia had used up all her patience in waiting on getting Maxwell alone. Now that she finally had him without any chance of someone seeing them together, she was in no mood to reassure him that this was real. Besides, it was her feelings she needed to test.

With a frustrated breath, she straddled him.

Maxwell's eyes widened even more. Unsure what to do with his hands, he fisted them in the sheets. His heart was beating so hard that he wasn't certain if he'd survive this dream.

Audibly swallowing, he waited to see what she would do next.

She leaned down. The tip of her nose touched his. Her eyes held his startled gaze. A slight smirk curved her lips when she heard his sharp intake of breath.

"Maxwell?"

"Yeah?"

"Kiss me."