#trr x open heart

[bebepac]

The Galentine’s Day Queens

First off thank you @peonierose for sending me a Valentine’s Day pic, that got this idea rolling. I was planning to write on one of the gaggle of series I should be trying to finish but up popped this little one shot.  This really wouldn’t have happened if you haven’t sent that ask to me, so thank you. :)

It crosses TRR x Open Heart  as it features Casey Valentine as a friend to Riley Brooks the TRR Character. 

I used the quote from @choicesflashfics prompt 2: I thought that if I acted like it didn’t matter, than it wouldn’t.”  which will appear in bold.  

This also can be a submission for @choices-february2023​ prompt for Day 13 Galentine’s Day. 

The Book:  TRR x Open Heart Pairings:  None:  All characters are single Word Count: 997 Warnings and Ratings: None:  minus the curse words in the mood board.  LOL Summary:  Daniel takes Riley and their friends on a special night on the town as Galentines.

Original Post: 02/13/23 at 3:01PM EST.

“I thought that if I acted like it didn’t matter that it wouldn’t.” 

“Of course it matters, Von left.  He left the both of us high and dry.  Well not exactly dry, we’ve been covering his portion of the rent for months.”

“I didn’t think he’d really leave, or was serious, I mean just going to California without a plan? He has no money, no job, no place to live?”

“I know.”  

“I need more stability in my life than what he attempted to provide, if you can even call it that.  Things weren’t great between us for quite some time.”  

“It’s true.”  

Riley wiped away the tears from her eyes and took a long sip from her drink.

“I don’t even know why I’m crying right now.”  

“It’s because it’s the end of your romantic relationship with him.  But it’s also the beginning of whatever else is out there for you, and something great is out there for you. Hell for all of us.  But we won’t find it sitting inside this apartment, eating chips and queso all night.”    

Riley leaned in and rested her weight on Daniel; he always had a way of making her feel better.  

“Get dressed.”  

“What? I thought we were staying in tonight?”  

“Um what?  Not on Galentine’s Day, we’ve got reservations.  Put on something nice, and I’m talking top shelf nice. The girls are meeting us there.”  

“Who all is going?”  

“You’ll see when we get there.”  

Riley pulled out the outfit in the back of her closet that she had found at a small shop that  because of a small tear in the fabric, they were selling at a steal.  She had decided to fix it, and it was clearly a smart idea.  A dress that would have cost thousands, she got for a hundred, and now she was wearing it looking like a million dollars.

It’s a pity, she didn’t meet Him that night.  But we all know a woman that “looks like a million dollars” wasn't the thing that would get His attention.  He was looking for more.

“Is it too much Daniel?”

Daniel himself was wearing a very nice fitted suit.  

“Wow, you look handsome!”

“And you’re beautiful, and we look perfect for where we’re going tonight. Our rideshare will be here in ten.”  

On the ride over he watched Riley.  For the first time in a few weeks after Von had left, she looked excited.

“Just so you know, I’ve been saving for this night for a while.  I’ve put in the reservations almost six months ago.  You’re not paying a dime.  We won’t let you.  It’s something special for you, because of the person you are and you’re always looking out and caring for everyone else, but yourself.”

“Daniel….”

“It’s true.”  

“This already sounds like too much.”

“Think of it as a belated birthday, friendsgiving, and just because, all combined into one.”

They pulled to a stop, stepping out of the vehicle she gasped, slapping Daniel on the arm, causing him to feign pain but he laughed out loud.

“We’re eating at the Manhatta!!!”  

“Hell yes we are!”  Mia screamed, giving Riley a hug.

“You know we’re going to totally have to act like we’re part of the upper crust for the evening right?”  Casey chuckled.

“Whilst getting out of our rideshare that the hubcaps don’t even match.”  

“Hey now, at least we all had ‘drivers’ for the evening.”  Riley joined in the joking around.

“Exactly, now ladies shall we go?”  

Linked arm in arm they walked inside.  

Daniel, as if he wasn’t already  a gentleman, started by pulling out all the chairs for the ladies in his company.  

Once menus and first wine samples were passed out, Casey glanced around the restaurant. It  was quite the scene, couples as far as the eye could see, and then them.  

“I feel like people keep looking at us.”

“Do you blame them? Whereas most of these men here only have one beautiful woman to gaze upon, I have three lovely ladies here for my optical delight.  Girl, they’re just jealous, and trying to figure us out what’s going on over here. But you know, as the saying goes, there are three places you can stay for free?”

“In your own lane!”  Riley giggled.

“Over there,” Mia chimed in.

“And out of my business.” Casey finished up.

“Okayyyyy!!!!”  

Dinner was the most amazing appetizers and dishes they had ever tasted, and everyone cleaned their plates.  

Before dessert was delivered, four boxes were given to  Daniel to which he smiled and glanced around the table at his friends.

He gently clinked his glass, to silence the others at the table.

“We had all decided months ago that we would come out tonight and celebrate our wonderful friend  Riley, who is always there for us,  and is always willing to lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on if we need it, or a swift kick in the pants  and give us tough love.  We all know you’ve been a little down lately, and want you to know we’re here for you and appreciate you, for all that you are and who you are as a person.  You can take this however you want to take this because in every sense of the words, it is true.  You will find what you’re looking for, but more importantly, it will be more than just that, it will be exactly what you need.”  

Riley’s eyes glistened with tears.

“Thank you, Daniel.”  

“We all will. It’s what we deserve.” Riley pulled her friends into a group hug. 

“But until then….”  Daniel placed a box in front of each person at the table.  “We’re The Galentine’s Day Queens. Put on your crowns.”

Each person put on their crown.

“I don’t know about you ladies, but I feel like dancing the night away.”  

That’s exactly what The Galentine’s Day Queens did.

Daniel was also right about his declaration as six months later, Riley ran into Liam Rys, ACTUALLY, on the streets of New York City, and her life was forever changed.

[deb-1106]

Serendipity

Part 3

Written for @choicesflashfics - Week 33

Prompt 3  — “Say that again … I don’t think I heard you right the first time.”

Book: TRR/OPH

Pairings: Drake Walker x Ava Matheson, Bryce Lahela x Charlie Hawkins

Word count: 2500

Rating: M

TW: Profanity, Suggestive language

A/N: This is a collaboration between myself and @walkerismychoice using the weekly prompts provided by @choicesflashfics As always if you want on or off the tag list, just let me know.

“So you’re laying out clothes for me now?”  Drake eyed the crisp, white button down shirt and freshly pressed tan pants that had magically appeared on the bed while he was in the shower.

Ava gave him a dazzling smile.  “Just a suggestion.  But if you’d rather wear a pair of your ratty old jeans and one of those sad, threadbare flannel shirts you love so much…I can’t stop you.”

“My clothes have been good enough for dinner with the fucking King and Queen…” He muttered under his breath, “but I guess they don’t quite cut it for dinner with Ken and Barbie.” 

He picked up the shirt and inspected the tag. 

Fucking Armani. She wasn’t messing around tonight.

Ava poked her head out of the bathroom, eyeliner pencil still in hand, “Did you say something?” 

“Just wondering why we have to get so dressed up for a casual dinner date with your new bestie and her boy toy.” 

Ava rolled her eyes.  “First…he’s not some boy toy.  He’s a very accomplished surgeon who just saved your life.” She chided gently, “So maybe keep that in mind before mocking him. Second, it’s just a new shirt and a pair of pants for goodness sake.” She flashed him a cheeky smile, “I’m saving the tuxedo I bought you for our second dinner date with them.

“Assuming there IS one, you better be kidding.”

Ava shrugged before ducking back into the bathroom.

“I still think this is fucking weird.”  He shouted to her retreating back, “Who the hell makes friends with their doctor for fuck sake?  Isn’t that some kind of HIPAA violation?”

Silence from the bathroom.  Ava either didn’t hear him, or she was pretending she didn’t.

“Swear to God…” Drake grumbled, “if he mentions how good-looking he is even once tonight, I’ll show him my surgical skills…with a fucking butter knife.”  

Drake grabbed a pair of boxer briefs out of his top drawer and slid them on before getting dressed.

He glanced into the mirror and nodded. He hated to admit it, but he looked pretty damn good in designer duds, if he did say so himself.  

Leaning in closer, he raked his damp hair back and fleetingly wished he’d gotten it cut this afternoon.

Just then, Ava emerged through the bathroom door.

Their eyes met in the mirror and she smiled.  Drake felt his stomach do a little flip as he watched her cross the room toward him, her pale yellow sundress floating around her legs, her ponytail brushing the tops of her tanned shoulders and the alluring scent of fresh Gardenia perfuming the air with every step she took.

She’s a goddamn Goddess.  How did I get so lucky? 

Ava sidled up behind him, sliding her arms around his waist.

“See.” She cooed, as her admiring gaze traveled over him from head to toe. She pressed into him, the heat of her breath on his ear making the hairs on the back of Drake’s neck stand to attention as the sensation of her breasts rubbing against his back made other parts of his body do the same. 

“You look hot.” She whispered in his ear.

“You think so?” He turned around and pulled her into his arms, making sure she could feel what she’d just done to him.  “Am I as hot as pretty boy?”

Ava bit back a smile as she reached out to smooth the fabric of Drake's shirt over his broad shoulders, and down his tightly muscled arms, being mindful not to jostle his injured arm too much.

“Not gonna lie… Bryce is reeaaally attractive.”

Drake’s brow furrowed. “Say that again … I don’t think I heard you right the first time.”

Ava smirked. “Oh, I think you heard me…I mean, did you see that smile…” 

“Yeah.  I’m pretty sure NASA classified it as a new constellation.” Drake unwrapped her arms from his waist. “Actually, if this whole surgeon thing doesn’t work out, he could always get a job as a lighthouse.”

Ava laughed and grabbed his wrists, pulling him back to her.  She leaned into his chest, savoring the heat of his skin through the light fabric. She let out a soft sigh as she tilted her head up to meet his eyes. 

“You’re no pretty boy, Drake Walker. ” She murmured, as she ran her hands over his chest, biting her lip seductively. “You're my rugged, sexy, gorgeous, hunk of a man that I love with every fiber of my being.” She looped one arm around his neck, pulling him down for a lingering kiss laced with promise. “And if you behave yourself … when we get home tonight, I’ll show you just how irresistible I find you.”

“Yeah?” One corner of Drake’s mouth curled upward.  “Out of curiosity, just how well-behaved are we talking here? Like, for instance…if I were to casually mention you’re in the market for a stripper for your bachelorette party and ask if he’d consider dusting off his banana hammock for one last grind against the pole…would you consider that bad behavior, or simply a friendly exchange of lighthearted banter between friends?”

“You wouldn’t DARE.”

 Drake gave her a slow, panty-dropping grin. “New plan.  How about you ensure my good behavior at dinner, by skipping straight to the ‘not being able to resist me’ portion of the night?”

Ava smiled up at him, momentarily losing herself in the burning intensity of his gaze before getting a hold of herself and gently pushing him away.

“No can do, Loverboy. We’re running late as it is.  They’re probably already at the restaurant waiting for us.”

Drake sighed and grabbed his keys off the dresser. “Come on, then.   The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get home and finish what you started.”

—

Bryce rushed through his and Charlie’s apartment door, unsurprisingly late after a complicated surgery. The best thing about being with another hospital physician was that they just got it. He knew Charlie wouldn't be upset that he didn’t get home when expected, although he did get five text requests for a status update in the last hour or so. 

Bryce could hear the shower running in the master bath as he approached. As tempting as it was to hop in and join Charlie, he'd already taken a shower after changing out of his surgical scrubs. He slowly and quietly pushed open the bathroom door, leaning against the frame to watch and thinking he should be thankful the landlords chose glass shower doors over a curtain. Bryce knew Charlie could be self-conscious about her body, what with growing up surrounded by people who could afford to buy the body they desired if they couldn’t attain it naturally, but to him, she was perfection. Her well-proportioned curves were in all the right places, and what Charlie described as an average body was anything but. He tried to keep his arousal at bay as her soapy hands skimmed over her ample breasts and then down and around to her flawless backside. Soft and round, yet firm at the same time, Charlie’s ass was Bryce’s favorite part, but before he could dwell on it, she turned to grab her conditioner.

“Ahhh!” Charlie screamed as the bottle slipped and crashed to the shower floor. “You scared me! Why didn’t you say you were here instead of just gawking at me like an idiot?”

Bryce shrugged. “It’s a better show when you don’t know I’m watching.”

“Well, show’s over, pal. If you want a chance to see any more of this…” Charlie waved a hand over her body, “you better get ready so we’re not late for dinner.”

Bryce chuckled as he headed to his walk-in closet. Charlie was by no means high-maintenance, but she also wasn’t the jump out of the shower and go type either. He’d be dressed and ready to go long before she had her hair and makeup done. He threw on a nicer pair of dark jeans and a lightweight gray pullover he thought would be fitting for the venue. Although Ava and Drake associated with royals, they, or more specifically Drake, didn't seem like the type to be impressed by fancy dinners and material things. Not that he cared much about impressing Drake anyway with as unpleasant as he'd been in the hospital. However, Charlie really liked Ava, and judging someone solely based on their disposition after a traumatic gunshot wound wasn't completely fair. Plus Bryce had been somewhat of a cocky asshole in defense, so he probably owed Drake another chance.

Inspecting his defined jawline in the mirror, Bryce determined his five o’clock stubble to be more sexy-casual than unkempt mess and didn’t bother shaving. He ran a little pomade through his hair with his fingers and it magically fell into place like it always seemed to do. In the span of no more than five minutes, he was ready, and Charlie was just barely out of the shower.

The hum of the hair dryer told Bryce he still had plenty of time, so he powered-up his playstation to relax for a bit. Engrossed in his game, he had no idea how much time had passed when Charlie emerged from the bedroom.

“Hurry up!” She snapped. “We need to leave now!”

“Just let me save this.” Bryce powered down the machine and glanced up at Charlie which rendered him momentarily speechless. Yes, they’d been dating close to two years, but it seemed most of that time was in hospital scrubs. Seeing her dressed up always felt like the first time, and today, with her loose curls, flowy white floral mini dress, and strappy heels, was no exception.

"Come here." Bryce stood and pulled Charlie in by the waist. "Are you sure you don't want to cancel on them and order in?" He lightly trailed a finger up her inner thigh.

She pushed him away and laughed. "Stop trying to seduce me. You're too damn good at it. You're even wearing that cologne that reminds me of…you know. You really aren't playing fair, but I shall resist. She plucked the keys off the hook by the door and tossed them to Bryce. "Let's go!"

___

Thanks to Drake’s lead foot and aptitude for navigating the serpentine back roads of Cordonia, they arrived at the restaurant right on time.  Drake was surprised - pleasantly surprised by the choice.  Rather than a pretentious fine-dining establishment, which Drake presumed would appeal to the young successful doctors, they had instead chosen a quaint, unassuming tavern.  

As Ava predicted, Charlie and Bryce were seated at a table, waiting for them.  Ava squeezed Drake’s hand.  “Remember. Play nice.” 

“I know the stakes.” He gave her his most disarming smile. “Now let's go break bread with our new best friends.”  

As they approached the table, Bryce rose from his seat.  As Charlie and Ava embraced and began gushing over each other's outfits, Bryce turned to Drake with that big, goofy grin of his and offered his hand.

His handshake was surprisingly firm, Drake noted with satisfaction. Nothing he hated more than a limp handshake.  

So at least there was that.

Once the girls broke apart, Charlie smiled warmly at Drake and he smiled back. “Nice to see you again, Charlie.” 

He extended his hand toward her, with every intention of giving her a friendly handshake, but as he watched  Dr. Touchy McFeely pull Ava into a tight hug,  his and Charlie’s handshake somehow morphed into a half shake, half hug that was fully awkward as fuck.

Drake sighed and sat down, only to feel like even more of an ass as Bryce pulled out Ava’s chair for her.

Shit.  I guess bailing on those stupid ‘comportment’ lessons all those years ago is finally biting me in the ass.

He met Ava’s eyes across the table and she gave him a sweet smile before turning her full attention to Charlie.

Shit.  

Drake scanned the room, trying to catch the eye of a server.  He needed a drink STAT.

 “So Drake.” Bryce’s cheerful voice momentarily pulled Drake's attention from his search.  “How’s the shoulder?”

“Huh?” Drake just caught sight of a waiter passing by with a tray full of drinks.

“The shoulder.” Bryce repeated, tapping a long slender finger against his own scapula, “How’s it feeling?  Any residual pain?”

“No.” Drake shook his head slowly, “Nope. No pain.  All good.” 

“Good.” Bryce nodded. “Yeah, well … glad to hear it.”

“Yup.”

The two men sat in an awkward silence as the girls chatted away, oblivious to the tension on the other side of the table.

“So …uh…” Drake cleared his throat, “You like being a doctor?”

Even as the question left his lips, he recognized how idiotic it was.  Thankfully their server chose that moment to materialize, saving Bryce from having to answer.

“Good Evening, I’m Brian and I'll be your server tonight.”

Drake opened his mouth, but before he could utter a word, Brian placed a tumbler of amber liquid in front of him, and another in front of Bryce.

“Now ladies, can I get you started with a beverage?”

“Charlie said you were a whiskey man.” Bryce explained, “So I took the liberty…I hope you don’t mind.”

Mind? Drake thought to himself, Hell, right now I want to kiss you right on that pretty little mouth of yours.

But what he actually said was… “Thanks man.  Appreciate it.”

Drake took a deep swallow, savoring the deep oaky flavor and subtle heat as it hit the back of his throat.

Suddenly, his brow shot up in surprise. “Wait.  Is this…” “Macallan 15." Bryce supplied helpfully, “I wasn’t sure what you drank, but this has always been one of my favorites.” He paused, “Actually, I prefer the 18 year, but this was what they had so…”

“No. This is great.” Drake said quickly, giving Bryce his first true smile of the evening, “You can’t ever go wrong with Macallan.”

Bryce grinned back at him.  “Cheers to that!”

They both raised their glasses.

“So Bryce.” Drake leaned back in his chair, having decided that this night might not be a total bust afterall, “Ava tells me you play a bit of Basketball."

Bryce took a sip of whiskey and nodded, “Yeah, I played some in college, but now I play just for fun.  Do you play?”

“Yeah, I mean, not in college.  Soccer was my game back then.  But we have an indoor court at the palace and that's what we do to unwind between shifts.” 

“Between shifts?  You work at the palace?  I thought you just lived there.”

“Yeah. I uh…” Drake hesitated, not sure how much he really wanted to divulge.  Talking about his job didn’t usually make for light-hearted dinner conversation.

But Bryce asked…

“I’m not actually living there at the moment.” Drake confessed, “Things with Liam are a little…uh…strained right now.” without thinking, he sent a cautious look in Ava’s direction, “But I do still work there.  I’m Kingsguard.”

“Kingsguard.” Bryce repeated before letting out a low whistle and leaning back in his chair.  “So throwing yourself in front of bullets is all in a day's work for you.” 

“Hardly.” Drake chuckled as he finished off his glass.  Bryce immediately signaled for two more. “But if it meant saving her…” Drake glanced over at Ava, and as if sensing his eyes on her, she looked up and smiled. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect her.”

"Aww!" Charlie interjected, although Drake wondered how she managed to overhear when neither woman even paused to take a breath in their own conversation. "I think this one's a keeper, Ava."

Ava reached her left hand across the table to squeeze Drake’s. "He is." 

Charlie's eyes went wide. "Ava!" She grasped Ava's hand and pulled it closer to inspect. "Is this ring what I think it is?"

Ava beamed and glanced at Drake before turning back to Charlie. "We wanted to tell you and Bryce together in person, but yes it is. We're engaged!"

[jerzwriter]

Event Prompts

Nightbound:

Jacqueline's Return - Nik Ryder x F!MC by @ladylamrian

Open Heart:

Miracles - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC by @liaromancewriter Who am I? - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC by @coffeeheartaddict2

The Royal Romance/The Royal Finale:

All For Love - F!OC & M!OC - @rosesnink

[walkerismychoice]

Serendipity - Part 4

Written for @choicesflashfics - Week 34

Prompt 3  — “ I think I need to be drunk to understand this story ”

Book: TRR/OPH

Pairings: Drake Walker x Ava Matheson, Bryce Lahela x Charlie Hawkins

Word count: 1814

Rating: M

TW: Profanity, Suggestive language

A/N: This is a collaboration between @deb-1106​ and @walkerismychoice using the weekly prompts provided by @choicesflashfics As always if you want on or off the tag list, just let me/us know. Deb usually posts to keep it consistent, but we were both kind of scrambling this week, so I’m getting this in under the wire for us. Charlie gasped. "Oh my God! Congratulations! She tilted Ava’s ring from side to side, watching the facets twinkle from the glow of the pendant lights.I'm so happy for you!" But was she? Well of course she was, but why, on some level did she feel a twinge of Jealousy.

"Yeah, Congrats! You're smart to be locking this one down already." Bryce directed his words at Drake and then winked at Ava. "How long have you two known each other again?

Drake glowered at Bryce momentarily but then lightened up. "You know, in absence of all the Whiskey we've had, I might take your comment as an insult, but you're right. I gotta make this thing legal before she realizes she's too good for me, heh."

"Oh stop!" Ava swatted Drake playfully. "You know that would never happen because it's not true." Turning back to Bryce and Charlie she said, "To answer your question, we've known each other about 6 months."

"Wow, 6 months…that's kind of fast," Charlie mused out loud before she could think to censor her thoughts.

Ava laughed. "If you asked me 6 months ago if I'd be anywhere near an engagement right now, I would have told you to get the fuck out of here."

"That's for sure," Drake interjected, and everyone laughed.

“Anyway,” Ava continued, “When you know, you know. There’s no need to wait for some arbitrary, socially acceptable length of time, right?”

“Cheers to that!” Bryce raised his glass towards the center of the table.

The others accepted the invitation and clinked their glasses, even Charlie who wasn’t feeling particularly celebratory. Cheers to that?! Did his agreement with the sentiment mean he wasn’t sure about his future with Charlie yet? Was Charlie just being dramatic? Just yesterday she had no doubts about the pace of her relationship with Bryce, so why did this suddenly feel like a competition she was losing? She felt tears start to prick the corners of her eyes.

“I’m going to use the restroom real quick,” Charlie excused herself without waiting for anyone’s reply. She locked herself in a stall and waited a few minutes until she felt more composed. 

Just as Charlie exited the stall, Ava walked through the restroom door. “Hey, you were gone awhile. Is everything okay?”

Charlie, washing her hands, stared straight ahead and hoped Ava couldn’t tell she’d been crying.  “Yep, just finishing up.”

“Charlie, I know we haven’t known each other that long, but I could tell something was up back at the table. Do you want to talk about it?”

Charlie was mortified. “No, I’m so sorry. This was a big moment for you, and the last thing I wanted to do was make it about me. I’m really not that girl. I don’t know what came over me. Just give me a minute, and I’ll be back out.”

Ava took a towel from the dispenser and handed it to Charlie. “I’m not the type of friend who needs things to be all about me either, so spill it.”

Ava’s tone eased Charlie’s mood just enough to make her feel comfortable opening up. “I’m happy for you and Drake, I really am. It’s just that your engagement announcement suddenly made me doubt what Bryce and I have. We’ve been together two years and marriage hasn’t even come up.”

“Girl, I’ve seen the way Bryce looks at you. He’s not going anywhere. We aren’t all on the same timeline, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I suppose that’s true.” The logical side of Charlie’s brain knew Ava’s was right, and she hoped the emotional side would soon follow. It was at least appeased enought to put this to rest for now.  She looked in the mirror and cringed. “I just need to fix my face, and then I’ll be out.”

Ava fished a makeup wipe from her purse. “Let me help.” She wiped the black streaks from Charlie’s face and then pulled out a small cosmetic bag. “Just a little eye liner and fresh mascara and you’ll be good to go.”

Once Ava finished, Charlie inspected her work. “Wow, can you do my make-up every day? I don’t even know how to properly apply eyeliner.”

Ava laughed. “Better yet, I’ll teach you. We’ll plan a spa night soon.” 

Charlie hugged Ava. “Thank you. And again, I’m sorry.”

“No worries.” Ava pulled away with a smile. “Now let’s get back out there before the guys think we’re attempting a dine and dash.”

Despite a moment of awkward conversation when the woman got back to the table, the rest of dinner went off without a hitch. Charlie’s face hurt from laughing so much.

“Wait,” Drake furrowed his eyebrows, “So you work at the same hospital, but you met in a strip club?”

“It’s a long story,” Bryce began, “but basically I worked as a stripper to pay my way through med school. Charlie saw me and thought I was so hot, she asked for a private lap dance. My moves were incredible and she just had to have me. She asked me to be her plus one at her cousin’s wedding in Jamaica, and the rest is history.”

“Oh God, Bryce” Charlie rolled her eyes. “That’s not exactly what happened. My friends secretly bought me the lap dance, and I begrudgingly went. I was desperate not to show up to my cousin’s wedding alone and drunk enough to come up with a ridiculous plan, so we made a business deal for him to be my fake boyfriend. However, we failed at the fake part, and he turned into my real boyfriend.”    

“Woah… I think I need to be drunk to understand this story.” Drake raised his glass in jest. “Waiter?!.. Brian?! I need a refill!”

—

Charlie kicked off her shoes and flopped on one end of the couch, while Bryce sat on the other. “I don’t know why I always torture myself with heels. Can you give me a foot rub?” She placed her feet in Bryce’s lap.

“Babe, I’m a surgeon, not a podiatrist.”

“Ha ha, very funny.” She flicked him lightly on the chin with her big toe.

“Ah! Fine, as long as you keep your feet out of my face.” Bryce took her right foot in his hands and started rubbing rhythmic circles with his thumbs on her sole.

“Mmmm,” Charlie hummed in relief. “You sure you don’t have a foot fetish?”

“Negative, but getting my hands on you anywhere is a good place to start.” Bryce had that gleam in his eyes that said he had a plan, and Charlie would be powerless to stop it - not that she would want to.

“Start what?” She played coy.

“Well…” He walked his fingers upward. “Your calves are probably a little tight too, so those clearly need to be massaged."

"Clearly." Charlie echoed.

"And then, since I'm already this far…" Bryce began to slide his hand under the skirt of her dress.

"Hold up." She slapped her hand on top of his. "Don't you think you're moving a little too fast? You haven't even done the other foot yet." She smugly placed his hand on her left foot. Of course she wanted him as much as he seemed to want her, but it was even more satisfying when she made him wait.

"Speaking of moving too fast," Bryce said as he kneaded the bottom of her foot, "I'm kind of surprised Drake and Ava got engaged after only knowing each other for six months."

"Oh really? Back at the restaurant it seemed you were all for it."

"Well, I don't know them well enough to really judge," Bryce backpedaled. "They do seem like one of those 'opposites attract' type couples that just works, so maybe it is like Ava said, 'When you know, you know.' I just couldn't imagine being ready to marry someone so soon."

Charlie sat upright, pulling her knees in toward her chest and hugging them tight as all the hurt and uncertainty she felt at the restaurant flooded back.  "Apparently so. We've been together two years and you're not even sure if you want to commit to me after all this time. I guess in my case you still don't know if I'm the one. Maybe that means I'm not."

"Charlie…" Bryce's near perma-smile transformed to a frown. "I never said that. Would I have moved in with you if I had any doubts?"

"I don’t know, Bryce. Maybe you just want to test everything out before you commit because you aren't sure. If you don't know by now, when will you know? Five years? Ten?"

"Babe, he inched closer and placed a hand on her knee, "where is all this coming from? Okay, wrong question since I'm pretty sure where, but not exactly why. I don't think you've ever brought up marriage before."

"I guess seeing Drake and Ava just made me think, what are we waiting for? Yes six months is pretty quick, but lots of people get engaged after a year and we're at double that. We live together, we're both becoming established in our careers, we love each other…Making it official just makes sense."

Bryce looked her in the eyes intently. "I love you, and as far as I can see, my future includes you. I don't need a piece of paper to prove that."

"Does that mean you'll never want to get married?" Charlie was still reeling. 

"I'm not saying that, but you know how things turned out with my parents. I just… I'm afraid of repeating the same mistakes. That may sound like a cop out, but I just need time, and I'll know…we'll know when it's right. Things are going so well right now, why rush to change that?"

Bryce had a point, and Charlie recognized her perception of the situation was colored by her past as much as Bryce’s was by his. The way her ex Andrew left her just as they were planning a future together made her a little more anxious to make things official this time. But would rushing to marry Andrew have really changed anything? He'd probably still have left her for another woman, and then they'd have a messy divorce to contend with. She had to remind herself that Bryce was nothing like Andrew. Even without a formal commitment, her relationship with him was progressing at a perfect pace. 

"You're right." Charlie inched closer to Bryce and laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry for getting all in my head again. You know how I can spiral sometimes."

"And that's why I'm here to keep reminding you what a wonderful, loveable, and strong woman you are. But in case you need more than words to convince you," Bryce hopped off the couch and then pulled her up with him, "follow me to the bedroom and I’ll show you too."

[randombook4idk]

memes for wlw choices players

+ guess who was a fool 🙂

[livelaughlovechai]

Please read this if you play choices.

I cannot express how tired I am of choices making the same genderlocked 1 li books with the same smut plot .

And I believe many of you guys are tired of it aswell.

Me and @mylinroe on insta have decided to make a padlet on this.

Please do check it out and post your thoughts on it.

[alj4890]

Do you have any fics in the works? Tell us about them!

Looking forward to any other writer's upcoming fics? Tell us about them too!

🤦🏻‍♀️ yep. My WIP folder has over seventy ideas/fics/pieces of series/and tons of pic prompts. I've had weeks of writer's block with only an occasional flicker of inspiration 😑

I'm trying to finish up some of those but my brain is not cooperating. The headaches aren't helping either 🤦🏻‍♀️

Fics/series in the works:

Two Thomas Hunt x OC*Amanda series called Worth the Wait and Stepping Forward. Both are angsty so far 🤷🏻‍♀️ but if I can ever get the wording right it will have happy endings 🤣 I'm also attempting to continue my Regency Era RCD AU series, None But You, in the process.

A few Thomas Hunt drabbles also are mixed in that folder 😂

A TRR Olivia series where Liam abdicates to be with Riley thus making our favorite duchess the Queen of Cordonia.

Part two to L-O-V-E

Requests for Liam x Riley and Maxwell Beaumont x OC*Sherry Alcantar that I promise I'm working on. And a couple for my While We're Young AU of characters that were requested months ago. Yes, there will be more glimpses into a couple of princes and their particular ladies and Jackson x Nicky.

An Open Hearts series called Mixed Signals (my first ever 😂) with my F!MC. Chris deals with feelings for Tobias, Ethan, and Bryce. It would start after the attack in Book 2. Though honestly I'm thinking of scrapping all of it to just write the actual storyline I've had in my mind with all the Tobias Carrick x Chris Valentine drabbles I'm working on 🤦🏻‍♀️ Definitely a happier storyline for those two, LOL!

A Perfect Match drabble with Damien and Nadia.

And my first ever Laws of Attraction drabble for my M!MC x Aislinn Tanaka 🤞 Hopefully it will turn out okay. I got inspired when I decided to restart the series and go a Male MC route 😂

And as always, I'm behind on reading fics from everyone I follow. Life keeps getting in the way of me being able to binge and when I do find time to open Tumblr up, I try and focus on that blasted Drafts folder.

[karahalloway]

(Less Than) Noble Intentions: Chapter 20 - Steal Me Away

Fandom: TRR

Pairing: Drake Walker x F!OC (Harper Gale)

Series Summary: The social season may be over, but Harper Gale’s problems are just beginning. With everyone at court a potential suspect, can she and Drake survive the engagement tour and get to the bottom of the plot against her and clear her name? An AU take of TRR2 featuring my OTP - Harper & Drake.

Masterlist: (Less Than) Noble Intentions

Chapter Summary: Drake is back... but that doesn't mean that it's a happy reunion...

Word Count: 4,300

Rating/Warnings: M (shouting, guilt-tripping, dangerous driving, swearing in multiple languages, one over-heated kiss)

Chapter theme song:

Chapter 20 - Steal Me Away

I whirl around in disbelief. "Drake...!"

He's stood before me with two days' worth of stubble, regarding me with a long-suffering look.

But it really is him.

And I feel my heart swell, even though I can tell that he's not exactly best pleased to find me in a random antique shop in the middle of Rome.

The muscle in his jaw twitches. "I turn my back for one goddamn minute and—"

"What are you doing here?" I blurt.

"I can ask the same of you, Gale..." he counters, folding his arms over his chest. "Because this sure as shit ain't no bridal boutique."

My chin lifts on its own accord. "I decided to make a detour."

"Jesus fucking—" He rakes his hand through his hair. "Did you leave your brain in a ditch somewhere in the process?"

My eyes widen. "Wha—! No! I—"

"The city is crawling with paps!" he almost shouts, jabbing a finger towards the door. "Who are looking for any excuse to make a meal out of you! Did you not think for one second that—?"

"What?" I counter heatedly, stepping up to him. "That I should cower and hide instead, like I'm to blame for it all? I told you — I refuse to let these people—"

"Well, it would've been a damn sight better than making me chase you across half the fucking city!"

"Why were you even chasing after me?" I demand, my own ire flaring. "You're supposed to be in Dubai!"

"Been there, done that, got the jet lag to prove it," he hits back sarcastically. "But just because I'm gone doesn't mean you suddenly have carte blanche to fuck off on your own."

"Says the person who walked off without so much as a 'see you later'..."

His mouth hardens. "I didn't want to—"

"Also, I'm not on my own," I continue testily. "Allard and Schweitzer—"

"—are fucking fired," he cuts in, suddenly darkened mocha eyes flashing. "They should never have—"

"Ch'è qualche problema?"

"No!" Drake and I snap in unison.

The old man falls mute before muttering something disparaging under his breath.

I continue staring at Drake, heart thumping and chest heaving in the wake of our dust-up.

He glares back unblinkingly, jaw clenched as the tension rolls off him in palatable waves.

I reach up to adjust the strap of my tote indignantly. "So much for trusting each other, huh, Walker?"

"Dammit, Gale," he growls. "That's not what—"

Grabbing the wrapped box off the counter, I stomp past him without a backwards glance. "See you back at the embassy."

He has some nerve, showing up out of the blue t—

I barely make it two steps before he's grabbed me by the arm.

I open my mouth to retort...

...but I'm not given a chance to get a word in edgeways, because in the next instant, he's slammed me against his chest, laying claim to my mouth with a ferocity that's on the verge of being savage.

The fight whooshes out of me as my arms fly up to wrap themselves 'round his neck, even as I feel his fingers dig against the soft cotton of my dress, pulling me to him like a long-lost ship to anchor.

"Christ, girl," he growls against my lips. "You send me off the edge of reason..."

"I'm... sorry..." I gasp, clinging to him helplessly as he trails down the line of my jaw. "I didn't mean to—"

"Ah... l'amore... non è bello se non è litigarello."

Drake starts as he gets clapped roundly on the back.

Peeking up, I see the shopkeeper smirking at us conspiratorially as he ambles past.

"Err... Sì," coughs Drake, pulling back from me. "Sto certamente imparando che a mio spese..."

The man laughs in response. "Non capita a tutti?"

"You speak Italian?" I gawp, feeling a flush creep up my cheeks as the old man throws us a wink over his shoulder.

"Uh... Yeah..." Drake mutters, running his hand over the back of his head somewhat sheepishly. "With Bast."

"Oh." I glance between him and the old man. "What did he say?"

"An old proverb," Drake says, looking just as embarrassed as I am feeling about the fact that we'd inadvertently let our dirty laundry rip in the company of a complete stranger. "Love is not beautiful if it does not quarrel."

My cheeks redden further. "I-I see..."

"It's kind of a compliment..." he admits, shooting a sidelong glance over at the man, who's now busy dusting some shelves. "But we should probably get out of his hair."

"Definitely...!" I chirp, diving towards the saving grace of the exit.

"Err... La saluto," offers Drake on his way out. "E scusi il disturbo..."

"Eh!" comes the scoffed response. "Chi non risica non rosica. Ma è meglio stare attenti con lei! Donna buona – vale una corona."

"Lo so..."

"Everything alright?" I ask as Drake joins me on the baking pavement.

"Yeah," he assures me, not quite meeting my eye. "Just giving his two cents..."

Something flashes across his face, too fast for me to read.

But before I can ask him about it, he's already marching me across the square.

"What about Allard and Schweitzer?" I protest, trying to squint behind me as Drake navigates us 'round the incessant stream of sightseers. "Are they—?"

"I sent them back to the embassy," Drake replies, yanking me back as a pair of kids dart out in front of me.

"You didn't actually fire them, did you?" I gasp.

"Sure as hell thinking about it," he mutters, moving us forward again.

"If it's any consolation, they did try to talk me out of coming out here..."

"Clearly not hard enough."

"I can be very persuasive when I want to be," I remind him.

He lets out a low breath. "Don't I fuckin' know it..."

"Look," I say, coming to a stop and turning to face him. "I get you're pissed—"

"That's putting it mildly."

"—but don't take it out on Allard and Schweitzer," I tell him flatly. "They didn't do anything wrong... and I actually get along with them."

He holds my gaze for a long time before answering. "They're not your friends, Gale."

"Maybe not in any conventional sense," I admit. "But getting me a security detail had been your idea, Walker. And I know I was against it initially, but Allard and Schweitzer have been able to be there for me when you haven't."

His mouth hardens.

"And I know that grates you," I continue quickly, before he can cut me off again. "But we knew from the start that this was going to be the case, so if you do need to leave, then I'd prefer to be left with people I can trust. And I trust Allard and Schweitzer — with my life. Which is actually saying a lot."

He holds my gaze for what feels like a full minute before answering. "I'll think about it."

"That's it?" I demand in disbelief as he grabs my wrist to pull me after him again. "After all that, you're just going t—?"

"I said I'll think about it."

I glare at his back. "You're a dick."

He rounds on me like a wolf. "I'm a fuckin' realist. And the reality is that Allard and Schweitzer messed up. Big time. And I don't care how much you like them, or how many times you've braided each other's hair—"

My eyes narrow. "That's not—"

"—because none of that fucking matters out here! What matters — the only goddamn thing that matters — is keeping you safe. From the paps, from the aristos, even from your ownfucking self, if you're about to do something stupid. And at that, they've unquestionably failed. So, no. I'm not about to cut them a break. Especially not on your say-so. Because the stakes are too fucking real, and I'm not gonna let anyone play dice with your life. Least of all the people whose one job is to look out for you. Got it?"

I force myself to blink back the sudden tears in my eyes. "Yeah..."

"Good," he grunts. "Now get on."

Glancing past Drake, I spot what is very literally the last thing I'd expect to see him with.

I scoff up at him. "In your dreams, bud."

"Gale," he warns, reaching for one of the helmets that's hanging from the black and white moped's frame. "I'm not in the fucking m—"

"Well, neither am I," I hit back tersely. "So, you can take that deathtrap of a Vespa and shove it."

"First off," he counters, tossing the helmet at me. "It's a Piaggio. Second, the only reason I had to resort to this is because you decided to bail."

I catch the helmet irately. "So, you're saying that this is my fault?"

"Damn right, it is," he confirms, extracting a second helmet from the storage compartment nestled beneath the seat. "It's got all of 50cc so it's underpowered as fuck."

"Then why the heck did you get it!"

"Because it's the fastest way to get around the city."

I snort at him. "You mean, it's the fastest way to get into an accident..."

He prays for deliverance under his breath. "Gale, for the love of Christ, will you just—?"

"No," I declare, folding my arms. "The last time you conned me onto the back of your motorbike, I literally thought I was going to die. And after seeing how everyone in Rome drives, I have no interest in—"

"You drive, then."

Drake's unexpected offer pulls me up short. "Wait. What?"

He pulls a set of keys from his pocket. "It's a one-time offer, Gale. Either you take the wheel, or I do. But you've gettin' your ass on this sorry excuse of a bike, one way or another."

"I..." I swallow thickly. "I don't know how..."

"I'll walk you through it," he assures me. "There ain't much to it."

"Somehow I doubt that..."

"Clock's tickin', girl..."

I heave a breath before shoving my head into my helmet. "Okay, fine. I'll do it."

"Figured you would," he murmurs, holding the keys up. "You know where these go?"

"Up your ass," I retort, snatching the keychain from his hands.

The corner of his mouth twitches — whether in amusement or annoyance, I can't tell.

Not that I really care. I can be a jerk, too. But, I figure that at least with me driving, we won't rack up any speeding tickets or near misses on our way back to the Cordonian embassy, which is where we are staying for the two nights that we are in Rome for.

Walking up to the moped — admittedly with more swagger than I'm actually feeling at this moment — I grab the handlebars and swing my leg over the middle of the frame.

After a quick inspection, I locate the ignition switch and slot the key in.

But before I have a chance to try and turn the engine on, Drake's hand appears in my line of sight.

Reaching between my legs, he opens a hidden compartment in the frame. "For your bag."

"Oh," I say in genuine surprise, taking my bag off so I can tuck it away. "That is actually kind of neat."

"Last thing we need is for you to lose your stuff..." he drawls, shutting the glove box back up.

As he straightens again, his arm brushes the bare skin of my knee. And despite (or maybe because of) the unresolved tension shimmering between us in the wake of our heated reunion, I can't help but feel a familiar zap of electricity course through my nerves at the inadvertent contact.

"No kidding..." I concede, somewhat hoarsely. Clearing my throat, I add, "So... umm, what's next?"

"Grab the break and turn the key over as far as it'll go."

"So, kind of like a car," I surmise, following the instructions. "Why isn't it starting?"

"Because you only turned the electronics on," Drake advises. "To kick the engine off, you need to disengage the kick stand, and then press the start button."

"Jesus Christ, this is complicated..." I grumble as I scoot off the seat so I can try to figure out how to do what he just said.

"No more complicated than sailing a yacht," Drake counters, watching my antics from the safety of the pavement. "Just give it a shove ."

"How will that—?"

"It's got a rear-mounted kickstand," he says. "You disengage it by rolling the bike forward."

"Right," I grumble, feeling like a total idiot. "Because that's so obvious."

Maybe I should've let Drake drive, after all...

"You still holding the break?"

I snap my head up as I give the handlebars a hard push. "Huh?"

A squeal erupts from my mouth as the moped suddenly lurches forward beneath me, and I have a moment of sheer panic as I wrestle with the hunk of metal to keep from crashing to the ground.

"I told you to hold the break..."

"You could've been more specific!"

He lets out a low breath. "You good?"

"Yeah," I huff, finally managing to find some semblance of balance with an uncooperative moped  stuck between my legs.

"Turn her on, then."

I scan the buttons in front of me. "Err..."

"The one by your right thumb."

Shifting my grip, I extend my thumb out to press the button...

"You still holdin' the break?" Drake asks.

I quickly tighten my hold on the left-side break. "Yes."

Drake eyes me unconvincedly. "Just checking..."

I stick my tongue out at him.

"Hey," he objects. "You're the one who wanted to do this, Gale."

"Yeah, everything is my fault today..." I grumble as I press the start button.

The moped sparks to life beneath me, and I feel a massive rush of achievement.

"I did it!" I cry, meeting Drake's eye with an unadulterated grin.

He quirks a brow at me. "Y'know you're still stationary, right?"

"Shut up."

Drake steps up to the bike with a shake of his head and flips out the passenger foot rest. "Last chance to bow out gracefully, Gale."

I glance over my shoulder at him. "If you're trying to pull some kind of reverse psychology on me, Walker—"

"Wouldn't dream of it..." he assures me dryly, mounting up as well. "But my word is gospel, y'hear?"

"Aye-aye, Cap'n," I say sardonically... while trying to ignore the heat of his body and the instinctive urge to lean back into it as he settles down on the narrow seat behind me.

Because as much as I missed him, and as glad as I am that he's back, our volatile reunion has served as a stark reminder that we never finished our conversation back in Applewood. Not only that, but thanks to the almost break-neck speed at which things have been happening, the list of topics for discussion has only grown since then.

And the last thing I want is for us to fall down the same toxic hole that we did in the wake of Christian's surprise reveal in Valtoria.

I just have to hope that we'll be able to squeeze in some much-needed couple time before even more things pile up between us.

Not to mention, I'm desperate to know what had happened with Tariq in Dubai... and whether Drake's record-fast turnaround is a sign of some much-needed success, or even more demoralising failure.

But, first things first: getting back to the embassy in one piece, without the paps chasing us.

I feel Drake roll his eyes at me. "Wrong salutation, but never mind... Now. We're gonna do this slowly and gently. There's a lot of people around, and we don't need you on the front page of the Sun again because you accidentally torpedoed a toddler."

My throat constricts. "Y-You saw that?"

"You'd be hard pressed to find someone who hasn't," he mutters. "But right now, your focus needs to be on driving this thing. So, eyes up front and ignore everything else."

I swallow down my nerves. "Okay..."

"Your right hand controls the throttle. Your left hand controls the break," Drake instructs. "For the love of God, don't mix that up, or I'll be on the phone to your patents explaining why you suddenly need skin grafts."

I wince involuntarily at the gruesomeness of that particular image. "Got it."

"It's a mistake you'll only make once," he warns grimly. "To get going, twist down on the throttle while slowly easing up on the break. Don't jerk it, or you'll face plant into the speedometer."

"Anything else?" I ask, somewhat nervously.

As anticipated, driving a motorbike is a lot more nuanced than Drake made it look back in Cordonia. And I'm having some serious second thoughts about this whole thing...

"Keep your feet off the foot-stand until you've got enough momentum to stay upright."

"How will I know that?"

"You'll feel it," he assures me. "Like on a bike."

I bite my bottom lip.

"Hey," he says, brushing his fingers across my hip. "You got this, girl."

The familiarity of Drake's touch — even though it's fleeting — unwinds something in me. Because it's an unspoken reminder that no matter what may be going on around us... or between us, it's not going to come in the way of the promise that he made me.

I suck in a steadying breath. "Okay. Here goes."

Readjusting my grip on the handlebars, I twist my wrist down. Feeling the engine start to rumble with increased vigour, I gentle ease up on the break.

The Piaggio begins to creep forward.

"Watch the road, not the instruments," Drake cautions from behind me.

Lifting my eyes up, I carefully navigate us 'round the oncoming pedestrians, keeping my feet suspended alongside the moped, in case I need to make an emergency stop.

But, as we move away from the iconic landmark, the crowd starts to thin out, and the street widens. Passing a fruit and vegetable stand, I let go of the break fully, the bike pulls forward eagerly. Feeling slightly more confident, I add a bit more gas so I can finally lift my feet up without capsizing our delicate operation.

"Not bad," Drake approves. "You just gotta relax a bit."

I flush inadvertently. "I am relaxed."

"Your shoulders say different. You're driving like Quasimodo."

"Oh." I make a concerted effort to straighten my posture. "Better?"

"Yeah. But now you need to drop your elbows."

"So much for this being easy..."

"It is," he insists. "Once you get the hang of it."

"You and your technicalities, Walker..." I grumble.

"Everything's got a learning curve," he reminds me. "But we just might make a Hell's Angel out of you yet."

I snort back at him. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Evil Knievel. We haven't made it back to the embassy yet."

"Then you might wanna knuckle down for this next part."

"Why? What's—?"

I get my answer as we round a corner and come parallel to a busier-looking road.

Great...

"Right here, then first left," Drake advises as we approach a somewhat complicated-looking three-way intersection.

"Umm... Okay..." I mumble, eyeing up the noticeably faster-moving traffic on the main road with more than a bit of trepidation.

"No one's gonna give you room, so you'll have to gun it," comes the no-nonsense tip from behind me. "The indicator is by your left thumb."

A Fiat whizzes past, but the next car is some distance away. Taking a breath, I flick the indicator on and twist down on the throttle to merge into the gap.

"Move over one more," Drake shouts over my shoulder. "You're taking up the bus lane."

"Where the heck does it say that?" I demand, casting my head around in confusion.

"On the sign we just passed..."

"Was it invisible?"

"Hey," counters Drake. "You wanna argue with me, or a cop?"

"Neither," I concede sourly, making the switch to the left-side lane after a quick check in the mirror. "But they could've made it more obvious..."

Drake scoffs. "It's Rome. The bastards are trying to catch you out."

"Clearly," I agree, taking a left at the traffic lights...

...straight into a two-way fork in the road.

"Umm... What now?" I squeak, trying to hedge my bets as much as I can in the rapidly shrinking room that I have to make a decision before I run into the curb.

"Stay left."

I start to turn the bike, only to yank it back violently with a yelp as a car that I hadn't realised was trying to overtake me blows past with a scream of its horn.

"Vaffanculo!" yells Drake, throwing his hand out angrily at the other driver.

"Ohmygod..." I rasp, my entire body shaking in the wake of the near miss.

"Fuckin' asshole," gripes Drake. "You okay?"

I swallow thickly past the lump in my throat. "I... think so."

"If you need to pull over..."

I shake my head. "No. I'm fine. I just..."

"...get a kick outta playing chicken?"

"I don't do it on purpose!"

"You sure?" he asks dryly. "'Cause you definitely seem to be making a habit of it..."

I open my mouth, but quickly think better of it... as Drake has a point. I have had a few too many near misses lately. "Sorry... It isn't intentional. I thought that since I'd left the indicator on, that—"

"I know," he assures me, laying a hand on my hip again. "I'm not blaming you. But all the calls you've had have been too close. And..." His fingers tighten against the material of my dress. "I just don't want you to—"

"I know," I concede softly. "I don't want that either. And I'm not normally this accident-prone, I promise..."

"Except when your blood sugar's low," he corrects wryly.

His words cause me to clench my eyes together in consternation. "Damn it, the croissants..."

In the whirlwind of Drake's surprise reappearance, I'd forgotten all about the primary reason for sneaking away from the bridal boutique.

"What croissants?" queries Drake.

"The pistachio ones I was supposed to get from this little bakery next to the fountain that the Italian President had recommended."

I feel Drake's disbelieving gaze knife into the back of my head. "Seriously? That's the reason you were out playing hooky?"

"One of them, yes..." I reply evasively.

"Putain de merde..."

"Apparently they're very good..."

Drake mutters something under his breath. "Pull over."

My eyes widen. "What? Why?"

"Because it's past noon, and you're clearly starving."

"I'm fine," I insist, even though the only thing of substance I've had since this morning was the cup of coffee on Olivia's jet. "I'll just grab something when—"

The Piaggio lurches to a stop as Drake slaps a hand on the break. "No. You won't."

My eyes widen as my feet fly out on instinct to steady the suddenly stationary moped. "Why not?"

"Because the staff at the embassy already have their work cut out pulling together tonight's dinner, so the kitchen is off-limits," he explains, hopping off the back. "And you won't be able to take two steps outside to grab a sandwich without picking up a pap tail."

"Then why have we stopped in a dead-end alley?" I ask in disbelief as Drake pulls the moped it onto its kickstand while I'm still sat gaping at him from the seat.

"Because we just passed one of the best restaurants in Rome," he states. "So, I'm buying you lunch."

His cinnamon-laced eyes meet mine, and I see a sudden flash of rawness in his gaze... a silent plea entreating me to say yes. Which means this is about more than just food.

"Okay," I accede, wondering what could've prompted such a sudden change of heart. "But what about the paps? Aren't you worried we'll get spotted?"

"See any people?" asks Drake, reaching across my lap to turn the ignition off.

"No, but—"

"Exactly," he affirms, pocketing the keys. "This is one of the few places in the city where you ain't gonna bump into a reporter."

"How do you know?"

"Because apart from the fact that Sugo actually makes its own pasta, it is also a stone's throw from Parliament," he explains, offering me a hand to help me off the bike. "Which means that pencil pushers from every level of government come here to ink deals over carbonara, so no one — staff included — is gonna mess with the status quo."

"Sounds like something out of a mafia movie..."

"Where d'you think Hollywood gets its ideas from?" he drawls, pulling his helmet off to stow it in the under-seat compartment. "Places like this. Which is why no one will bother us here. Especially not the paps. It'd be a death sentence for this joint if their tight and discreet ship suddenly sprung a leak."

"Good to know," I acknowledge, unclipping the clasp of my own helmet. "But how did you even find out about this place? Let alone got in?"

"Leo," Drake replies, taking my helmet to clip it onto the handlebar. "He's on a first name basis with the chef."

I quirk a brow at him. "Sounds like there's a story there..."

Drake extricates my bag from the glove box with scoffs. "It's Leo. There's never not a story. But let's get you inside first. Before you pass out on the pavement."

"I'm not going to—" My stomach rumbles in pointed disagreement. "Okay, I am hungry. But where exactly is this place? There's nothing here apart from the back-ends of buildings..."

"Have I ever let you down when it comes to food?" he asks with a raised brow.

"No..."

"Then trust me."

The story continues in Chapter 21 - You Give Me Reason

A/N: Translations for the Italian below:

Ch'è qualche problema? - Is there a problem?

Ah... l'amore... non è bello se non è litigarello. - Ah, love... It is not beautiful if it does not quarrel.

Err... Sì. Sto certamente imparando che a mio spese... - Err... Yes. I am definitely learning that the hard way.

Non capita a tutti? - Don't we all?

Err... La saluto. E scusi il disturbo... - Err... Farewell. And apologies for disturbing you.

Eh! Chi non risica non rosica. Ma è meglio stare attenti con lei! Donna buona – vale una corona. - Eh! No risk, no reward! But you better take care of her! Good woman – worth a crown.

Lo so... - I know...

Vaffanculo! - Fuck you!

Permatags

@twinkleallnight @lovingchoices14 @kingliam2019 @petiteboheme @angelasscribbles @aussiegurl1234 @nestledonthaveone @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @tessa-liam @alyshak92 @secretaryunpaid @princessleac1 @walkerdrakewalker @tinkie1973 @twinkle-320 @knaussal @nikkis1983 @lunaseasblog @ficloverevie @indiana-jr @differenttyphoonwerewolf @kristinamae093 @eversoaringqueen12 @3pawandme @alexabeta @veebug8 @fanfiction-she-wrote @queenmiarys @lancelotsimp @coco-lina-s @lolablackwrites @ivyflowers13 @persephone13 @hollygirl1269 @adri-ja-96 @harleybeaumont @katedrakeohd @uneravine @alj4890 @mywildheartremains

(Less Than) Noble Intentions only (let me know if you want to be added!)

@thetruthisthatiloveyou @anakjaybon-blog

[angelasscribbles]

Follower Appreciation Post

Okay, first of all.....

I just want to take a moment to say how much I appreciate all my followers and all the friendships I've made here.

And to show my appreciation, I'm going to open my asks for a little drabble event. Here are the parameters:

You can ask me to write anything you want. So yes, @twinkleallnight, this means you can ask for Drake x Olivia 😆

I reserve the right to refuse to fulfill any request for any reason (I can't imagine a situation where this would happen, but I'm covering my bases)

I will endeavor to keep my responses to 500 words or less.

I will accept requests for this challenge through the end of next week. So March 22nd, 2024.

Requests can be for fics, or they can just be questions about any of my existing characters/pairings. In addition to the series on my primary master list, feel free to send asks for Cordonian Royal Airlines or Law's End.

Requests do not have to be TRR though that is the primary fandom I write for.

Just FYI, I likely will not start on these until April.

Choices fandoms I will take requests for:

The Royal Romance

Ride or Die

Bloodbound

Queen B

Open Heart

Romance Club fandoms I will take requests for:

Heaven's Secret

Vying for Versailles

On Thin Ice

Tagging everyone on my "everything" master list under the cut.

@karahalloway, @harleybeaumont @alj4890 @aussiegurl1234 @nestledonthaveone

@walkerdrakewalker @kingliam2019 @bascmve01 @twinkleallnight

@lovingchoices14  @tinkie1973

@secretaryunpaid  @irishgrl2022

@kristinamae093 @tessa-liam

@gabesmommie1130 @queenmiarys

@differenttyphoonwerewolf  @jared2612  @belencha77

@dcbbw  @amandablink @indiacater

@bebepac @twinkle-320 @mattiematt1234

@queen-arabella-of-cordonia

@emersyn-in-cordonia @lunaseasblog  

@hollygirl1269 @mainstreetreader

@ladyangel70 @ohmyeightpastlives  @gardeningourmet

@sillydg @phoenixrising0308

@3pawandme @21-wishes @73geenalove @jennieausten

@princessleac1 @kachrisberry @tornbetween2loves

@fangirling12566  @pinklipsandmasonjars @savannahdix

[kristinamae093]

Ghosted

Ghosted - Altering Visions (Chapter Eleven)

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)

A/N 1 - 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. Please excuse any errors found.

A/N 2 - It's been a while 🥲. Here's hoping it doesn't take me another six months to post the next chapter 😬🫡.

PSA it's a long one. Whoops, lol.

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

Liam fluttered his eyes open a short time later and squinted them against the harsh, blinding light blocking his view. When he took a deep breath, a distinct, stale aroma invaded his senses; it sparked some kind of recognition even before he could fully view his surroundings. He slowly sat up with a groan and blinked until his vision centered. He glanced around and noticed the outdated wood panels, along with the oval shape of the sconces. There was only one estate in all of Cordonia with those outdated features, and he noted that fact immediately. 

Panic flourished through his body as Liam realized he awoke in Applewood. 

He frantically stood with labored breaths and patted his abdomen, almost to ensure he was real. He pinched his thigh and winced, afterward placing a trembling hand on the wall to steady himself. His mind raced as he tried to comprehend what transpired and how he’d gotten there to begin with.

The events of the night suddenly invaded his thoughts. The image of a lifeless Penelope in Landon’s arms engraved and forever etched itself into his memory; he felt guilty, enraged, defeated, and a slew of other emotions.

Penelope was the big break they’d hunted high and low for. She held vital information Liam desperately needed, but seemingly would take her secrets to the grave with her. He couldn’t understand any of it — nothing made sense. The list of unanswered questions swirling around was enough to make him nauseous. A carousel of sorrow and confusion he couldn’t seem to slow down — no matter how hard he tried. 

Amid his tilt-a-whirl moment, an angelic voice rang out not far away, drawing him back to the present. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” 

Liam’s thundering heart suddenly stopped as recognition swept over him. He’d been so entrapped in his thoughts, he hadn't even noticed what portion of the estate he was in. 

Only a few inches away was a door he remembered all too well — Riley’s. His eyes welled with tears as his vision centered on the structure, but as much as Liam wanted to rush to her, he physically couldn’t. The receptors in his brain went crazy — a jolt of electricity shot to his legs, demanding he move, but his feet weighed hundreds of pounds. Dazed and confused, he could only gawk at the blockade separating them. 

“Lady Riley, we have much to discuss — have a seat,” another individual answered. Liam knew it was a male but couldn’t place his identity; although it sounded familiar, as if he could remember it from a vague, distant memory. 

“Tell me who you are and what the hell you’re doing here!” Liam’s blood ran cold at Riley’s tone; the fear and adrenaline were prominent in her shaky voice. His breaths quickened and his instincts screamed to rush to her, but again, his feet refused to cooperate. 

“That wasn’t a request — I told you to have a seat.” Again, Liam swore he could recall that voice, but couldn’t fully register it. He thought about it for a split second until the sounds of a loud screech and a shatter echoed behind the door. 

“Don’t touch me!” Riley hollered, instantly breaking Liam’s trance. He lunged for the doorknob, but when he twisted his wrist, it snapped and turned to dust in his palm. The disintegrated fragments floated to the floor in slow motion, his heart following suit. 

“You’re so beautiful when you squirm.” Liam gasped as he fully recognized that person — it was Tariq. “But if you don’t fucking stand still–”

“Riley! RILEY!” Liam forcefully pounded on the structure. “Open this door! Open it, goddamnit!” He bellowed, but the commotion inside continued, escalating by the second. The next instant, he sprinted down the hall, frantically hunting for somebody — anybody — to get him inside that room. “I need some help!” He hauled over to the other side and yelled once more, but faced only cold, deserted silence. 

His vision darted all around the area before he spotted a window at the end of the seemingly never-ending hallway. Liam sprinted to it and gazed at the scene below. Outside, he could see the country jamboree still in full swing. He scoured the crowd and spotted everyone except Riley; Drake, Hana, Madeleine, and upon further inspection, he saw himself at the head table beside his father. He stumbled backward with a strangled breath, truly dumbfounded by what was going on. 

As Liam recovered, he re-approached the window and banged on it. “Hey! Hey!” He wailed, but nobody below batted an eye. His hits came harder and harder, but the glass never even cracked; his hand took the damage, although he felt no pain. 

The only thing he heard was Riley’s pleas for help, the sounds making his desperation grow by the second. He rushed back to the door and ran full force at it, using his shoulder as a battering ram; it wouldn’t budge. He repeated the process — again and again — but never even split the wood. Liam let out a primal wail and fisted his hair, taking deep breaths to preserve any semblance of sanity. His pulse thundered in his ears and tears stung the corners of his eyes, while he frantically determined what to do.   

He took a step back and realized there was a shadow cast over the doorway. It appeared to be a man, standing with his arms crossed. He wasn’t sure if it was there before, but Liam waved his hand and nothing changed the stony silhouette. The fixture remained cemented in place, not flinching or moving a muscle, regardless of the commotion developing beyond.

“LIAM!” Riley suddenly screamed, ripping him from his trance. He was up against the structure in an instant, using every ounce of strength he had to force his way through, but his attempts were futile. Riley repeatedly called for him and every time, a dagger went straight through Liam’s already hollowed-out chest.

He couldn’t control his overflowing tears at hearing her cry out for him. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get inside; they wouldn’t acknowledge him, nobody came to help, and there was nothing he could do except sit and listen. With a loud sob, he slid down the door and sat in front of it, hoping at some point it would open and he could get to her. 

Riley’s whimpers continued throughout the vicinity, but Liam’s skin turned ice cold as he heard laughter inside; not Riley’s, and certainly not cheerful. The vile sound caused all the color to drain from his face. He leaned his head against the door and completely broke down, letting the devastation and defeat wash over him. 

“I — I’m sorry Riley…” He swallowed thickly, but soon let out an anguished cry. “I’m so sorry…”

The room went eerily quiet for a long while; Liam couldn’t hear much except the sound of his heart shattering, but eventually, the voices began once more. With a shuddered breath, he held his ear up to listen. 

“When will I receive payment?” Tariq questioned. 

“You don’t need to worry about that. Where you’re going, you won’t need it.” 

“W–what do you mean?! I did what I was called to do!” Tariq’s panic was clear to Liam, even without seeing his face. His pulse somehow thundered faster, carefully processing every word.

“There is too much at stake — more than your simple mind could ever understand. For this to work, you need to disappear. You’re a weak, pathetic excuse of a man — we can not risk this entire operation being ousted because of a lousy nuisance.” 

“I swear to it — you have my allegiance and my silence.” Tariq pleaded. “I will disappear, and—” 

“You’re going to, alright — the both of you.” 

What little color remaining in Liam’s complexion drained, and the shakiness in his hands amplified. After a split-second of complete and utter stillness, the phrase resonated and ignited a deadly determination within.

Liam sprung up and kicked the door with all his might. “LET ME IN!” He repeated the process, but again, the barrier showed no signs of weakening. He threw his fists at the structure in a mad frenzy — anything to get inside and get to Riley, then deal with this — man. 

“Liam! Liam! LIAM!” Leo yelled. He repetitively jabbed the button next to Liam's head to summon the nurse, as his brother flailed in his hospital bed. 

Liam was being monitored for dehydration, severe exhaustion, and a touch of malnutrition. Doctors said he had a panic attack, which combined with everything else, made him lose consciousness. All his labs came back normal, thankfully; Leo was worried someone could have slipped Liam something, but the hospital was quick to put that suspicion to rest. 

Since Liam arrived, he had been resting comfortably, but that changed about twenty minutes ago; it started with small groans and subtle movements, but soon turned into blood-curdling cries and forceful thrashes. Leo hoped he would wake himself, but Liam was getting drastically worse with every passing second. 

Liam suddenly flew forward with a loud gasp. His tearful eyes darted all around the room while he grabbed at his gown-covered body. As the world centered, a tidal wave of frustration and confusion washed over him. 

When Liam stopped and stared down at his clasped hands, Leo cautiously re-approached the bed. “Liam?” When he didn’t answer, Leo spoke a little louder. “... Li?”

“I was there.” Liam weakly croaked, his vision locked on his lap.

Leo’s brows furrowed. “Where?” 

“I heard it.”

“Heard what?”

“Riley…” Liam whispered, followed by a shuddered breath.  

“What about her?” 

“I was there… th–that night… just n–now—” Liam stammered, struggling to make sense of the situation. “I couldn’t get in…”

Leo’s heart instantly shattered at seeing the devastation in Liam’s features. “They gave you some medication, Li.” He reasoned. “It’s possible that—”

“I KNOW WHAT I HEARD!” Liam bellowed. The nurse appeared next to him and attempted to speak, but he shouted, “GET OUT!” 

Leo lifted his hands in surrender. “I believe you, Liam… Tell me what happened.” 

“She yelled for me…” Liam faintly answered, refusing to make eye contact. “She yelled and screamed and — I couldn’t get inside, Leo... I tried, but — I — I… I couldn’t save her…” 

Leo took a deep breath to gather his thoughts and responded in a calm, reassuring voice. “Liam, it’s been a long couple of days and I know this has been incredibly rough on you–” 

“STOP PATRONIZING ME! I KNOW WHAT I HEARD!” 

Leo remained reluctant to entertain this idea. He knew Liam was dreaming, but at that moment, he was completely irrational. Leo had never seen him in such a way, even when his mother died. Given the past couple of weeks, the events of that night, and the medication, there was no rationalizing with him — Liam was spiraling, and bad. But perhaps if he entertained the notion — for now — Liam would eventually calm down.  

Leo carefully spoke. “What did you hear?” 

Liam stayed silent for a long moment before he turned his head to meet eyes with Leo. The look on Liam’s face slightly took him aback; the determination in his features was deadly — his sunken, puffy eyes were nearly black. 

Liam let out a long, sharp huff of air and sternly explained, “There were two male voices. I can say with confidence one was Tariq, but as far as the other, I — I don’t know…” He shook his head with furrowed brows as he racked every recollection in his brain. He could almost visualize the man in question, but his face appeared blurred and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t clear the fog. 

“Alright, well, let’s just take a minute to—”

“They were fucking laughing, Leo. They assaulted her and laughed about it.” Liam growled, his chest rising and falling with every sullen breath. “I want Tariq found, now. He’s going to pay for ever laying a fucking finger on her. I swear to God, Leo — I will put an end to his sorry existence with my bare hands.” He clenched his palms, squeezing hard enough to turn his knuckles white. 

Leo once again held his hands up in surrender and replied in a soft voice. “I believe you. Just — take a couple of deep breaths and try to relax—” 

“What if she didn’t leave Cordonia?” Liam suddenly blurted out. “What if she’s…” He trailed off, swallowing thickly. No part of him wanted to finish that statement in any fashion; the unending possibilities gave him instant nausea. “That man… he said, ‘where you’re going you won’t need it’, and then h–he said both of you... BOTH OF YOU, Leo!” He ran his palms over his head from front to back, repeating the process with a crazed look in his eye. 

Leo opened his mouth to speak, but Liam swiftly continued. “It would make sense… Tariq has been untraceable… But–but Riley…. She — Bastien told me she went back to New York. But that person… I know I heard him say it… Where you’re going you won’t need it, where you’re going you won’t need it—” He repeated to himself, his voice diminishing with every anguished syllable. He clutched his hands into fists and forcefully yanked at his hair, rocking himself back and forth. 

“Li,” Leo cautiously started. When Liam whipped his head to look at him, Leo was once more temporarily shocked by the fury and turmoil staring back at him; he realized Liam was hastily elevating himself to a dangerous level. “We can’t jump to conclusions… Okay? Let’s just take a deep breath and try to calm down—” 

“Don’t tell me to calm down, Leo! I KNOW WHAT I HEARD!” Liam shouted as he ripped the IV from his arm, the pain not even phasing him. He ditched the rest of his connections shortly after and dashed out of bed. “Where are my CLOTHES?”

“I’m not saying you didn’t,” Leo reasoned as he followed his brother’s movements. “All I’m suggesting is that we take a step back and really think about this—” 

“I’m tired of taking a step back! Look where that’s gotten us!” Liam seethed. “There is so much goddamn blood on my hands! I let her get hurt! I am responsible for all of this madness—” 

“Stop that — right now,” Leo sternly returned. “You know that is not true even in the slightest.” 

“Say it to MY FACE then, Leo!” Liam barked as he invaded his brother’s personal space. “LIE to my fucking face!” 

“It’s not a lie, Liam,” Leo stood a little taller. “You are not responsible–” He stopped as Liam rolled his eyes and looked away. This time, it was Leo who stepped up to Liam. “No — look at me,” He bore his eyes into his brother, forcing him to see the truth in his gaze. “You are not responsible for any of this, Liam. We’re going to figure this out, I promise.” 

Liam studied the conviction staring back at him and his frustration soared. He spun away and grabbed the bedside table, sending it flying with a primal roar. 

Leo flinched as the wood shattered against the wall, but knew he had to calm Liam down. However, the person he was trying to reason with was not the version of Liam he was used to; this was a side Leo didn’t know lay dormant in his normally calm and stoic baby brother.

“Liam,” Leo softly started. “This is an incredibly shitty situation, and I’m so sorry that you’re being put through this. I love you, and I’m always here for you no matter what.” He confidently stated, but after a moment of silence, hesitantly added, “But I just don’t think a dream is—” 

“I don’t give a damn what you say, Leo! Someone is going to pay for this!” Liam growled, his face reddening with every deep, labored breath. He directed his attention back to his earlier quest for his clothes; he didn’t know where he was going or who he was looking for, but someone was going to feel the wrath of the King of Cordonia — tonight.  

Olivia didn’t even bother to knock before she and Ray joined the room. The pair opted to stay behind and investigate in Portavira a little further — that is until a random guard threw them out. Without Liam or Leo there to ensure their access, they were told to vacate the premises shortly after Liam left for the hospital. Regardless, they had enough time to prove at least one pivotal thing about that ordeal, and possibly solve quite a few others — if Liam believed them. 

They walked in and stopped short at Liam’s crazed expression. “What’s going on?” Olivia sought. 

“I’m leaving,” Liam bit out through clenched teeth. 

“Hold on, we need to talk about something—” 

“Move out of my way!” 

Olivia arched her brow. “We need transparency, Liam. Tell me what is going on — calmly.” 

“I was there, Olivia! I heard it! They fucking attacked her!” Liam bellowed as he found his garments and rifled through the bag. 

Olivia placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to stop his mad dash. “Liam, please — I need a full explanation. I’m not stopping you or downplaying anything, but we need to know what the hell you’re talking about.” 

Liam met her eyesight and saw the genuine interest in her gaze. He could tell Leo thought he was baffling, but he wasn’t. He couldn’t fathom the experience, but knew that was no dream; with every fiber of his being, Liam believed what he heard was reality. The universe mercilessly gifted him a blocked front-row seat — it was a curse, yet oddly a blessing. They spent all this time wondering what happened that night, but now he had a soundtrack to re-play. He wasn’t willing to rest until he deciphered this code, to ensure justice would be swift to all who deserved it. 

He explained in great detail his occurrence and exactly what happened. When he finished, he stared blankly at the floor, cradling his head in his trembling hands; he knew how wild it sounded but didn’t particularly care. It felt so real — so raw. Just thinking about the vile chortles raised goosebumps on his arms, and Riley’s screams now played on an insistent loop in his mind — torment that would never stop. Even if good trumped evil and Riley was located safely in the end, those sounds would be a continuous source of torture until he took his final breath. 

Olivia listened intently to everything he recalled. At the surface, she knew how preposterous it sounded — it was a dream, regardless of how strongly Liam felt otherwise. Her heart ached for her friend at that moment; clearly, everything that happened was taking a major toll on her childhood friend. 

But — given the bombshell she and Ray sat upon, Olivia couldn’t help but wonder if there could be some truth to Liam’s encounter. 

Olivia sat forward and patted Liam’s leg with the gentlest of touches. When she spoke, it was calm and reassuring. “I’m not sure what to say, Liam. I realize you want to believe it to be true, but you and I both know it’s nothing concrete…” Liam opened his mouth to respond, but Olivia held her hand up to stop him, as she saw the fire burning behind his narrowed eyes. “Let me finish… I know tonight has been hard on you for a lot of reasons, but I believe Ray and I have found a very promising lead…”

Liam’s ears visibly rose as his interest grew. “What do you mean?” 

“Sir, I know it’s not what you initially hired me for, but there are a lot of things that do not add up in this current situation...” Ray started. “Between some of Lady Penelope’s behaviors, her father’s statements, and this—” He produced his phone from his pocket and handed it to Liam. “I find it very hard to believe she took her own life.” 

Liam glanced at the device in his hands and realized he was looking at a photo of Penelope’s last statements. He read through it and found nothing of relevance; no mention of Riley, her involvement in the scandal, the maid, nothing. It was incredibly vague, considering it was her concluding words to the world. 

“Why are you showing me this?” Liam demanded as confusion and annoyance rushed through him. 

Olivia produced a document from her pocket. After questioning the legitimacy of the note left in Riley’s room, she wanted to have it near in case the situation arose. “You remember my blackmail letter — the one I got the night of your coronation?” She handed him the paper.

Liam held both items and scanned back and forth; he gasped when he realized they were nearly identical. “But, this — this means—” 

“Someone took her out, Liam.” Olivia finished. 

“I’m not positive if someone would have done it for her, or if she felt pressured into doing it. Either way, since she was saying goodbyes to her family, that leads me to believe Penelope knew she was in danger and foresaw her demise.” Ray added. 

“This is impossible!” Liam shook his head, his rage returning full force. “How does this keep happening?!” 

Olivia and Ray shared a look; the two calculated a theory, and it seemed the more that unfolded, the greater that assumption solidified itself. There wasn’t a lot of evidence to point fingers, but Olivia realized they couldn’t wait any longer; if they were correct, this situation just escalated tenfold. Liam already teetered an incredibly dangerous ledge, but perhaps that’s what the circumstances called for. Plus, after his — experience, she knew he would believe them. 

Olivia softly started. “I need you to stay as calm as possible — at least until I’m finished and we know for certain who we’re directing this hostility at.” Liam nodded with furrowed brows, but Leo shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I don’t know what to say about your — encounter, but — there is reason for us to believe Riley could be in Cordonia.” 

“WHAT?!” Liam practically choked as all the color drained from his face. Even though he was there and truly believed what he heard, someone else saying it out loud momentarily knocked the wind out of him. 

“I checked all outgoing flights from the night of the jamboree and she wasn’t on any of them,” Ray explained. “Every log received a thorough examination, even those with different destinations — she has yet to board a plane to exit the country, to this day. I’ve looked at other modes of transportation and she is the same as Tariq — there is nothing.” 

“But…” Leo hesitantly started after a moment of tense silence. “If that’s the case, then where is she?” 

Olivia sighed and her eyes softened. “We’re — not entirely sure at this point… Somewhere in Cordonia, but…”

“Believe me when I say I am checking everywhere.” Ray confidently inserted. “Every crack, every crevice — any place I can think of. If she truly is in the country, I will locate her.” 

“Okay, but — why haven’t we found her?” Leo returned. The uneasiness in his stomach suddenly bolted to the back of his throat, securing itself and taking root. As he took in Ray’s uncertainty, the lump multiplied in size. 

“I — I don’t have an answer for that right now,” Ray calmly returned. “But I’m working around the clock and using every resource I have to uncover her location. I know those sound like empty promises, but I assure you — I will not rest until Lady Riley is located safely.” He emphasized.

Liam’s heart pounded so fast, he was sure it would give out at any moment. “I — She — B–but —” He stammered, trying his hardest to comprehend the conversation. “Bastien told me—”

“I think Bastien is involved.” Olivia abruptly cut him off. “When we found Riley’s stuff, I swear to you, Liam, I saw the fucking guilt in his eyes. Plus, he’s got his hands in everything at court. I’m not saying he’s as powerful as you, but he can twist and manipulate things like no other because of his position.” 

Olivia continued. “To be honest with you, I don’t think any of us really believe Penelope killed that maid. During the social season, I saw her cry over a fucking crab bite — you can’t tell me she murdered someone in cold blood. Also, I’m thinking, based on his actions tonight, Bastien knew Penelope was already dead — I’m nearly certain of it.”

“Not to mention, he kept this information to himself until we were ready to question her,” Ray added. “I know for certain those reports take only a few days — most likely less if it’s a priority case. I haven’t seen the photos from your first crime scene, but I can tell it was a setup from Olivia’s descriptions. As the head guard, it would’ve been easy for him to manipulate the situation.” 

“Are you sure, though?” Leo interjected. “I mean, I’ve dealt with Bastien a lot over the years, and I can say he is not a genius. Maybe the opposite — butter knives are sharper than he is.”

“He’s capable, though — that’s what troubles me. I think most of the time he gives off the impression he’s useless, but he’s highly trained in a sum of areas.” Olivia explained. “I sincerely doubt he’s the mastermind behind everything, but I’m confident he’s the reason we keep being set back. Who’s always around? Who’s the one directing these ‘investigations’? It’s him.“

“I — damn…” Leo ran a hand through his hair with wide eyes. “You’re not wrong, and it does kind of make sense…” 

Everyone suddenly recognized Liam remained mute as they spoke. His face showed no emotions; he only stared at Olivia as if she wasn’t even there with an unreadable expression. Liam was a world away as various open ends snapped themselves into place. The murky waters of uncertainty clarified, and the bottom of the cesspool became sharper with every jumbled thought dashing through his mind.

All security decisions went through Bastien, including unauthorized entry into an estate. Bastien was the one investigating the maid’s death, and he was accountable for the search for Riley and Tariq — until Ray came along. Bastien didn’t want to let Ray into Penelope’s room because he knew what was in there, and realized Ray would see right through it; past the stuff even Olivia would have missed. He could outsmart her, but knew he couldn’t Ray, which ultimately meant Bastien knew of Ray’s true purpose. He continuously told Liam he was working to provide answers, but suddenly, he believed Bastien’s intentions to be the exact opposite. 

This whole time, a mole sat right under his nose, continuously feeding them the vaguest of answers. Every time they took a step forward, it was never because of Bastien, but someone always ensured they took two back. He didn’t understand how whoever held the cards seemed to be a move ahead, but now — it made sense. 

Liam thought back to all these instances and realized he didn’t remember seeing Bastien. The night of the country jamboree, a different person escorted him to his room at the end of the night. He never questioned it because it wasn’t unheard of for guards to switch out positions, but now he wondered where Bastien truly was. 

The night of the Apple Banquet, he recalled seeing him at the start of it, but not again until Bastien barged in to inform him of the discovery. Now, he couldn’t help but speculate Bastien took the maid’s life himself, or at least staged the scene to frame Penelope. 

Tonight, before Bastien came to Liam and gave him the news of their suspect, he was nowhere to be found; until Olivia, Ray, and Leo left to interrogate Penelope. 

When Bastien told Liam their person of interest was Penelope, he was in a state of disbelief. Liam questioned him, but Bastien stood his ground. However, now he believed with everything in him, Bastien knew she was already dead and intended to manipulate the circumstances further.

Since he opened his eyes to the truth, he often felt as if he mindlessly ran in a circle, desperately trying to piece small portions of a scattered puzzle together. Now he realized he was — and Bastien directed the never-ending laps, all while dangling tiny slivers of hope in front of Liam’s face — taunting him.

Ultimately, Liam concluded without a shadow of uncertainty — Bastien knew what happened to Riley, and likely held knowledge regarding her location.

Liam suddenly shot up from the edge of his hospital bed. “BASTIEN!” He bellowed at an ear-piercing volume, loud enough to rattle the windows. 

Leo winced. “H–he’s not here, Li.”

“What the fuck do you mean, he’s not here?!” 

“There’s some other guy outside!” 

“He was still lingering around Penelope’s room when Ray and I left.” Olivia chimed in. 

“That’s it — I’m going to find him,” Liam growled through clenched jaws. 

“Liam, wait—” 

“NO MORE WAITING, OLIVIA! Do you see what is happening?! All the blood that’s being shed?! This has to stop!”

“I know and I agree. But we need some kind of strategy–”

“No — this ends now.” Liam bit out. He hastily made his way to the bathroom with his bag of clothes, slamming the door shut behind him. 

Olivia had half a mind to stop Liam until they had some kind of plan, but also felt time was of the essence. If they couldn’t prove Riley left the country, their urgency had to intensify. Her location remained unknown, but they believed she was at least in New York. When Ray first mentioned the possibility that she never left the country, Olivia didn’t want to believe it; after Penelope’s untimely demise, she realized this was a vicious, bloody pattern, and the suspicion needed to be taken seriously.

As the body count rose, Olivia’s concerns steadily increased. If history repeated itself, everyone involved would meet a deadly fate, but they didn’t have a detailed log of all entangled in this web. They had no clue where Riley’s name lay on the list of potential victims, and now they held very little information regarding her whereabouts. An involuntary shudder traveled down Olivia’s spine as the air in the room shifted, filling with an amplified haze of grim uncertainty felt heavily by everyone.

Olivia wholeheartedly believed Riley was alive, but for how much longer she couldn’t determine. The lingering feelings of uneasiness in her gut told her they were correct — she never left Cordonia — and if that was the case, her safety was more in question now than ever before.  

Within the hour, Liam left the hospital and was on his way back to the main estate in Portavira. Although doctors wished to keep him longer, he left AMA — he didn’t need fluids; he didn’t need rest; he needed Riley. If Bastien knew something, he was going to tell them, even if he had to use brute force.

A part of him didn’t want to believe it, but the more he pondered, the more sense it made. A small portion of his heart wanted to give Bastien the benefit of the doubt, but that was no longer an option. The betrayal Liam felt was like no other and quickly created a raging storm inside of him, simply waiting to be unleashed.

Hearing Riley could still be in Cordonia, combined with his out-of-body experience, the need to locate her was higher than ever. Of course, he wondered where she ended up when he believed she went back to the States, but now even that was up in the air. The one thing holding Liam above water was knowing she was far away from the carnage, but that was no longer a valid crutch. The waves of despair rose dangerously high, threatening to overtake and drag him under in one fell swoop. 

Liam tried his hardest to push the instantaneous bad thoughts away, but could feel it in his bones — Riley was in danger. From the beginning, he’d always thought something felt off, but he let his pride stand in the way of seeing the truth. Now it was impossible to ignore, as it tore away at his conscience. Guilty wasn’t even a suitable word to describe how he felt, knowing his negligence let this monstrosity escalate as it had. He turned his back on Riley when she needed him most; she screamed for him, yet he tried his damnedest to leave her in the past for so long. 

However, he used all his willpower to remain in the moment and stay afloat; the only thing he cared about was Riley. Even if they found her and she wanted nothing to do with him, he simply needed to see with his own two eyes that she was safe. He didn’t want to think about why she could still be in Cordonia, but the growing ache in his chest told him it wasn’t a good reason. 

The SUV pulled up to the front entrance of the estate, and Liam didn’t even wait for it to come to a complete stop. He rushed out and barged in through the front doors with fire under his feet. The halls remained eerily quiet as the nobility slept, but he was sure word traveled about not only his hospital stay but Penelope’s tragic passing. Leo, Olivia, and Ray all trailed behind as he ran at top speed. 

Liam dashed up the stairs and rounded the corner, but abruptly stopped once Penelope’s room came into view. The door had yellow caution tape covering the opening, and Liam heard Bastien’s voice inside; the sound reigniting the rage burning deep within. He went to make a bee-line for the door, but a timid hand on his forearm ceased his movements. 

“Y–Your Majesty,” Emmaline got out through hiccups. She retracted her hand with wide eyes and shakily bowed as he faced her. Liam’s features momentarily softened as he took in her running mascara and puffy eyes. “P–Please, Sir… I beg you to reconsider… Please — s–she wouldn’t d–do this…” 

Liam’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“We were told they’ve ruled Penelope’s d–death… They w–were picking everything up but n–nobody would listen to us! That wasn’t her handwriting. She–she wouldn’t do this… None of it… She was happy — she wouldn’t—” Emmaline shook her head as more tears fell. 

Liam placed a gentle hand on Emmaline’s shoulder and firmly responded, “I apologize for what you were told, but that is not the case — it will become a homicide investigation as soon as I can get someone else assigned. I promise you — I am going to figure out what happened and ensure she receives the justice she deserves.” 

Emmaline swallowed a sob. “W–where did they take her body? They wouldn’t tell us. T–they came in and ripped my baby out of my arms and I don’t know where she is and—”

“Wait, who took her?” 

“Your head guard said h–he had the authority to — remove her.” Emmaline squeezed her eyes closed as her tears fell harder, trying her hardest to wake herself from this nightmare.

Liam used every ounce of resolve he had not to march straight up to Bastien and securely wrap a hand around his throat. “Emmaline, I assure you — I will find her and bring her home. You have my word — I am going to figure this out.” He reiterated, but the fury coursing through his veins was at an all-time high. The amount Bastien thought he could get away with made Liam sick to his stomach, but he was determined to put a stop to it. 

His answers were suffusive for Emmaline, so she bowed and made her leave. After taking a microscopic moment to gain some clarity, Liam addressed Ray. “Since I am removing Bastien, I need you to take over. And I want you to backtrack and look into Rhonda’s homicide as well. I’m not sure if you’ll be able to find anything, but I want you to double-check. I’ll ensure you have access to everything you need, and I’ll inform everyone you are now in charge here. The crown will compensate you generously for your additional time and effort.” 

“Yes, sir,” Ray returned with a confident smile.

“Leo, I need you to figure out where he’s sending Penelope. I’m going to ask him, but in case he won’t tell me, I need her found before anyone messes with or blatantly destroys her body — there is no doubt in my mind that’s where she’s headed. Grab Maxwell and have him help you — I want her returned at once.” 

“You got it.” Leo nodded before he swiftly vacated the area. 

“I’m going to need some guards with me to do this,” Liam spoke, more so to himself than anyone else. 

“Guards?” Olivia repeated. 

“Yes. I won’t risk something happening to him — we will immediately detain Bastien. If he did nothing wrong, I’ll release and reinstate him, but until then, I am officially removing him from his position as head guard.” Liam answered, but regardless of what he said out loud, both of them knew Bastien was guilty; they just weren’t sure of the extent. 

Olivia smirked. “Welcome to the game, King Liam. Would you like for me to assist with questioning?” 

“I have a different job for you first. I need you to sneak into the security office and search through everything. If he’s working to cover up crimes or anything of that nature, he’s got to have something on him — I’m sure of it.” 

“Knowing that cockeyed baboon, I’d say that’s a safe assumption.” Olivia snickered. “But I don’t know if I like the idea of you interrogating him by yourself...” She cast him an unsure glance. 

“I don’t plan on it, Liv. I just need to find Drake.” 

Almost as if on cue, Drake emerged from Penelope’s doorway, carefully dodging the caution tape. He glanced around and as his eyesight landed on Liam, he furrowed his brows and approached. “What’re you doing here, Li? Are you alright?” 

“We have something to take care of.” Liam quickly and quietly laid out the current plan, as well as a vague description of their accusations. 

“Fuck, man… I gotta admit — I had no clue why Liv and that guy had to leave, but I got to stick around.” Drake shook his head, trying to comprehend this blindsiding revelation. 

“If I had to take a guess, I’d say he wanted someone Liam trusted around but needed to ensure the person was completely and utterly clueless,” Olivia inserted with a crooked grin.

Drake scoffed. “First of all, fuck you. Second, you might actually be right, but — you’re still a flaming bitch.” 

“Stop trying to flatter me, Walker,” Olivia retorted, afterward focusing on Liam. “Are we doing this?” 

Liam let out a deep huff of air. “Yeah, we are. Let’s do this.” He responded with the utmost resolution. He squared his shoulders, craned his neck from side to side, and strode into the room with Drake close behind. Olivia took off in the other direction to do her part in Liam’s plan, moving with brisk precision to reach her destination. 

As he entered, Liam got the attention of a few guards and motioned for them to follow. Bastien examined underneath Penelope’s bed, completely oblivious to the added presence in the room. He cleared his throat to gather Bastien’s attention, and Liam noticed his shoulders tense as he identified who stood before him. 

Bastien slowly rose with uncertainty painted on his features. “Your Majesty? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be receiving treatment?” 

Liam chortled as he stalked toward Bastien. He kept a smile plastered in place and shook his head, muttering to himself. When he made it directly in front of him, Liam lowered his voice to a low, gravely rumble; the fake grin he wore instantly replaced by a menacing scowl. “... I bet you’d like that — wouldn’t you?”

Bastien visibly and audibly swallowed. “I don’t know what you’re insinuating, sir, but I—”

“Of course not.” Liam dismissively agreed. He took a couple of steps back and shrugged. “Regardless, you’re coming with us.”

Panic flashed in Bastien’s eyes; it was brief, but Liam caught it. “With all due respect, I’m not quite finished investigating Lady Penelope’s suic—”

“That is not what this is, and you damn well know it!” Liam abruptly shouted. A tense silence hung for only a moment until he cleared his throat and flatly added, “This is a homicide, and you are no longer a part of it.” He met eyes with one guard who got the silent order loud and clear, the other following suit. They rushed Bastien and captured his arms behind his back, securely holding him in place.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Bastien hollered as he attempted to evade their grip. 

“You’re being taken into custody.” 

“Whatever for?!” Bastien demanded. 

Drake stood in Bastien’s line of sight, mirroring Liam’s irate features. He held his gaze for a long, heated moment before snapping, “You’d better hope and pray we’re wrong, Bastien.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Drake?!” Bastien yelled, squirming against the grasp of those holding him.  

Neither answered the question but merely glared at him; the sheer betrayal and outrage they felt radiated off of them, eliciting a shiver to run down Bastien’s spine. He calmly reasoned, “Sir, I don’t know what this is about, but we can have a rational conversation without all of this nonsense.” He motioned to the guards holding him. 

“No, I don’t think we can, because you see —” Liam stalked toward Bastien, staring into his eyes so intently that he could almost see the wall behind him. As he made it into his comfort zone, Liam lowered his voice and rasped, “They’re only here to get rid of your body if I have to.” He smirked at Bastien’s wide eyes, as well as his complexion paling instantaneously. 

Liam held Bastien’s gaze but addressed the guards. “Take him down to the cells. I’ll be right behind you.”

As they dragged Bastien away, he hollered and stirred up a fuss. Liam ignored his pleas, instead trying to prepare himself for what lay ahead. He wanted clarity, but a part of him dreaded Bastien’s confession; it would be another stark reminder of what his negligence caused. The guilt tearing away at his insides was at an unfathomable level, but he had to push that aside to focus on the task at hand.

He tried to keep his composure, but the gloves were off; there was no more control. Bastien knew something and regardless of what he had to do, Liam was hell bent on making him talk. Innocent lives taken and families destroyed, along with Riley’s heinous attack — all of which rested heavily on his conscience. He was determined to serve a steaming hot platter of justice to all he deemed deserving, regardless of what it took.

The next step in making that happen was getting a pig to squeal. 

As he stood next to Drake, the facade of a composed monarch slipped onto the floor. He didn’t have enough strength left to keep it together. He embraced his emotions and vowed to follow their direction, but the only thing remaining was pure, unfiltered rage. 

Gone was the timid, people-pleasing prince with his mother’s baby-blue eyes. Instead, a carnal lion with dark, dilated pupils awakened, centered on the dangling piece of meat in his face — Bastien. 

[jerzwriter]

April - June: 37 Fics Written - 1 COP, 32 OH, 1 OH/TRR CROSSOVER, 3 WTD (More stats below break)

Ⓜ️ = Mature Content/ 18+ | 🔥= NSFW 🎨 = Art Commissions

April 2023

OPEN HEART

Ethan x Kaycee

Sorry, Tobias [Feat: Tobias]

Highways & Byways Part 1 Ⓜ️

Sweet Reaction

A Different Fate Part 1 (AU)

A Different Fate Part 2: Ethan's POV (AU)

Choosing You

Tobias x Casey

Highways & Byways Part 2 Ⓜ️

A Carrick Family Easter [Feat: The Carrick Girls, Vivian Carrick, Jordan Carrick OCs] 🎨 by @/artbyainna (IG)

Crash Part 1

Enchanted 🎨 by @/artbyainna (IG)

Homecoming Ⓜ️🔥 🎨 by @/artbyainna (IG)

Learning Curve - [Feat: Samantha Carrick]

Any day...

Worth the Wait

We're Having a Baby: Part 1: Ready or Not

WAKE THE DEAD

A Mother's Journal (Series) [Eli Sipes, The Sipes Family] Part 4: The End of the World Ⓜ️

May 2023:

OPEN HEART

A Different Fate (Series) - @jerzwriter [Ethan x Kaycee] Part 3: It's Been a Long Time Part 4: Glass Door

What's Forever For? - @jerzwriter [Tobias x Casey (past)/Tobias x F!OC] Miranda - Part 1

Bejeweled - @jerzwriter [Tobias Carrick, Ethan Ramsey, Bryce Lahela, Jensen Valentine - @mydemonsdrivealimo 's M!MC]

Something New - @jerzwriter [Ethan x Kaycee]

Homecoming - @jerzwriter [Tobias x Casey]

We're Having a Baby Part 2: Here She Is - @jerzwriter [Tobias x Casey]

Heading Home | 📱- @jerzwriter [Tobias x Casey]

JUNE 2023

CRIMES OF PASSION

Better this way... - @jerzwriter [Trystan x Carolina]

OPEN HEART

Ethan x Kaycee

Worm Love Part 2 📱

Are We Dating the Same Guy? Ethan Edition

Tobias x Casey

Worm Love Part 1 📱- @jerzwriter [Tobias x Casey]

Are We Dating the Same Guy? Tobias Edition

Date Night 📱

A Family Affair 🏳️‍🌈 [Feat: Jordan Carrick OC]

First Father's Day

Starstruck 📱

With Pride 🏳️‍🌈 🎨by @/artbyainna (IG)

WAKE THE DEAD

Worm Love Part 3 [Eli x Zoe, Troy]

The End of the World Part 1: The Blessing of Each Day [Eli Sipes]

CROSSOVER (OH/TRR)

One Night in Cordonia (Round Robin) | The Royal Romance / Open Heart Chapter 8: All's Well That Ends Well Ⓜ️

37 Fics

16 April / 8 May / 13 June

1 Crimes of Passion / 32 Open Heart / 1 Open Heart/ TRR Crossover / 3 Wake the Dead

5 AU

29 Tobias x Casey / 11 Ethan x Kaycee / 2 Eli Sipes / 2 OH Guys / 1 Tobias x F!OC / 1 TRR Crossover / 1 Eli x Zoe / 1 Trystan x Carolina

Guest Stars!

1 Jensen Valentine (@mydemonsdrivealimo)

2 LGBTQ

4 Commissions

4 Tobias x Casey

[peonierose]

Masterlist

☁️ (Fluff) | 🎭 (Angst) | Series 📚 | 📱 (Text Fic / Social Media) | 🔥 (NSFW) | Ⓜ️ (Mature) | 🃏 (Teen) | 🌈 (LGBTQ+)| 🎨 (Artwork)| 🎁 (Gifts from friends)

Open Heart

Set after OH ended

Pink Lemonade - Part 1 - ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: A surprise waits for Luna. What has Bryce in store?

"Love me Tender" ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce and Luna are newly minted parents and weren't prepared of struggling to put their twins to bed. Will they succeed?

Las hijas de Luna ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: It’s time for Luna and Bryce to welcome their twins into the world. Will there be any complications? Or will the birth go without a hitch?

Don‘t call me Angel ☁️ | - Characters involved: Luna Auclair (F!OC - OH), Bryce Lahela (M!MC - OH), Tobias Carrick (M!MC - OH, Maxwell Beaumont (M!MC - TRR) and Bertrand Beaumont (M!MC - TRR)

Summary: Luna helps Tobias to polish his image. Will she be successful?

Losing Game (4/4) 📚 🎭 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce and Luna have worked things out. But there is still one visit to make before Bryce and Luna find closure.

Losing Game (3/4) 📚 🎭 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce visited his dad in prison and now he and Luna are oceans apart, but after a scare during his surgery he can only think of one person to call.

Losing Game (2/4) 📚 🎭 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce comes back from visiting his father in prison. Though he didn’t tell Luna. Will things work out between them? Or will they drift further apart?

Losing Game (1/4) 📚 🎭 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary:  Bryce visits his dad in prison. How will that go? Will they reunite or will they stay apart forever? 

Summer‘s Kiss ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Luna and Bryce enjoy a bit of alone time together by Manoa Falls.

I‘m a Sucker for You ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela

Summary: Bryce and Luna spend some time on Valentine‘s Day (even though they’re not the biggest Valentine’s Day fans). With one or two presents in between.

Rosé all Day ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC), Keiki Lahela (F!MC), Evie Auclair (F!OC), Soraya Auclair (F!OC), Meilani Leahi (F!OC) and Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary:  It’s Maxines birthday on February 14th, but Luna knows that Maxine doesn’t like Valentine‘s day. So she and the girls spend some quality time together. Drinking eating, and playing some games.

Looks like Pizza to me ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC), Bryce Lahela (M!MC), Soraya Auclair (F!OC), Evie Auclair (FOC), Skyler Auclair (M!OC)

Summary: Luna, her cousins Soraya, Evie and Sky make pizza and debate if pineapple belong on pizza or not. Who will win the debate?

Cake by the Ocean ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Before Bryce and Luna get a special surprise before their cake testing. Are they ready for this next step in their relationship?

A Pinch of Pink and Blue...This one's for you ☁️🎭 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce and Luna have the talk about trying for kids. Are they ready for that yet?

Go Blonder ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce makes a bet with Jackie. What happens if he loses?

I Do ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC), Bryce Lahela (M!MC), Hayley. Valentine-Ramsey (F!MC)

Summary: Bryce, Luna and their friends and family were invited to attend Ethan and Hayley‘s wedding.

My Love won't let you down ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC), Soraya Auclair (F!OC), Bryce Lahela (M!MC), Skyler Auclair (M!OC) and Evie Auclair (F!OC)

Summary: Soraya is heartbroken. Luna, Bryce and Luna's cousin Sky and Evie help her go through it.

Paint Wars ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce and Luna turn painting into an afternoon of fun.

A new Chapter ☁️ 🎭 📱 | - Bryce Lahela (M!MC), Keiki Lahela (F!MC), Luna Auclair (F!OC) and Dylan Yu (M!OC)

Summary: It’s prom night for Keiki, but it’s not exactly how she pictured it would go.

'How were we ever strangers...' ☁️ 🎭 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Luna wants to ask Bryce to marry her, not knowing Bryce wants to ask her too. Will they get a chance to ask each other?

By a Landslide ☁️ 🎭 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce and Luna take a trip to Hawaii, though they have a tough decision to make.

Just Temporary ☁️ 🎭 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce heard some nurses talk badly about Luna and there was no way he wouldn't defend her.

'I'll love you through the Madness, babe' ☁️ 🎭 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: It’s Henry's anniversary, Bryce's best friend. Someone at work made some nasty comments and Bryce got into a fight. Luna tries to cheer him up a bit.

Go with the Flow ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce gets Luna to try out surfing. It doesn't go as planned.

Always & Forever ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Luna decides to get a tattoo. But she's scared to get one alone so Bryce goes with her.

"Wild Blue" ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Luna has a photoshoot for a good cause with Bryce's help she's not scared to do the photoshoot.

Only Love ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce shows Luna how to french braid, since she can't do it.

Cinnamon Sugar ☁️ | - Maxine Moore (F!OC) x Adam Sinclair (M!OC)

Summary: Maxine go out on their first date. How will it go? Will sparks fly or will it be a flop?

Bittersweet Symphony ☁️ | - Maxine Moore (F!OC) x Adam Sinclair (M!OC)

Summary: Maxine’s & Adams relationship goes a step further. Will they become official? Or will it take them more time?

Kintsugi ☁️ 🎭 Ⓜ️ | - Maxine Moore (F!OC) x Adam Sinclair (M!OC)

Summary: Maxine has trouble with anxiety and depression. Adam shows up to help her through it. As well as her best friend Luna.

Dates and Other Catastrophes - Part 1 -

Wildflower ☁️ | - Keiki Lahela (F!MC) x Koa Haulani (M!OC)

Summary: Keiki who still struggles with trusting guys and entering a new relationship after Dylan broke her heart. That's when she meets Koa. Will she give him a chance or will she let her fear of getting hurt win and therefore miss out on a great connection with Koa?

Blue Lagoon: ☁️ 📱 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: It‘s Bryce’s bachelor party. Let’s see what he and his friends were up to.

Nightmare before Christmas ☁️ 📱 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Bryce and Luna have a debate if Nightmare before Christmas is a Halloween or Christmas movie.

Hau’oli la Heleui ☁️ 📱- Luna Auclair (F!OC), Bryce Lahela (M!MC), Keiki Lahela (F!MC) and more

Summary: Luna, Bryce and their friends and family celebrate Halloween.

Viva Las Vegas ☁️ 📱 🌈 | - Soraya Auclair (F!OC) x Meilani Leihi (F!OC)

Summary: Two beautiful people are getting married and start a new chapter in their lives.

Pumpkin Spice ☁️ 📱 | - Bryce Lahela (M!MC), Luna Auclair (F!OC) and more

Summary: It’s fall time meaning Luna and Bryce celebrate Halloween with their friends and family.

Pink Champagne - Part 2 ☁️ 📱 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC), Bryce Lahela (M!MC) and more

Pink Champagne - Part 1 ☁️ 📱 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC), Bryce Lahela (M!MC) and more

Summary: Luna and her friends celebrate her birthday and her bachelorette party. Going away on a trip to Greece. 

Best asked question ☁️ 📱 | - Bryce Lahela (M!MC), Keiki Lahela (F!MC), Luna Auclair (F!OC), Maxine Moore (F!OC), Evie Auclair (F!OC), Soraya Auclair (F!OC)

Summary: Bryce and Luna have very important questions to ask.

My number One ☁️ 📱 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC), Bryce Lahela (M!MC), Keiki Lahela (F!MC)

Summary: If Luna and Bryce were a Disney couple which one would they be?

Sunshine ☀️ - ☁️ 📱 | - Luna Auclair, Bryce Lahela, Keiki Lahela, Maxine Moore, Grace Auclair, Skylar Auclair, Soraya Auclair, Evie Auclair

Summary: Luna, Bryce, their family and friends celebrate Brian, Luna's dad's birthday.

Mother's Day - 📱| - Luna Auclair, Bryce Lahela, Keiki Lahela, Maxine Moore, Grace Auclair, Skylar Auclair, Soraya Auclair, Evie Auclair and more

Summary: Just a few picta edits for Mother‘s Day 💐 Enjoy 😊

Bittersweet - 📱 | - Luna Auclair, Bryce Lahela, Keiki Lahela and more

Summary: Bryce and Luna spend their last couple of days in Boston with their close friends. 

Homecoming Part 2 📱 | - Luna Auclair, Bryce Lahela, Keiki Lahela and more

Summary: It’s Bryce’s Birthday. Meaning celebrating and opening presents.

Homecoming Part 1 - ☁️ 📱 | - Luna Auclair, Bryce Lahela, Keiki Lahela and more

Summary: It’s not only Bryce and Luna moving back to Hawaii…it’s also Bryce’s Birthday on April, 16th (Yes, I took my own birthday and used it for Bryce’s as well)

Shamrock Kisses - ☁️ 📱 | - Bryce Lahela (M!MC), Luna Auclair (F!OC), Maxine Moore (F!OC), Keiki Lahela (F!MC) and Hayley Valentine (F!MC)

It's a wrap 📱 | - Bryce Lahela (M!MC), Luna Auclair

Summary: It’s Saint Patrick’s Day and the group‘s celebrating 🥳

L-O-V-E - ☁️ 📱 | - Luna Auclair (F!OC), Bryce Lahela (M!MC), Keiki Lahela (F!MC)

Summary: Bryce, Luna, Keiki and their friends celebrate valentines day.

Let them eat...healthy? 📱 | - Characters involved: Bryce Lahela, Luna Auclair, Keiki Lahela, Maxine, Dylan Yu.

Summary: Bryce tries to motivate everyone to eat more healthy.

❗️On Hiatus ❗️

Nightbound vs. Hänsel & Gretel

Introduction Ⓜ️ | -Gretel van Andresen (F!OC) and Hänsel van Andresen (M!OC)

Chapter 1: Wake up Little Susie Ⓜ️ | - Gretel van Andresen (F!OC) and Hänsel van Andresen (M!OC)

Summary: Hänsel and Gretel two amazing supernatural hunters are working on a new case that leads them to New Orleans and to old friends. So let the good times roll.

Chapter 2: Strange Encounters Ⓜ️ | - Gretel van Andresen (F!OC), Hänsel van Andresen (M!OC), Nik (M!MC), Katherine (F!MC) and Garros (M!MC)

Summary: Hänsel and Gretel arrive in New Orleans and meet some old friends. Will they be able to help them with the case?

Chapter 3: Unexpected Ⓜ️ | - Gretel van Andresen (F!OC), Hänsel van Andresen (M!OC), Grey (M!OC), Vi (F!OC) and Vine (

Summary: Hänsel and Gretel are now in New Orleans. Looking for clues. They’ll encounter someone new. Friend or Foe?

That's Amore 📱 | - Sam Dalton (M!MC), Addison Dalton (F!MC), Sofia Russo (F!MC), Robin Flores (M!MC), Jenny (F!MC), Addison Dalton (F!MC)

Summary: Emma organizes a trip to Italy for her husband Sam, their kids, her best friend Jenny, Robin, Sofia and Addison.

Once TNA & OH Crossover (AU)

Sam Dalton (M!MC), Addison Dalton (F!MC), Ethan Ramsey (M!MC) and Robin Flores (M!MC)

Summary: Addison has stage four ovarian cancer. So Sam and Addi seek a consultation with Dr. Ethan Ramsey at Edenbrook. Will they make it in time?

Part (1/5) Ⓜ️ 🎭 | - Sam Dalton (M!MC) x Addison Dalton (F!MC)

Part (2/5) Ⓜ️ 🎭 | - Sam Dalton (M!MC) x Addison Dalton (F!MC)

Part (3/5) Ⓜ️ 🎭 | - Sam Dalton (M!MC), Addison Dalton (F!MC) and Ethan Ramsey (M!MC)

Part (4/5) Ⓜ️ 🎭 | - Sam Dalton (M!MC), Robin Flores (M!MC), Ethan Ramsey (M!MC)

Part (5/5) Ⓜ️ 🎭 | - Sam Dalton (M!MC), and Addison Dalton (F!MC)

Girls Night

Sam Dalton (M!MC), Emma Anderson (F!MC) and more

Summary: The girls have a fun night together, but things don’t go as planned.

Chapter 1 - What's the Secret password - Ⓜ️ | - Emma Anderson (F!MC), Addison Dalton (F!MC) and more

Part 2 - Party like you mean it - Ⓜ️ | - Emma Anderson (F!MC), Addison Dalton (F!MC) and more

Part 3 - Streaking past your neighbors house Ⓜ️ | - Emma Anderson (F!MC), Addison Dalton (F!MC) and more

Part 4 - Epilogue - You & I Ⓜ️ | - Addison Dalton (F!MC) x Robin Flores (M!MC)

The Tell-All

Robin Flores (M!MC)

Summary: Robins Tell-All interview with Serena Knight. Told from his point of view.

Part 1 - Ⓜ️

Part 2 - Ⓜ️

Thankful

Summary: Robin spends thanksgiving with Sam, Emma, Jenny and Addison.

Bite Me - Gabriel Adalhard and Cas Harlow

Moja Ruža - ☁️ | Rose De Luca (F!MC) x Trystan Thorne (M!MC)

Summary:

Peppermint Kisses | Rose De Luca (F!MC) x Trystan Thorne (M!MC)

Summary: It’s Christmas time and Rose and Trystan spend some time with their family and friends, when their quality time gets interrupted by a pickpocket. Can Rose and Trystan solve the case?

Week 1: All Smiles and Giggles - Luna Auclair (F!OC - Open Heart)

Week 2: Picture this - Hänsel & Gretel (OC‘s - Nightbound)

Week 3: Kala Kala - Luna Auclair (F!OC - Open Heart)

Under Construction 🚧

Other Fics

Both are good 🌈 | - Bryce Lahela (M!MC) x Raleigh Carrera (M!MC)

Colab with @aallotarenunelma

Aallotar's A/N: This project started exactly a month ago, as my great friend Peonie and I were complaining about the lack of fictions about friendship. We discussed and chose a great pair of friends across the Choices universe. Since then, everything has fallen into place, so this fiction is an entry for the Let's Hear it for the Boys event by @choicesficwriterscreations , as well as for the Bi Awareness Week hosted by @choicespride ! This is a labour of love and a lot of fun. Hopefully you'll enjoy it! 💛

Peonie's A/N: I’ve worked on this project with one of my favorite friends, they’ve become one of my closest friends and this is our project. Hope you’ll enjoy this story as much fun as we had writing it 😍💚😚

Set after Open Heart ended

Under the Mistletoe ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary:  Luna and Bryce spend some time with their friends Ethan and Hayley and the open heart gang in Boston. 

Neon Lights ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Luna, Bryce and the Open Heart gang go mini golfing. Who will win?

Home is where the heart is ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: It’s Christmas time. Luna and Bryce get visited by Ethan & Hayley. But it looks like Luna gets to fangirl a little first.

Last Christmas...I gave you my heart ☁️ | - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Summary: Luna and Bryce spend their first Christmas together.

Chapter 1 - It's getting...green and merry in here

Chapter 2 - Underneath the Christmas tree

Chapter 3 - Unwrapping Presents

Luna Auclair & Bryce Lahela

On the dance floor - Luna Auclair (F!OC) x Bryce Lahela (M!MC)

Luna Auclair - OC of the month July - @choicesficwriterscreations

Asks Luna and Bryce

Luna‘s guilty pleasures

Teddy Bear

NSFW Dream

Auclair Family

Auclair Family Tree

Luna Auclair (F!OC) - @choicesficwriterscreations

Auclair Triplets

Gifts from friends - Edits & Art work

Secret Santa by @ladylamrian

Grey (M!OC - NB) @bayleedraws

April 16th (Another great birthday gift) - @annieruok94

Birthday Gift by @cariantha

Maxine & Adam by @loveliemadness

Luna Auclair 💚 Bryce Lahela by @cariantha and @bayleedraws-sometimesx

Bryce & Luna by @messprongs

Making Waves - @cariantha

My little artsy Luna Auclair (F!OC) - @inlocusmads

A beautiful birthday gift by my amazing friend @mysticalgalaxysstuff

Bryce Lahela (M!MC) - @weetlebeetle

[harleybeaumont]

Never Have I Ever

Chapter 18 - Let Me Take You Dancing - Part 2

Book- TRR

Series- Never Have I Ever

Pairings- Bertrand x MC 

Chapter Synopsis- Things heat up at the club.

Chapter Warnings- language, drinking, mentions of drug use, sensuality, lemons

Rating - Explicit

Word Count- 2,920

A/N- let me know if you would like to be added/removed from the taglist

__________________________________________

Chapter 17 - Let Me Take You Dancing - Part 2

Bertrand tried to calm the frisson of butterflies that were bombarding his stomach as he and Riley stepped out of the car together. His brow furrowed as he eyed the endless line of people waiting in the cool night air to enter the club. It would surely take hours to get inside. Riley looked undeterred, taking his hand with a smile as she confidently made her way straight to the burly bouncer at the front of the line. She stood on her toes and whispered in the man's ear, and his jaw dropped. He squinted his eyes, peering at Bertrand, who attempted to remain calm under the penetrating gaze of this goliath of a man. The bouncer chuckled a deep laugh and then stepped aside, allowing them entrance into the dark hallway where Bertrand’s senses were instantly bombarded. The deep bass was thrumming in his chest, strobe and flashing neon lights flickered on the dance floor, and the sheer volume of people in the room topped that of any Beaumont Bash he had ever hosted. The air in the club was thick and laced with sweat and pheromones while scantily clothed people danced together suggestively.

It was 100% Maxwell's scene. No wonder he goes out all the time.

Bertrand’s logical mind was insisting that he should be terrified, but the adrenaline had won out, and he simply watched in awe of this completely new experience. Riley grinned at him and squeezed his hand tightly, leading him across the room to a crowded bar. 

Bertrand leaned toward Riley to be heard over the music, “What did you say to the bouncer?”

“I told him that I was here with Maxwell Beaumont’s brother.” She chuckled, “I just knew he would know Max!!”

“What?! I thought I was supposed to be undercover! What if someone else realizes who I am?!”

“They won't! And even if the bouncer tells someone, do you think they’d believe that the Duke of Ramsford would be slumming it in a club?”

She had a point. Maxwell was known around the club scene, but the owners tended to protect his privacy so that he would be more likely to return.

Riley leaned in and spoke over the music, “What do you want to drink?”

“Do you suppose they have a decent bottle of cabernet sauvignon?”

Riley snickered and shook her head, leaning across the bar to a young woman and shouting their order. “Five shots of tequila, please!”

Bertrand reeled back, “Five shots of tequila?”

The bartender sat the shots on the bar and Riley slid three towards Bertrand with a grin. “We’re gonna have fun tonight Bert, but first you gotta loosen up!”

“But.. Wasn’t that the point of the..” He leaned in and whispered, “drugs?”

“Half a gummy was clearly not enough for you because I can still see the fear in your eyes. Bless your anxiety ridden heart.. Now drink up!”

“Must I?” He watched as Riley knocked back her shots simultaneously, and he brought his up to his nose, shuddering when he inhaled. A decent bottle of tequila was tolerable, but this was about twenty steps below decent. “How can you drink this swill with a straight face?”

“I grew up poor,” she chuckled. “Cheap liquor is my jam!” She took his first shot and placed it against his lips with a smirk. “Now open up.” Immediately his lips parted and the tequila slid down his throat, burning all the way while warming his body inside out. He sputtered a bit, but Riley already had the second in hand, ready to go. “You can't stop yet. Don’t think about it, just surrender to the burn!”

He wanted to laugh at how ridiculous she was, but the third dose of the offending liquid had once again hit his stomach like a lead brick, and he fought the urge to gag. He couldn’t stop the grimace on his face and Riley chuckled. “Ok, we’re done for now. Let’s get out on the dance floor and put those moves to the test.”

Bertrand swallowed hard, watching the dozens of thrashing, groping bodies move together confidently under the neon lights. He couldn’t go out there, they would surely laugh at him! His heart was pounding and he stepped back.

“I.. I’m sorry, Riley. I don’t think I can.”

“But you did so well at home! And don’t worry, I promise no one will be watching you..” She grinned suggestively, “other than to check you out for looking so smoking hot.”

As nervous as he was about dancing, his heart did a little leap when she called their estate ‘home’. Wait, did she say smoking hot? 

Just then, a group of women walked past, pausing to look Bertrand up and down suggestively while giggling amongst themselves. One winked at him and took hold of his arm, writing her phone number on the inside of his wrist.

Riley licked her thumb and smeared the writing on his skin until it became illegible. She turned and smiled saccharinely at the woman. “He won’t be needing that.”

“Crazy bitch,” the woman rolled her eyes and walked off and Bertrand blushed deeply with his mouth agape.

“Did she just call you a-”

Riley waved him off, “Don’t worry about it, happens all the time. Besides, didn’t I tell you the ladies would be checking you out? Even if it was a nasty skank.” Riley glared at the woman’s back who had moved on to flirting with the bartender.

That whole encounter had Bertrand more nervous than before. “Could I just sit and watch for a while before I attempt to dance? Just to get my bearings?” Just to stall as long as possible was more like it.

She turned to the dance floor, then back to him with a sly smile. “Sure. But do you mind if I go out there and dance?”

“Oh.. no, not at all. I certainly don’t want to spoil your fun.” He chastised himself for the way his heart dropped. What was he expecting, for her to babysit him all night? And he hadn’t missed the way several peoples eyes shamelessly raked over Riley’s body from the minute she walked in the club. “Just be careful. I know you’re a grown woman, I just don’t want anyone to take advantage of you.”

She smiled, “Don’t worry, I will be.”

Just then the song changed and Riley sashayed onto the dance floor. Bertrand was mesmerized by the way she rolled her hips, letting her body relax perfectly to the beat. His mind flashed back to the way she rolled her hips when she rode him in her bed. His throat went dry and he crossed his legs to prevent his growing erection from becoming visible. Her eyes met his and she ran her hands along the sumptuous curves of her body. His face flushed with heat and he had to look away.

Suddenly he realized what was being said in the lyrics of the song. “Bring a bucket and a mop for this wet ass pussy. Give me everything you got for this wet ass pussy.” He nearly choked on his own saliva and his face flushed even deeper. Those lyrics were downright scandalous!

He risked another glance at Riley and found her in the arms of a tall, muscular man wearing a tank top and backwards hat. Bertrand’s hands twitched in his lap, and he fought the urge to jump out of his seat. He took a deep breath.

Don’t make an ass of yourself, Bertrand. She’s just dancing. And besides, you don’t own her! She can dance with whoever she wants.

Despite the intense urge to look away, he simply couldn’t. His stomach twisted when she moved closer to him, letting her hands wrap around his neck. The man’s hands moved to her waist, slowly heading down before resting against her hips.

The man leaned forward and said something in her ear, and Riley laughed. Bertrand’s heart was beating double time, and he continued to scold himself for the way he was feeling. Although he no longer attempted to look away, convincing himself that it was for her own safety in case this scoundrel took advantage of her. Yes, he was just watching Riley to protect her.

Riley felt a little guilty for the way Bertrand was looking at her, but she couldn’t deny that the prospect of potentially making him jealous sent a thrill through her. She made eye contact with Bertrand for a charged moment while she and this random dude danced closely. Suddenly the man pulled her tightly against the front of his body, cupping her ass. 

Whoa boy! Riley took the man's hands to return them to her lower back, but someone else already had hold of his arm.

“Absolutely not.” Riley turned to see Bertrand glaring at this guy, while he physically removed his hands from her body. Bertrand was a tall guy, but still stood half a foot shorter than this giant frat bro. 

The drunk himbo was clearly confused. “Dude, what is your problem? We’re just dancing!”

“Not anymore, you aren’t.” Bertrand spoke to the man in a challenging tone that Riley had never heard from him before, but his voice held that air of confidence he always emitted outside of the bedroom. 

The guy looked between Riley and Bertrand a couple times, before shaking his head and stalking away. “Fuck this, I’m going to get another drink.” The guy mumbled something about “not fighting another jealous boyfriend” as he walked off.

They watched him leave and Bertrand turned to Riley ruefully. “I apologize.. My behavior was way out of line. I just saw him put his hands on you and-”

Riley pulled Bertrand toward her, wrapping her arms around his neck “Dance with me.”

His heart was hammering in his chest from the encounter with that buffoon, but with Riley’s body pressed against his, it was soon forgotten. She ran her fingernails up the back of his neck and into his hair, before pulling his face toward her. “Just relax and feel my body. Then move with me.” 

Bertrand spoke breathlessly, “With your body in such close proximity, relaxing is the furthest thing from my mind.” He blushed immediately when he realized what he had said. Before he could apologize, Riley took his hands and wrapped them around her waist with a smirk.

“Hold me like this. Just like we practiced. Relax your hips.”

He looked around, but no one was paying them any mind. He nodded slightly and tentatively began to move his body with hers. What started out as awkward, stiff movements, soon relaxed into a rhythm. Riley spun around and pressed her back to his front and Bertrand gasped. She took his hands and wrapped them around her waist so that he was holding her against him. She lay her head back against his chest and pressed her ass into him, and he couldn’t stop the blood rushing straight to his cock. Bertrand blushed as his traitorous dick twitched of its own accord. He was humiliated. There was no way she didn’t feel that.

“I apologize, Ri-”

Before he could continue, she had spun back around, pulling his mouth down to hers with a moan. Bertrand’s eyes widened, before falling closed as he returned her kiss with fervor. Her hand found its way down his abs and ghosted over the growing bulge in his jeans.

“Let’s go home.” She whispered against his mouth, before taking hold of his bottom lip with her teeth.

_______________________________________________

Riley threw her bedroom door open with a bang, pulling Bertrand inside behind her. Heads spinning from alcohol and adrenaline, the two met in hot, messy kisses that only grew hungrier by the minute. Riley grabbed Bertrand’s ass and pressed him flush against her, feeling his arousal firmly against her body. 

“Oh my god..” she ground her hips against him with a groan. Her center was throbbing and all she could think about was the delicious stretch of his cock pulsing inside her that she hadn’t been able to stop fantasizing about since the last time it happened. 

Bertrands hands were all over her as he explored her body, more sure and certain than he had ever been before. He wanted her. And for the first time in his life, he knew what to do, and he was going to go for it.

Reacting on pure carnal instinct, Bertrand boldly lifted her off of the ground, and without hesitation she wrapped her legs around him. He pressed her up against the wall, leaving warm, hungry kisses along her jaw and down her neck. Riley let her head fall back and she moaned while his lips made their way down her exposed cleavage. She had never been more turned on in her entire life. 

“Bert.. I want you so bad.”

He practically growled as he carried her to the bed, placing her down onto the soft mattress. Any ounce of proprietary left in him had vanished at her words. Their mouths met over and over, only breaking so they could remove an article of clothing at a time. Bertrand pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it across the room in one swift motion and Riley bit her lip as she watched his muscles work. “God damn, Bertrand.”

She sat up on her elbows, watching as Bertrand slid her dress and panties down, his eyes landing between her thighs. He grasped her knees as his eyes flitted up to meet her own. “May I taste you?”

“God yes.”

He spread her legs apart and immediately dove in, indulging in her sweet taste that he had yearned for night and day since the moment he first tasted her. How he had craved her, even in his dreams. He groaned as he worked her with his mouth until she began to tremble. Riley grasped a handful of his messy, sweat slicked hair for purchase as he licked and kissed her, completely drunk off of her. Suddenly her eyes flew shut as a rush of euphoria overtook her senses and she cried out. “Oh yes.. Fuck, fuck!” 

Bertrand didn’t want to stop, ever, but the throbbing of his cock reminded him that there was something else he could do for her.

Riley lay back against the pillows gasping as she caught her breath and Bertrand slipped off his boxers, before reaching into the bedside table and grabbing a condom from the stash Riley had stored there. He held one up, arching his eyebrow in question and she nodded.

“Look at you..” She breathed out in sheer amazement as her eyes raked over his lean, muscular body. “Baby, you are so fucking hot, and the fact that you have no idea is criminal.”

Bertrand smirked, brimming with a newfound confidence. He rolled the condom onto himself the way she had taught him while she watched with a mixture of pride and lust. He tried to steady his breathing as he gazed at the woman in front of him- This gorgeous, sexy, experienced woman who actually wanted to have sex with him. 

Riley bit her lip and beckoned him forward. “I need you inside me. Right now.”

He crawled forward, positioning himself over her. Sweat dripped down his brow and he lined himself up with her entrance. His eyes fell shut and he groaned as he slowly pushed inside her, this time with more certitude than ever before. Riley gasped, immediately bringing her legs up and wrapping them around his waist, sheathing him deeper into her delicious warmth. 

The sensation had him already teetering at the edge, but he held it back. He murmured in her ear while he slowly pushed himself inside her again, “Riley.. Riley, you feel so good.”

“Oh my god, Bert..” She ran her fingernails across his broad shoulders and he shuddered.

Moans of pleasure fell from their lips and Bertrand pressed his chest flush against hers while his hips thrust in and out, slowly at first, but gaining more speed with each cry of ecstasy she released. 

He was not going to cum early this time. He just had to hold on a little bit longer.

Bertrand propped himself up on his forearms and Riley took hold of his face, pressing her mouth against his. She raised her hips, allowing him to go deeper. “I’m so close,” she panted against his lips. “So, so fucking close.. Oh don’t stop.. Bertrand don’t stop!”

He continued his deep, measured thrusts and she came undone, crying out louder than he had ever heard her before. But this time she cried out his name as she came.

That immediately sent him over the edge. His heart pounded in his chest as the feeling overtook him, sending him spiraling into an endless, Earth shattering orgasm. His dick pulsed over and over inside of her as his hips stuttered sporadically. 

Once the blinding pleasure had tapered out, he released the death grip he had on the sheets and reluctantly pulled out, climbing off of his companion.

Riley and Bertrand lay beside one another, attempting to catch their breath as they stared at the ceiling. Their bodies were sated, but their minds were reeling from a startling realization..

This was no lesson. They just had very real sex.

[alj4890]

Hii 😍

I saw this template and thought it’d be fun to learn more about your MC / OC 🥰 (no pressure)

Why do I love things like this? 😍 I decided to answer for a few of my favorite pairs 😂 it took a physical effort to stop myself from going down the entire list of pairs I love 🤣 I think out of the ones I did this for, Drake and Olivia's answers for what their favorite thing about the other were my favorite😂😂😂

(Thomas Hunt x Amanda) as taken from And Then I Met You AU

(Drake x Olivia)

(Rashad x Hana)

(Liam x Riley)

(Tobias x Chris)

[sfb123]

I love how you iron out the creases in PB's narrative of TRR. Can you rewrite the first chapter of book 2? I remember Liam sent a message to meet him. When I was playing that chapter I was so angry, I (MC) refused to meet him and then finally he comes down to meet the MC.

How do you think their first meeting should be? After all MC has been through or may be even Liam has been through.

I am making it my personal writing resolution, to try to clear out some of the asks in my inbox this year. I have some really great ones that I'm excited about. This one from @twinkleallnight is a great example of that. Thank you for sending it!

My inbox is always open! I can't promise a particularly timely response, but I promise, anything that has been sent is still there, and I've got them all in the back of my mind.

Never Really Over

Book: The Royal Romance Book 2

Pairing: Liam x Riley (past) Liam x Madeleine

All characters, and some of the dialogue, belong to Pixelberry.

Summary: It's the first night of Liam and Madeleine's engagement tour, and Riley receives a late night visitor.

Rating: PG

Word Count: 2,335

A/N: I am participating in @choicesflashfics, using the prompt “Nothing about any moment I’ve spent with you will ever be a regret.” it will be in bold below.

A/N 2: Thank you always to @txemrn for pre-reading, and all your super sweet and supportive feedback.

As soon as Riley crossed the threshold to her room, she kicked off her shoes, leaving them where they landed. She had used up all of her energy at dinner, pretending she didn’t notice everyone staring and whispering as she passed by. Acting as if she was happy for the newly engaged king as he paraded around with Madeleine on his arm, even though she could feel her heart crumbling every time her eyes traveled in their direction. 

She fell back on the bed, trying to convince herself to take her makeup off before she started crying. Despite her intentions, she remained rooted in place. Her self-loathing was interrupted by a knock at the door. She groaned before begrudgingly standing from the bed and answering it. 

Maxwell greeted her with a wide smile and a bouquet of two dozen roses. “Special delivery! Housekeeping sent over a new centerpiece for your end table.”

Riley took the flowers from him, leaning in to smell them. When she got closer, she noticed a piece of paper wrapped around one of the stems. She brought the flowers over to the table, setting them down and unwrapping the paper. 

I wouldn’t blame you if you’re furious with me, but please meet me so I can at least explain. I’ll be on the balcony outside my room in twenty minutes.

“That’s Liam’s handwriting!” Maxwell exclaimed as he read over her shoulder. 

Riley’s heart began to speed up. “He wants me to meet him? But why?” 

Maxwell wrapped his arm around Riley’s shoulder, pulling her close. “Because he loves you. He probably wants to explain why he picked Madeleine, and how he’s made a terrible, horrible mistake.” 

“Or he wants to tell me off for hurting him and making him look like a fool on the biggest night of his life.” She went to her dresser, pulling out a pair of pajamas and stepping into the bathroom. 

“Riley, you have to go!” Maxwell called through the door. “You don’t really believe that he thinks that, do you?” 

Riley opened the bathroom door and walked back to the sink. “What other reason could there be?” She began wiping the makeup off of her face. “He told me he loved me, we… you know. And then twenty minutes later, he was engaged to Madeleine, and I was being dragged out of the palace.” 

“All I’m saying,” Maxwell approached her, meeting her gaze through the mirror as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Is that you should at least hear him out.”

“He had three weeks, Max.” 

“But Riley -”

“I’m not doing it. It’s going to be hard enough seeing him at all these events. I’m not about to start looking for an extracurricular heartbreak.” She exited the bathroom going to her bed and turning it down. “I’ll see you in the morning, Maxwell.”

Maxwell’s expression fell as he came to terms with the fact that he wasn’t going to win this fight. He said goodnight to Riley and headed to his room.

Riley sank between the sheets, trying to calm her mind so that she could get some sleep. Her thoughts were racing, replaying the events of the evening, and now wondering what Liam wanted to see her about. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t curious about what he had wanted to say to her. She pictured him standing on the balcony waiting for her. Would he be hurt that she didn’t come? 

She lost track of how long it took, but eventually she did drift off to sleep. Which was cut short with a firm, yet soft knock on her door. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she slowly rolled out of bed. Reaching for her robe, she slipped it on and tied it as she approached the door. 

Her breath caught in her throat when she locked onto the blue eyes that were waiting for her on the other side. She quickly fixed her face, hiding her surprise, and her sadness. “Your majesty.” She dipped into a formal curtsy unsure of how she should address him, as this was the first time she had been alone with him since he became king. 

Liam examined Riley for a moment. She looked so beautiful, but he could see the pain in her eyes, despite her attempts to hide it. It broke his heart to see her like this. “Lady Riley,” he nodded, “may I?” 

Riley stepped aside, allowing Liam to enter, closing the door behind him. They stood in silence for a moment, looking in each other's eyes, trying to figure out what the other was thinking.

“Did you get my note?” Liam broke the silence. He was hoping she simply didn’t notice it when she received the flowers. Riley nodded, and his heart sank. 

“Forgive me, your majesty,” Liam winced slightly, this was the second time she had used his title. He missed the way his name sounded when it fell from her lips. “Dinner was more tiring than I anticipated. I decided to stay in this evening.” 

“Riley, you know there is no need for formalities when we’re alone.” He stepped forward, reaching out for her hand, but she stepped out of his grasp.

“You’re engaged now, I’d assume it’s frowned upon for you to be alone with the court whore.” 

“Riley…” 

“What? That’s why you’re here, right? To tell me off, to tell me how much I hurt you? How you regret everything you said to me that night?” She turned her back to Liam, wiping away the tears that had escaped. 

His eyes went wide at her outburst. This whole time, he thought she was avoiding him because she was angry with him for the Coronation, he never expected her to think that he believed the pictures. “Riley, I know you didn’t do anything. You were set up.” 

“You… you do?” Her head slowly turned, and Liam saw the tears streaming down her face. 

“Of course,” he stepped up to her as she turned fully. He tentatively lifted a hand to wipe her tears. “Riley, I meant every single thing I said to you at my Coronation. I still mean them. Nothing about any moment I’ve spent with you will ever be a regret. The only regret I have is choosing Madeleine over you.”

“Then why did you?” Her pain was quickly replaced with anger and confusion as she backed away from him again.

“Can we sit?” He asked, tilting his head toward the bench at the foot of her bed. 

She nodded, and they sat down next to each other. Riley kept as much distance as possible between her and Liam. 

“Riley, someone is determined to prevent you from becoming queen. They were willing to go to great lengths to set you up. To put you in a compromising position, to invade your privacy. I know about the lock on your door. Whoever this was was willing to put your safety at risk, and they have considerable resources and access to court.” He took a deep breath, reaching over and resting a hand on her knee. “If I had stood up there and chosen you, from then on, you’d be in danger.” 

“But I would have had you to protect me. I know you wouldn’t let anything happen to me. And you have guards and all that,” Riley said, still not understanding how he could pick someone else, after everything they had shared. 

“Yes, but I’ve already failed to protect you once.” Liam’s gaze dropped to his feet, internally chastising himself again for not being there for her that night. “And after what happened at Applewood, the guards can’t be trusted either. The only way to truly keep you safe was to act as if I believed the pictures.”

There was a brief silence in the room, both of them letting the gravity of their current situation sink in.

“Do you remember the night of the masquerade? When I told you about my mother?” Liam finally spoke up. 

Riley looked at him curiously. “Yeah, you said you lost her when you were a kid.”

“Yes, but I didn’t tell you how.” His eyes locked on hers, and she could see the tears trying to break free. “She was poisoned.” 

“Oh my god, Liam. I’m so sorry.” She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

Liam cleared his throat and stood from his seat. “Yes, well that’s exactly why I couldn’t choose you. She was the queen, yet there was someone that wanted her out of the way, and they had the means to make it happen.” He walked back over to her, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands. “If I had lost you, Riley…”

Riley studied Liam’s expression. She saw the pain and fear in his eyes and understood that he truly believed this to be the right decision, even if she didn’t agree with it. “So what does this mean for us?” 

“Madeleine and I have… an understanding,” he sighed, “she knows that I’m not in love with her.” 

“Okay, but you’re engaged to her.” 

“Because I needed to make a choice. On paper, she was the best option.” Riley’s gaze dropped, but Liam placed his finger under her chin lifting it to look her in the eyes. “But she offered me an arrangement the night before the Coronation.” 

“What kind of arrangement?” RIley asked with a slight sniffle. 

Liam wiped another stray tear from Riley’s cheek before taking her hands in his. “She told me it was obvious that I was in love with you. But regardless of my feelings, she would be the best Queen for Cordonia. If I were to choose her, she would allow us to continue our relationship.” 

Riley stood abruptly, pulling her hands from his and rolling her eyes. “How incredibly generous of her.” She started moving towards the door. 

“Riley,” Liam rushed after her, placing his hand on top of hers when she reached for the doorknob. “All I could think about in that moment was finding a way to keep you in my life.” 

“So your solution to all of this is to be the good little king, marry Madeleine, and make me your mistress?” She backed away, placing her hands on her hips. “What kind of life is that?” 

“A temporary one,” he assured her. “I have no intentions of marrying her. It was simply a play to buy us time. Her hope is that nothing changes, and I simply end up marrying her.” He took a step closer to Riley, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. “But my hope is that we’re able to uncover the traitor plotting against you, and then…” He lifts her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. 

“Happily ever after?” Riley sighed, getting lost in the feel of her hand in his, the brush of his lips against her skin. 

Liam smiled as he used their still joined hands to tug her closer, wrapping his free arm around her waist. “Precisely.” He paused for a moment, relishing in the closeness he had been so desperate for over the last few weeks. “But we need to be careful… very careful.” 

Riley kept her eyes locked on his as his expression shifted to concern. “For your safety, it must still appear that we’re no longer involved.” 

His words snapped her out of her daze, and reminded her of their current situation. She instantly pulled away, stepping out of his embrace. “That shouldn't be a problem. We aren’t involved anymore, Liam.” 

“But Riley, I -”

“No,” she cut him off. “I understand that you and Madeleine have an arrangement. But it’s an arrangement that I have not agreed to.” Liam looked at her in confusion as she, again, moved toward the door. “I am here to clear my name. If I’m successful in that, then we can have a conversation about what that means for us. But for now, you’re engaged. It may be political, and there may not be feelings involved, but I’m not getting in the middle of it. I’m trying to stop the rumors, not give them more things to use against me.” 

Liam dropped his gaze to the ground as tears began to well in his eyes. “I understand,” he replied quietly. 

“Hey,” she said, her voice softening, his glistening eyes lifted to meet hers. “I still mean everything I said that night too. But I sat alone for three weeks without so much as a word from you. I spent all that time in my head, playing out scenarios, worrying about seeing you again, wondering if I would see you again. A lot has happened since the garden maze; I can’t just act like it didn’t.” 

“You’re right.” Liam nodded as he stepped toward the door, clearing his throat to try to compose himself. “My availability will be limited during the tour, but if there is anything I can do to help you clear your name, I will.” He lifted her hand one more time, his lips lingering on the back of it, not wanting to break contact. 

“Thank you,” Riley replied. 

Liam reluctantly let go of her hand and opened the door, turning once more to look at her over his shoulder. “Goodnight, Lady Riley.” 

“Goodnight, your majesty,” she curtsied. As she stood, her eyes stayed trained on the floor, not wanting to watch him leave. 

He exited her room, closing the door behind him. Riley quickly locked it, and returned to her bed, collapsing onto the plush mattress.  As difficult as this evening was, things had been so much easier when she thought Liam hated her. Now he wanted to continue their relationship, secretly, while he was engaged to Madeleine. Sure, she had held her ground tonight, but it was going to be a long engagement tour. Would her resolve be strong enough to stick to her principals? More importantly, would any of this even be worth it in the end?

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Liam:

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[txemrn]

A Bushel and a Peck

Book: TRR

Pairing: Liam Rys x Riley Brooks-Rys

Word Count: ~3160

Warning: For mature audiences only; TW: major character deaths; mention of cancer, declining health, miscarriages; depiction of an afterlife

A/N: This is a follow-up to Wounded (you don't need to read it to understand this fic). I was asked to "fix it," and I think I did--I mean, I tried... but in a non-traditional way, that still leads to a true HEA. In a way, this is fairly fluffy, but sad fluffy.

A/N 2: Some of these characters, plot points and dialogue belong to our friends at Pixelberry. This was not beta'd; please excuse my errors.

~🖤~

"Can you show us another one?"

"Please, Auntie Ri? Just one more?"

Riley chuckles under her breath before a dry cough robs her titters. "You two aren't tired of those yet?"

Seven-year-old Monie grabs another leather-bound photo album as her five-year-old sister Ginny finishes a snack. The two girls visit with their great-great aunt every Thursday afternoon during the summer months while their mother runs errands.

"How about this one?" Monie passes the scrapbook to Riley, her frail, old hands gripping tightly to the heavy collection of photographs.

"Oh!" Riley squeals, a gravel to her voice, "you picked one of my favorite ones–"

"You say that about every album," Ginny retorts.

"Shhh, your manners!" Monie shakes her finger at her little sister.

Riley smiles warmly. "You're right; I do say that about my photo albums because I just love all of them." She pauses, licking her lined lips. "But this one…" her breath catches in adoration as she opens the front cover. "This one is very special. Here," she pats the empty spaces next to her on the bed, "let me show you."

The nieces eagerly climb on to the bed, sitting close on either side of Riley.

"Who is that?" Ginny exclaims in shock, looking over her aunt's arms in awe. "She looks like a Disney princess!"  

Riley curls an arm around her petite body, giving the little girl a gentle kiss in her raven curls.

"He's cute!" Monie croons, "he looks like–like Ken!"

Riley lets out a heartfelt laugh before coughing into a handkerchief. "This," she points to the tall, broad-shouldered man, dressed in full regalia, "is King William the first of Cordonia."

"Whoa," both girls hum in unison, their eyes glittering in awe.

"And this woman?" She points to the bride in the picture, "is me."

Ginny gasps, staring up at Riley. "But, Auntie Ri," Ginny puts a finger to her mouth, "where's your crown? And–and why is your hair a different color–?"

"Ginny!" Monie scolds.

Riley coughs into her hand, clearing her throat. "Those are some good observation skills," she boops Ginny on the nose, the little girl then turning to stick out her tongue at her older sister. "This picture was taken on my wedding day, over seventy years ago."

"Wow, that's older than Daddy," Ginny announces.

"So, that's Uncle Liam?" Monie guesses hopefully, pointing to the blond groom. 

Riley hums approvingly. "That is your great-great-uncle Liam."

Monie sighs dreamily looking at the picture. "You're so beautiful, Auntie Ri. Did you love him with all of your heart?"

Riley smiles, a sudden twinkle in her stormy blue eyes as she softly caresses her niece's cheek. "I still do."

After receiving Liam's grim test results for his cancer treatment, the young royal couple was advised by the Council to seek a second opinion. And then a third. But, the conclusion was always the same. Liam was dying. 

With the uncertainty of his time left, he made the difficult decision to step down as king. Cordonia was finally stable and strong enough that it could–and it would– thrive with the sudden change. 

But, once the choice was made, Liam never looked back to the country he loved so dearly. He couldn't. All he could see now was his wife, the woman that held his heart, the woman who wholly and bravely kept her vows…

… for worse…

… in sickness…

Liam and Riley savored every last moment they had with one another during his final eight weeks, laughing and revisiting old memories of their seven years of marriage. They enjoyed one last private waltz before he was confined to a wheelchair, one last café and baklava at their favorite late night bistro before he was restricted to the palace walls.  They held each other close at night, whispering prayers of love over one another, for just one more day, for just one more chance to say, 'I love you.'

And then he went.

Olivia Nevrakis assumed the throne as queen of Cordonia. Liam's short reign will always be celebrated in history as a time of rebuilding, as a time of peace, as a time that set the small country up for success. 

Though not reigning, Riley is still revered as a queen, but shortly after Liam's death, she returned to New York to be near family. She did return to Cordonia for visits, but otherwise, her life resumed back in the states. 

She never remarried. And after the four pregnancy losses she had with Liam, Riley had lost all hope and interest in ever becoming a mother. 

But even though her heart was shattered, she discovered abundant joy in a different familial role: being an aunt.  After the first generation of nieces and nephews had grown up, Riley quickly became the cornerstone of the Brooks family, highly regarded and respected. And loved. She was known as the fun aunt, the one with the best stories, the one that remembered birthdays and sporting events and recitals. She made sure every child in the family felt seen, heard, and above all else, loved.

Lost in the memories of her former life, a knock on the door interrupts Riley from her daydream. "Come in," she calls out, her soft timbre strained and gruff.

A young woman with dark hair bounds into the room, bracing her heavily pregnant belly. Monie and Ginny jump up from the bed, running to her with arms wide open. "Mommy!" They crash into her legs, nuzzling sweetly into their mother's sides.

"Hey, sweet girls," she croons, before she looks towards Riley, raising an eyebrow. "At least… I hope you two were sweet girls for Auntie Ri today."

"Oh, Jamie," Riley titters. "You know they are always perfect angels with me." She winks at her great-niece, hugging her daughters.

"Girls, Daddy is right outside. Can you go hold his hand? I need to talk with Auntie Ri for just a minute." 

Nodding their heads, the two young girls run back to their great-great aunt to give her hugs and kisses goodbye. 

"I love you–" Riley singsongs, giving them a knowing grin. Monie and Ginny chime in with her as they all sing in unison, "a bushel and a peck."

The girls raced to the hallway, instantly meeting their father. Jamie closes the door, letting out a sigh before turning her sad, glistening attention to her great aunt.

"Aunti Ri," a lump grows in her throat, "the doctors said you're refusing your heart cath."

Riley straightens out her posture, firming her jaw. "That's right, dear."

"Why?" The young woman whispers, wiping away a tear.

"Because what difference will it make?" Riley carefully grabs her walker, slowly making her way to her niece. "I'm almost 98-years-old, baby girl," she grabs Jamie's hand, comforting her as she watches her begin to cry. "It's time. I'm… ready to go home."

"But," Jamie exhales a trembling sob, "what about us? What if I'm not ready for you to go?"

Riley grins endearingly, "I know that feeling all too well." She gently rubs her thumb over her niece's fingers. "Did I ever tell you what my Liam said to me the night before he passed?"

Jamie dabs away her tears, shaking her head.

"We would stay up late into the night, dreaming of the life we could've had if it wasn't for, y'know, the cancer. But," Riley licks her lips, "that night. Our last night… Liam was quiet. There were no more what ifs or discussions of what could have been. Instead, he just smiled. Completely at peace." Riley's eyes flutter as she recounts the distant memory. "He simply said, 'I'm ready, love.'" Riley shrugs.

"Do you think he knew?" Jamie sniffles, "you think he was ready to die?"

"I think," Riley removes her bifocals, letting them hang around her neck as she draws closer to her niece. "He was ready to live again. He was ready for the next adventure that life has to offer."

Jamie tilts her head. "What's that?"

"Eternity," Riley chuckles, gripping tight to her great niece's arm. "He's been waiting for me a long time." She sighs with contempt, "You kids?" She chuckles to herself, "you are so strong. You all are. My presence isn't what makes you strong. It was our time together… and sure, you'll be sad. But this life?" Riley shakes her head. "It's not the end of the road. And as for me… I'm ready to live again. I'm ready for my next adventure." A tear rolls down Riley's cheek as she smiles brightly. "I'm ready for eternity."

Jamie helped Riley into her favorite rocking chair for her afternoon nap before dinner, covering her up with her favorite knitted blankets. The women hugged each other close before they finally said their goodbyes. 

Turning to leave, Riley calls Jamie back to her side.

"Baby girl?" Riley titters before she begins to sing. "I love you–"

Jamie lets out a heartfelt laugh, wiping away the last of her tears. "--a bushel and a peck."

----------

Warm beams of light crawl across Riley's skin, stirring her awake from her deep slumber. She sits up, rubbing the remainder of her sleepiness from her eyes when suddenly, she freezes. She blinks a few more times as confusion--and fear–billows through her veins.

Her room. It's different. The space was large, filled with the gorgeous scent of pink Cordonian hydrangeas, fresh picked rubies… and something else. Someone else.

Riley takes in the soft gray hue of the walls, accented by the navy toile window treatments. Everything beautiful in its place, everything perfectly neat, everything… oddly familiar. Like a distant dream, like the memory of another life.

Cautiously taking in her new surroundings, Riley begins to mindlessly fumble with the intricate stitching of a throw pillow, the threading comforting to her fingertips.

Then she stops. 

She holds up her hand, her ocean eyes growing wide with wonder. Her skin. It is pure like the first Lythikos snow. No blemishes, no creases. It's perfectly smooth, perfectly pink and supple. Speechless, she reaches up to touch her own flushed cheeks. 

And she gasps, the lines of the past century remarkably gone. Her face. It feels impossibly soft. Like velvet.

A thread of panic unfurls in her stomach as she throws the covers off her body, retreating to the en suite bathroom. Riley has had dreams like this before–many times, actually. Fantasies about her younger years, about her life in Cordonia, about the precious moments she had with the love of her life.

But there was something strange about this one. Something life-like. Something real.

Riley stares at her reflection in the mirror, her hands curiously exploring her body. Espresso tresses. Slender slopes of her waist and hips. She swivels to the left, then to the right, chuckling at her age-rewind. If she could only tell herself then what she knows now…

As she pretends to pin her hair up in different regal styles, the whisper of a melody floats into the room. Startled by the accompaniment, Riley twirls around, listening more intently. She takes a step forward. Then another. She cranes her neck towards the bedroom door, her only exit.

It was a guitar. Someone was playing it.

Riley carefully opens the door, and pads softly down the hallways, through the kitchen and to the foyer. She presses her ear to the front door of her quarters, the music crescendoing through the air.

Swiftly exiting the quarters, Riley tiptoes through the halls down to the main corridor, following the strumming of notes. She finally comes to a set of double doors, one of them sitting ajar as a heavenly light pours out.

Placing her fingertips on the ornate wood,  the vibrations of each chord stirs the wings of butterflies in her heart. Taking a deep breath, she pokes her head into the room.

A woman–an older woman–sits casually in a chair, her fingers meticulously plucking the strings. Riley focuses on her kind face and soft features. Her wavy blonde hair is pinned back into a low bun, exposing the brilliance of her crystal blue eyes.  Though expressionless as she played, the curves of her rosy lips are pleasant, friendly.

"Oh!" She exclaims, noticing Riley. "You're finally here!"

Riley's eyes grow into saucers. Does she know this woman? 

She watches the older woman set down her instrument before bounding towards where Riley stood.

"We have been waiting for you," she smiles sincerely, taking Riley's hands endearingly into her own. “We have so much to talk about–”

"Grandma!"

"Oh!" She lets out a hearty laugh as four small children file into the room, dashing quickly to her side. She bends over and greets each one with a tight hug and a kiss. "How are my darlings?"

Riley smiles at the interaction, admiring the love this woman has for her beautiful grandchildren.  She then casually surveys the room; are their parents nearby?

She looks back to the family when suddenly, she notices one of the blond boys with striking eyes like his grandmother is gazing up at her. He doesn't say a word, but his stare is friendly, warm and inviting.

Riley climbs onto her knees, her attention not leaving him as she soaks in his handsome mannerisms. Even for such a young boy, his hair was perfectly combed to the side. His collared shirt was properly tucked in, and he politely held his hands together behind his back. So precious, so refined and orderly, just like…

Riley gasps as a sea of tears gather in her eyes. She reaches out, combing her fingers through his short hair before stroking his freckled cheeks. And she lets out a silent whimper. "William?"

The young boy giggles, turning back to his brothers and sister. "I told you she would remember me!"

Wrapping her arms around his frame, Riley pulls him to herself tightly, his arms securing around her neck. "My–my baby boy…" One-by-one, each child approaches slowly, excitement written on their chubby faces. Riley caresses the cheeks of two more little boys: another blond and one with dark brunette hair like hers. "Henry?" She sniffles as he nods, chewing coyly on his fingernail. "Alexander?" The two boys join the embrace with their brother William, rivers cascading down their mother's face as she peppers them with kisses.

"Do you remember me, Mommy?"

Riley glances up to see a little girl with stormy blue eyes, her espresso waves tamed into two braids. Though she wore a pretty pink jumper with bows, she was wearing a pair of muddy galoshes. 

That's my girl. 

"My Eleanor," Riley whispers, extending her hand to join the fold with her brothers. She presses her lips into the little girl's temple as she holds her close. "Oh, my baby, I love you," she squeezes her grip around the boys, "all of you!" She snickers, "I love you."

"A bushel and a peck," Alexander pipes up. "Right, Mommy?"

New warm tears pour down Riley's reddened face as she lovingly dotes on her children. "That's right, baby," her breath quivers, "that's right. But… how did you–?"

"You used to sing that to me at night–"

"Me, too!" Henry exclaims while William nods in agreement.

"You and Daddy told me that over and over," Eleanor giggles, "until I woke up in Grandma's arms!" 

Riley freezes as she peers up at the older woman, now overcome with her own tears of joy. She slowly stands, her lips parting in awe. "Your majesty?"

"I haven't been called that in over 85 years!" The older woman shares a contagious laugh, “But, how about we just stick with ‘Eleanor’ for now?”  She quickly reaches out, pulling her daughter-in-law into a snug embrace. Riley quickly slinks her arms around the woman, holding her close as they both weep silently together. "You," Eleanor whispers, "were more than I ever dreamed for my Liam. You were–You are everything he deserves… and more.”

Riley suddenly lets go, staring into her mother-in-law's eyes. She bites her lip as she tilts her head curiously, almost in disbelief.

"Where… where is he?" She sobs into a smile.

Eleanor tucks Riley's hair behind her ear before resting her hands on her daughter-in-law's shoulders. "Where do you think, my dear?"

Riley stumbles backwards as a bright smile crawls across her face. She finally turns around, pushing through the double doors and out into the main corridor. After descending the grand staircase, she exits into the pure daylight, a gentle breeze greeting her.  She glances around the grounds, the fresh greenery invigorating her senses. Without thinking, she abruptly takes off down the steps, sprinting through the bushes, across the courtyard and around the fountain. Finally, she reaches a thick hedge of beautifully twisted vines and leaves. The garden maze.

Riley closes her eyes as she catches her breath, another gust of wind tangling in her hair. A tug on her heart beckons for her to keep going as she fumbles her way into the maze. She frantically runs around the corners and through the turns, her hands outstretched to catch her if she trips.

Making it around the last twist of the path, Riley spills into the center of the maze: the garden. Her eyes frantically search, scouring through the area, looking behind lattice work and dense pieces of foliage until finally, she gasps.

Around the corner along a private path, a tall, strongly-built man slowly paces next to a swing, his hands casually in his pockets. With his short locks of blond ruffling in the breeze, he glances at his watch before instantly feeling a pair of stormy blue eyes fixed on him.

As he peers over his shoulder, a smile tugs at his lips, his breath escaping his lungs as his eyes begin to shimmer.

"There you are, my love."

With reckless abandon, Riley dashes down the dirt path, gasping for air between her wails of disbelief. Leaping into the air, Liam's strong arms instantly catch her, pulling her close to his broad chest. His large hand cradles her intimately as his other fists tightly into her careless waves. She locks her legs around his waist, her fingers combing hungrily into his hair as she presses her face into his neck.

And she weeps, deep groans escaping her chest as her body shudders in his arms. 

"Shhh," Liam gently croons, warm tears coursing down his chiseled cheeks. "It's alright now. Everything is alright now."

Quieting down, Riley looks up to her husband, his lips immediately finding hers. "Is this real?" She pants, claiming his mouth again. "Please tell me this is real life, baby."

Liam pulls her into another deep kiss, his tongue gently caressing her lips apart as he elicits soft mewls from her mouth. He pulls back, his crystal blue gaze meeting her hopeful, tear-stained eyes. "It's better, love." He pushes a wayward tendril from her face. "This is eternity."

~🖤~

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

~🖤~

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~🖤~