#trr Leo x oc
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Vancross
Vancross - Dust You Off (Chapter 17)
Most of the characters belong to Pixelberry.
Summary: A group of friends embark on their final year at Vancross Institute with the hopes of making it their best year yet. When a new face with a complicated family plagued by secrets and rumors arrives on campus, new friendships are formed, a new relationship blossoms, and threatening challenges arise.
Title inspiration: Look After You - Aron Wright
Main Pairing: Liam x F!OC
A/N: Multiple crossover series. There will be random sprinkles of canon throughout this story, but for the most part, it’s pretty much out the window. Thank you to @burnsoslow for prereading! Please excuse any errors.
Rating: M • Warnings: This series will contain nsfw material, language, some alcohol and drug use, and is not suitable for minors. If you read, you acknowledge you are 18+
Catch up here
After a long overnight flight, Trystan landed at the airport. Guards of Vancross were waiting on the tarmac for the arrival of family members of the students, so he’d managed to snag a ride.
After a 45-minute drive from the airport, the SUV carrying Trystan stopped outside of the closed gates of Camp Eirene. Looking out the window, he could see multiple armed guards clad in all black along the snow-covered edge of the property as two approached his vehicle, one on each side with weapons at the ready.
The guard in the driver’s seat rolled down his window, looking at the one. “Name?”
“Prince Trystan Thorne.”
The man peered cautiously into the backseat at him. “Who is he here for?”
“His sister, Princess Croía Thorne.”
The man spoke into an earpiece, giving whoever was on the other side the names; Trystan had already given that information at the airport, but he supposed they were being extra vigilant after yesterday’s events, which he couldn’t fault them for. After a few moments, the man nodded as he stepped back before signaling to another set of guards at the gate. Once it opened, the SUV pulled through, and Trystan glanced over his shoulder, watching the gates shut again before disappearing from view.
Scanning the scenery as they headed up the mountain, Trystan could see more armed guards, who appeared to be scoping out the grounds. His leg bounced nervously, willing the driver to go faster; the sight spiked his anxiety, making him want to see Croía more than he already did.
When the lodge came into view, Trystan could see staff members waiting outside the entrance as the vehicle pulled around the front and came to a stop. The guard slipped from the driver’s seat and opened Trystan’s door; when he stepped out, he was immediately approached by a staff member. The guard gave the man his information and who he was there for before slipping back into the SUV, more than likely heading back to the airport to retrieve others.
The man bowed to Trystan before meeting his gaze again. “If you’ll follow me, sir.”
Trystan nodded, following him inside the lodge. When he stepped through the entrance, he took in the grand yet rustic detail of the foyer. “Swanky,” he said, more to himself. He then looked around at the small crowd of people already gathered inside, all of whom appeared to be waiting; some were speaking with staff, some were pacing anxiously, and some were sitting in silence.
“What’s the name of your sister’s guard?”
“Jonas,” Trystan answered.
The man nodded. “All of the guards are out doing their last sweep of the grounds before they can retrieve the students from their safe houses. Until they return and can speak with you, you may wait down here in the lounge,” he said, gesturing across the room to a massive sitting area, “or in her room if you’d like.”
Trystan nodded. “I’ll wait in her room please.” He’d end up being one of the ones pacing anxiously if he waited down there; he’d rather do that alone.
The staff member nodded and gestured for him to follow as he turned toward the stairs; Trystan trailed behind the man up to the third floor, turning toward a hallway. “The one at the very end of the hall is the room she was staying in,” he said as he pointed. “It’s currently unlocked from the inside sweep earlier, so you can go right on in. I’ll let her guard know you’re here as soon as they return.”
“Thank you,” Trystan nodded before making his way down the hall.
When he approached the door, it was slightly cracked, and Trystan pushed it open. He glanced around the spacious, well-equipped room as he stepped inside. “Damn,” he mumbled to himself as he slipped off his coat, tossing it over the back of a nearby chair. “Wish they had this when I went to uni.”
Trystan walked toward the balcony doors and looked out at the view outside as he slipped his hands into his pockets. As he stared at the forest surrounding the lodge, all he could think about was Croía. Although he was told she was fine, he needed to see for himself that she was safe and well. And even if she was ok physically, he knew what a situation like this could do to someone emotionally.
Too lost in his thoughts, he didn’t hear the footsteps as another entered the room.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” a voice spoke from behind him.
Trystan turned upon hearing it, and a grin broke out on his face. “No shit.”
“It’s been what … 10 years? Fucking hell, you’ve aged,” they snorted.
“Don’t I know it,” Trystan rubbed his chin with a smirk. “Like a fine goddamn wine, too. And after 10 years, I see you’re still a whole asshole.”
A laugh escaped Leo as the two old friends approached each other and shook hands before pulling one another into an embrace. “It’s good to see you, man,” Leo said as he clapped him on the back before stepping away. “How the hell have you been?”
“Good,” Trystan replied with a smile. “How about you? I read about the abdication …”
“I’m good,” Leo nodded. “And the abdication …” He trailed off, shaking his head. “It was a little rough, but … all in all, I’m glad I did it.” He grinned at Trystan again. “It really is good to see you.”
“Same, although I wish it was under better circumstances,” Trystan smiled ruefully. “I take it you’re here for Liam?”
“Yeah,” Leo nodded. “My parents were on a diplomatic trip and called home to let us know what happened. I told them I was coming, they told me I didn’t need to, but I don’t listen for shit, so here I am,” he chuckled. “And I’m guessing you’re here for Croía …”
“Yeah, because my parents are fucking assholes,” Trystan scoffed.
“I see some things haven’t changed in the last decade.”
“They never will,” Trystan shook his head. “When will your parents arrive?”
Leo glanced at his watch. “They should be here within the hour,” he said as he sat on the edge of the bed and leaned back, propping himself up on his elbows. “They left Madrid at five this morning.”
Trystan looked at him. “Where’s Liam’s room?”
“You’re standing in it.”
“No,” Trystan said. “This is Croía’s room.”
Leo arched his brow. “This is Liam’s room.”
Trystan shook his head. “The guy told me her room was the one at the very end of the hall.”
“The guy told me his room was the one at the very end of the hall,” Leo retorted.
The two stared at one another for a moment as the realization settled in that their siblings had shared a room. Leo flew up from the bed, looking back at it as he feigned brushing off his pants in disgust; when he glanced at Trystan again, he laughed as he dodged out of the way of his fist that swung for his arm.
“So …” Leo smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. “Your sister and my brother. What do you think about that?”
“I’ll be honest, he was kind of on my shit list at first,” Trystan chuckled.
“Yeah, I heard about that. He said he was pretty sure you wanted to kick his ass after parents’ weekend,” Leo chuckled.
“I did,” Trystan nodded affirmatively. “But then my mom showed up on campus, and I heard from Croía that Liam let her have it … so I took him off the list.”
“Yeah,” Leo laughed. “I heard about that, too. He gave our mom the whole spiel … he was all kinds of worked up about it.”
Trystan shook his head. “My dear old mom has that effect on people.” He stared at Leo for a moment. “How serious do you think it is between them?”
Leo snorted. “Oh, Liam’s got it bad. They’ll be married and making babies before you know it.” When Trystan narrowed his eyes, Leo laughed. “Kidding … at least about marriage and babies. He really does have it bad for Croía, though.” He could see the protective brother gleam in Trystan’s eyes, and he chuckled. “Liam is a good guy. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my brother.”
“Maybe that’s what worries me. He’s your brother,” Trystan quipped.
Leo pressed his hand to his chest, feigning offense. “I’m wounded.”
Trystan rolled his eyes with a good-natured grin. “Anyway,” he said, looking around the room … that his baby sister shared with Liam.
“Nice, yeah?”
“It is,” Trystan nodded in agreement. “When did they build this place anyway?”
“They started the year after you left. They didn’t finish it until after I was gone, though,” Leo shook his head. “Total bullshit.”
“Prince Leo,” a voice spoke from the doorway.
Trystan and Leo both whirled toward the sound. “Anthony,” Leo grinned as he approached; the guard bowed before shaking his hand.
A moment later, Jonas appeared; he stepped inside and approached Trystan. “Hello, sir,” he bowed.
Trystan nodded, shaking his hand. “How’d the sweep go?”
“It’s all clear,” Jonas replied.
“Did you find anything?” Leo asked, looking between both guards.
“We found nothing but shell casings from the weapon they used,” Anthony answered. “The investigation is still ongoing, however.”
“What exactly happened?” Trystan questioned.
Anthony explained a quick yet more detailed version of the events that neither Trystan nor Leo had heard yet, telling them that the chopper had been hovering just across from where they found their siblings after the attack ended. That sinking feeling in the pit of Trystan’s stomach became deeper, adding more to what he already thought.
“Luckily, they were able to hide within the tree line, but Prince Liam still took a hit to his arm,” Anthony said, and Trystan’s eyes widened, not having known that detail. “It was just a graze wound, so, thankfully, nothing too serious.”
“So you can go get them now?” Leo asked.
“Yes,” Anthony nodded. “Jonas and I have the UTV waiting out front. And I just spoke to Jackson before coming up here. Your parents landed about 10 minutes ago, so they should be here soon.”
“I’d like to come with you,” Trystan said to Jonas.
“Yeah,” Leo agreed, looking at Anthony. “I want to come with you to get Liam.”
Anthony nodded. “We’ll get another UTV ready.”
“Are their cabins near each other?” Trystan asked as the four men exited the room.
“They stayed in the same one,” Anthony answered as he walked down the hall, unable to see Trystan’s brow arch behind him.
****
Morning sunlight peeking through rustling branches of trees outside flickered through the window of the safe house, casting dancing rays across Croía’s face, stirring her awake. With a deep inhale, her eyes slowly fluttered open, shifting her gaze to take in the rustic room; it took her a moment to remember where she was.
Then Croía remembered the events from the day before and why she was in the unfamiliar space: the subtle panic in Liam’s voice as he told her they needed to get to the lodge, the helicopter, visuals of their classmates veering off the slopes into hiding, Liam diving in front of her as shots rang out.
For a brief moment, Croía began to shrink into herself at the memory, but then she felt a tightening around her waist. She glanced down to see a strong arm wrapped securely around her from behind, molding her body against their own beneath the sheet that covered them. Liam. They were safe. He was safe. She closed her eyes, feeling the slow rise and fall of his chest against her back as she relaxed into his embrace.
Then, flashes from last night started playing in Croía’s head: her and Liam’s confessions, his lips and hands on her, that line they crossed — that she finally crossed, the way he made her feel, and the way he took care of her. Despite their naked bodies pressed together beneath the sheet, a part of her wondered if it was all a dream, but when she started to turn in his embrace, the slight discomfort she felt from her hips to down in between her thighs told her it had been very real.
Once facing him, Croía nestled closer to him as his arms tightened around her, and she inhaled the lingering aroma of his cologne. Her eyes shifted to the bandage on his arm, wondering how it would feel when he woke. After several quiet moments of listening to the sound of their steady, mingling breaths, she felt him begin to stir.
Liam arched his back, stretching the sleep from his body as he inhaled a deep breath. When he nestled back into the mattress, he opened one eye, and a sleepy smile curled on his lips when he saw her looking at him. “Morning, beautiful.”
Croía bit her lip through a coy grin, feeling her entire body flutter. “Morning.”
Liam’s hand slipped beneath the sheet and settled on her bare waist before closing the small space between them, kissing her softly. “Sleep ok?” he murmured against her lips, and she nodded. He drew back to look at her. “How … how are you feeling?”
The concern that flashed in his eyes was impossible for Croía to ignore. “I’m ok. How’s your arm?”
Liam lifted and slowly rotated it a bit. “A little tender and stiff, but it’s ok. Speaking of …” A flicker of worry flashed across Liam’s expression as he turned toward the nightstand and grabbed the phone Anthony had left with them.
Croía turned onto her stomach, curling her arms beneath the pillow as she lifted her head to try and peek. “Anything?”
Liam set it back down before turning to face her again, shaking his head as she rested hers back on the pillow. “Not yet.” He lifted his hand, tucking wisps of her hair behind her ear before he slid it down her bare back in a gentle caress.
“What time is it?”
“Little after eight,” Liam replied. “I’m sure he’ll be calling soon. They’re probably doing another sweep of the lodge and grounds or finishing up if they weren’t able to get to all of it last night.” He smiled at her again as he carefully notched his thigh between her legs to tangle their limbs. “You sure you’re ok?” he asked as his hand slid down. When he gently began kneading her inner thigh, her eyes closed and her brows knitted as a tense moan escaped her, and he chuckled sheepishly. “Sore?”
Croía opened her eyes to look at him again, smiling coyly. “I’m sure I’ll be ok once I’m up and moving.”
“Speaking of which …” Liam reluctantly slid his hands off of her and rolled away; he sat up on the edge of the bed and reached for his discarded clothes, slipping on his boxers and sweatpants before standing. He locked eyes with her as he made his way around to her side of the bed, stopping to grab her clothes from the floor. “You should eat some breakfast.”
Croía sat up, wrapping the sheet around herself as she slid to the edge of the bed. When he set her clothes on the bed, he looked down at her, and she smiled as he leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. He inhaled a breath, crouching down in front of her and sliding his hand up to tangle in her tousled hair as the kiss deepened.
Suddenly, Liam drew back at the sound of the door of the safe house being unlocked. Both of their heads snapped to the open bedroom door just as Anthony stepped inside the cabin, followed by Jonas, Leo, and Trystan; they all locked gazes with Liam and Croía down the narrow hallway.
Trystan immediately took notice of the sheet wrapped around his baby sister, and her and Liam’s wide eyes as they stared at the group. “What the—”
“Our bad!” Leo called out, trying to shove Trystan back outside.
“Get off me!” Trystan grumbled, shoving him back just as his phone started to ring; he silenced it.
“Oh fuck,” Liam breathed as he stood and pushed the bedroom door shut before locking it. He whirled around and met Croía’s stunned gaze. “What is your brother doing here?” he whisper-yelled.
“I don’t know!” Croía replied as she quickly pulled on her clothes. “What is your brother doing here?”
“I don’t know!” Liam said as he tugged his shirt over his head. “But my brother is far less of a concern to me right now than your brother!”
When her brother called her name, Croía’s eyes widened again. “Just a minute!”
Leo watched Trystan grit his teeth as his phone rang for a second time; he looked at the screen and once again silenced it. “You should go get some fresh air.”
“Don’t tell me to go get fresh air!” Trystan snapped. “I know you saw what I saw!”
“Yeah,” Leo nodded. “And what about it?” When Trystan cast a steely glare in his direction, Leo held up his hands defensively. “I get it. She’s your baby sister. But there’s no need to freak out. And remember, they went through an ordeal yesterday—”
“Oh, yeah! They looked traumatized!” Trystan interrupted.
A bark of laughter escaped Leo before he slapped his hand over his mouth; he closed his eyes, shaking his head. “I’m sorry.”
Trystan’s phone rang again, and he grumbled, shoving his hand into his pocket and pulling it out as he stepped outside with Leo trailing behind him. He swiped his thumb across the screen to answer before bringing it to his ear. “Now is not a good time, Mags!”
“What’s wrong? Is Croía alright?”
“She’s perfectly fine,” Trystan growled.
“What’s your problem then?”
“My problem is that Leo and I just rolled up to the safe house to collect our younger siblings, who we thought were in peril, only to find them HALF NAKED!” On the other end of the phone, a gasp followed by a giggle escaped Marguerite while Leo laughed beside him. He cut his eyes to his old friend. “It’s NOT funny!”
“I don’t think it’s funny,” Marguerite chuckled. “I say good for her … if that’s what happened. Which, either way, it’s none of your damn business. She’s 21, Trystan. She’s not a child. Leave her be.”
“It is my business as her older brother! He DEFLOWERED her, Mags!” At Trystan’s words, Leo doubled forward with a wheeze.
Marguerite let out a shriek of laughter. “Did you … did you really just say deflowered?”
“He said WHAT?” Cameron’s voice sounded in the background of the call.
“Yes!” Trystan hissed, hearing both his sister and his girlfriend laughing.
Marguerite let out another guffaw before composing herself. “And how would you know something as personal as that about her?”
Trystan was seething on the other end. “Because I know my baby sister! That’s how!”
“So … in your mind, her petals have been separated and she’s now blossomed,” Marguerite giggled again, and Cameron’s loud laugh followed.
Trystan visibly cringed at her words, letting out an angry growl as he ended the call and aggressively threw his phone into the UTV through the open door.
Inside the cabin, Liam and Croía exited the bedroom, met by Anthony and Jonas at the end of the hall. Liam looked at his guard, his jaw clenching. “Thanks for the phone call and heads up,” he grumbled under his breath.
“I’m sorry, sir,” Anthony smiled ruefully. “We arrived back from the last sweep of the grounds and they were both waiting and wanted to come with us to get you two. I got sidetracked.”
Leo walked back inside; his eyes traveled over Liam as if assessing him for any injuries he wasn’t told about as he approached him. He briefly met Liam’s gaze before pulling him into a hug. “You’re alright?” he asked as he stepped back.
Liam nodded, seeing a hint of worry mixed with relief in his brother’s eyes. “I’m good.”
Trystan appeared in the doorway a moment later and made a beeline for Croía as soon as he saw her. He wrapped his arms around her, closing his eyes. “You’re ok.” It wasn’t a question but a statement, as if he didn’t really believe it until that moment.
When he drew back, he cupped her face in his hands as he looked her over. “What are you doing here?” Croía asked, feeling a sudden wave of emotions.
“I wanted to be here for you,” Trystan replied, and her returned smile was nothing less than grateful.
“How’s the arm?” Anthony asked Liam.
“It’s fine,” Liam nodded.
“They have a physician waiting at the lodge to check on anyone injured,” Jonas said.
“Was anyone …” Liam trailed off, unable to say the words aloud.
“No, sir,” Anthony smiled. “Only a few minor injuries were reported. Nothing serious. Let’s head back to the lodge. Your parents will be arriving soon, and you need to get that arm checked out.”
Liam and Croía both nodded; they grabbed their boots and slipped them on followed by their jackets. When they met each other’s gazes, they subtly smiled and he laced their fingers together; they walked out of the cabin hand-in-hand to the waiting UTVs.
“Croía, you can ride with me and Jonas,” Trystan said, cutting his eyes to Liam for only a second before looking at her again; it wasn’t quick enough for her to miss it.
Liam didn’t return the look, keeping his eyes on her. “Go,” he whispered before kissing her forehead. “I’ll be right behind you.”
When they stepped apart, Trystan helped Croía inside the UTV before sliding in next to her; he glanced over to see her looking at him. “What?”
“I’m glad you’re here, but can you stop with the glaring and glowering?”
“We’ll talk about it later,” Trystan grumbled.
“No, we won’t,” Croía retorted. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
Trystan shot her a look as Jonas drove the UTV away from the cabin with Leo, Liam, and Anthony following behind them.
****
Once they arrived back at the lodge, Liam exited his UTV, and despite Trystan hovering around Croía, he walked over to her as she got out of the vehicle. She came next to him, slipping her hand in his before the pair started toward the groups of other students near the front of the lodge while Leo and Trystan hung back, speaking more with Anthony and Jonas.
Liam’s eyes scanned the crowd, looking for their friends; his gaze fell on their group, and he let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding as he started for them.
“So, I hear this noise, right?” Blaine said. “It was like … humurrmfffhmmrrff … but way louder. I look out the window, and there’s a fucking moose!”
Liam snorted at hearing the tale end of his story.
Alia laughed. “Wait, make that sound again.” Blaine gave her a look, but before he could respond her eyes went wide. “Croía!” she gasped before rushing forward; she threw her arms around her in a hug as everyone turned. “You’re safe,” she breathed.
“You too,” Croía replied, her voice cracking slightly. They drew apart and she greeted the others.
Liam and Blaine met gazes; they both saw the relief in the other’s eyes, silently acknowledging it as they stepped toward each other. Blaine shook his head at the same moment he shook Liam’s hand; they pulled each other in, clapping the other’s back as they both blew out long breaths.
“You guys are ok?” Liam asked as they stepped back.
Blaine smiled with a nod. “Yeah. You guys?” he asked, clapping his arm; Liam grunted, wincing with a grimace from the impact against his bandaged wound. Blaine’s eyes widened as Alia and Croía glanced over. “Oh shit. Did you—”
“It’s fine,” Liam said. “It’s just a graze wound … little tender.” He looked around at the group. “Were any of you—” He stopped when they all shook their heads before they all finished greeting him.
Olivia pulled him into a tight embrace. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”
Liam chuckled as he stepped back. “What did I do?”
“Nothing … technically. But my guard told me about your injury and he didn’t know how bad it was and I …” Olivia trailed off, shaking her head.
Liam let out a breath and pulled her into another hug. “I’m fine. I promise.”
Suddenly, a group of SUVs appeared, pulling around the front of the lodge, and everyone turned. The doors flung open and parents of the students filed out.
Croía stepped back, keeping a respectable distance away as she watched her friends be greeted by their concerned families. She watched Liam’s parents rush toward him; Eleanor wrapped her arms around him, and Liam hugged her back before turning to his father. Then their head guard approached Liam, and not like someone he was in charge of protecting but like he was family. Then, they all turned to Olivia. She knew how close they were and had heard about everything his parents had done for Olivia after the death of her own, even taking her in to stay with them; they’d practically helped raise her until she was old enough to go back to Lythikos and assume her title and role as Duchess.
After a moment, Croía glanced down, scuffing her foot against the snow to distract herself. She was thankful Trystan had come, thankful that she had someone, but seeing her friend’s parents or parent figures arrive, the worry and relief etched in each of their expressions … it reminded her that hers weren’t there, that they couldn’t be bothered enough to show up after such an ordeal. Maybe they at least called, she thought to herself; her phone was still in her and Liam’s room.
“Croía.”
Hearing her name in almost a relieved tone, Croía glanced up to see Liam’s mother walking towards her. Her eyes went wide with surprise when Eleanor wrapped her in an embrace.
“I’m so glad you’re safe.”
Croía let out a quiet breath, tentatively lifting her arms to return the hug as her eyes began to sting. “Me too,” she whispered.
Eleanor stepped back, resting a hand on her cheek as she looked her over. “You’re not hurt anywhere?”
“No, ma’am,” Croía shook her head.
“Good,” Eleanor smiled just as Liam and Constantine approached them.
“Good to see you safe, my dear,” Constantine said before he embraced Croía, throwing her more off guard.
When his father stepped back, Liam slipped an arm around her waist. Just then, Trystan and Leo approached them. “Trystan,” Eleanor smiled.
“Queen Eleanor,” Trystan bowed before kissing her cheek. “King Constantine.” He greeted him with a shake of his hand.
“It’s good to see you,” Constantine nodded. “And I thought we told you to stay home,” he said with a pointed look in Leo’s direction.
“Eh,” Leo shrugged. “You know how good I am at following instructions. Don’t worry, though. I left Lena with Bastien.”
“I don’t know if that’s comforting,” Liam whispered out of the corner of his mouth, earning a snort from his brother.
“Your Majesties.” Everyone turned to see Anthony and Jonas; both men bowed. “We can talk inside while we wait for the physician to look at Prince Liam’s arm.” The King and Queen of Cordonia nodded, gesturing for the others to come along before following the two guards.
Once inside, they found a quiet corner in the lounge, and everyone lowered themselves into the cushioned chairs. “So,” Constantine said, looking at Anthony. “What do we know?”
“Unfortunately, not much,” Anthony replied. “There was no evidence left behind except empty shell casings. The whole ordeal didn’t last all but five minutes. They were in and out.”
“So, they’re not sure who the target was or if there was one at all?” Trystan asked.
“Not yet,” Anthony replied. “Interpol arrived late last night and is taking over the investigation. They can be pretty tight-lipped when it comes to this kind of stuff until they have anything definitive.”
Eleanor shared a knowing look with Constantine before they both nodded. “We’d like to be kept apprised of anything they find. Anything at all,” Constantine said.
“I’ll let the investigative lead know,” Jackson nodded.
“Excuse me,” a staff member bowed as he approached. “The physician can see Prince Liam now.”
“Croía, Leo,” Eleanor said, “why don’t you two go with him? We’ll wait here.”
The two nodded and stood with Liam; they followed the staff member to the infirmary. “Anthony, Jonas, you two should go with Jackson to speak with Interpol,” Constantine suggested.
The three guards nodded and walked off together, leaving Trystan alone with Constantine and Eleanor; he looked at the King and Queen of Cordonia as they met his gaze, knowing there was a reason behind them quickly dismissing everyone else.
“Trystan … might we have a word?” Eleanor asked.
****
A short while later, Liam, Croía, and Leo made their way upstairs to their room; when they got out of the infirmary, Constantine, Eleanor, and Trystan had disappeared from their spot in the lounge, so they went to wait for them.
When Liam and Leo stopped in the hall to speak with Rashad, Croía continued to their room. She stepped inside and went right for the nightstand to check her phone. The only missed calls or messages she had were from Trystan and Marguerite. There was nothing from her parents at all. She couldn’t explain the disappointment she felt since she knew she shouldn’t be surprised, but it was there.
“This is a nice room.”
Croía turned at the sound of the voice, seeing Eleanor as she stepped inside. “It is,” she nodded.
Eleanor saw Croía’s phone in her hand and smiled. “Have you heard from your parents?”
“Oh, uh …” Croía glanced down at her phone, looking at the screen. “No,” she shook her head, unable to meet her gaze out of shame or embarrassment … perhaps both. “Not yet.” She wasn’t sure why she added that; she knew she wouldn’t hear from them. “I’m sure they’re busy.” She finally met her gaze again with a halfhearted smile.
Eleanor’s heart broke for her in that moment, able to hear the hurt in her voice and see it through the forced smile she’d just offered her. No parent should be too busy to check on the well-being of their child. She smiled in return, however, not wanting to make her more uncomfortable than she clearly already was.
“Everything ok?” Liam asked as he, Leo, and Trystan stepped inside the suite.
“Yes,” Eleanor replied as she looked at him. “We just spoke with Dean Lundqvist. They don’t have many answers at the moment and they want to focus on the investigation and try and clear it up as soon as possible. That, paired with the nature of the attack … they’ve decided to cancel your exams. Your break is starting early.” Croía immediately looked at Trystan, and he could see both the question and plea in her eyes. Please don’t make me go home. Before she could mention it, Eleanor spoke again. “Croía, you’re more than welcome to stay with us during break if you’d like,” she smiled.
Liam looked at her and grinned, and Trystan watched relief fill her that she didn’t have to return to Drakovia. Croía subtly smiled in return. “I’d love to, ma’am. Thank you.”
“Why don’t you two get your things packed up,” Eleanor suggested. “Also … we won’t be returning to Cordonia for a few days, just so you’re aware.”
Liam furrowed his brows. “Where are we going first?”
Eleanor and Trystan shared a look just as Constantine stepped forward from where he’d been lingering in the doorway, answering for them. “We have some business in New York …”
***************************************
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Marabelle
Chapter 3 - Falling
Book: Choices - The Royal Romance, an AU series
Series Premise: An American teenager from New York City is introduced to the world of a small European country and its society of royalty, nobles, and commoners. How will her life story be transformed? Will this new adventure bring her happiness...or regret?
Catch Up: Marabelle Masterlist
Main Pairing: Liam Rys v F!OC (Sophia)
Other Pairing: Maxwell Beaumont x M!OC Daniel
All characters belong to Pixelberry, except Sophia Taylor, Bethany Beaumont, Melanie Smithson, Tyler Gregson.
Rating: M*🔞Warnings: this series will have NSFW material, crude language. Not Beta’d: Please excuse all errors.
Category: Alternate Universe/on-going series/angst/fluff
Words: 2149, Read 10 minutes
- 3 – Falling
Chapter summary: Marabelle is settled in her new home at the Beaumont stables. Sophie starts to prepare for the start of the social season that begins with the Beaumont Bash.
Music Inspiration: The Climb - Lucy Thomas (Sophie’s FC)
Falling - LeBlanc And Carr
A/N1: This is my submission for Choices March Challenge @choicesmonthlychallenge @lovealexhunt Prompts, Sunrise, Talking to Animals & art commission/moodboard #choicesmarchchallenge
A/N2: This is my submission for @choicesflashfics Week #25, Prompt #3 - "I haven't laughed like this in a long time."
A/N3: Bethany Beaumont, Maxwell’s mother, is originally from the US; is Barthelemy Beaumont’s 2nd wife. Annabelle Beaumont (deceased) was Bertrand’s mother.
A/N4: Melanie Smithson is a love interest for Drake. Tyler Ericsson is Prince Liam’s personal assistant.
A/N5: Social season in this AU series refers to a traditional period in the spring/summer for royalty and members of the court to take part in balls, dinner parties and charity events.
🐎🐎🐎
Beaumont Estate
“Good morning, Auntie Bethany.” Sophie sing-songed as she entered the huge country kitchen of the Beaumont estate.
“Morning, sweetheart, you are up early this morning.”
Sophie nodded, kissing her aunt’s cheek. “Breakfast smells so good! What are we having today?”
Maxwell smiled, already seated at the table, “my favorite...blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and bacon.”
"mmmm...sounds good!" After pouring herself a cup of coffee, Sophie took a seat at the table across from her cousin as the waitstaff began to set down breakfast plates of food.
“So, Sophie, tell me what happened yesterday? Maxwell mentioned that you found a horse.”
“Yes, I did!” Sophie was beaming. “Oh Auntie, she is beautiful! Her name is Marabelle, and she is a retired Derby winner. She is black with white socks and has a star on her forehead.”
“That’s so exciting, my dear! Maxwell tells me that she will be arriving this morning with the other horses that Bertrand bought yesterday.”
“Drake and Melanie should be arriving very soon. I think I will get changed now to get ready to go help.” Maxwell finished his coffee and stood up.
“Are you coming out to see the horses, Mom? "
“Oh, definitely, but I’ll let the horses be settled first, though. I don’t want to get in the way.”
“Sophie, I will see you outside.” Maxwell grabbed one more piece of bacon and winked at his cousin. “I know Sophie won’t wait!”
Sophie giggled at his comment. “Try and stop me, Max.”
Bethany paused and looked at her niece, noticing the look of happiness and sparkle in her eyes.
Unbeknownst to Sophie, Maxwell had already mentioned to his mother that it was Prince Liam who had arranged for Sophie to ride Marabelle for the first time.
“What’s that look for?” Sophie asked her aunt, noticing her grin.
“I am delighted that the boys found the horse for you so quickly. And, I hear that a certain ‘gentleman’ also had a hand in the find?”
Sophie blushed furiously, “Yes, well, actually...”
She hesitated, then blurted out, “It was Prince Liam.”
Bethany looked pleased and patted her niece’s hand, “Well, that’s certainly a nice surprise. Prince Liam must think very highly of your riding skills to suggest a prize winning champion for you.”
"I was thinking of thanking him with a small gift. I could present it to him the night of the Bash."
"That's a lovely idea, my dear."
"Auntie Bethany, for the Beaumont Bash this weekend, I am not sure what I should wear. Talking to Bertrand, he says to wear a formal ballgown. When I asked Max, he said to wear a party dress.
What do you suggest?"
"First of all, you will look lovely in anything you choose. Second, if I had to choose between the two dresses, I would choose the party dress. It looks more modern than the traditional ball gown."
"Max invited the princes, shouldn't I dress more formal?"
Bethany chuckled, "No dear, I am pretty certain that the princes would prefer a more casual evening. I tell you what. Tomorrow, I am taking you up to the Capital to find your dress. We can pick up a gift for Liam as well."
‘...I may not know it
But these are the moments, that
I’m gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going...’
🐎🐎🐎
It was an hour past sunrise, as Drake maneuvered the long horse trailer into the driveway and then through the side gate of the Beaumont Estate grounds. Stopping alongside the horse stables, he texted Maxwell to come out and unlock the doors for the new arrivals.
Unhitching the trailer door, Melanie stepped up into the long horse trailer and entered the main compartment. Upon seeing Melanie, many of the horses started to whinny.
“It’s all right, this is your new home,” she spoke soothingly as she walked down the row of horses. Melanie loved talking to animals, especially the horses; she understood that they were social creatures and could display a wide range of emotions. They were definitely anxious, at the moment.
“Good morning, Mel,” Maxwell, wearing casual jeans, jacket and boots, called into the trailer as Drake followed in after him.
“Beaumont, there you are; I just messaged you.” Drake tapped his shoulder and began to also prepare the horses for their transfer to the stables.
“Morning, Max,” Melanie called back, the horses nickering softly.
“My two stable hands are ready for them.” Maxwell stated and started to help Drake.
“Perfect Max, thank you.”
The stable hands entered the trailer and began untying the horses from the railings. They led each horse inside the stable and settled them into their individual stalls.
🐎🐎🐎
The Tavern Beer Garden, Capital
Later into the evening, Bastien had positioned two royal guardsmen discreetly inside the beer garden, well before Leo and Liam were set to arrive.
Drake and Rashad, already sitting at a table, watched as a black SUV rolled to a stop at the entrance of the beer garden. As Leo and Liam stepped out of the vehicle, Bastien approached them, “Your Highnesses, please follow me.”
Leo didn’t waste any time in ordering a double scotch as soon as he sat down at the table. Liam greeted Rashad with a handshake, while Drake slid a cold beer over to Liam’s seat.
“Why so wound up, Rys?” Drake looked over and questioned Leo with a smirk.
Can you say M..M..Maddy?”
Leo scowled back, clearly annoyed at his comment, answered, “Don’t go there, Walker.”
The less time Leo had to think about Madeleine the better. Since she is betrothed to Leo, and rumors were circulating that King Constantine was planning to relinquish the throne sooner than expected, Madeleine had become unbearably obnoxious. She felt that she was more than ready to assume the role of Queen now and made a point of reminding anyone and everyone in the Kingdom that would listen to her.
Liam shook his head, knowing that his brother was agitated, and rightly so. His father’s announcement to his sons last week that he was gravely ill was a shock. News of his potential early abdication explosive. The tension of having to face an arranged marriage for Leo, palpable.
“So, Liam, will you be attending the Beaumont Bash this weekend?” Rashad asked, trying to change the direction of where this conversation was going.
Leo glanced at his friend, silently thanking him for correctly reading the room.
“Yes, let’s see what Bertrand and Max have planned for this year,” Liam confirmed.
Both Princes Leo and Liam were expected to attend, since King Constantine and Queen Regina were stepping back from some royal duties, letting the princes represent the monarchy.
“I am assuming that you will be attending this year? I know that your father has asked Regina for assistance in finding you a marriage match.” Liam questioned grinning.
Sighing, Rashad nodded yes. His parents were adament that he take a partner this season. “I hear that there are several new faces joining the social season this year. Anyone interesting?”
Smiling knowingly, Drake joined the conversation, “one of the young ladies caught Liam’s attention yesterday. Isn’t that right Li?”
Liam’s smile was huge, as he remembered his day with Sophie on the trail at the polo club and horse ranch, when she asked...
'I bet you’re used to putting everyone else first.'
'And why would you say that?'
From the short time that they had talked earlier, she already had an accurate insight of him. She asked about his thoughts and feelings, showing a genuine interest. They were having a heartfelt and sincere conversation. She had just met him!
Gathering his thoughts into words, he began...
“I have never in my life met anyone like her. We connected on so many different levels. She is incredibly sweet, interesting funny, and had a great sense of humor. I could talk to her for hours. ‘I haven’t laughed like this in a long time.’”
Rashad chuckled, “well, that answered my question.”
Liam nodded, looking delighted, continued. “Sophie was more concerned about why the horse she was riding was startled that morning at the ranch, than about herself; she was fearless.
...and when she found out about me being a prince, it didn’t change anything for her.
‘No one’s ever seen me as just...me. No one’s ever listened to me the way she did.’
She brings a new, fresh and exciting perspective to everything.
…and her eyes, I could stare into those beautiful blue eyes forever! She is absolutely gorgeous, inside and out.”
As Leo listened and watched his brother speak, he remained silent. He mentally erased his current thoughts and ordered another drink.
🐎🐎🐎
Beaumont Stables
Drake and Melanie had already left to drive the trailer back to the horse ranch.
Maxwell was speaking to the stable hands when Sophie entered the stable to see Marabelle.
"Hi guys, good morning," Sophie greeted.
"There she is, ready to ride Marabelle?" Maxwell smiled.
"Yes, yes," Sophie exclaimed, excitedly.
The stablehands led Sophie into the stall where Marabelle was standing.
"Hey girl! Come here," Sophie cooed as she stroked Marabelle's neck.
Marabelle nickered happily in return, nuzzling her cheek.
"Come on then, let's get you saddled up. We're riding today."
🐎🐎🐎
Sophie rode Marabelle down to the winding stream, that was adjacent to the vineyard of the estate.
Memories flooded back of her time with Liam.
'We walked together hoping forever, please don't let go of my hand,
cause I'm falling, woah, I'm falling in love with you'
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#choicesmarchchallenge#choicesflashfics#choices fic writers creations#liam rys#the royal romance#trr#trr fanfic#drake walker#leo rys#trr liam x oc#prince liam
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Stay
Chapter 2: "Ten Feet Under and Upside-Down"
Catch up here!
Word Count: ~6835 (I apologize; it's a long one)
Series Summary: With her family facing deportation back to Auvernal, fun-spirited Reid Ambrose quits college to support her family. But as fate would have it, she accepts a temporary job as a caregiver for the royal family, an experience that will challenge her, break her, and devastate her world in the most exciting of ways.
Chapter Summary: An old face returns to Cordonia to work for the royal family. But even after almost a decade away, not much has changed, and he's more miserable than ever.
Series Warning: ⛔ Please Be Advised: 18+ Only ⛔This series will contain mature material, including foul language, NSFW 🍋, discussion/depictions of war, violence, gun violence, assassination attempts; medical situations, including major character injuries; ethical dilemmas including euthanasia & bodily autonomy; mental health, including depression, PTSD, suicide
Series Music Inspo: “Awake” by Secondhand Serenade
Chapter Music Inspo: "Storm" by Lifehouse
AN: Majority of these characters and some plots belong to our friends at Pixelberry. Special thanks to my amazing friend @kat-tia801 for prereading, and my sweet friend @ao719 for helping me dial-up a scene as well as pre-reading it. Also, you will recognize some items from canon; other items may be completely contradictory to canon. Just got with it, and enjoy the story. 😊
~🖤~
Present (as a reminder: 3 years after Leo's tragic birthday party)
Coasting into the assigned parking spot at his apartment complex, Drake Walker haphazardly downshifts his truck before ripping the keys out of the ignition. All the lights seem to be out in his place, which will work in his favor for a possibly quiet night at home. No talking, especially no arguing. Hopefully with his quick maneuvering, the rumble of his old pick-up won’t disturb his wife and son from their sleep.
Fuck. It did. A lamp in the master bedroom flickers on, a glow illuminating through the window.
Drake lays his exhausted head on the steering wheel, unsure if he should turn back around and go back to his job and stay the night there. At least then he wouldn't have to hide himself, hide his emotions from his bride, pretend to be the man he promised her he would be.
Jodi doesn't deserve this. Any of this. The silent treatment. The avoidance. The denial of connection. She's too faithful, too fucking loving for her own good. Truth be told, her gentle answers, loving support, and abundant encouragement are the reasons Drake has been so successful both in college and starting his career as a physical therapist.
Why was he shutting down on her now?
It all started about six months ago, when Drake found the crown prince of Cordonia wandering on their front porch of their newly-built Texas home.
“Leo?” Drake cocked his head, furrowing his eyebrows in disbelief. He hadn’t seen the tall blond since the aftermath of his birthday party almost three years ago.
“Walker!” he extended his hand, striding widely to greet the commoner. “Long time no see, brother!”
Brother? Drake eyes the prince’s outstretched arm before hesitantly gripping it. Taking in Leo’s appearance, he notices a thick file folder under his arm, filled with what looked like a stack of disjointed documents with tabs and post-it notes.
“Jesus Christ, Texas is fucking hot,” Leo chuckled, dabbing his forehead, but his perfect pearly white smile remained on Drake. “Beautiful place you got here.”
Always the charmer. “Yeah,” Drake shifted his gaze to the screen door, seeing a curious Jodi with their son Finn on her hip. He gave her a nod with the notion that everything was okay before turning back to his visitor. “Listen, Leo…” he clapped his hands, “um, what are you doing here?”
Leo snickered. “Straight to the point as always, Walker. Is there some place we can talk?”
“Right here is just fine,” Drake fired back quickly, not trusting the future king’s intentions. He folded his arms, leaning a shoulder against a wooden post.
“On behalf of the Cordonian royal family, we’d like to hire you.”
Leo had offered Drake a full-time job to be the prince’s personal physical therapist. This, of course, made the commoner scoff, making it clear that he would never cross onto Cordonian soil again. Not for anyone, not even him. But when he stormed inside, he was stopped by Jodi who had been listening.
“He traveled halfway around the world, Drake Walker,” she quietly scolded, “at least talk to him. We’re talking about your old stomping grounds, your family… I know they treated you like shit, but… at least hear him out. Maybe it’s time to bury the hatchet, you know? Let go of your bitterness.”
“Jo… I don’t know.”
“Think of the good example you’ll be setting for Finn,” she smiled, batting her puppy-dog eyes.
Fuck, she was good.
Luckily Leo hadn’t retreated too far away from their land. Drake waved down his driver, and then invited Leo back to the house for a drink and for the opportunity to discuss his proposal. Once the crown prince was introduced to Jodi, the three of them sat down at the kitchen table while Finn took a nap on the couch.
Looking like an episode of Criminal Minds, the documents in the folder were carefully explained and spread out before the young couple’s eyes. It was a medical file, complete with lab test results, written diagnoses and prognoses by doctors, some of which were second and third opinions. Lists of medications, photographs of scarred skin, MRIs of nerve damage, degeneration and muscle atrophy: it was clear that there was a serious need.
But why him? Why Drake?
“We’ve already been through three therapists, and all of them have left us,” Leo answered somberly. “I’m not going to lie; it’s… difficult, and not just because your job is already difficult. But… he’s difficult.” Leo folded his hands on the table, mindlessly fidgeting with his thumbs. Suddenly something came over him, something more honest, something more human. “Please, Walker,” his voice shook before clearing his throat. “We… We need you.”
Drake quietly sits in the driver's seat in the stillness of the night, fidgeting with his wedding band as Leo’s words echo in his head.
We need you…
He reminisces about his childhood in Cordonia, about games of tag in the hedge maze, fishing trips out on Lake Malus, and sleepovers on the back lawn of the palace with only his sleeping bag, a flashlight and comic books.
But, along with the fond memories of his childhood came the bittersweet remembrance of his friendship with Liam. He was always there. Always–well, for the most part, at least up until the end. The prince was Drake’s confidant, his greatest support. He gave sound advice, but also knew when to sit, whether it was to listen or because Drake needed silence.
He didn’t turn his back on Drake even after he felt abandoned by his own family.
Maybe that’s why Drake finally agreed to this arrangement; maybe he felt indebted somehow to the royal family, to the memory of Liam being patiently supportive when tragedy struck. The sacrifice probably didn’t seem great to the leaders of a country, but to Drake, it was everything.
Never in a million years would Drake have guessed this would be his life, a selfless life of servitude to the royals, a miserable life putting them first before his own family. Just like his father. When he left Cordonia almost a decade ago, his decision seemed so certain, so clear, and he swore that he would never see any of these horrid people again.
He glances towards the orange glow, pouring from his bedroom window, and he worries about his marriage. The pent-up regret and festering anger has been building since the moment he stepped back onto Cordonia soil. The job was difficult, and it was near impossible to work with his ornery client. Drake returns home late every night with battle wounds on his heart.
But, tonight he suddenly feels an overwhelming sense of guilt as he watches the shadows shift against the ambient lighting. Has he been silently taking out his frustrations on his wife? He’s trying to spare her his heartache by keeping it to himself; but in doing so, is he neglecting her needs?
Damnit, my family needs me, too.
He reaches into a secret pocket of his duffle bag, and pulls out two cigarettes. Tucking one behind his ear to chainsmoke later, he lights the other one, pulling in the deep burn. He combs his fringe out of his eyes before leaning back on his head rest, exhaling his smoky breath. But still, the haunting anxiety remains.
How the fuck did we even get here?
------
9 Years ago
A sudden loud clatter jolts nineteen-year-old Drake awake from his impromptu nap. Unsure of the time or how long he has been asleep, he intently rubs his eyes with his fists before succumbing to a large, vocal yawn, stretching his sculpted arms over his head. Quickly noticing the darkness outside, he reaches for his phone and notices the time.
1:24 AM
The fuck, Liam?
Last year, the young prince started his rigorous royal training in preparation for his older brother Leo’s ascension to the Cordonian throne. Being separated from his best friend, Drake quickly made himself busy around the palace, mainly serving as a stablehand, until Liam would retire from the evening. But, with constant travels, the wearisome studies and the long diplomatic meetings, the two men discovered less and less free time to spend together. Liam was forming new bonds and new relationships with fellow dignitaries and politicians while his friendship with Drake was starving for a connection. After a few short months, they were barely texting one another.
Today is Liam’s birthday, and the two men had agreed to finally catch up with drinks at the beer garden to celebrate. Drake came home early to make himself presentable before heading over to Liam’s quarters early. He was nervous, not because he was finally going to come face-to-face with Liam, but he was anxious about talking with him. Drake had come to an important conclusion, and having Liam’s support meant the world.
When he arrived to the room, no one answered the door. The commoner let himself in with his spare key only to discover a dark room with the young prince nowhere to be found.
After leaving multiple voice messages and sending off several unopened texts, Drake contacted Lars, Liam’s personal guard.
“Walker, you know it’s against protocol for me to tell you where he is at–”
“Lars, just… c’mon,” Drake sighed, “we had plans. Tonight. I mean, maybe he forgot? Or–or maybe he thought I stood him up?” The silence on the phone spoke loud and clear, giving Drake the answer he didn’t want. “When you find a heart, tell him I was looking for him.” Ending the call, Drake slumped into a leather loveseat in Liam’s bedroom.
Sitting alone in the dimly lit room, Drake was left to his own thoughts. He remembers his mom lecturing Savannah all the time about the importance of the quality of friendships rather than the quantity of friends she claimed she had. She would say kitschy phrases, like, “Some people come into your life for a lifetime while others come into your life for a season.”
But the latter was for other people and their failed relationships; this didn’t apply to Drake and his childhood friend Liam. Right? They grew up together; they became men together. They’ve seen each other at their best and at their absolute worst. They’ve rejoiced together; they've grieved together. Liam was his ride or die.
Then why was it all of a sudden so goddamn hard to even be around each other, let alone talk to each other?
Drake rakes his fingers through his hair, finally resting his forehead in his hands as the racket continues. First, he hears keys pawing at the door, like a cat to a scratch post, followed by poorly stifled giggles and even more obnoxious hushes. Finally busts open with an unkempt, very drunk Liam with lips glued to a shapely brunette, her dress already unzipped.
Drake clears his throat, causing the couple to jump apart.
“Drake!” Liam slurs, “Just the man I was looking for!” He glides towards his best friend, patting him on the shoulder before turning his attention to the woman in the room. “I want you to meet Lady… Lady… Latvia–”
“Actually, it’s Leilani,” she kindly interrupts, “Lady Leilani of Latvia.” She offers a crooked smile to Drake while Liam plays cool, snapping his fingers and pointing to her in acknowledgement that she was correct. She stumbles forward towards the commoner with an extended hand to shake while her other arm keeps her bodice covering her chest.
Raising an eyebrow at the trainwreck in front of him before glaring at the inebriated prince, Drake raises his voice. “We need to talk, Li.”
With Leilani giving Liam a concerned look, he walks up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist as he nuzzles his nose into her neck. “Can this wait until tomorrow?” Liam calls out, his words nasally and muffled against her skin.
Drake stands quickly with a heavy foot. “No.”
With his friend’s words shooting through him like an arrow, Liam quickly gives a sober nod. He whispers something into the young coed’s ear, causing her to giggle as he helps her back into her dress. She makes her exit, swaying her hips through the door, but not before she blows a kiss to Liam.
Liam catches the airborne kiss, touching his palm to his face as she finally exits the room. “Isn’t she something?”As he turns to face Drake, the prince is met with a cold stare, a lump suddenly forming in his throat. “Well,” Liam clears his throat as he makes himself comfortable on the side of his bed. “So, what’s up–hey! We missed you tonight, bruh” he jokes, finger-gunning towards Drake.
“‘Bruh’?” Drake scoffs. “I was here, Li… waiting for you… like we had planned.”
Liam gives him a funny look. “We did?” He shrugs off his sports coat, letting it crumple on the ground as he untucks his pale pink oxford. “Well,” the blond lays back on his bed, letting out a hefty exhale. “You should’ve joined us–”
“Are you fucking for real right now?”
“Drake, relax,” he waves his hand flippantly in the air, closing his eyes. But, when he hears a loud sigh, he sits up on his elbows with one eye open. "Wait… are you seriously mad at me? For not drinking with you? Last I checked–” Liam extends his arms above his head, allowing his head to hit the plush comforter. “It’s my birthday!”
“Fuck it,” Drake mutters, standing up to head for the door. “I’m leaving–”
“Whoa, whoa,” Liam jumps up to stop his best friend from leaving, tripping over his jacket on the way. “Seriously, dude,” Liam puts his hand to his chest as he begins to sing, “talk to me. Tell me your name–”
Drake pushes Liam out of the way, causing him to stumble to the ground.
“Whoa there, old friend,” Liam pulls himself back up. “That was kinda hard.”
“It wasn’t that hard.” Drake opens the door.
“I thought you wanted to talk,” Liam shouts, a twinge of humor in his voice.
“You’re drunk–”
“And for once,” Liam draws closer to the shaggy brunette, jabbing his finger into his chest, “you’re not!”
Drake sees red as he glares at the shell of the man that he used to consider his brother. When did he become so rude? So flippant? So careless? So… Leo? “You know what, Li?” He raises his hands in surrender, slowly stepping backwards through the door. “We’re done.” He turns on his heel and storms towards his private quarters.
“Drake? Drake, c’mon,” Liam calls out, jogging towards the commoner. He grabs him by the shoulder, turning him around. “Listen, I’m sorry. I–I'm dunk–drunk. Let’s just talk about this tomorrow–”
“No, Li. There is no more time to talk.” Drake shrugs off Liam’s hand as he returns to his pursuit. “Besides, I have a plane to catch in the morning.”
“A plane?” Liam catches up to Drake again, this time cutting in front of him. “Where–where are you going?”
"Away," he grumbles, finally reaching his room.
"Okay," Liam curiously stops, raising an eyebrow, his voice becoming softer. "When are you coming back?"
On cue, Drake unlocks his door to reveal a few packed boxes and luggage. Liam flips on an overhead light, his eyes registering the scene. He furrows his brows, as he tracks his pacing friend. Drake finally turns around, shoving his hands in his pocket before daring to look up at the prince.
"You're moving," Liam states matter-of-factly.
"To Texas," Drake finishes, eyes trained to the floor.
"But… but what about your life here–"
"What life, Liam?" Drake angrily interrupts. "I see the same three guys every day down in the stables. I eat breakfast and dinner by myself," he suddenly chokes on his words, his breath hitching as he turns away to collect himself. He looks back to Liam, his eyes reddening with the threat of tears. "I spend my free-time wondering if my fucking best friend will actually talk to me today."
"So this is my fault?" Liam shifts his weight, putting his hands on his hips. "Drake," he scoffs, "we knew this day was coming, my noble training, my duties. And this is harder, harder than I ever imagined. I’m sorry that we don’t hang out as much. But, cut me some slack."
"I have… For a long time now."
Liam looks away, his lips twisting. Every emotion flashes across his youthful, chiseled face. Confusion. Anger. Worry. Betrayal. Running a hand over his stubbled chin, he looks back at his friend.
"How do I fix this?"
Hearing the genuine desperation in Liam's voice, Drake drops his head. He rubs the back of his neck, his eyes still trained on the floor. "Li, I–"
"Just tell me. And I'll make it happen. Anything."
Drake sardonically snickers, shaking his head. "Don't you want better for me? For me to make something of myself?"
"Is it a job? Because I can get you a better job. Or we can get you into Cordonia U in the Fall–"
"Wow," Drake blows a raspberry with his lips. "Do you seriously think I need your help? That I'm incapable of creating my own life? My own future?" Fuming, Drake catches his breath. “Jesus fucking Christ, you nobles are all the same. You think you can just throw your wealth, your fucking title and get your way–”
“It never stopped you from accepting my help before.”
A dark stillness engulfs the room as the two friends stare daggers into each other. Liam crosses his arms, his physique growing rigid as he towers his extra three inches of height over denim-clad commoner. Breathing madly, Drake’s broad chest rises and falls as his hands grip into fists. They stood there for a few minutes, hurling silent insults at each other, tearing each other apart with their quiet thoughts.
Finally, Drake shakes his head in disgust, throwing up his hands before heading for the door. “I’ll send for my stuff,” he mutters under his breath as he intentionally bumps his shoulder into the prince’s arm, pushing him off balance.
Liam scoffs. He brushes off his arm as if Drake had left something dirty on him from impact. He follows him out the door to watch him walk down the main corridor.
“Like mother, like son.”
Drake spins around, his jaw tightening. He closes the space between him and Liam before launching a wrathful swing of his arm, his fist abruptly meeting a hearty crack against the prince’s chiseled face.
Liam stumbles backwards, falling to a knee as he holds his cheek. But before he can retaliate, Liam’s guard Lars quickly apprehends Drake, knocking him to the ground as he calls for reinforcements over his earpiece. With six more guards swarming the floor, Drake is picked up by his pinned arms.
“Stop!” Liam bellows, struggling to stand up. With the help of another guard, Liam steadies his gate before drawing closer to Drake, He wipes at his lip, noting the dark red crimson trickling from his mouth. He locks his eyes on his childhood friend before slowly shaking his head.
“You ungrateful bastard,” Liam growls before turning to Lars. “Show Mr. Walker out.” Liam turns on his heel, walking back to his quarters before slamming the door.
------
Present
An abrupt knocking on the glass breaks Drake’s reverie. He anxiously sits up, but his troubled heart instantly takes comfort at the sight of her, his bride, his person. It was his Jodi. Even in a ratty old SFA t-shirt and an old pair of his boxers, she was still stunning. Her hair reflects the moonlight, turning her usual golden strands into ethereal white. Her warm caramel-chocolate eyes hold the universe, Drake’s whole universe, as they sparkle and dance just for him. She delicately presses her fingertips against the pane, her heart-shaped lips offering a pleading smile. Baby, please. I’m here.
Drake furrows his brow at the sight of her. His lips can’t help but frown as the pricking of tears sting his eyes. He finally drops his head into hands, shielding his face from her view. He knew the dam that was holding back his emotions would eventually break, and his heart would bleed out as the unbearable weight on his shoulders came crashing down around him. But, he didn’t want to do this in front of Jodi, not in front of the woman that trusts him to be her rock and strength.
“Drake?” She softly calls to him. “Drake baby?” She gently taps her fingertips against the window again to get his attention, but he doesn’t answer her.
Jodi quickly rounds the truck, climbing in on the other side while shoving his duffle bag into the back of the cab. “Baby? Baby?” She slides her arms around Drake’s broad shoulders, pulling him snuggly into her embrace, resting her chin in his tousled hair. Her face etches with worry, but she’s not a fool; she knows her husband, and she knows that this–whatever this is– has been building like a cancer inside of him for a while now.
At least since they moved to Cordonia.
“I’m sorry,” Drake whispers, but Jodi quickly hushes him endearingly, combing her fingers through his hair and behind his ear. “I promised you a better life than this. I promised you a better husband than–”
“Don’t you dare talk about my husband that way, Drake Walker.” She playfully scorns, planting kisses on the crown of his head.
Drake sits up, giving his wife a half-crooked smile as he quickly dries his eyes with the heel of his hand. He then wraps a strong arm around her, pulling her to his side, their lips tenderly meeting.
Jodi reaches over, lacing her petite hand with his large fingers. Her eyes find his glassy stare, but he quickly looks away from her, clearing his throat.
She squeezes his grip before casually looking out the window. “Your mom used to say, 'He's just like Jack.'
Drake's eyes widen, turning back to his wife. "What?"
The corners of Jodi's mouth turn up as she continues. "Apparently your dad was incredibly strong. Tough. Hard-headed–"
Drake guiltily chuckles under his breath. "Sounds slightly familiar."
"And yet… very emotional. Haunted even." She looks up at her husband, their eyes locking on one another. As silence fills the truck, Jodi's attention falls to their laced fingers. Gently letting go of his hand, she begins twirling his platinum wedding ring.
"Listen, Jo–"
She holds a finger to his mouth and sweetly grins. "I love you, Drake Walker," her eyes twinkle, "just the way you are, even when you feel like being quiet and I know,” she chuckles, “I know. You have to mull things over before you can talk about them." She cups his face, gently stroking the coarse hairs of his bearded jaw. “But you married me. You don't have to shoulder the pain alone anymore. You don't have to worry about tomorrow or about decisions or about life alone anymore." Watching a tear swell and threaten to drop from his long lashes, Jodi gently rubs her thumb across his lower eyelid. "You can be quiet, that's fine. But you eventually need to talk to me, Drake. Please–" she sniffles, "don't shut me out. Don't–don't shut us out–"
"Oh, baby," Drake exhales, his arms enveloping his wife. He leans in, resting his forehead against hers as he closes his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry… I–" he sighs, "I never meant to do this to you. All I want to do… is protect you, be a man that you are proud of–”
“Drake–”
“Jodi Walker… you are the most precious thing this life has ever given me… damnit–” his breath hitches as he presses his face intimately into her hair, "I need you. God, everyday. I need you every fucking day. More and more."
"I need you, too, baby," Jodi sweetly whispers in his ear, her voice hoarse from tears. She presses a firm kiss into his hairline, her fingers tangled tightly in his hair. “And I am proud of you.”
For the first time in almost six months, Drake suddenly understands what it means to be supported, to be heard and to be loved. It's not that his wife failed to do these things for him. But he realizes it's easy to feel comforted when he feels positive about himself and rewarded by life. He promised Jodi happiness, and he is bound and determined to ensure she always has that.
Even if that means hiding himself and his own demons.
But he had forgotten one very important detail: Jodi made the exact same promise of a happy life, to love him, and to comfort him through every curve ball thrown at them. He’s not that little boy anymore, suffering through his father’s death and mother’s abandonment alone. He has someone now, his person, his better half, his forever.
After spending some much needed time in each other's arms, whispering sentiments of love and sharing sweet kisses, the couple is interrupted by a tiny voice on the baby monitor. They both stare at the device intently, finally raising an eyebrow to one another, holding their breath as they try to decipher the message.
"Damnit! Okay! Fine. I have no idea,” Jodi confesses, throwing up her hands as a guilty expression paints across her face. “I have no fucking idea what the hell he is saying half the time."
"Shit, I thought it was just me," Drake snickers, rubbing his forehead.
Jodi slowly furrows her eyebrows. “You think he’s normal?”
“Meh,” Drake shrugs his shoulders, “I don’t think we’ve fucked him up too badly just yet–”
“Drake!” Jodi swats at her husband’s arm as he pretends to shield himself. They tumble into a fit of snickers as Drake puts his arm around her shoulders, hugging her tightly.
"Well, I better go check on him," she gives a sorrowful smile before pressing her lips to Drake one last time. "Take your time… but don't dare keep me waiting alone for too long, Mr. Walker," she winks as she begins to slide out of the truck.
Drake grabs her elbow, pulling her back to his side as their mouths meet again. A soft moan tumbles from her chest as he strokes her hair back.
"We're in this together… right, Mrs. Walker?" he kisses her nose, making her scrunch it up.
"Always."
------
By the time Drake makes it upstairs, a lone kitchen light illuminates his path in the open-concept layout of his apartment. He quietly sets his bag down next to the front door before kicking off his tennis shoes. He strips down into his white undershirt and boxer briefs, gathering his dirty scrubs to throw into the wash.
Softly padding to the kitchen to warm up some dinner, he notices a certain little 3-year-old’s upside-down handprint on a piece of construction paper. As he draws close to the craft, Drake’s smile begins to grow as the gray blob of paint begins to take the shape of an elephant, complete with a googly-eye glued near the base of the tiny thumb and his ear, toes and tail drawn on with a permanent marker, no doubt drawn on by Jodi.
To: Daddy
Drake traces the hand print, a sense of pride billowing in his chest. My boy. Feeling the tight ache in his cheeks from smiling, he glances towards Finn’s room and notices the door is ajar, his night light pouring through the crack out into the hallway. He quietly moseys to his son’s room, peering in to see his son, sleeping soundly with his chestnut strands sprawled out carelessly on his pillow. With a secure grip on a toy firetruck, the young child’s arm is relaxed over his head while the thumb of his other hand is tucked barely into the waistband of his dinosaur underwear.
Drake chuckles to himself, admiring the adorable vision when he suddenly looks down, noticing that he had his own thumb tucked into the waistband of his boxers.
And it hits him: what else am I unknowingly teaching him?
Drake has fond memories of his father: camping, fishing, learning how to tie a tie, grilling the perfect steak, tuning up a car. But one thing he doesn’t like to think about are the times his father wasn’t there–especially since those times outnumber the moments he was present.
And it was all for the sake of the job. Drake remembers phone calls in the middle of the night, impromptu international trips, interrupted holidays. And then when his dad was home, he wasn’t always present with them. Often times, his mother would shoo Drake and his younger sister away to allow for Jackson to rest by the fire with a bottle of scotch in his hands.
But Drake has nothing, but admiration and gratefulness for his dad, for all of the good times, the life lessons and pep talks. Because of the early, pleasant experiences, Drake always imagined raising his children the exact same way.
Only now that he’s in Cordonia, he’s not.
But that stops tonight.
Drake tenderly picks up his son, Finn’s head instantly nuzzling back to sleep on his dad’s shoulder, gripping tightly to his shirt. He knew that Jodi was probably going to kill him for getting the little one out of his bed, but at this moment, holding their boy, reminding him that Daddy is always there seems more important.
Drake strolls into his bedroom with a snoozing Finn in his arms, wrapped up with his patch-work blankie. With her eyes growing heavy, Jodi is mindlessly scrolling through TikTok in the dark when she hears her husband’s heavy steps. She sits up on her elbow, and then notices her son.
“Drake?” She turns on a lamp, slowly sitting up in bed. “What are you doing? Is he okay—?”
“Yeah,” Drake looks down at his son, nestled in his arms, “everything is perfect now.”
------
The next morning, Drake feels renewed, like shackles have been broken off of his hands and feet, setting him free. There’s no sense of dread or anxiety. He doesn't feel agonizing guilt or slithering voices of self-loathing. Rather, he's at peace; he's comforted. He has a swelling of confidence in his chest and a new lease of determination in his soul. And when he wakes up next to his wife and son, his heart almost aches from the overflow of love for them.
He contacts his work, notifying them that he would be present for his client at the regular scheduled start time in accordance with his contract. He took a very excited Finn to the kitchen for breakfast, knowing that his early-bird of a wife would be in shortly.
Only she wasn’t.
After bribing his son to take five ‘big boy bites’, Drake cleans Finn up before securing him inside a baby gate with his blankie and a new episode of Dino Ranch. Returning to the kitchen, he pours a mug of piping hot coffee for Jodi while preparing a short stack of pancakes with spiced apple butter, his wife’s new favorite topping since moving to Cordonia. Arranging the meal on a rustic, wooden tray, he carries it, tiptoeing carefully into the bedroom. He finds her already up, rinsing out her mouth before returning to bed.
“Morning, Mrs. Walker,” he smiles, presenting her breakfast like a trophy..
“Mmmm, morning, Mr. Walker,” her voice is raspy. “I see you’ve been cooking–”
“Jo–” he interrupts, putting the tray down and cradling her face. “You okay?” He gently strokes his thumbs across the dark, purple circles under her swollen eyes.
“Yeah,” she reassures, putting her hands on his wrists. “I–I’m just tired. Someone invited a certain little boy into our bed that I swear is going to be the kicker for the Cowboys someday."
“A kicker instead of a… walker?” he mischievously raises his eyebrows, ensuring his wife got the punchline.
Oh, she did. Jodi playfully glares at her husband. "You know? Just because you're a dad now doesn't mean you have to tell dad jokes."
"You love my jokes," he badgers, his voice growing heated as his mouth grazes gently across her lips.
"Mmmm… I love you," she croons.
Their mouths meet again, but the intimate touch is gone too quickly. Jodi playfully pouts, the adorable sight coaxing Drake to kiss her again. And then again. And then once more. “Greedy girl this morning,” he growls, handing her the coffee before pinching her ass.
“Baby," she yelps. "Hey, wait… shouldn’t you be at work?” Jodi furrows her eyebrows before sniffing her mug and stealthily setting it down.
“Technically my contract says I have to be in by 8:30 AM. The only one that wants me there at 6 is my fucking client–”
“Drake,” she warns.
“What?” He shrugs his shoulders, feigning ignorance.
“Are you going to always refer to him as your ‘fucking client’?”
“That’s all he is, Jo,” he spits back. He watches his wife calmly push her loose tendrils behind her ear before she dips her finger into the apple butter. Drake sighs, “I’m sorry, okay? It’s just… it’s different. He’s different.”
“I guess I don’t understand. What about all the phone calls and facetimes?” She licks her finger. “I mean I know that all stopped when… uh, well… after everything happened, and–and–and you and I had Finn, then the wedding. But I thought surely you two would go back to–”
“It’s not like that anymore, Jo,” he sighs. “I know you were hoping that somehow moving back here would be like some magical family reunion. It’s not. We’re not family anymore.”
“Have… you… talked to–?”
“No. And we don’t talk about her either.” He bites back, a silence falling between them as he stares at his twiddling thumbs. He finally sighs. “Look, Jo, I’m sorry. I know I’m being short with you, but this? This is my nightmare. Every-fucking-day. I spend my entire day trying to save him, and he’s a stranger, as if we have absolutely no history. He’s… just a fucking asshole.”
Jodi places an endearing hand on his upper back. “I know, baby. But, you’re doing the right thing–”
“Right thing?” Drake blows a raspberry with his mouth. “The only reason why I’m even here in Cordonia is I was a last ditch effort. He wants to move on, and they thought I’d be the cure,” he sarcastically snickers, “he doesn’t want a fucking cure.” He looks away from his wife, taking a moment to think. “You know? They are actually considering hiring another ‘caretaker’,” he air-quotes, “but she has to be a young female–”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. Who knows? Maybe that will interest him in wanting to stay.”
“Will she have big tits and dollar bills hanging out of her g-string?” Jodi jokes.
“They can’t hire you,” Drake winks, earning him a swat from his wife. He gets up and retrieves her plate and mug. “Which… how is the training going at your new job?”
“It’s good,” she brightens, as she follows Drake into the kitchen where they can see Finn playing with his toy cars in the living area. “I start at the embassy on Monday, and then I’ll go to the satellite campuses for interviews after that—”
“Jodi?” He interjects, his voice becoming worrisome as he observes her untouched plate. “Aren’t you hungry? That’s fresh apple butter.”
“I can tell it is,” she grins. “I’m just not hungry yet.”
Drake nods in understanding, but suddenly notices her untouched coffee, an early morning staple for a fully functioning Jodi Walker.
“So,” she continues, “I found out some good news.”
Drake sits down to put on his shoes, turning his ear to her. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“A spot opened up at the employee daycare, so I don’t think we need Sav afterall.”
“Jo,” Drake runs his hands down his face, “we talked about this. Sav is family–”
“And this is the start of our son's education. Did you know that they use the same programs that the nobles use for private lessons–”
Drake grumbles. “Weren’t you just asking me if I thought he was normal?”
“Drake.”
“--about how if we’ve fucked him up yet?”
“Drake Walker.” Jodi crosses her arms, raising an eyebrow. “Please don’t start with that noble shit right now. I’m only wanting the best for him. I love Sav, but I want him doing more than just playing with cars and watching television. Not to mention that drive? Everyday? Especially in Valtoria traffic?”
“You also don’t have to go back to work,” Drake mutters. When he notices the room is silent, he turns around to see a glaring Jodi with her hands on her hips. He nervously clears his throat. “Sorry. Continue, sweetheart.”
“He needs structure–”
“Have you met Bertrand?”
“Drake,” she rubs her head as if she is developing a headache. She quietly saunters towards her husband, slowly snaking her hands around his abdomen. “Please. This will be really good for Finn. I promise.” She tightens her embrace, pressing her forehead into his broad chest. “They have an open house in a few weeks that we can go to. Would that make you feel better?”
Drake gently runs his hands up and down his wife’s back, milling around the information he just learned. He takes a deep breath, finally looking down and meeting her pleading gaze. “Fine. Open house, but Savannah until then.”
“Deal.” Their lips meet briefly, eliciting a soft moan from Jodi.
“Any other benefits I should know about?” Drake sasses.
“Actually…” Jodi bites her bottom lip, “remember how I only got eight weeks off after I had Finn, and only six of them were paid for?”
Drake huffs under his breath as he pulls out his lunchbox to pack. “Don’t remind me… fucking school district is a bunch of crooks.”
Jodi widens her eyes, placing her pointer finger on her mouth as she shifts her eyes to Finn. Drake retracts his head like a turtle before mouthing the word sorry.
“Anyway,” Jodi jovially rolls her eyes, “so get this: even as a part-time employee, I still get six months of paid maternity leave. Guaranteed.”
“O…kay.” Drake titters, opening up the refrigerator, “is this your subtle-not-so-subtle way of bringing up the baby conversation again?”
“No–I mean… sortof?” She cocks her head, her tongue pressed to the back of her teeth.
The moment Drake hears the inflection in her voice, he freezes. Then whirls around to face his wife, noticing how extremely tired she looks. Then he turns to face the sink, glancing at her untouched plate and mug of coffee.
“Jo?” His eyes shift suspiciously towards his wife.
“Drake?” She smiles sheepishly.
“You’re… not…” he tries hard to stifle his smile, but the joy in his gaze betrays him.
Jodi shrugs her shoulders before nodding her head enthusiastically, biting her bottom lip. Within seconds, her husband scoops her up in his arms, lifting her off the ground as their lips melt in a tender kiss.
“Are you serious? Wait… are you sure?” He whispers. “You’re not fucking with me? We–we’re really having another baby?” Watching her husband fumble with his words, Jodi is consumed with giggles, her cheeks pinking with joy. Before she can even answer a single question, Drake pushes his mouth back into hers, tracing a trail of heated kisses to the back of her neck before finally embracing her tightly, burying his face into her gold locks. Wrapped in each other's arms, they fall into a pleasurable silence as they gently rock each other back and forth, basking in the blessing of turning into a family of four. “I love you, Jo.”
“Love you, Walker," she echoes hoarsely, sharing one last peck on his lips. Suddenly, she bounds to the baby gate where Finn is watching intently, reaching for his parents. Jodi picks him up, saddling him on her hip as she spins him around. “And… I love you!” She squeals, grabbing his belly, tickling him lightly as he throws his head back with giggles.
“Oh, damnit.”
Jodi abruptly stops, growing concerned as her husband’s face drops. “What’s wrong?”
“I just realized… I’m not gonna have any extra dollar bills for that new stripper–”
Jodi scrunches up her face. “Let’s get Daddy,” she whispers to Finn. They begin to tickle Drake as he shields himself, all the while laughing hysterically. “No strippers, ya hear me? Y’all are going to hire a sweet girl with manners… that can keep her clothes on during working hours.”
“That’s what strippers do during working hours,” he snorts, enveloping his small family, planting a kiss on Finn's chubby cheek. As Drake tries to smooth down his son's inherited cowlick, he grows quiet, his expression pensive. “You’re right, you know.” Drake exhales, becoming more serious. “I do still care… And if I can’t make him feel better, then I hope this crazy plan of hiring a nice girl works.”
“I hope so too, baby.”
“I just hope she can break through to him,” he sighs, “and that it’s not too late.”
~🖤~
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All Through the Night
A Choices The Royal Romance Dark AU
A/N Apologies again for how long this took to write along with any errors 🤦🏻 The good news is that this time next week I will be unpacking in my new home 🎉 The bad news is that I might be behind on posting the next chapter. Sigh. I can't catch up with anything lately, LOL. Anyway, no murder in this chapter. Just good old fashioned fluff for the most part 😉 Thanks for being so patient with me!!!
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Part 10
Regina's death sent shockwaves throughout the two kingdoms. In Cordonia, people who knew of her magical ability mourned the loss of their Guardian. Those who were unaware of the hidden realm mourned for a noble who had always stuck by the Nevarkis rulers.
In the Dark Kingdom, the creatures that resided there felt an unending sadness for their king. He'd loss two of his mates, something no known monster in history had ever endured before. Those who were lucky enough to find their mates knew there was nothing they could say or do. His very heart was broken beyond repair.
Her death sent a quiet rage through those who'd been close to the witch. Madeleine and her coven fought against their vows to do only good in the hopes of extracting revenge against whatever monster had done this evil act. Olivia and Maxwell did their best to find tracks or any clue as to who the culprit was. Liam and Drake also conducted investigations within the Dark Kingdom.
Rashad and Sherry were given the task of guarding Riley and Hana while the others spent days and nights searching. It was fruitless, to say the least. Whatever killed Regina had managed to leave no clue as to who or what they were.
"It has to have been a werewolf." Maxwell muttered late one evening to Olivia. "The slashes and loss of organs point to one going completely savage."
"I agree." Olivia's brow furrowed in thought. "Maxwell? Doesn't it seem odd to you?"
"What?" He paused in his steps, whipping out a canteen of water.
"We've never had this much trouble finding monsters after they attacked." She nodded her thanks when he passed the canteen to her. "Yet with Lucretia and now Regina, we are left with nothing. No tracks of any sort. No bloody trail to follow. No tufts of hair or weapon lying about."
"I know." Maxwell leaned against his sword as they once more scoured the ground where Regina's body had been discovered. "It's something I have never encountered before."
"Neither have we."
Olivia and Maxwell stiffened until they saw Liam and Drake coming down the path.
"Found anything yet?" Olivia asked.
"Nothing." Liam ran his hands over his face. "I've questioned the werewolf colonies these past few weeks and nothing out of the ordinary has been witnessed."
"You sure they're telling you the truth?" Maxwell asked. "I mean, whoever did this basically killed their queen, at least in your father's eyes. They are probably terrified of you and whatever punishment Constantine will put them through."
"I know, which is why I probed their minds." Liam admitted. "Everyone was willing to allow me to do so to prove what they said."
Olivia snorted softly. "That might be the only thing I envy about a vampire."
"What about on your end?" Drake spoke up, ignoring the narrowed glare from Cordonia's queen. "Did Regina have any human enemies?"
"Human?" Olivia gasped. "You think a human could do all that? Are you out of your mind?!"
"Yeah, because a Nevarkis is known for never using torture to kill someone." Drake taunted.
Liam swiftly got between the two, holding his hands up to keep them from coming to blows.
"Enough!" He snapped. "We don't have time for these petty fights."
"The trail ran cold from the moment the killer left her here." Maxwell added, sheathing his sword. "We're wasting time grasping at straws."
"So what are you suggesting?" Olivia eyed Drake once more before putting her dagger away. "We just give up and pretend this is some horrible accident? Like what happened to my aunt? They both just slipped and fell into torture?"
"We don't know if the two are related or not." Maxwell explained. "And if they are, then we must try and think who is next."
"Next?" Drake scanned the shadowed tree line. "You think they are going after powerful people?"
"Possibly." Maxwell's brow furrowed. "If they aren't connected, I don't think the creatures remained in Cordonia. There haven't been anymore similar killings to either Lucretia's or Regina's. This type of attack," he gestured toward the faintly blood stained grass, "isn't a one and done type of action. This is something the creature enjoys and will do again."
Olivia cursed, looking about the once beautiful meadow. All she needed was some wild, on the loose monster tearing through Europe. It wouldn't take long for the rumors of Cordonia's mythical kingdom to be brought up before she had investigators down here.
Liam will be in danger.
Her gaze settled upon the Dark Prince and she felt an unusual need to protect him fill her heart. She'd already lost everyone in her family. She'd lost the kindly witch who tried to protect and help her. She couldn't lose Liam too.
"I'll send some of the King's Guards on a search to some of our surrounding countries' borders to see if any unusual attacks have been done." Olivia decided. "Perhaps the creatures have escaped our kingdoms."
The four parted ways for the night. Each was focused on trying to find a way to unravel this latest mystery in the hopes of keeping those they cared for from having to do so.
****************
The Dark Kingdom Castle, a month later...
"You seem quiter than usual."
Drake jerked his head up. "I do?"
Liam rolled his eyes on his way over to join him. He set a cut crystal glass in front of him followed by a bottle of whiskey.
"The Macallan 1926?" Drake whistled. "I must be pretty quiet to warrant this type of treatment."
Liam chuckled as he uncorked the rare alcohol. "I thought we could both do with a treat." His humor quickly dissipated. "What am I going to do?"
Drake quirked an eyebrow as he took a long sip.
"Father's dying. I have no clue what happened to either Lucretia or Regina. And Riley...should I not encourage her to go back to New York until I'm certain of her safety?" Liam cradled his glass, rolling it between his palms. "I'm at a loss of where to begin in any of this."
Drake tipped back the rest of his drink before reaching for the bottle again. "Look, I'm no medical expert, but I believe there is little you can do about your father. As for Regina," he cleared his throat, "You are trying to solve it. Why you are doing the same for a Nevarkis is the real mystery."
"You know why." Liam grumbled. "Olivia is my--"
Drake held his hand up. "Trust me. I know what she is." He shook his head over his friend's love for the enemy. "Anyway, as for Riley, if you think you can rest easier with her tucked away in New York, then do it."
Liam grimaced. He didn't want to be apart from her anymore than he had to. He also thought that she would refuse to leave. Given how determined she was to be with him and help, he doubted he'd be able to convince her to even pack a bag.
Drake noticed Liam struggling silently. With a sigh, he decided to reveal what was behind his new silence so that the Dark Prince could think on something new for a change.
"I've uh, I've been thinking about going to see Savannah."
Liam's head shot up. "You are?"
Both men rubbed at the ache building within their chests.
"Yeah." Drake swallowed the last of his seond glass. "My dad would probably rip me a new one if he knew I wasn't checking on my sister when she's pregnant."
Liam softly smiled. "Your father was big on remaining loyal to loved ones."
"No matter what they do." Drake mumbled. "Anyway, while you remain out of the sunlight, I think I'll go to Ramsford."
"Right now?"
"I want to get it over with." Drake explained. "Honestly, I don't know if I can take much more of the pain of pretending she did die." He rubbed a hand down his face. "After these attacks, I guess I'm worried something will happen to her and I'll end up wishing I had at least tried to see her again."
Liam reached over and gripped Drake's. shoulder.
"You're doing the right thing."
"We'll see if that's true or not." He pushed himself to his feet. "I'll see you later, Liam."
Drake hurried out of the drawing room, hoping his friend's words were true.
*******************
Ramsford...
"I'm making a mess of this." Savannah grumbled.
Bertrand reached from behind her to pull a few flowers from the vase. With little to no effort, he had the centerpiece looking better than it did in the picture.
"Show off." She teased, turning into his embrace.
A smile he held just for her appeared on his face. "I want everything perfect for your first Beaumont Bash."
"Me too." She tried to fight back a yawn. "Sorry." Her gaze dropped to her now noticeable bump. "I promise I find your ability to arrange flowers fascinating."
He snorted softly. "It is a rare talent."
"I think it's simply you." Her smile gentled. "You've impressed me from the moment we met."
Bertrand swallowed. He wondered if he should now confess that not only had he been going months without the potion, but that he had secretly begun to train as a hunter again. He wished he could tell her he had all his memories back. He wanted to tell her about the nightly battle to fight against Constantine's powers.
He wanted to celebrate that they were getting easier and easier to conquer.
"Savannah, I--"
"Excuse me, your grace." A servant bowed. "But you asked to be alerted the moment Lord Maxwell got up."
Bertrand glanced at his watch, slowly shaking his head. His brother was working too hard. It was already well past two in the afternoon. If he was able to properly help Maxwell again, his brother would be able to greet the day earlier than was now his habit.
"Is this about the entertainment portion of our ball?" Savannah asked.
"It is." Bertrand kissed her forehead then gently caressed her stomach. "I want you to take a nap, Lady Beaumont. You've done enough work today."
She promised she would, parting from him in the hallway.
He watched her until she disappeared then went to check on what was left to complete.
*******************
"May I help you, sir?"
"Yeah, um, I'm here to see Savannah Wal-I mean, Beaumont." Drake stuttered.
The butler eyed him, slowly taking in his casual clothing and wind blown hair.
"And who may I say is calling upon her grace?"
Drake glared at him. "Her brother."
The butler blanched. "Forgive me sir, I wasn't aware you were planning to visit today. Her grace will wish to see you at once!"
Drake's couldn't hide his surprise at not only being ushered into a formal drawing room, but also being waited on hand and foot by the army of servants rushing about. Before he could ask how they knew about him, he was seated with a glass of whiskey and left completely alone.
He jumped to his feet when the door burst open.
Savannah stared at him. A tearful smile formed the longer she stood there.
Drake's hand automatically went to his heart. It was a painful, beating sensation that also held a sense of warmth.
The connection was and would always still be there between the brother and sister. No magic, no separation, nothing at all could take that from them.
Perhaps that was what made the Walker blood oath so powerful.
"Hey." Drake managed to say.
He blinked back tears when Savannah came to stand directly in front of him.
"Hey." She replied while wiping her tears.
He searched for something to say to break the awkward tension between them.
Motioning toward her stomach, "This is why I told you not to go to the woods alone."
Her eyes widened for a moment. She clasped her hands over her mouth when laughter burst from her lips.
Throwing herself in his arms, she hugged him tight.
"I've missed you so much." She cried. "I had no idea that my choice would hurt us all like it did. I thought I would find a way around the potion." She looked up at him. "Can you ever forgive me for what I did?"
Drake wrapped his arms around her. "Yeah, I...I think I can. I'm trying to, Sav." He hugged her, wincing from the pain that still hit his heart like a hammer. "I want to. I don't want to be without you in my life anymore."
Savannah sobbed into his chest, clutching his shirt in her hands as if afraid he would decide to leave her for good.
Maxwell and Bertrand came running into the room, each thinking she was hurt or possibly under attack.
Both brothers stood in shock. Neither wanted the other to know they knew who the man was. Maxwell hoped seeing Drake wouldn't trigger an episode for Bertrand. The latter wanted to tell his wife and brother to stop worrying. He was--
Bertrand lifted a hand to his head, rubbing against the onslaught of memories of that fateful night.
Everything is fine. I'm fine. Constantine has no power over me anymore.
He took a deep breath, waved off Maxwell's concern, and stepped forward to shake Drake's hand.
His smile was a bit strained as he fought the images beating against his temples in an attempt to take over.
"If I'm to go by the similar features, you must be the elusive brother I've heard so much about."
Drake glanced at Savannah then took the offered hand of the man he daily cursed to the deepest pit of hell for taking his sister from him.
He had to bite his tongue to stop from lashing out at the former monster hunter. He knew that whatever Constantine had done to his mind was worse than anything Drake could inflict.
"Nice to finally meet you." Drake said instead. "Sorry I haven't come by sooner. I um, work has uh kept me out of town."
Bertrand knew something mysterious was going on in the Dark Kingdom. Since no one would discuss it with him, he was frustratingly left in the dark over the events that had occurred and how they tied back to that land of monsters.
Savannah kept her arm around her brother as she faced the Beaumonts.
"Which bedroom should we place him in?"
"Bedroom?" Drake sputtered. "Sav, I can't--"
"You must stay!" She insisted. "I haven't seen you in over a year." With a quick glance at her husband and Maxwell, she quickly issued another invitation. "I want you at our ball."
Maxwell quirked an eyebrow at the Dark Prince's friend. He folded his arms, curious to see how Drake would wiggle out of this invitation.
"Sav, I appreciate it but I need to get back to--"
"I'll have the staff prepare a room in the east wing." Bertrand announced. "I'll send for his luggage--"
"I don't have any." Drake swallowed, unsure what to do.
Between his sister's hopeful expression and Bertrand's delicate mind situation, he couldn't very well say he needed to get back to Liam to help keep him safe.
"That's no problem." Maxwell needled, thoroughly enjoying this chance to see a former enemy squirm. "We can let you borrow some clothes or have some delivered from town."
"I don't want to put you out. I can come back by tomorrow and--"
"Nonsense." Bertrand scoffed. "If having you here brings this much joy to my wife, then I insist you stay."
Savannah left Drake's side to kiss her husband, softly whispering her thanks.
He pressed another kiss to her forehead before leaving.
Once out in the hallway, Bertrand dashed to the nearest bathroom. Within minutes, he vomited the contents of his stomach up. The pounding in his head lessened now that he was away from the sight of Drake.
It seemed the hold of Constantine's power wasn't quite finished in tormenting the young Duke.
Bertrand wondered how he was to conquer this new challenge.
*****************
"What the hell was that?!"
Maxwell turned around. "Were you talking to me?"
Drake glared at him. "You could have helped me out back there, Beaumont."
"I did." Maxwell grinned, completely unrepentant in this situation. "Weren't you the one who purposely came to see Savannah?"
"Well, yeah, but--"
"And weren't you the one acting happy to see her again?"
"I mean, yes, but--"
"And don't you want to see her happy and content, especially with the stress of a ball and pregnancy?" Maxwell added.
Drake huffed, shoving past the monster hunter.
"You're a real pain in the ass, you know that?"
Maxwell chuckled. "So I've heard. Enjoy your stay."
Drake slammed his bedroom door in response.
*****************
Domvallier...
"I'm so excited!" Riley exclaimed. "I can't wait to see how another ball looks." She whirled around towards Hana. "You think it will be different or the same as the Queen's?"
"I don't know." Hana helped her finish packing for their trip to Ramsford. "I'm certain though that it will be just as magical."
"It will be." Sherry announced as she walked into Riley's bedroom.
She held up two garment bags.
"I've bought you a surprise." Her smile grew over their excitement. "I couldn't resist when I saw these dresses."
Riley eagerly unzipped hers as Hana gushed over her own.
"These are perfect!" Hana exclaimed. "I was worried about finding us something for the ball."
"Maxwell says it is supposed to be a special night." Sherry told them. "And I wanted to make certain you felt doubly so in your gowns."
"You're the best." Riley hugged her. "I don't know what we would have done without you these past few weeks."
Ever since Liam insisted they leave their beach house for Rashad's duchy, Hana and Riley spent many hours each day with Sherry learning of the new world they were now a part of. The dragon had both literally and figuratively taken the pair under her wing as she explained the mating process and life for a human with a monster.
Between those lessons, the two had fallen even more in love with Liam and Rashad. Every night at sunset, Liam joined them for the evening. The double dates they shared along with those times spent alone were something neither lady ever imagined happening to them. To be so utterly adored was something so foreign, more so than being with a literal monster.
Having each other to discuss this new way of life made the transitions much easier than if they had each faced it alone. They now felt at home in this strange new reality.
They also felt ready to help Sherry lock down her own mate.
"Has Maxwell said anything about the engagement announcement?" Riley asked.
Sherry's smile dimmed. "No."
"But his brother said he would announce it at the ball." Hana reminded her.
"I know." Sherry averted her eyes from the two.
At least they know their mates want to marry them.
It had been hard on her the past few weeks. After the night of passion in the Royal Palace, Maxwell had spent nearly every free moment searching for Lucretia's and now Regina's killer. The little bit she saw of him, he had been in full hunter mode, searching for clues and tense for a possible fight.
She hadn't had a chance to talk to him about more heartfelt subject matters nor of their future.
It was almost as if he was avoiding the subject. Again.
Sherry didn't think she could go through another round of convincing him they were meant to be. But she also knew she couldn't leave him. Ever.
"I need to go finish packing." She muttered when she realized how quiet she and the others were.
Hana and Riley waited until the door shut before sharing a conerned look.
"We have to help them." Hana whispered. "I hate being so happy while Sherry's not."
"We will fix this." Riley told her. Her smile grew with another thought. "After all, they are part of our family now."
***************
Ramsford...
"Hey, Beaumont!" Drake jogged over to Maxwell. "I've been looking everywhere for you."
"Why?"
"I talked to Liam and told him how I'm basically stuck here the next few days." He grumbled. "And since Riley is also going to be stuck here too..."
"Oh no." Maxwell cursed. "He wants to come here?! Here? Now?!"
"Yeah. Even I think it's a bad idea." Drake folded his arms. "Being in a monster hunter's home along with a visiting Nevarkis is the worst nightmare known to man."
Maxwell rubbed his hands over his face. "He knows he's safe from us."
But what about Bertrand? Will this trigger his old memories? Will it hurt him? How do I keep him from seeing Liam?
What would our parents and ancestors think of me allowing multiple monsters into our home to party?
Maxwell slumped against the wall. He knew he'd have been disowned most likely for becoming a monster's mate. They'd probably kick Bertrand out for marrying a Walker too.
A slight grin formed over how his world had been flipped completely upside down since meeting Sherry. He didn't regret one moment spent with her, save for the ones in the beginning when he tried to push her away. All that though was over. He'd accepted his fate and knew if he hadn't found out she was a monster, he'd have fallen in love with her just as easily.
His plans for her arrival into his home was to officially propose. Bertrand was beyond excited to announce before the court their engagement. Maxwell had taken him along to help pick out a ring for her. His plans had been made all while he searched for killers and guarded the border each night.
It had to be special for Sherry. No matter what else happened at the ball, Maxwell wanted it to be a night she could fondly look back upon.
How could he focus on her like she deserved when he was to also have the Dark Prince himself as a guest?
"Liam will stay out of sight for the most part." Drake added. "Savannah said it was fine as long as he stayed away from Bertrand."
Maxwell knew they were taking a huge gamble in allowing this. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew the vampire would do all he could to honor that request. He had begun to think of Liam as just a nice relative of Sherry's instead of one of the Plagues of Cordonia. He even admired how seriously the Dark Prince was taking the investigations.
He knew with Sherry's explanation of how much it hurt to be parted from a mate for long periods that he shouldn't keep Liam from seeing Riley while here. The vampire was weirdly too nice and understanding.
"We'll put him in the room next to yours. I'll make sure Riley is also placed in this wing to help Liam out." Maxwell finally said.
Drake's eyebrows lifted. "Oh. Um. Thanks." His stance relaxed. "I didn't think you'd go along with the whole inviting a vampire into your home."
"Me and you both." Maxwell muttered. "Ever since Sherry, I guess I've started seeing things differently."
Not in the mood to open up fully to the Dark Prince's best friend, Maxwell hurried off claiming he needed to help finish preparations for the ball.
*******************
Later that evening...
"Welcome to Ramsford, ladies." Bertrand greeted warmly. "Lord Rashad." His smile grew when he saw Sherry. "And my dear Lady Sherry. It has been too long since I've seen you."
Sherry tried to hide how nervous she was by grasping his hands. "Thank you, your grace."
Bertrand shook his head. "None of that title mess between family." He turned to the others. "We have rooms prepared for each of you. I hope you make yourselves at home. We've decided on a light supper tonight since we will be working the kitchen staff overtime tomorrow with the ball."
"That sounds perfect." Riley handed off her luggage to a waiting footman.
"You're home is beautiful, your grace." Hana added.
"Just Bertrand, please." He insisted. "I've never enjoyed my title being used so often with invited guests.
He knew he had slipped up when Savannah came into the entry hall. Her eyes narrowed somewhat in concern.
Damn it all to hell. My potioned mind insists on formality with every single meeting. I've got to find a way to tell her I'm not that man anymore.
Will she be disappointed? Did she care for more the new version or did she miss the old me? What if I'm not who she loves anymore?
The others greeted Savannah and followed her to the dining room.
Sherry stayed behind, watching Bertrand curiously.
He cleared his throat while offering his arm. "Shall we?"
"I was actually hoping to see Maxwell first."
"Yes, of course." He motioned toward the stairs. "Second hall to the right, third door on the left."
He wondered why she didn't move.
Sherry stared up at the stairs, biting down on her bottom lip with fists clinched.
Bertrand decided he probably shouldn't point out that whisps of smoke curled around her.
"Sherry?" He gently laid a hand on her arm.
He fought back a wince from how hot her skin felt.
"Sorry!" She jumped out of reach. "I was, um, lost in thought."
His brow furrowed. "You are still fine with me announcing your engagement tomorrow night?"
"Yes!" She squeaked. "I'm excited." Her shoulders slumped. "Actually, I'm very nervous."
"Don't be. I've never seen my brother act the way he does around you with anyone else."
She wondered if that were true. After all, the man had had his memory altered.
"I suspect he's pacing his room, just waiting on you to arrive." He nudged her toward the stairs. "Please go save our carpet."
A nervous laugh escaped her lips as she began her trek upstairs.
Without any thought whatsoever, she found her way to Maxwell's room. She doubted she'd ever need any map or person to show her the way. She was so in tune with him that it didn't take any effort at all on her dragon senses.
She stood in front of his door and tried to calm her nerves. Shaking out the tiny flames from her fingers, she jumped when a hand clamped on her shoulder.
"Hey." Drake jerked his hand back when she accidentally burned him. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."
Sherry's jaw dropped. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see Savannah." An annoyed frown formed. "And got roped into staying for the ball."
Sherry's eyes widened. "But the blood oath was broken. The pain you feel--"
"Yeah, it still hurts." Drake shrugged. "But it also felt kind of good to be near her again." He looked down. "I think...I think the more I'm around her, the easier it will be."
"I hope so." Sherry started to hug him then noticed the smoke wafting from her arms.
Drake stepped back with his hands raised. "I didn't come with a bag, so I can't afford you burning my clothes. Liam's bringing it later tonight."
"Liam's what?!"
"He's been invited too." Drake muttered. "If this keeps up, the whole damn Dark Kingdom will wind up as guests of the monster hunters." He glared at Maxwell's door. "If you weren't with him and Bertrand hadn't had his mind wiped, I'd swear this was a trap to destroy us all at once."
Sherry rolled her eyes. "It isn't a trap."
"You all keep telling me that. I'll believe it when I see it."
With a wave, he headed downstairs.
Sherry took a deep breath, raised her hand to knock, then decided instead to just walk in.
Maxwell was indeed pacing. His damp hair showed signs of a recent shower. He was nervously rolling up the sleeves to his dress shirt, then pushing them back down, all while muttering to himself.
"I know you said we were destined to be together, but I want to make that a certainty. Will you marry--no. Sherry, look, we both know we are meant to be. I love you and want you to marry--"
He cursed, running a hand through his hair.
"Sherry, I love you and want you to be my wife." Maxwell patted his pockets, cursed again for not having the ring box to practice with, and turned around to try and search for it.
He stopped dead at the sight of Sherry in his doorway.
"Hey!" He said nervously. "I didn't know you had arrived. I would have been downstairs to greet--"
He toppled backwards into a chair when she launched herself into his arms.
The intensity of her kiss combined with the soothing warmth of her skin made him forget all about how nervous he was.
"I've missed you." She whispered, pressing kisses along his jaw. "I couldn't wait to see you tonight."
"I've hated being apart from you." He groaned when she shifted in his lap. "I don't want another month like this past one."
She leaned back to look into his eyes. Her own were a bright silver as she thought of all the ways he had been practicing his proposal.
Hearing him say how much he had missed her went a long way in cooling her heated temper.
"I love you, Sherry." He pressed a tender kiss to her lips. "I want you to marry me."
"That's all I want too." She met his lips in an excited kiss.
"Wait!" He broke away, lifting her off his lap, and searched for the ring. "I know I put it here somewhere..."
She stopped his frantic movements by patting his shirt pocket.
Rolling his eyes over his forgetfulness, he pulled the little black box out.
"I hope you like it." He stammered. His nerves grew as he slipped the diamond solitaire over her finger.
"I love it." She couldn't stop smiling. "Almost as much as I love you."
He grinned while glancing about. "I'd hoped to pick a more romantic setting than my old bedroom to propose." He shrugged sheepishly. "But seeing you made all my plans disappear."
"I don't care about romantic spots or rings or anything." Sherry wrapped her arms around him. "All I want or ever need is you." She smiled into his kiss. "To me, wherever you are is the best place to be."
********************
Later that night...
"I can't believe you came here." Riley snuggled closer within Liam's arms.
"You know I can't stay away from you." He kissed her softly.
"What about your father? Is he well enough to be left alone?"
"He says he is, but honestly," Liam sat down in a chair, settling Riley on his lap, "he told me to go be with you regardless." His brow furrowed. "Though he doesn't know I'm in the renowned monster hunters of Cordonia's home. Nor that Olivia is also an expected guest."
Riley's mind whirled with the chances Liam was taking, not only in seeing her but also with his investigations. Her worry grew over the mere thought of losing him.
"Can I go back to the Dark Kingdom with you after the ball?"
Liam's eyebrows lifted. "Of course. You will always be welcomed there." He cuddled her close. "Ever since you became my recognized mate, my home has been yours."
"Good." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I think it is past time I met your father."
"He is anxious to meet you." Liam's joy dimmed. "I know he planned on having you to dinner with him and Regina."
"I would have loved to meet her." Riley pressed a tender kiss to his cheek. "What was she and your mother like? Were they similar?"
"In many ways." Liam explained. "They were both loving and genrous with their time and talents. My mother spent as much time as she could trying to make our kingdom a home for any foreign monster seeking sanctuary. Regina didn't have much to do per say in the ruling of our people, but she nevertheless influenced my father on decisions. She was wise in getting to the very heart of matters." He rested his head against Riley's. "She really became a beloved second mother to me."
"They both sound like ladies I hope I can live up to."
Liam looked down at her with a smile. "My love, I already see similar characteristics in you. You have nothing to fear in that aspect."
She smiled into his next kiss. Her mind was trying so hard to think more on her plans, yet his touch always sent her thoughts far from her mind. She wondered if it would ever get any easier around him.
Her last coherent thought was that she hoped his father would help her convince Liam to finally make her a vampire.
****************
In Fydelia, Madeleine's laboratory...
"I know Regina wouldn't approve," Madeleine blinked back tears forming, "but I don't feel up to going to the ball at Ramsford."
"There's nothing wrong with that, my love." Leo sat down across from her. "I know you are still grieving."
He took her hands in his, lifting them to his lips.
Her heart hitched mid-beat with his touch. Leo was nothing short of supportive and considerate while she dealt with the loss of Regina. Madeleine didn't know what she would do without him in her life.
"How are you feeling?" She asked.
"You shouldn't be worried about me." He got up and moved around the table to embrace her from behind. "Ever since I took that last potion, I have felt better than ever."
She closed her eyes when she felt the brush of his lips against her neck.
He eyed the Lost Book of Aurelia that sat open upon her desk.
"What have you been working on?" He asked.
"Hmm? Oh. I've been hoping this book can help me now that we found a way to help you regain your throne." Madeleine picked up the weighty, ancient tome.
"Help you? In what way?" Leo asked.
"I know this goes against every principle Regina taught me." Her tender expression hardened with her deep fury. "But I hope to find a spell that can help me locate her killer."
Leo momentarily froze. "Have you ever seen a spell like that before."
"No." She set the book down.
The quiet anger radiating off her body sent the hairs on Leo's neck rising.
"But if I do, not only will I cast it; I will make certain that whoever took Regina from me suffers beyond what any mortal has ever suffered right up until the moment I kill them."
#choices trr#the royal romance#trr dark au#trr vampire au#vampire liam#choices the royal romance#liam x riley#maxwell x oc#rashad x hana#leo x madeleine#bertrand x savannah#trr olivia#trr drake
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It's that time of year again! Thank you to the creators who have shared their Top 5 creations of 2023 according to Tumblr note count. The Creator's Pick Top 5 will be posted this weekend! Links to all fics can be found below the break.
@aallotarenunelma ✒️
So This is Love (BOLAS) - Aerin Valleros x M!elf!MC
Distant Light (BOLAS) - Tyril Starfury x F!elf!MC
Indigo Night (ID) - Cassius Harlow x NB!MC, NB!OC
Répondez, s'il vous plaît! 3 (ILS/ID) - Various Pairings
Sophomore Secret (ILITW) - Dan Pierce x F!MC, M!OC
@angelasscribbles ✒️
A Fervid Fixation (TRR) Ⓜ️ - Drake Walker x MC
In Your Room (TRR) Ⓜ️- Drake Walker x Leo Rys
The Dark Kingdom (TRR) Ⓜ️ - Various Pairings
Dark Elf (TRR) Ⓜ️- Various Pairings
Heir Apparent (TRR) Ⓜ️- Drake Walker x MC, Liam Rys
@baldwinboy5ive 🎨
Blades Coffee Shop AU (BOLAS) - Aerin Valleros x MC
I Will Drag Him Back (BOLAS) - Tyril Starfury & Aerin Valleros
The Spray Bottle (BOLAS) - Imtura, Mal, Aerin
Aerin Instagram (BOLAS) - Aerin Valleros
The Prison Visit (BOLAS) - Aerin Valleros x MC
@cariantha ✒️
Accidental Valentine (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
If Only I Could (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Code Yellow (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
A Kiss on the Hand (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Daddy Distress (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
@inlocusmads ✒️
Intro To Negotiation Science (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
A Strange & Sudden Companionship (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
Cross Your Hearts & Set it Ablaze (COP) - Trystan Thorn x F!MC
Partner (Disambiguation) (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
New York, June 2014 (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
@jerzwriter ✒️
A Different Fate, Part 1 (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
What Happened in Vegas, Part 4 (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Abundance (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
The Perfect Gift (OH) - Tobias Carrick x F!MC
Take Me Out (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
@ladylamrian ✒️
Welcome to the World of Night (NB) - Nightbound MC
Bound by Fate (NB) - Nik Ryder x F!MC
A Meeting in Wyoming (NB) - Nik Ryder x F!MC
Wedding Proposal (NB) - Nik Ryder x F!MC
OC Headcanons (NB)
@liaromancewriter ✒️
Every Day (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Summer Romance (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Beautiful Stranger (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Sleeping Beauty (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Something to Talk About (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
@noesapphic ✒️
The Other Woman (D&D) - Roselyn Sinclaire, Ernest Sinclaire, Duke Richards
A Glimpse of Us (TRR/TRM) - Liam Rys & MC, Fabian Rys & MC
Barcelona | Prince Hamid (D&D) - Prince Hamid x MC
Worthy (TRR) Hana Lee x MC
The Cursed Heiress, Ch. 17 (D&D) - Mr. Sinclaire x F!OC
@peonierose ✒️
Losing Game - Part 1 (OH) - Bryce Lahela x F!OC
Nightbound AU vs. Hänsel & Gretel, Part 3 (NB) - OCs
Nightbound AU vs. Hänsel & Gretel, Part 2 (NB) - Nik Rider, F!MC, OCs
Once, Part 2 (TNA/OH) - Sam Dalton x F!MC
Hau’oli la Heleui (OH) - Bryce Lahela, F!OC, Keiki Lahela
@storyofmychoices ✒️
Go On, Feel It! (BOLAS) - Mal Volari x F!MC
Our Future Doctor (OH) - Bryce Lahela x F!OC
No Kissing! (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
Dance With Me (OH) - Bryce Lahela x F!MC
A Theif in the Gardens (BOLAS) - Mal Volari x F!MC
@tessa-liam ✒️
Memories (TRR) - Liam Rys x F!OC
The Sacrifice (TRR) - Liam Rys x F!OC
Regrets (TRR) - Liam Rys x F!OC
Old Habits Die Hard (TRR) - Liam Rys x F!OC
Turning the Page, Prologue (TRR) - Liam Rys x F!OC
@trappedinfanfiction ✒️
Brunette (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Crossroads (OH) Ⓜ️ - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
A New Neighbor (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
Midnight Talks (OH) - F!MC, Sienna Trinh
What's in a Name? (COP) - Trystan Thorne
@zealouscanonindeer ✒️
Together (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Company (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Locked In (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
20 Questions (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Long Overdue (OH) Ⓜ️- Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
#choices fic writers creations#tumblr top 5#playchoices#choices stories you play#blades of light and shadow#immortal desires#it lives anthology#the royal romance#open heart#crimes of passion#nightbound#desire and decorum#the nanny affair#choices fanfic#choices fanart#playchoices fanfic#playchoices fanart#long post
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Isle of Misfits (Round Robin 2)
Second @choicesprompts round robin.
Writer order and rules
Chapter 1: Welcome @angelasscribbles
Chapter 2: Untitled @christina-stark-skarlet-stileto
Chapter 3: Untitled @sender-paulson
Chapter 4: Initial Meeting TRR Olivia x Platinum Raleigh @alj4890
Chapter 5: Don't Call Me Angel OH Bryce x F!OC and Tobias Carrik @peonierose
Chapter 6: A Royal Kidnapping. Leo Rys. @aussiegurl1234
Chapter 7: Three Princes Walk Into a Bar. TRR, ROE, COP. @thosehallowedhalls
Chapter 8: Burnt by the Truth TRR, ROE, COP, TNA @karahalloway
Chapter 9: Inconvenient Truths TRR, ROE, COP, TNA @tessa-liam
Chapter 10: Dealing with the Paparazzi Mostly TRR @twinkleallnight
Chapter 11: The Final Cut Mostly TRR @angelasscribbles
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Sleepless in New York: Chapter 12 - Hungover on You
Series: TRR
Pairing: Drake Walker x F!OC (Harper Gale)
Synopsis: What if Drake met Harper on the first night of Prince Christian’s New York bachelor party? A stand-alone AU written from Drake's POV.
Masterlist: Sleepless in New York
Chapter Summary: The time has come to fly back home... but who won the bet?
Word Count: 6,800
Rating/Warnings: E (swearing, aggravation, references to graphic images, references to sex, references to bodily functions, toilet humour, motive for murder, way too much caffeine)
Chapter theme song:
A/N1: Thank you so much for bearing with me! This chapter was supposed to be done quickly but then it suddenly exploded into the almost 7,000-word monster that you see before you (I blame Leo 😆). Hopefully, the contents make up for the longer-than-planned wait! There will be one more chapter.
A/N2: As an FYI, everything that is mentioned is true/correct/accurate. Yes, everything! You'll know what I mean when you get to it! 🙃
Chapter 12 - Hungover on You
"Mmm... You're right... These pancakes are heavenly...!" enthuses Max 'round an overstuffed gob.
"I have to admit, I may have been skeptical at first, given the somewhat... dated nature of the décor," admits Chris, skewering the last bite of his own stack, "but I am very glad that I did not allow first impressions to sway me, and to instead let the delights of the fare speak for itself."
I throw him a sidelong glance. "I told you to trust me, didn't I?"
"That you did, mate," Chris chuckles good-naturedly. "That you did."
"Drake always finds the best food," sighs Max as he closes his eyes in blissful appreciation.
I shrug nonchalantly. If you know where to look...
Having hit up Times Square and snapping the obligatory pic or two — it's the end of the trip... fuck it — I'd heeded Chris' final request for this trip by tracking down somewhere we could fuel up before our fast-approaching flight home.
And given the questionable-looking nature of our chosen venue, Chris' initial trepidation had been more than understandable.
Because from the outside — but for the tell-tale smell of bacon wafting out onto the street — this joint looks more like an illicit drug den than a bona fide restaurant. The single-paned window that faces the street has a massive crack in it, the doorway stinks of stale urine, and I wouldn't be surprised if a dead body or two had ended up in the dumpster 'round the back.
The inside's not much better, either. It's a cheap, no-frills galley-kitchen kind of set-up manned by a single, overweight chef who pumps out eggs, bacon, pancakes and hash browns in massive portions while you sit on the other side of the greasy, Lino-covered counter on creaky, '60's bar stools, sipping fully-leaded coffee from chipped mugs.
In short, the complete antithesis of the polished and slightly over-glammed feel of the retro, 1950s diner we ate at yesterday.
And that's why I picked it. Because after having been up the whole night, we need something to sub-in for our lack of sleep, and nothing tastes better than comfort food when you're craving a calorie hit. Plus, Chris had wanted a 'classic' Stateside breakfast experience, and it doesn't get much more Americana than this...
"What is all that sticky goop that it's swimming in?"
...except for the fact that I have Tariq sitting on the other side of me, complaining loudly about every-damn-thing that offends his toffee-nosed sensibilities.
Because as per usual, I can't seem to take two steps in this fuckin’ city without the Almighty crapping on me.
Our butts had just hit the stools when Chris' phone began lighting up with a million-and-one messages from Max asking where we were, what the plan was, and was there any food anywhere.
So, Chris (being Chris) had extended the breakfast invite to not only Max, but to the rest of our band of noble misfits, meaning that our laid-back outing has now morphed into a real-life rendition of The Breakfast Club.
I suppress a groan as I take another swig of my scalding coffee, careful not to move my mouth too much, given that — on top of everything — my jaw has set into exactly the kind of contused stiffness that I'd hoped to avoid.
My own damn fault for not icing the damn thing down when I had the chance...
The only person missing is Leo.
Not that I really care. I've had enough of that guy and his BS for one trip. And the main reason I haven't decked him yet for the shit he pulled last night is because I haven't actually seen him since Gale and I got booted from the club.
And I don't want to ruin Chris' last hour in the Big Apple by knocking his brother's teeth out.
The same can't be said for Tariq, though...
"It's maple syrup, Besnard..." I grunt at him, trying to maintain my focus on the viscous caffeine in my hand, and not the half-a-dozen ways in which I could smash the asshole's face into the countertop.
Because after the steady stream of crap that's hit the fan in the past 36 hours, the only thing keeping me on this side of sane right now is the free-refill mugs of coffee that I've been pouring into myself since we sat down.
Which means that my mood's dancing on a hair trigger, and I'm one stupid comment away from committing violence.
The chef'd probably thank me, though...
Tariq flashes me a disgusted look. "Maple syrup...? You mean tree sap? That is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard of!"
"A lot of things come from trees, dipshit..." I mutter, forcing myself to keep staring at the wall ahead.
Tariq scoffs. "Why would—?"
"Cinnamon is obtained from the inner bark of various South and South East Asian tree species," Chris reminds him.
"And cloves are the dried aromatic flower buds of the clove tree," adds Max, chewing loudly on a ketchup-coveted tater-tot.
Tariq glares down the counter disdainfully. "What are you lot? Walking encyclopaedias...?"
"We just know where our food comes from, Besnard," I grind out around the rim of my mug. "As would you if you ever bothered to step outside."
"Where it comes from is irrelevant," comes the derisive clap-back. "The only thing that matters is the price tag."
"Even when it's been through the digestive tract of a wild animal?" interjects Max with a perfectly straight face.
Tariq nearly spews his over-steeped tea across the room. "What!"
"Certain brands of coffee demand a premium price because of their somewhat... exotic processing process," affirms Chris. "For instance, Kopi Luwak is the most exclusive coffee in the world primarily because it comes from beans that have been consumed and then excreted by the Indonesian palm civet."
Tariq's eyes bulge. "Excreted... As in—?"
"Pooped out," confirms Max gleefully. "Through tiny little butt holes."
Tariq looks like he's about to puke.
"That is correct," continues Chris. "The bile in the civet's digestive system causes the fermentation of—"
Tariq bolts from his chair.
"Lemme guess..." I drawl, turning to face the other two. "The fuck stick's just realised that he's willingly subjected himself to this fancy ass coffee."
"Ass being the operative word..." sniggers Max as he mops up the escaped yolk from his sunny-side-up eggs with a piece of over-buttered toast.
"Yes," laughs Chris, reaching for his own mug of coffee. "He accompanied his father on a business trip to Indonesia last year where he was given the 'Holy Grail' of coffees as a gift..."
"...not realising what it actually was," I snort. "Typical."
The door of the dive creaks open.
"Speaking of typical..." I muttered under my breath as I glance over my shoulder and catch sight of the familiar figure who's just stepped through the entranceway.
"Hey, hey, hey, party people!" greets Leo as he saunters up to us like he doesn't have a care in the world...
...Oh, wait. He never does.
"Glad you could make it!" smiles Chris as he gets up from his stool to clasp his brother's hand in his own. "I was starting to think maybe you lost your phone again."
"I did, as a matter of fact," confirms Leo with a lop-sided grin, fist-pumping Max as he flops down into Tariq's now-vacant seat.
Chris frowns. "But then how—?"
"DiCaprio took pity on me and gave me a new one he had lying around his flat... Which, I have to say, is pretty sweet."
Max is gaping in starry-eyed admiration. "You got to go to famous Leo's apartment? Jealous!"
"No party like the after-party! And that man knows how to party. Oh! Bacon!" the elder Rys exclaims, suddenly laying eyes on Tariq's abandoned plate.
Chris still looks confused. "But if you lost your phone—"
"The magic of the eSIM, baby!" declares Leo with a full mouth as he brandishes a brand-new iPhone into the air. "Been using it for years! Why d'you think my number never changes?"
Chris opens, then closes his mouth. "Fair point."
"Glad to see you haven't lost your touch, Walker," continues Leo with a shit-eating grin as he elbows me in the ribs. "This place is the perfect spot to get daytime murdered in!"
"Careful what you wish for, Rys..." I mutter under my breath.
"Good bacon, though!" he quips, filching another rasher.
"We can order you a helping if you're hungry..." offers Chris.
"Nah, I'm good," replies Leo, dunking the bacon into some syrup. "Grabbed a bagel on the way from this awesome little Jewish place. Do you know that they even—?"
"Oh, dear God...!" gasps Tariq, bursting back into the dining area with a horrified look on his face. "That restroom is disgusting!"
I clench my eyes shut. Sweet Jesus give me strength...
"I admit it smelled a bit funky," concedes Max, "but nothing worse than when Bertrand—"
"There is excrement floating in the toilet bowl!" Tariq all but shrieks.
"Lemme guess..." I murmur to Chris under my breath. "He didn't know how that shit got made either."
Chris' eyes bulge as his coffee goes down the wrong way.
"That is generally what happens when you take a dump," Max tells him prosaically.
"It wasn't mine!!"
"Hate to break it to you, old sport," intones Leo, laying a hand on Besnard's shoulder, "but not every pisser flushes itself. So, you're going to have t—"
"No!" interjects Tariq, shoving Leo's arm away. "I refuse to go back in there! In fact, I've had it with this entire establishment, this entire city, and this entire bloody trip! Everybody is rude, nobody respects me, and I have suffered enough denigration to last me a lifetime! I am leaving!"
Throwing his nose into the air, he turns on the heel of his treadless Ferragamo loafers to stomp out of the diner.
"Christ!" huffs Leo as he jerks a derisive thumb in Tariq's direction. "Who pissed in his Earl Grey?"
"Oh, he's just miffed because he knows he lost the bet last night," supplies Max 'round a mouthful of toast.
Leo perks up. "What bet?"
"Oh, for fuck's sake..." I groan.
I'd completely forgotten 'bout the stupid bet...
"He does know that the hotel is in the other... direction..." coughs Chris, having finally managed to clear the wayward coffee from his lungs. "Doesn't he?"
"I wouldn't bet on it," I mutter, watching Tariq nearly get run over by an early morning cab as he tries to cross the street. "If we're lucky, he'll end up in Brooklyn again."
Chris starts hacking all over again as he tries and fails to stifle a laugh. "You're a...horrible person..."
"But I'm not wrong," I tell him, pointedly lifting my mug to my mouth again.
"Screw the sour-arsed sod!" cries Leo. "I want to know about this bet! And why I wasn't included on it!"
"You weren't there," I tell him tersely. "Plus, you'd've been ineligible anyway."
"Why would I—?" The proverbial lightbulb clicks to life in Leo's head. "Ooh! It was a race to fourth base, wasn't it?"
"Congrats, Sherlock," I grunt. "You've graduated to deductive reasoning..."
"Not just a pretty face, Walker," winks Leo in reply.
I roll my eyes as I return my attention to my coffee.
"But who's the winner...?" Leo continues contemplatively, eyeing the rest of us.
Max opens his mouth...
"No! Don't tell me!" decrees Leo, shoving a hand into the Beaumont's face. "I wasn't included in the bet, so I demand some vicarious recompense! I'm going to guess!"
"How—?" starts Chris.
"By using my incomparable situational awareness, sprinkled with just a smidge of mind-reading!"
"Sounds mystical..." admits Chris.
"Oh, it is! Prepare to be amazed!"
"I'm ready!" shouts Max like an overeager five-year old.
My head hits the Lino between my arms with a pained groan. Somebody just shoot me...
"Alrighty, then," declares Leo, rubbing his hands together with an ungodly dose of perverse satisfaction. "So, we know for a fact that Toss-Pot Besnard never made it out the gate, and—"
"How are you so certain?" asks Chris with a frown.
"For a start, it's Tariq," I mutter at him from the greasy countertop. "Plus, if by some miracle he had managed to pull, he'd've been bragging about it as soon as he walked in."
"True..." Chris concedes with a laugh.
"But, more importantly," adds Max, "Lucy and Jamie — the two girls he'd been after — ended up taking me home last night."
My head snaps up so fast, I nearly give myself whiplash. "They fucking what?"
"You heard me!" grins Max like the Grinch who stole Christmas.
"Hayley and Harper's friends..." reiterates Chris carefully. "You slept with both of them?"
"Yup!" comes the cocky affirmation.
"Well, fuck me running..." I scoff with a shake of my head.
Though I can't seem to stop an involuntary smirk from pulling at my mouth. Because that shit? That's impressive.
"Yes, gold star to Baby Beaumont," agrees Leo with a grin, slapping Max on the back. "But did he seal the deal before my little brother? That's the million-dollar question..."
"What about Drake?" interjects Chris. "He and Harper—"
"Oh, Walker didn't score!" laughs Leo.
Chris' eyes widen as he turns back to me. "You didn't? But you were the first to leave."
"Not by choice..." I admit sourly.
"Captain America here got his arse handed to him by a couple of beefcakes..." Leo explains.
"Fuck you, Rys!" I snap. "It was five against one and I still held my ground!"
"It was you who got caught up in that fight?" gasps Max. "That looked brutal..."
"It would certainly explain the bruises on your face," muses Chris, eyeing me critically. "And the ripped shirt."
I make a vague noise by way of reply. But I don't bother to correct him. The details aren't important. They lead to the same result.
Not that that's anybody's business...
"...and promptly got tossed out the club with Swifty in tow," continues Leo cheerfully. "Which I'm guessing is the reason why she wasn't willing to put out, because—"
I shoot off the stool, shattering the mug in my hand in the process. "Mention her one more time, Rys, and I swear to God—"
"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" interjects Max with a frantic wave of his hands. "If he left with Harper, how do you know that he didn't—?"
Leo jabs an uncompromising finger into my face. "Does this look like the expression of a man who spent the night warmly cocooned by the soft embrace of a woman's supple and welcoming thighs?"
I slap his hand away with a growl.
"Hmm..." muses Max, narrowing his eyes at me. "Now that you mention it... He does seem surprisingly grouchy this morning. Even more so than he was last night..."
"Beaumont..." I warn.
"Whereas my little brother is positively glowing!" continues Leo, fanning his hands around Chris by way of illustration. "Tell me you don't see the difference!"
"Fuck you, both," I grunt, slinging myself down into the barstool again.
A fresh mug of coffee appears before me, as if by magic.
I grab for it tersely. Where's the whiskey when you need it...?
"I rest my case," declares Leo smugly. "Which means, it's down to Lord Three-Way Beaumont and Prince Pull-Hard Charming. But who took their ladies to Heaven first...?"
"It doesn't matter," I grunt abrasively. "Max isn't in the running."
"I am afraid he is correct," Chris agrees after a second's reflection, glancing at Max. "No one backed you, so—"
"Rubbish!" objects Leo loudly. "The sheer act of the ménage à trois should guarantee him a spot in the champions' league, if not the entirety of the pot outright!"
"Except he's not the one who gets the money," I point out. "It's the person who ponied him."
"Christ, if it's that much of an issue, I'll punt him!" declares Leo. "What were the stakes?"
"Eight hundred ducats," Max tells him.
"Done," Leo declares, pulling his wallet out to drop a handful of Ben Franklins on the counter.
Chris meets my eye. "Your call, Drake. It's your money on the line."
I flick my eyes between Max and Chris, before letting out a low breath. "Fuck it. Let's make it interesting."
Pulling my own wallet out, I slap the requisite cash down as well.
Because worst case? I'm out of pocket $500. But best case? I net four times that. And I'm my book, that's a play worth making. Especially when my money's on Chris.
"That's my man!" whoops Leo, punching me enthusiastically in the arm.
"Careful, Rys," I warn him as Chris and Max add their contributions to the purse as well. "It's your dough I'm about to walk away with..."
"Eh..." shrugs Leo unconcernedly. "Money's relative."
"Spoken like a born-and-bred fat cat," I reply dryly.
"And now for the big reveal!" shouts Leo, clapping his hands together. "The stakes are set. The buttocks are clenched. Who takes the crown of Don Juan?"
Chris and Max exchange wry looks.
"What time did you get back to the hotel?" Max asks.
"Just after midnight, I believe..."
"Twelve thirty-five," I tell him.
Max's feet start dancing beneath him. "Oh, this is going to be close! We got back to the girls' flat around half-past as well."
"Sod all that!" cries Leo. "Get to the climax, gents! We want to know who got slob on their knob first!"
"Well, after we got back to the suite, we shared a drink before we..." Chris clears his throat. "...retired to the bedroom. So, perhaps 1am?"
"Yeah-yah!" enthuses Leo with a snap of his fingers. "Bring it home like a pro, bro!"
"Not sure why you're rooting for him," I scoff.
"I am permitted to share in my little brother's sex-tastic accomplishments!" he counters. "Especially when I'm the one who taught him everything he knows!"
"Except now, it's about to leave you out of pocket," I smirk, reaching for the pile of cash.
"Hold on!" interjects Max, scrolling furiously through his phone. "I think I have Christian beat!"
I frown. "How in the—?"
"Watch it and weep!" the Beaumont exclaims triumphantly, thrusting his phone out.
Leaning in towards the device — from the speakers of which spew the unmistakably pornographic sounds of sex — Leo, Chris, and I are greeted with a bird's eye view of Max balling Lucy from behind while she went down on Jamie's spread-eagled form on the bed.
Leo's jaw drops. "You filmed it?"
"Would've been rude not to," smirks Max.
"You dirty bugger!" laughs Leo, grabbing the Beaumont to noogie him.
I pull my eyes away from the X-rated spectacle. "Okay, but how does this—?"
"Look at the...time stamp," prompts Max from beneath Leo's arm.
Glancing back at the screen, I focus in on the tiny numbers at the top.
12:52am.
My shoulders slump. "Goddamn it."
"Looks like we have our winner," Chris concedes with a wry chuckle.
"You're not even going to contest it?" I demand, throwing an accusatory hand out at Max.
"I am not sure there is anything to contest," replies Chris. "The numbers speak for themselves. And since Maxwell is the only one out of the two of us who had the foresight to record the exact timing of the event, I think it is only fair that he takes the pot."
"Yeah, baby!" whoops Leo, jumping off his stool with outstretched arms to thrust out an in-your-face victory dance à la Ace Ventura. "Can you feel it? Can... you... feel it?! Damn, it feels good!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever..." I grunt with a roll of my eyes.
But, Leo's asinine antics aside, I have to hand it to Max. Not only did the guy manage to go above and beyond, but he somehow managed to beat the clock as well.
So, I can't begrudge second place too much.
"I believe this is rightfully yours, big brother," declares Chris, graciously handing the pile of bills over.
"Why, thank you, little brother!" grins Leo as he accepts the winnings with a mock bow...
...before studiously dumping the cash into Max's lap.
The Beaumont's eyes widen in disbelief. "I— But you— I didn't—"
"Hey, I wasn't the one with my pants down on the front lines last night," he says. "So, if anyone deserves the spoils of war, it's you."
Max is still gawping like a stupefied goldfish. "But—"
"Spend it well, kemosabe," the elder Rys incants somberly, laying a hand on Max's shoulder.
"Th-thank you," stammers Max, suddenly overcome with unexpected emotion.
"Ehh... Don't mention it!" shrugs Leo with a grin. "I'm just here for the memories. Though... speaking of, if you want your lasting memories of this trip to be anything other than dear Father sending a squadron of Guards after you to haul you back across the Pond, I suggest you get your tushes to the airport."
"Oh, shit..." I cuss, glancing down at my watch. "We gotta move." Necking the last of my coffee, I signal for the cheque.
"Are you flying back with us?" asks Chris as he pushes himself off his stool.
"Nah," demurs Leo, reaching across his brother to grab the final piece of bacon off Tariq's plate. "As much as I'd love to steal your thunder by gate-crashing yet another fancy ball that I don't have an invitation to, you know Regina still hasn't revoked that shoot-on-sight order she put out on my head last year."
Chris laughs. "I'm sure it's not all that bad..."
"You'd be surprised!" insists Leo with only a touch of sardonicism. "Plus, I promised Katie that I'll bring her back a box of cronuts. So, I got a few errands to run before I jet out."
"Well, in that case," replies Chris, reaching out to envelop his brother in a hug, "thank you for coming, and we'll hopefully see each other soon!"
"You can bet on it, matey," confirms Leo, giving Chris a heartfelt thump on the back before pulling away. "At the Coronation, if nothing else."
Chris' eyes widen. "Father signed off on your attendance?"
"Not yet," the elder Rys admits. "But I'm slowing wearing the old man down."
"Well, I — for one — certainly hope you succeed!" laughs Chris.
"I have faith in myself," winks Leo. Leaning past Chris, he reaches out to bump knuckles with Max. "Beaumont. Say hi to Bert for me."
"Will do," nods Max. "And thank you. Again. You really didn't—"
"Like I said," Leo deflects with an arrant smirk. "Don't even mention it."
Max nods gratefully.
Finally, Leo turns to me. "Walker."
I meet his eye impassively as I draw myself up to my full height to face him. "Rys."
"You got his six, right?" he asks, inclining his head almost imperceptibly back towards his brother, who — true to his earlier promise — is in the process of intercepting the bill before it can make it to me.
"Come hell or high water," I affirm.
"Good," he nods, his expression uncharacteristically tight. "'Cause there's going to be both. And he'll need someone to help pull him through."
"This ain't my first rodeo, Leo," I remind him, watching Chris trying to figure out which greenback was which with Max's help as he sought to pay for our breakfast.
"I know," acknowledges Leo, his face tightening as the memories of the fallout from the assassination attempt flash through his memory. "But I still appreciate it. He is my only brother, after all."
I meet his eye. "Then you know why I'm doing it."
Leo holds my gaze for a long moment before extending his hand. "You're a good friend, Drake."
"Someone's gotta be," I tell him with a wry smile, reciprocating the gesture.
Leo might grate me up the wrong way with his bad jokes and juvenile attitude, but we are — and always have been — on the same page when it comes to Chris.
"They're rarer than you think," Leo murmurs softly. Dropping my hand, he turns back to Chris and Max, who have finally managed to settle the bill, plus tip. "Ciao, amigos! It's been a blast!"
"Have a good flight!" Chris tells him with a wave.
"I always do!" Leo assures him. "Stay safe, little brother. Give the ladies a fair chance, don't do anything I wouldn't—"
I scoff. "Is there even such a thing?"
"—and remember," Leo continues unabashedly, "if you're ever in doubt, there's always the balcony!"
Chris stifles a laugh. "I'm sure it won't come to that..."
"Never underestimate the beauty of a Plan B!" Leo hollers over his shoulder as he pulls the rickety door open, and steps out onto the street.
Max stares after him with a perplexed look. "When he said 'balcony'... Did he mean you jumping off it, or you throwing the lady off?"
"I wouldn't read into it too much," I advise as I grab my leather jacket to pull it on. Turning to Chris I ask, "You good?"
"Yes, I think I managed to sort the bill..." he replies, pulling his own jacket on as well. "Fifty percent gratuity is acceptable here, right?"
I nearly dislocate my shoulder putting my arm into a non-existent sleeve. "Erm... Yeah. Sure. More than acceptable."
Christmas definitely came early for this waitress!
But at least the hefty tip would help smooth over any wayward resentment left in the wake of Tariq's ass-like behaviour.
Chris' face visibly relaxes. "Oh, good! I wasn't sure of the correct etiquette."
"Trust me," I drawl, opening the creaky door. "You ain't never gonna fall flat in that department."
"If you say so," concedes Chris with a smile as he and Max follow me out onto the street.
"I know so," I assure him, leading the way back to Broadway.
At just gone 7am on a weekday, the city is already a hive of activity with cyclists, taxis, and pedestrians vying for position on the thoroughfares against the buses, garbage trucks, and private vehicles, as everyone tries to get where they're going just that much faster.
My gaze tracks west almost on auto-pilot. Wonder what Gale's doing... Is she still asleep, or—?
I yank myself forcefully back from the precipice of that dead-end drift.
The only thing that matters right now is getting Chris and Max (...Tariq can go fuck himself) back to the hotel and then getting 'cross town to Teterboro in time for scheduled departure.
Leo hadn't been joking when he'd said that Constantine would not hesitate to unleash a squadron of King's Guard on our tails if we didn't arrive back in Cordonia by the agreed time.
That had been the agreement.
Because the first event of the season kicks off tomorrow with the Masquerade Ball, and Chris has a full week's worth of engagements penciled into the twelve hours beforehand.
Which means that there can be zero deviations, zero slippages. We have to be on that plane...
...even though that's the last thing any of us want to do right now.
Because glancing back at Chris and Max as we make our way up back to the hotel, it's clear that New York has been a much-needed escape for both of them. Not just from the daily grind of court, but also from the strictures of expectation. As here, you weren't your name, or your title, or your birthright.
You were just another guy on the street, trying to make your American dream come true.
And despite — or rather, because of — their stations, that's a privilege that neither Chris nor Max have ever had the luxury of experiencing before. Because even though they may have all the money in the world, one thing they could not buy with it is freedom — true freedom. As money garnered expectations and expectations choked you out like chains around your neck.
And that was life's unfair trade-off...
...unless you were Leo, who somehow managed to screw the pooch into laying him a golden egg by finding a woman who was apparently not only worth abdicating for, but who also turned out to be loaded in her own right, thanks to a very generous inheritance provision in her grandmother's will.
And because that money came with zero strings attached, the lucky bastard got to have it all: living it up large, while also getting to flip the rules and regulations that he's always hated the bird.
But, unfortunately for the rest of us mere mortals who weren't born with the luck of the devil, the best we can hope for are those rare moments in between when the constraints of your usual life fall away, and you're rewarded with a much-needed breath of levity.
And maybe that's why I'd fallen so hard and fast for Gale. Because irrespective of the magnetic pull she had on me, she wasn't just some hot girl I'd happened to hit it off with. As while undeniable, the deep seated attraction went beyond the mere physical... or even the personal.
Because beyond the fact that she was gorgeous, funny, and knocked me for six at every turn, she was more than just simple perfection. She was the sweet promise of possibility. Tantalising me with a taste of what could've been in a world free of obligation. Where I was just me — not an undercover Guard, not a duty-bound friend to a prince, not a jaded outsider confined to the sidelines, always looking in.
But as entrancing as the experience had been, I know it couldn't last.
Because such moments are — by their nature — transient. And like a pre-dawn mist on the water, they dissolve with the first light of the sun.
Just like our time in the States.
Which means that it's time to return to reality. Whether we want to or not.
Because duty always calls.
Arriving back at the hotel, I see that the pre-arranged limo is already idling next to the curb.
Detouring by the driver's side window, I have a quick word with the chauffeur to let him know that we'll be back down in a sec with our bags.
Turning to lope into the hotel, I catch up with Chris and Max just as the lift arrives in the lobby. The doors ping open and we pile in to make our way up to our floor, each of us lost in our respective thoughts.
The elevator arrives on our booked-out floor and we disperse into our rooms to throw our shit together. While packing, I send a text to Schweitzer to let him know that we're bugging out, so his team can start the clean-up and check out.
Zipping my duffle up, I do one last sweep of the space before grabbing the keycard and exiting the room for the final time.
Stepping back out into the corridor as the door clicks shut behind me, I find Chris already waiting for a lift.
"You were quick," I say, coming to a stop next to him.
"Wasn't much to pack," he admits.
"Hayley still there?"
"Yes, she's sleeping," he confirms with a ghost of a smile. "I couldn't bring myself to wake her."
I nod wordlessly. Good-byes suck. They're either gut-wrenching, or awkward, or both. Best to just—
"Will...you be back?"
"I wouldn't hold my breath."
"Maybe I want to."
The ding of the elevator knocks me back into the present.
Shaking my head, I step into the car after Chris. But for some reason, I can't seem to duck the sudden sense of emptiness that's dropped into my guts. Like I'd forgotten something... Even though I know I haven't.
I rub my eyes. I'm just beat...
I'm about to hit the button for the lobby when Max careens in out of nowhere to throw himself through the wedge between the doors, Gucci backpack dangling haphazardly from his arm.
"Oh, thank God!" he pants, falling gracelessly into the small space. "Thought you'd left already!"
"We wouldn't dream of leaving without you, dear friend," Chris assures him with a laugh.
"Speak for yourself," I grunt abrasively as the doors finally close. "You fall behind, you get left behind."
Max's eyes widen. "You wouldn't!"
I meet his gaze impassively. "Try me."
"But Tariq—"
"—can find his own damn way home," I cut in flatly. "If he ain't buckled up by last and final call, that plane's not waiting for him."
Max flicks his horrified gaze from me to Chris.
Chris shrugs. "Drake is correct. It is unfortunately too short notice to modify the flight plan and—"
Throwing his head down, Max begins typing away furiously on his phone.
"You're wasting you're time, Beaumont," I tell him with a low exhale. "Regardless of where the fuck-wit is, he'll still need to come back to the hotel to get his passport, if nothing else. He ain't gonna make it."
"But we can't just abandon him!"
"He's a grown-ass man," I grunt dispassionately in response as we hit the ground floor again. "If he can't be bothered to look at his overpriced Rolex, then that's his problem. Not mine."
"Chances are he is waiting for us at the terminal already," advises Chris optimistically.
"But—"
"Drop it, Beaumont," I grunt, grabbing my duffel to march out of the elevator car without a backwards glance.
I have no clue why Max is being so hard up about waiting for the dipshit who wasn't even supposed to be on this trip in the first place. Especially since that same dipshit also happens to be in possession of a gold credit card.
So, I really can’t give a flying fuck if Besnard misses the flight. He can pay for his own charter home.
I'm not about to jeopardise Chris' commitments for the benefit of a self-absorbed prick.
Exiting the lobby, I beat a straight line to the back of the waiting limo. The chauffeur spots my approach and scrambles to open the door, but I've already beaten him to it.
Popping the trunk, I toss my duffle in before making my way to the front to grab the shotgun seat while Chris and Max offload their own bags.
A slam of doors, a click of seatbelts and we're pulling out onto 57th St., only ten minutes behind schedule.
I try to settle down for the half-hour drive, but I find my knee jackhammering impatiently. I know we have plenty of time to spare before takeoff, but I hate running late. Even if it's only by a minute.
Because you never what kind of shit's gonna hit the fan — roadworks, lane closure, freeway pileup — and you can't mitigate if you ain't got any time in the bank.
I can only hope and pray that we don't run into any last-minute surprises on the 15 or so miles to the airport.
Chris strikes up some kind of conversation with the chauffeur, but I'm in no mood for small talk. Folding my arms, I try to tune out whatever it is they're saying by watching the skyscrapers flick past as we head west, then north to pick up the George Washington Bridge to Jersey.
And apart from a brief wait at the toll plaza on the other side of the Hudson, the journey passes quickly and uneventfully.
Arriving at the airport concourse, we exit the limo and make our way into the main terminal building. Luckily, at this time in the morning, there are not too many flights, so we pass through customs without any hang-ups...
...except for the fact that Max remains glued to his phone, obsessively-compulsively checking for texts from Tariq every two seconds, even as we board the jet.
"Have you tried calling him?" Chris asks as he stows his bag in preparation for the flight.
"At least ten times," confirms Max, glancing anxiously out the window in the over-keen hope that Tariq will magically appear.
"Maybe his phone ran out of battery..." offers Chris hopefully.
"More likely he got mugged," I grunt, falling into one of the leather seats.
Max throws me a disbelieving look. "That's a horrible—! Oh. You're actually serious..."
"Guy like him... Prime target," I reply dispassionately.
Max's face drains of colour. "We have to call the police!"
"And say what?" I snap abrasively. "That the bell-end got himself lost somewhere in Manhattan? They'll laugh us off the call."
"But—"
"If Tariq really is in trouble, he can hit up the Cordonian consulate," I declare uncompromisingly. "But it was his bright idea to throw a hissy fit and stomp off in the wrong direction when—"
"You ungrateful ingrates!"
My eyes snap past Max. "For fuck's sake..."
Tariq is stood in the doorway of the jet, looking like he'd literally battled his way through the nine levels of hell to get here. His over-gelled hair looks like it's been zapped with a Taser, his clothes are somehow drenched and filthy, and he's wearing only one shoe.
"Would it have killed you to wait?!" he shrieks, throwing his Louis Vuitton man-bag onto the closest seat.
"Yes..." I reply.
Tariq shoots me a murderous expression. But before he can open his mouth again, Max has crushed him into an over-eager bear hug.
"You made it!" he enthuses. He pulls back suddenly. "But why were you not picking up your phone? And also, why do you smell like a wet dog?"
"Because I was robbed!"
"Told ya," I smirk across the aisle at Chris.
"It's not funny!" shouts Tariq, jabbing an irate finger at me. "If you only knew of the horrors that I have been subjected to, you would think more than twice about making light of my plight!"
"Pretty sure I wouldn't..." I mutter with a roll of my eyes.
"What was that?" demands Tariq imperiously.
"Nothing," I grunt as a steward appears next to my seat.
"Can I interest you in a pre-flight refreshment?" she asks.
"Yeah, sure," I shrug.
She hands me something pink and bubbly in a champagne glass. "Enjoy!"
"I doubt it," I mutter, grabbing the flute to throw it back in one swig.
I grimace as the sour mix of grapefruit and Prosecco hits the back of my throat. But alcohol's alcohol, and at this point, I would've downed windscreen wash if it'd've helped drown out Tariq's high-pitched info dump of his trials and tribulations.
Kinda wish we had left the bastard behind...
But I couldn't seem to win on this trip, so I'm just going to have to suck up the next twelve-or-so hours locked up in an airtight fuselage with the bouchebag and pray that there's enough whiskey on board to keep me from choking him out.
Pulling my phone from my pocket to help distract myself, I shoot off one final text to Schweitzer to let him know that we've made it to the airport and we're about to take off.
I'm about to do the same for Bast when the over-taxed device finally gives up the ghost and the battery dies halfway through the text.
"Great..."
Reaching into my duffel with a sigh, I extract the phone's charging cable and plug it into the seat's USB port so it can get some life back while we're airborne.
As Tariq continues to piss and moan about nearly getting run over, having his phone stolen right out of his hand as he tried to call a cab — followed shortly thereafter by his watch — and then tripping and falling into an open excavation hole as he tried to chase after the pickpockets, the cabin crew shut the aircraft door and complete their final cross-checks in preparation for departure.
A quick intro from the captain, and the jet starts rolling. After a short taxi, we're out on the runway, where we idle for a couple of minutes waiting for the go from the tower.
As soon as we get it, the pilot revs the turbines and the jet lurches forward. We hurtle down the runway, wheels bouncing and jet engines whining before jumping into the air to start our climb to 41,000 feet.
Glancing out the window, I watch the ground fall away as we ascend over Jersey, my ears popping from the rapid altitude change.
The plane banks sharply to the right and I catch sight of the Manhattan skyscape...
...but there must've been something in the mimosa because I’ve crashed out before the plane fully levels off.
The story concludes in Epilogue: Into The Night.
A/N: As another little bonus, here is a pic of Chris in Times Square:
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Sleepless in New York only
@bebepac
Picture Credits: Breakfast - New York - Diner - Chris - Tariq
Max, Leo, and Drake were generated using the AI art app Wonder
#drake walker#sleepless in new york#prince leo#prince liam#maxwell beaumont#tariq#the royal romance#new york#trr fanfic
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Dancing with our hands tied.
Book: TRR/ROE
Pairing: Leo x F!OC
Word count: 1,339
Warnings: swearing, but mostly fluff
Setting: This is a flash back to Leo's social season, before Madeline was chosen and before he ran off to go on a cruise.
A/N: Life has been super crazy, with the end of the school year, holidays and work I haven't had much time to write. I quickly got this together to post so, sorry for any errors. 😬
A/N 2: I have an idea for this to become a series of some sort. More details to come. Also as always if you'd like to be added to the tags, let me know.
This was written for @choicesflashfics using the prompts;
"How long have you been standing there?"
"You're allowed to fall apart a little."
"That's all I really want and need. Some time with just you "
Song inspiration:
The social season was well underway, just a few short weeks and he would be forced to choose a bride. Five suitors from five noble houses across the country and globe with Cordonian ties all vying for his hand. He should be gloating about having five women throw themselves at him, wanting a piece of whatever attention he chose to give, and under normal circumstances he would relish in it. He was dubbed the playboy prince after all but this was something else entirely. The desperation in their voices when he spoke to them, some doing a better job than most if their words didn't give them away their faces told it all. He was trained to read people from a very young age, body language, and touch, all tell a story and these women wanted one thing, the crown.
Leo stood in the middle of a crowded room speaking to Lady Jessica and her parents Lord and Lady Britton. Jessica was one of his suitors, as he listened to Lady Britton ramble on about being a suitor during Constantine's first social season, he felt the panic spread through his chest. Of course, she didn't leave out the part where Constantine chose his mother, the mother who couldn't cut it as a Royal and fled, leaving him behind. Lord Britton seemed to have enough of his wife's antics he cleared his throat at the mention of Lady Britton's talents of playing the flute.
"Yes, Our Jessica is also very talented in the musical area. She mastered playing the piano at the age of four. Isn't that right, Jessica?" He turned his attention towards his daughter.
"Why yes, Father. That is correct. I am also skilled in archery, ballet, and painting." She answered right on cue, giving a shy smile and batting her eyes.
"All wonderful skills a wife should possess, wouldn't you agree your highness?" Lord Britton's attention was now on him.
"Why yes, Lord Britton. I agree, all wonderful talents." Leo politely answered, desperate to find a way out of his current conversation.
"Splendid?" Lord Britton laughed before turning serious. "The end of the social season is quickly approaching, if I may be so bold as to ask, have you made a decision yet?"
The panic now had spread throughout his body, his nerve endings were tingling and his hands began to sweat. "No. I have not come to a decision yet." Leo carefully chose his words, "The decision does not come lightly, choosing Cordonias next queen is something to be taken seriously, I intend to take careful consideration in choosing my future bride." He settled on a quick, sharp answer, in hopes to shut him up; it seems to have worked as he watched the fear flash before lord Britton's eyes. He nodded stiffly. "Of course your highness."
Leo hated making small talk with the suitor's parents, his eyes did a quick scan of the room and finally, he spotted his out.
"Now if you will excuse me, there is a matter that requires my attention." Leo cut the conversation off at the knees, he turned to leave, "Lord Britton, Lady Britton, Lady Jessica." He nodded to the three quickly walking through the ballroom and disappearing behind a door on the far side. He walked down the long hall and into one of the studies his father often used to discuss private matters during events.
He stripped his jacket off immediately, tossing it onto the floor, loosening his tie as he paced the room. Breathing in and out he gripped a hold of the tie yanking it free from his neck. Leo walked over to the bar cart and poured a large glass of scotch, quickly letting the contents burn its way down his throat.
"It's too much. To much. I, Im not cut out for this. I can't do this." He began to pace, grabbing a fist full of his hair and letting out a frustrated growl. He turned, stopping dead in his tracks to find a beautiful brunette standing there with a nervous look on her face. Lady Ava was attending the social season with her uncle, one of Constantine's Allies from Australia. She and Leo had grown close during the season, and while she wasn't one of his suitors, he still found ways to be around her.
"I'm sorry, I. I should go." Ava stammered, averting her eyes.
"How long have you been standing there?" Leo breathed out.
"Not long." She quickly answered, casting her eyes to the side.
"Long enough I'm sure." He let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Well, I guess you'll be running for the hills now. Now that you know what a freak show I am."
"Is that what you want?" Her question threw him off, guard. It wasn't a question he was asked often, no one took into consideration his wants.
"I don't understand." Her question confused him.
"I didn't think it was a hard question." Ava closed the door and made her way across the room. "Do you want me to leave? Is that what you want?"
Leo stood there staring at her. Out of all his suitors, she was the only one he made a real connection with only she wasn't a suitor. "No." He finally answered.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She questioned and he shook his head.
"What do you want me to say? I fell apart, I lost my composure, I cracked under pressure, what a fucking great king I'll make." He let out another sarcastic snort.
Ava closed the distance between them, "You're allowed to fall apart a little." She placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Even the best of us fall apart sometimes, I know this has to be hard, I can't begin to imagine what you are going through. I know this isn't what you wanted out of life."
"It isn't but, it's what I was born to do, literally. I don't get a say, what I want doesn't matter. I don't get time to myself. " He turned away to stare out the window.
"It matters to me." She spoke and he turned to look at her again. "Is that what you want? Time alone? Because right now, you're not in a ballroom, it's just the two of us."
Leo crossed the room closing the distance between the two of them. He reached out softly cupping her face with his hands. "That's all I really want and need. Some time with just you." He lowered his voice, eyes searching her face.
"Leo." She breathed out, closing her eyes.
"You're the only one who gets me here, you see me as more than a crown." Leo lifted her chin forcing her to look at him.
"Because you are more than a crown. You're more than all of this." She motioned around to nothing. "At the end of all of this, when you make your choice, Just remember that the crown doesn't make the man. You can shape yourself and this country in whatever way you see it." Ava smiled at him and with that Leo leaned in claiming her lips in a soft kiss, before pulling away and resting his forehead on hers.
"I do not know what the next few weeks will hold," he spoke. "But just know that you are special to me, Ava."
Ava wrapped her arms tightly around Leo's waist. The two stayed that way for a few minutes before reluctantly pulling apart.
"We should probably get back before someone notices we are both missing. What a scandal that would cause." She giggled.
"If it's a scandal you're looking for, I can arrange for something more worth it than a hug." Leo waggled his brows which earned and eye roll.
"You sir, are diabolical. Now Let's go." She motioned towards the door.
"Its all I have going for me and wouldn't want to be any other way." Leo shrugged and smiled. He wasn't sure who he would end up with at the end of the season but he would hold her memory for a lifetime.
@kingliam2019 @ao719 @emichelle @annabellewynter @twinkleallnight @tessa-liam @riseandshinelittleblossom @blackcatkita @katedrakeohd @tinkie1973 @ownworldresident @cordoniaqueensworld @lovingchoices14 @indiana-jr @txemrn @bascmve01 @queenwalton @sfb123 @umccall71 @choicesficwriterscreations
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Six Sentence Sunday 09.18.22 / Mood Music Monday
In case you were wondering, I’m still around! I know I’ve been slacking on my posting and updating on fics, but life has been coming at me fast lately and still keeps coming. I’m glad I have some ideas bubbling, it’s just not been easy to get them down.
I will say this though, I have been doing the choices prompts, and it’s opening up different pairings, and so far, each of the stories I’ve written for it weren’t things I was planning to do. So here’s to opening up different pairings in my writing. Hope you enjoy these series of one shots, who knows, they might open up to be a new series at a later date who knows!?!?!?
Here’s what I posted recently: Part 2 of my Pretty Woman-like story
And Everything Nice (TRR AU / Liam x Bebe / Liam x F!OC)
Original post 09.18.22 at 2:18PM EST
Mood Music Monday Submission
Their First Loves
The Book: Rules of Engagement / TRR Crossover
One Shot
Pairings: Leo x Madeleine / Liam x Riley
Status: Still in the writing process
Song Inspiration: F**K You by Lily Allen
“This isn’t working for me anymore.”’
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“This was the agreement. This has always been the agreement. Or have you forgotten?”
“I’ve forgotten nothing. But everything is different now.”
“Nothing has changed Leo. You proposed. I accepted. I was supposed to be Queen. From the beginning you and I were to be paired together.“
“Madeleine, everything is different now. I fell in love, I’m going back to meet the cruise in Greece at the next port they stop. I want to be with Katie. I have a chance for true love. I’m going to take it.
“True love is a myth Leo. It’s not what we do here. You grow to love someone. That’s what we do here.”
“It doesn’t have to be like that, people like us can have more. Don’t you want more for yourself?”
“You know what I want Leo? I want to be Queen! I was born and bred for it.”
“Well, it won’t happen with me then. I abdicated the throne to be with her.”
“YOU WHAT! FOR WHAT?!?!?!”
“This is not the life I was meant to live Maddy, in a loveless marriage with you.”
“I AM SUPPOSED TO BE QUEEN!”
“I don’t love you, and you don’t love me Maddy.”
“I love Cordonia with all of my heart.”
“That may be so, but you don’t love me.”
“It’s the same thing Leo.”
“I AM NOT CORDONIA!!!! AND I DON’T WANT TO BE KING!!!!”
The Best Part
The Rotten Apple 🍎 : Chapter 15 The finale
The Book: TRH / TRF
Pairings: Eleanor x Nico / Eleanor x M!OC / Liam x Riley
Status: Still in the Writing Process
Song Inspiration: Best Part by Daniel Caesar feat H.E.R.
She glanced around the outdoor venue. It was a beautiful intimate setup. She knew she personally had nothing to do with the setup, but she could see little hints of her own attention to detail in the decor for the day. That was one thing she got from her. She had been independent and had asked for no help or financial assistance from the crown, for this day; she had made this day her own. Eleanor has always excelled in arts and crafts, and she could tell some of the beautiful little details and arrangements were made by Eleanor herself.
This day was very special to her. Finally her nerves had gotten the best of her. She felt like an intruder, even though she had been invited.
“I shouldn’t have done this. This was a huge mistake. I don’t want to upset her. Not today, when she’s going to be so happy. She deserves that. I don’t want to ruin this for her. I should leave before I’m seen.”
Riley jumped from her seat. A few people around her glanced in her direction, but no one said anything as she wasn’t recognized wearing her veil.
Liberty grabbed her arm. “Mother, you won’t ruin it. Please don’t leave. It means you truly care for her if you stay. It will mean a lot to her if she knows you stayed. It’s a small private event on purpose. And I’m glad you took me up on my offer to be my plus one. Father has no idea?”
“No, we didn’t speak before he left. I suspect he was hurt and angry with me.”
Riley resumed her seat in the corner, taking Liberty’s hand. “What’s going on with me and your Father is not anything for you to worry about.”
“But I do worry Mother. You and father don’t even share a bedroom anymore. Are you getting a divorce?”
“I don’t know. I hope not. I still love your father. And I think he loves me too.”
#bebepac writes#trr fanfic#trr fandom#choices fanfiction#the rotten apple 🍎#rules of engagement#liam x riley#elle x nico#trr leo#trr liam#cfwc sunday six#mood music monday
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…Sometimes Not (Part 12)
It’s Always Been You
This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt # 1.
Title inspo: It’s Always Been You - Phil Wickham
A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Not beta’d. Please excuse any errors.
Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)
Rating: M • Warnings: mild nsfw … some lemon zest, if you will.
Word count: 2016
Catch up here
Reyna wasn’t supposed to arrive in Cordonia until later in the evening, but after days of poking and prodding from her aunt during their week-long trip to the mountains, wanting to know what was going on between her and Liam, she finally caved. She detailed Liam’s confession of how he felt, their last conversation and how she’d tried to tell him she felt the same but how he’d been so convinced she’d fallen out of love with him over the years that he wouldn’t let her say anything, and how she’d given him her journal that was filled with three years worth of letters to him expressing what he refused to let her say out loud.
Next thing Reyna knew, Aunt Elsie — who’d always been the biggest cheerleader when it came to the two of them being together — was on the phone with an old friend of hers, cashing in what she claimed was a long overdue favor to get her on an earlier flight, cutting their trip a bit short.
When Reyna arrived in Cordonia that morning, she headed straight to the palace. The first person she ran into was Leo; he told her Liam wasn’t there, but that he was set to return that evening. She planned to wait for him, but Leo — who noticed his brother had been acting a bit oddly since his return from New York — knew Liam would probably enjoy the surprise, and insisted that she go to him; he pulled a guard aside and instructed him to take her to Valtoria.
And now, here she was.
Hovering in the doorway of the master suite inside the estate, Reyna stared at Liam; he was seated on the bed, hunched over with the palm of one hand pressed against his temple to prop his head up, shielding his face from her view. His other hand gripped the top of her journal to keep it open as he read what appeared to be the last page.
Hearing his breath hitch, Reyna’s brows rounded in concern. “Liam?”
When he lifted his red-rimmed gaze and Reyna saw his tear-stained face, she felt her chest tighten as she took a tentative step over the threshold. His brows knit and more tears started to fall as he stared at her for a heartbeat, and in the next, he was standing and moving towards her.
Liam’s arms wrapped tightly around Reyna and she instinctively returned the embrace; his wet cheek pressed against hers as he tightened his hold. His whole body was taut and his shoulders shook as he silently cried.
“Liam …”
“I’m sorry,” he choked out. “I should’ve listened. And I’m … I’m so sorry, Rey.”
Reyna closed her eyes against the sting in them as he held her even tighter. She drew back just enough to look at him, needing to slightly arch because his hold on her wouldn’t loosen. Shifting her arms from around his neck, she cupped his face in her hands, gently brushing away the tears from his cheeks before they were replaced by more. She held his misty blue-eyed gaze for a moment as her own tears started to fall. “Now you understand,” she said, and his chin trembled as he nodded. “I never stopped loving you, Liam. Not for one single day.”
Hearing her words, Liam felt his heart — which was beating so hard in his chest he swore she could both hear and feel it — swell, and every heartachingly, longing-filled word he’d read in that journal filled his head again. All this time … the three years they were apart and even in the last year since they reunited … she had loved him through it all.
With her hands still cupping his face, she tilted hers toward him. She brushed her thumb against his bottom lip before drawing him to her, closing the scant distance between them when she pressed her lips to his. He sighed into the kiss, tasting the salt from both their tears as an otherworldly force pulsed through him.
It was like a long-missing piece had finally returned and locked itself into place right where it belonged. It felt like home — she felt like home.
And for the first time in years, he felt whole.
“I love you, Liam,” Reyna whispered against his lips; she barely got his name out before he kissed her again.
Hearing her say those three words again after so long awoke something inside Liam that he wasn’t sure he’d ever feel again. “I love you, too.” He kissed her again. “I’ve always loved you.” Another kiss. “And I always will.”
Liam kissed her again, and when her lips parted against his, a rush of air escaped him and his body shuddered when his tongue met hers. Keeping his one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, his free hand came up, sliding across her cheek and into her hair until it curled around the nape of her neck as he deepened the kiss. It was all-consuming, stealing the very breath from his lungs.
When Liam heard a whisper of a moan slip from her lips, something inside him snapped at the sound, his usual ability to keep himself controlled shredding at the seams. His hands dropped to the hem of her shirt and he was lifting it a heartbeat later, only breaking the kiss to pull it over her head, and as he did, she was tugging at his. He took the cue, reaching back with one hand to pull it off, and dropping it to the floor as his lips found hers again.
Wrapping one arm around her, Liam spun her away from the door, swinging his other arm out and closing it before effortlessly lifting her; her legs wrapped around him as he carried her toward the bed.
There was a tangle of arms and hands as they stripped one another of their remaining clothing between passion-filled kisses and their hands exploring each newly exposed area of skin.
With the rest of their clothes now strewn haphazardly on the floor, Liam finally drew back to take in her bare body beneath him. The years of painful longing — of wishing for just a single kiss, touch … even a mere word — came to a halt. He had no more reasons to wish, to yearn for her. She was there. They were together. And he knew it was going to be different because there was nothing standing in their way this time.
It was going to last.
It was going to be forever.
Liam slowly skimmed a hand along the curve of her body, pausing on her thigh as his gaze shifted back up to hers. “Say it again,” he whispered.
Reyna softly smiled. “I love you.”
A breath fell from her lips as they parted when she felt Liam’s hand slip between them and a finger slide against her. When he felt how ready she was, an impatient groan escaped him; he had every intention of savoring every part of her later, but at that moment, he needed to feel all of her.
In the next moment, Reyna gasped followed by a moan when she felt him filling her; Liam slowly pushed home inch by inch until he was buried to the hilt. He dropped his head to her shoulder as a moan rumbled from deep within his chest at the feeling of being wrapped around her again.
Another moment later, Liam lifted his head when he felt her fingers lace with his, and his eyes searched hers as he began to move. “You’re mine,” he whispered with a thrust of his hips, the words spoken with a hint of question behind them.
“I’m yours,” Reyna assured him. “I’ve always been yours, Liam.”
Another moan escaped him, in part from her words, in part from the way she took him even deeper when her legs wrapped around him. He found her lips again with another thrust as her hands curled around his neck and into his hair. “I’ve only ever been yours,” he whispered.
Liam drew out each stroke, prolonging the moment as long as he could until they were panting between impassioned kisses and moans, both on the edge of release.
When he picked up his pace, Reyna clung to him, and Liam didn’t relent until her back arched off the bed and his name dripped from her lips in a mantra of breathy moans. He followed a moment later, a gravelly groan ripping from his throat and his entire body going taut as he dropped his head to the crook of her neck.
After several long moments, as they both still trembled and tried to catch their breath, Liam lifted his gaze to hers; Reyna brushed a few stray locks of his tousled hair away from his forehead before she lifted her head to press a soft kiss to it, then to the bridge of his nose, then to his lips. He returned the kiss, savoring the slow curl of her tongue against his.
“I love you,” Liam whispered when they parted for a breath. “I love you so damn much, Rey.”
A sated, heartwarming smile curled on Reyna’s lips. “I love you, too.”
****
A while later, Liam and Reyna lay curled up in the bed; his arm was wrapped around her as he stroked his fingers idly along the length of her spine and their limbs were tangled beneath the sheets. Neither was in any rush to leave the other’s embrace.
Liam’s gaze shifted down to where her head rested on his chest; her fingertip traced lazy shapes against his skin as she stared off, seemingly in deep thought. “What are you thinking about?”
“You,” Reyna answered with a sigh before tilting her head back to look at him. “You and this and … us.”
“What about it?” Liam asked as he gently swept a few wisps of hair off her cheek.
“How we’re going to make this work. Because I don’t …” Reyna dropped his gaze, biting her lip somewhat self-consciously. “I don’t want to be without you anymore, Liam. I want to be wherever you are.”
Liam’s thumb scooped beneath her chin and tilted her gaze back to his. He searched her eyes for a moment before capturing her lips in his as he shifted, guiding her back against the mattress. He wanted that, too. After spending so long apart and knowing what he knew now after reading the letters inside that journal, he didn’t want to be without her. Not ever again.
And he had but one thought at that moment.
When he drew back, Liam’s thumb softly stroked her cheek, staring at her with nothing but unadulterated adoration. “Then marry me …”
“What?” Reyna gasped as her eyes widened. “Liam, we … we just got back on track. Hell, we’ve only been on track for like … an hour.”
“Rey … had the past gone differently, I have no doubts that I would have already taken that leap with you, but … things didn’t turn out that way. Yet, in all the time we were apart, nothing about our feelings — about the love we have for each other — changed. I don’t want to be without you either because we’ve spent long enough apart.” Liam was silent for a few moments as she took in his words. “You love me?”
“More than anything,” Reyna answered without hesitation.
“And I love you. That’s all that matters.” The pad of Liam’s thumb brushed over her lips. “I told you four years ago in Applewood that you were it for me, and those words are as true today as they were back then. It’s always been you and it will always be you. There is no one else I want to be with … to spend my life with … than you, Rey. And there never will be.” She took in a breath … and then smiled as she held his blue-eyed gaze. He smiled in return as he leaned down, grazing his lips against hers. “Say yes,” he whispered. “Say you’ll marry me …”
***************************************
Perma Tags (if you’d like to be added or removed for this story, please let me know): @zaffrenotes @cocomaxley @emichelle @sweetest-marbear @indiacater @gibbles82 @the-soot-sprite @esmckenzie @dcbbw @burnsoslow @deb-1106 @bbrandy2002 @charlotteg234 @neotericthemis @foreverethereal123 @choiceskatie @sirbeepsalot @gnatbrain @openheart12 @sincerelyella @superharriet @queenrileyrose @aestheticartsx @kingliam2019 @indiana-jr @bascmve01 @rainbowsinthestorm @emkay512 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @forallthatitsworth @walker7519 @iaminlovewithtrr @amandablink @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @princessleac1 @21-wishes @appleone @tessa-liam @pixelatedpassion @malblk21 @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @lovingchoices14 @nestledonthaveone @forthebrokenheartedthings @nomadics-stuff @differenttyphoonwerewolf
#the royal romance#trr#choices the royal romance#choices trr#liam rys#king liam rys#liam x oc#trr liam x oc#choices liam x oc#king liam x oc#trr liam#king liam#trr fanfic#trr fanfiction#trr fan fic#trr au#trr au fanfic#choicesflashfics#cfwc fics of the week#slight ns*fw
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The Rest of the Stories
Credit for below edit: @peonierose
I guess this is a catch all post. This would include other pairings (I have three series that don't include Riley as one of the MC's), Drabbles, One-Shots, Collaborations and a few miscellaneous items.
In Your Room: Drake x Leo
The Crown and the Shield: Constantine and Jackson
Leo and Liv: Leo x Olivia
Summer Vacation One-Shot Drake x Jen (F!OC) board by @harleybeaumont.
Broken: Eleanor x Jackson
I have three open ended series that consists of short drabbles: Cordonian Karaoke, Cordoian Chaos and Drabble Me This:
And obviously the never ending one-shots:
One Step Ahead:
This was a round-robin done with several other writers. Including this one here. Other collaborative works will have their own post just because there are a lot of visuals that go with them and Tumblr limits how many images I can have in one post. Since this one just has one board, I'm putting it here. This was my very first Tumblr round-robin!
Board by @twinkleallnight
This board from @choicesholidays spring holiday prompt event:
And this one from @drake-walker-appreciation World Whiskey Day event:
This one isn't even TRR, shhhh! It's the only other choices fandom I write for. Ride or Die:
and these wonderful gifs from @secretaryunpaid back when I hit 300 followers:
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🎶 Playlist for 12/6 - Click here! 🎶
We are trying something new this week to see if this will fix the crazy tagging problem we've been having for a few months! Click on the link above to listen to this week's mix! And trust us... you want to check it out! It's so good! 🎵
Another lovely week of MMM! Special thanks to all of our writers for sharing with us their music inspo for their upcoming fics/recently released fics (Look for 📖--this means this fic has already been released and there is a link to click on!)! Remember to check these fics out, and while you're stopping by, be kind and leave a comment or a reblog!
Also, thank you to those who faithfully share and comment! We appreciate you SO. FRIGGIN'. MUCH!
See you in TWO weeks! Remember to tag us!
~🎵~
@ao719
“Ready for Anything” - Landon Austin; Vancross, Chapter 10: We’re Ready For Anything (TRR AU, multiple crossover; Liam x f!OC)
“I’m Doing Fine” - Mike Waters; Breaking Point, Chapter 9: I Need Your Hand But I Don’t Want To Burn It; (TRR; Liam x MC)
“Forget Me” - Lewis Capaldi; The Pact, Part 6 (TRR; Liam x f!OC)
“Christmas List” - Anson Seabra; Everything I Want, Holiday 2-3 parter (TRR; Liam x f!OC)
@bebepac
“Silent Night” - the Temptations; School Dayz: Holiday Vibes (TRR AU; Liam x Riley)
@karahalloway
📖 “Thunderstruck” - AC/DC; Sleepless in New York, Chapter 8: Minutes To Midnights [TRR; Drake Walker x f!OC (Harper Gale)]
@queenrileyrose
📖 “No Ocean” - EXES, Jome; Irreplaceable, Chapter 24: I’d Cross the World for You (TRR/RoE; Leo x Riley; Driam)
Midnights Like This, Part 1: Tell Me That I’m Alright [(TRR; Leo x Riley; Liam x f!OC (Marena)]
- “Midnight Rain” - Taylor Swift, series inspo
- “Hard Times” - Paramore, chapter inspo
📖 “You’re on Your Own, Kid” - Taylor Swift; Midnights Like This, Part 2: You’re On Your Own, Kid (TRR/RoE; Leo x OC; Liam x MC)
@txemrn
📖 “Wounded” - Maddie Wilson; Wounded, a Royal Roulette (TRR/TRH post-series; Liam x Riley)
“Awaken Love” - Lacey Sturm; Awaken Love; sequel to Wounded (TRR/TRH post series; Liam x Riley)
~🎵~
Tags in the Comments: if you would like to be added/removed please let us know; if you have been overlooked, please be gracious and just let us know! We love you guys! Thank you for your support!
#mood music monday#moodmusicmonday#spotify#choices mmm#music inspo#fanfic inspo#fanfic music inspo#choices trr#choices roe
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Suggestions/Requests Welcome!
To get out of the writer's block I have for my WIP's in my drafts folder, I decided to challenge myself to write thirty drabbles in thirty days with various Choices pairings/storylines and the below list of kiss prompts I came across on my dashboard that @missameliep shared. I could use some help with which pairs I should put with certain prompts, so please feel free to suggest who you would like to see in the comments. The ones with a checkmark have been written with pairs already requested while others have pairs I first thought of when I read the prompts. Also please feel free to challenge yourself with these! I'm having so much fun with it (so far🤣)
Thirty Kisses in Thirty Days Kiss Challenge prompts
1. sharing a kiss while sitting by a campfire. LOA (Quinn Michaels x Aislinn Tanaka) ✅
2. a kiss given between ocean waves. (Prince Ellis x Emily Beaumont) TRR*While We're Young AU ✅
3. kissing your lover because you believe you're going to die. The Unexpected Heiress (Hugh Crawford x MC) ✅
4. kissing the tears that roll down your lover's cheeks. (Ethan x Sophie) OH ✅
5. a kiss while being held bridal style. (Tobias Carrick x F!MC) Open Heart ✅
6. a playful kiss given between laughter. (Maxwell Beaumont x Amanda) TRR ✅
7. finally kissing the friend you've been yearning for. (Thomas Hunt x Amanda) RCD
8. kissing your enemy while holding them at knife point. (Drake Walker x Olivia Nevrakis) ✅
9. a kiss in the aftermath of a fight. (Tobias Carrick x F!MC) OH ✅
10. forbidden lovers sharing a kiss in the shadows. Desire and Decorum (Ernest Sinclair x MC) ✅
11. kissing down your lover's body.
12. kissing at a crowded party. (Liam x MC) ✅
13. a kiss shared against a tree. (Thomas Hunt x OC) *Regency AU* ✅
14. a kiss to end sexual tension. (Bertrand Beaumont x MC) TRR ✅
15. kissing to pretend that you are in a relationship together. (Emerick Rhys x Juliet Nevrakis-Walker) TRR *While We're Young AU* ✅
16. a kiss to prove you no longer have feelings for your lover. (Leo x Madeleine) Rules of Engagement ✅
17. a kiss that leads to undressing each other.
18. a kiss to say goodbye. (Maxwell x OC) ✅
19. kisses against a wound. It Lives Beneath (Tom x F!MC) ✅
20. a kiss to the forehead, meant to soothe. (Thomas Hunt x Amanda after Maxwell's death) RCD/TRR *While We're Young AU* ✅
21. an 'i love you but i can't be with you' kiss. (Jax x MC) BloodBound ✅
22. passionate kisses that end in ripped clothing. (Tobias Carrick x Chris Valentine) OH ✅
23. your lover going to walk away, but you grab them and pull them back in for a kiss before they go. (Jackson Nevrakis-Walker x Nicky Beaumont) TRR *While We're Young AU* ✅
24. a kiss shared underneath fireworks. (Thomas Hunt x OC) Red Carpet Diaries ✅
25. A kiss to the neck from behind (Ethan Ramsey x OC) Open Heart ✅
26.an "I'm in love with someone else, but you're here," kiss (Liam x Madeleine) TRR ✅
27. An "I forgive you." Kiss (Liam and his daughter) *Family Fluff ✅
28. A kiss that leaves lipstick marks (Thomas Hunt x OC) RCD ✅
29. A kiss to make someone else jealous (Ethan Ramsey x OC) OH ✅
30. A kiss at a masquerade ball (Jackson Nevrakis-Walker x Nicky Beaumont) TRR/While We're Young AU ✅
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Thank you to our creators who have submitted their Top 5 fics of 2023! I know this is a terribly difficult task. After all, I did it myself! But I've always felt this list was the more important of the two - it's not about the numbers; it's about the works that nourished their creator's souls and brought them joy. So, thanks to each of you for sharing with us! Links to all stories can be found below the break!
@aallotarenunelma ✒️
Moonlit Hearts (IL/ID Crossover/AU) - Original Characters
Childhood Memories (ILW) - Lincoln McQuoid x NB!MC
Close to the Flame (ILW) - Lincoln McQuoid x NB!MC
Another Sun Will Rise (ILITW) - Dan Pierce x MC
Indigo Blood (ID) - Cas Harlow x MC
@angelasscribbles ✒️
The DeFacto Queen (TRR) Ⓜ️ - Drake x MC, Liam x MC
A Fervid Fixation (TRR) Ⓜ️ - Drake Walker x MC
The Dark Kingdom (TRR) Ⓜ️ - Drake x MC, Liam x MC
In Your Room Masterlist (TRR) Ⓜ️ - Drake Walker x Leo Rys
Laws End (TRR) Ⓜ️- Drake Walker x MC, Liam Rys x MC
@baldwinboy5ive 🎨and ✒️
Aerin Prison Visit (BOLAS) 🎨- Aerin Valleros x F!MC
The Right Path (BOLAS) ✒️- Aerin Valleros x F!MC
Name on the Wall (BOLAS) ✒️- Aerin Valleros x F!MC
Bye-Bye Baldur (BOLAS) 🎨- Aerin Valleros
Aerin x Raine Fanart (BOLAS) 🎨- Aerin Valeros x MC
@cariantha ✒️
All He Wanted (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Hey Stranger (OH) Ⓜ️ - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
For You, I Will (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
War & Peace (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
A Solid Strategy (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
@coffeeheartaddict2 ✒️
Everybody Hurts Sometimes, Ch. 7 Ⓜ️(OH) - Ethan Ramsey, MC
Love in all Forms (OH) - Ethan Ramsey, F!OC, Tobias Carrick
Power to Overcome (OH) - F!MC, Aurora Emery
Everybody Hurts Sometimes, Ch. 15 Ⓜ️(OH) - Ethan Ramsey, etc.
Desire Ⓜ️(OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
@inlocusmads ✒️
Past Lives (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
Music for the Lost (and Found) (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
The Feverish Itch (Guinevere) - Guinevere, Queen Artura, F!Lancelot
Cross Your Heart and Set it Ablaze (COP) Trystan Thorne x F~!MC
The Bow That Burned Bright (BOLAS) - F!Elf!MC, Kade
@jerzwriter ✒️
A Mother's Journal Ⓜ️(WTD) - Eli Sipes
What's Forever For Ⓜ️(OH/AU) - Tobias Carrick, F!MC
Breathe Again (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
A Bit Dark (OH) - F!MC x F!OC
I Do, Me Too (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
@ladylamrian ✒️
Welcome to the World of Night (NB) - NB Side Characters
A Meeting in Wyoming (NB) - Nik Ryder x F!MC
Towards the Future (NB) - Nik Ryder x F!MC
Duty & Pleasure (NB) - Nik Ryder x F!MC
Sweet & Tender Hearts (NB) - Original Characters
@liaromancewriter ✒️
La Vie Avec Toi (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC, Sienna Trinh x M!OC
Late Shift (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
The Reluctant Valentine (OH) - Sienna Trinh x M!OC
When the Clock Strikes Twelve (OH/AU) - Sienna Trinh x M!OC
Breaking News (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
@moominofthevalley ✒️
The Haunting, Part 1 (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
Turpentine (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
The Girl With the Glass (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
I Will (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
Future Days (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
@peonierose ✒️
Wildflower (OH) - Keiki Lahela x M!OC
Kintsugi (OH) - Original Characters
Summer's Kiss (OH) - Bryce Lahela x F!OC
I'm a Sucker for You (OH) - Bryce Lahela x F!OC
Rose All Day (OH) - Bryce Lahela, Keiki Lahela, OCs
@stars-are-within-me ✒️
The Rain (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
Reflections (BOLAS) - Aerin Valleros
A Day Off (COP) - Trystan Thorne x MC
In the Gray (COP) - Eveline Goncharov, Maksim Thorne, etc.
The Lonely Prince (BOLAS) - Aerin Valleros x MC
@storyofmychoices ✒️
Shadows & Deceptions: A Royal Murder Mystery (Crossover/AU)
Can I Have This Dance? (OH) - Bryce Lahela x F!OC
Shadows of Hope (BOLAS) - Mal Volari x F!MC
The Quest for Daenarya (BOLAS) - Mal Volari x F!MC
Dealing with a Narcissist (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
@tessa-liam ✒️
Smoke & Mirrors, Ch. 11 Ⓜ️(TRR) - Liam Rys x MC
Cappadocia Ⓜ️ (TRR) - Liam Rys x MC
Marabelle, Ch. 2 Ⓜ️ (TRR) - Liam Rys x F!OC
Turning the Page, Ch. 5 Ⓜ️ (TRR) - Liam Rys x F!OC
Ti Amo Molto Ⓜ️ (TRR) - Liam Rys x MC
@trappedinfanfiction ✒️
Fast Break, Epilogue (OH/AU) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
What's in a Name? (COP) - Trystan Thorne
Crossroads Ⓜ️(OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
By Your Side (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
A New Neighbor (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC
@zealouscanonindeer ✒️
Dangerous Games Ⓜ️ (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Naughty & Nice (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Like Whom? (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Roots (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
Drunken Nights (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC
#choices fic writers creations#creator top 5#playchoices#choices stories you play#it lives anthology#immortal desires#the royal romance#blades of light and shadow#open heart#crimes of passion#guinevere#wake the dead#nightbound#choices fanfic#choices fanart#playchoices fanfic#playchoices fanart#long post
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I love Tater tot and Rams too! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ can you give us a little more of a taste of the breakup fic?
Hey, anon! Thank you for loving my babies! The support truly warms my heart. I hope you don't mind, but I held onto your request for today, and I'm going to turn it into a WIP Wednesday. So, if you'd like a little snippet of Unloving You, keep on reading! I'm hoping to edit and post it tomorrow! Thank you again! 🖤
PS I have several TRR chapters in the making, but none of them are really edited enough to be shared--not even for a WIP Wed... but I've included a very short snippet (that will probably have some additional edits later) down below of Deja Vu.
Like Ships in the Night, Unloving You
Open Heart (pre series; beginning of Ethan's intern year)
Ethan Ramsey x f!OC (Tatum Erikson); Tobias Carrick x f!OC (Tatum Erikson)
It's been almost six months since Ethan left me. Six months. It feels like we were just together yesterday, whispering secret promises to one another as our eyelashes and fingertips danced in flutters across our bare bodies. It was simple, yet intimate. We acted as if we would be doing it everyday for the rest of our lives.
And yet, we fell apart for what feels like decades ago. I mean, I'm a completely different person now, some days unable to recognize myself in the mirror. And yet, in so many ways, I'm very much still that broken girl who lucked out and found a boy. A lovely boy. A boy who took a chance and gave me his whole heart.
I miss him. Six months. And I still love him.
I woke up to a text from him, inviting me to meet him for lunch before my clinic appointment. I didn't want to pass up the chance of actually getting to talk. So, with a belly full of nerves, I agree to meet him at a place near Edenbrook Hospital.
~🖤~
Deja Vu, Part 4: Drake
TRR/TRH (20 Years post series AU)
We pull up to this club, and I swear everyone in Cordonia has turned out for this spectacle. The moment Rys steps out of his 'I didn't want anything too flashy' red Ferrari, the paps were on him like white on rice. Flashes of light rain from every direction as reporters flood him with curious questions about his Gucci loafers and gray Brioni blazer.
Lucky for me, I'm a nobody, and the press quickly discovers that the moment I step out onto the red carpet. Dropping their cameras and microphones in disappointment, they instantly turn their attention elsewhere. I don't know if I should be grateful or offended, to be honest. At least confuse me for Leo's new lover… bunch of dickwads.
~🖤~
I know it's late, but does anybody have anything they'd like to share? I know I'd love some sneak peeks! @sfb123 @ao719 @charlotteg234 @socalwriterbee @cariantha @tessa-liam @peonierose @deb-1106 @msjr0119 @karahalloway @aussiegurl1234 and if I forgot you, YES! You are tagged! If you share a WIP, tag me!
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Sleepless in New York: Chapter 5 - Find Me In Da Club
Series: TRR
Pairing: Drake Walker x F!OC (Harper Gale)
Synopsis: What if Drake met Harper on the first night of Prince Christian’s New York bachelor party? A stand-alone AU written from Drake's POV.
Masterlist: Sleepless in New York
Chapter Summary: The gang arrive at the much-awaited club... where there are a few surprises in store for Drake.
Word Count: 4,400
Rating/Warnings: M (swearing, rude behaviour, angst, sexual tension)
Chapter theme song:
A/N: Apologies this took me so long! August ended up being quite a busy month, so I didn’t get as much writing done as I wanted to. Also... this is not the whole chapter 😅 Because this installment was getting close to 7,000 words (and it was still not done!) I decided to split it into two chapters to (a) give y’all something to read, since you’ve been waiting so patiently (or not, in some cases 😆), (b) make the posting on Tumblr a bit more manageable, and (c) this way I could use both chapter theme songs that I could not for the life of me decide between! The next chapter should be up a bit faster because it’s about half done already, and my schedule should be back to a bit more normal from September 🤞
Chapter 5 - Find Me In Da Club
"Let me guess..." I sigh, picking up the tumbler to tip the rest of my drink back. "Max's bright idea?"
I know that going clubbing was the original plan. But I guess I kinda hoped we'd have more time on our impromptu detour... Especially since Gale’s finally talking to me, and I don’t want to lose the hard-won progress I managed to make with her.
Plus — as she so aptly put it just now — I’m nowhere near satisfied yet and I want to keep her to myself for as long as possible...
"Nope!" declares Leo impishly. "It was actually the girls' suggestion. And it'd be rude to keep them waiting. So, chop-chop!"
"Alright, alright," I grumble, dropping the glass back onto the bar top and reaching for my wallet. "I'll be over in a minute."
"Better make it a New York minute," Leo advises with a clap on my back. "Because it'd be mighty bad form for the best man to miss the climax of the night!"
He saunters off with a rakish wink in Gale's direction.
I roll my eyes as I pull the platinum credit card out again.
If there’s one thing that Chris didn't need help with, it’s finding a hook-up... Which is why I bet on him last night.
But Leo’s right in that I probably shouldn't hang around too long. Because this trip had been my idea, and as the de facto best man (even though it hasn’t officially been announced yet), it’s my job to make sure that Chris gets the best night out that the Big Apple can provide...
...and that he also makes it back to the hotel — and to Cordonia — on time and in one piece, and ideally without any recreational drugs floating around in his system. Otherwise, the plane ride back (not to mention the all-important Masquerade Ball) is going to be rough as fuck for everyone involved.
"So, you're here... on a bachelor party?" asks Gale, her voice cutting through my thoughts.
"Yeah," I reply, raising my hand to signal my desire to settle up with the bartender.
"And you're the best man."
"Yup..." I confirm, tapping the card against the bar top as I wait for the guy to print off the receipt.
She cocks her head to the side with a frown. "You don't seem very happy about it..."
I respond with a nonchalant shrug. "It is what it is. How I feel about it isn't important."
"Shouldn't it be?"
Turning my head, I catch her gaze. She's looking at me with laser-like focus — like she had last night when she'd been trying to decipher where I was from... Only this time it feels like she’s trying to get a read on my very soul.
I quickly break eye contact. "No."
"Why n—?"
"Cash or card?" asks the bartender, cutting off Gale with impeccable timing as he places the cheque in front of me.
"Card," I reply, quickly scanning the list of items to make sure everything’s in order.
Christ, this girl’s more persistent than a dog with a bone...
But I can’t exactly tell her that I’m best man to a prince at the mercy of tradition, and the last thing I’m looking forward to doing is standing by Chris' side in a few months' time, pretending to be happy for him while I officially and irrevocably witness his marriage to a blue-nosed social climber in front of God, his family, and the entire kingdom.
Because we’re supposed to be here incognito, and I’m not gonna risk my best friend's last night of freedom by blowing his cover to some girl I only just met.
And even if I had been at liberty to talk about the upcoming wedding, and the social season, and how the only reason we’re here at all is because Chris got shafted by his brother, it would be a pointless exercise anyway.
Because talking — about any of it, especially how I said 'yes' to Chris without a second's hesitation, even as I felt my insides burn up with betrayal at the knowledge that I'll be complicit in signing my brother's life away in a loveless marriage of political convenience to a woman he barely knows... or worse, Olivia — isn’t gonna to help me, and it sure as hell isn’t gonna help Chris.
Not when we’re both powerless in the face of the inevitable outcome.
"Thanks," I mutter, pulling the card back out of the machine and stowing it away in my wallet.
Better to just bury whatever resentment I’m feeling at being an unwilling pawn forced to participate in the whole monocratic set-up — next to the same hole I stuffed my bitter rage at Dad's untimely passing, my hurt at Mom's departure, and my guilt-ridden sense of failure at Sav's unexplained disappearance — and try to enjoy what little time I have left with Chris before I lose him too.
"Hey," she says softly, laying a hand on my wrist. "I know it's not my place but—"
"It's not," I confirm gruffly, stuffing the wallet back in my pocket as I stand up. "You comin'?"
She stares at me for a long moment — as if wanting to say something more — but in the end just nods silently before sliding off the bar stool.
"Yeah! The PAR-tay's in da house!" hollers Max, raising the roof. "Whoop-whoop!"
"Now this is what I'm talking about!" agrees Tariq, sweeping his approving gaze around the club.
"Oh, wow!" gushes Gale's brunette friend, who I learnt on the ride over was called Hayley. "Check out the view!"
Chris claps Leo on the shoulder approvingly. "Looks like you picked well, brother."
I had to agree.
If there’s one thing that Leo’s good at — apart from sneaking out of official events and getting into the pants of any girl he sets his sights on — it’s having his finger on the pulse of every major city's nightlife.
And this place is no exception.
Located on the 16th floor of a swanky hotel, the club features floor-to-ceiling windows that lead out onto a large, wrap-around terrace dominated by an oblong hot tub set against an unparalleled view of both the Manhattan skyline and the Hudson.
And even though in real terms it’s still quite early — barely gone 10pm — the venue’s already heaving with what looks like the crème of New York's glitterati. Diamond-studded watches flash in tandem with Bvlgari jewellery under the strobing neon lights as glamorously dressed bodies move to the EDM beat.
In short? We've stepped into a Mecca of excess. And even though the flashy venue with it's high-roller clientele isn’t exactly my scene — you can smell the self-entitlement from the doorway — it’s the perfect place to cap off Chris' night.
Hell, the overall net-worth’s probably so high that no one'd even bat an eye at the fact that a bone fide prince has just waltzed in to join the party!
So, despite everything, I have to hand it to Leo — his days of flaking off have paid off big time. Because the entire club’s basically one oversized VIP area, which means that security’s tight, and I don’t have to worry about spiked drinks, kidnapping attempts, or someone recognising Chris...
...at least, not as much as I would have to normally.
"Ohmygod!" gasps Lucy, grabbing Gale by the arm. "Leo!"
The elder Rys chuckles. "I admit it is a rather divine set—"
Max shoves him out of the way with wide eyes. "Oh, my giddy aunt, you're right!"
"Guess we're not talking about me, huh?" observes Leo dryly, as shrieks of excitement erupt from the rest of Gale's girlfriends as they zero in on whatever it was that has got them all into such a tizzy.
Chris nods his head towards the other side of the club. "I believe it is that gentleman over there who's caught everyone's attention."
Leo follows his brother's gaze. "Ah. Should've guessed. The slightly more famous Leo. He's always stealing the spotlight."
"Undeservedly," mutters Tariq, craning his neck judgementally. "He's not even wearing a suit..."
"So?" counters Lucy tartly. "A suit doesn't make a man. He could be wearing a paper bag and he'd still look hot!"
I can't help but snort at the look on Besnard's face. "Told ya..."
"Keep it in your pants, Luce!" smirks Gale with a shake of her head... though I can see that her gaze is also fixed on the far side of the club.
"I'm just sayin'!"
"Holy shoot!" gasps Hayley, covering her mouth. "Is that Rihanna he's talking to?"
"Didn't they used to date?" asks Jamie quizzically.
"No!" scoffs Lucy. "How can you even—?"
"Come on," interrupts Leo, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder. "I'll introduce you."
Lucy's mouth drops. "You... know him?"
"Of course!" he affirms, looping his arm through hers and Gale's. "Met him at the UN a few times. Brilliant chap! Just don't ask for photos or autographs."
Gale cocks her head. "The UN? How did y—?"
"It doesn't matter!" squeals Lucy, bouncing up and down like a jackrabbit on crack. "He knows Leonardo DiCaprio! Do you know how long I've been—?"
"You're not seriously going to try and get him onto your podcast again?" asks Gale with a wry quirk of her brow as Leo starts leading the procession away.
"Why not?" comes the objectionable reply. "I'm an environmental commentator, he's an environmental philanthropist. We're a match made in influencer heaven."
Gale throws her head back — exposing her long, slender neck — her laugh ringing out like a bell despite the loud music.
But I don't catch her reply because in the next second, she's pulled into the press, and I lose sight of her amongst all the bodies.
I heave a low breath.
There goes Gale for the rest of the night...
I know I shouldn't be surprised. Especially after I cornered her into coming clean about the crap she'd been through with that dick of a boss, only to shut her down hard her when she tried to return the favour by doing a rundown of my feelings on the upcoming royal wedding.
Because conversation’s a two-way street. And instead of opening up to her — like she opened up to me — I basically told her to fuck off.
And normally I wouldn't give a damn. Because my personal shit’s exactly that — my personal shit. I don’t need people rooting through it like hogs on a muck heap. And if that doesn’t sit well with the counterparty, then they can lump it.
But, for some reason, watching her walk off just now without a backwards glance — even though it’s completely within her rights to do so — feels like a kick in the gut.
I mean, since when the fuck do I care who she talks to? A girl I met yesterday and am never gonna see again after tonight?
It's not like this is a date, or that she owes me anything. Right?
"You coming, mate?" asks Chris, laying a hand on the small of Hayley's back to guide her after the others.
"Nah," I demure. "I'm gonna hit up the bar."
I may have shot up the hard-won progress I managed to make with Gale tonight, but at least I’ll always have whiskey as a consolation prize.
"You sure?" he queries.
"Yeah," I affirm, making quick eye contact with the two undercover Guard to let them know I’m passing Chris over to them. "Don't worry about me."
"Alright..." he concedes, eyeing me sceptically...
...but I've already turned away.
I know he knows that something’s up.
But Chris had more important things to do, like actually enjoy his unofficial bachelor party in the company of a girl who he obviously hit it off with back at the karaoke bar, instead of listening to me piss and moan about things that are — and always have been — set in stone.
Best that I just take my irritations and drown them in booze. Alone. Like I always do.
Threading my way through the crowd, I arrive at the busy bar area, and I feel a growl of annoyance slip out of me at the sight of the heaving mass of humanity before me.
Just fuckin' great...
But, short of forking out roughly five grand for table service — assuming we can even get a table on such a busy night — there’s no alternative.
Steeling myself, I dive into the press, trying to avoid sloshing drinks and stiletto heels as I battle my way to the front.
This is the biggest reason why I avoid clubs like the plague. It isn’t the loud music. It isn’t the dancing. It’s the fact that the bar’s always swamped and you have to fight tooth and nail to get your hands on a hastily prepared drink that you can have for half-price anywhere else.
It's all for Chris, I remind myself stoically as I squeeze myself into the tight space that’s just opened up in front of me. You can suck it up for one night, Walker.
Leaning onto the minimalist, polished brass bar top, I try to catch the closest bartender's attention...
...but just as I manage to make eye contact, a wad of cash gets thrust in front of my face by an over-manicured fist, narrowly missing my nose.
"Oi! Murudda!" cries a female voice from next to me in the perfect octave to carry above the thumping techno music and general shouted conversation. "You deaf, or somethin'? I said we need tequila, pronto!"
"We got Casamigos, Patrón, or Jose Cuervo," calls the bartender in response while sloshing gold-flecked vodka into a row of shot glasses.
I feel my jaw tighten. This is how people got served, huh?
"Make that Maker's Mark, double," I holler back, angling myself back in front of the interloping woman.
I'm rewarded for my asperity with a nod from the other side of the bar. "Coming right up!"
"What the fuck, shit face?" objects the girl shrilly, giving me a shove. "Am I invisible, or somethin'?"
"Nope," I reply as I pull my wallet from my jeans. "Just rude and obnoxious."
Her mouth drops. "What did you just say to me?!"
"The truth," I hit back, pulling some cash out. "You cut up about a dozen people back there. And nearly broke my nose waving your hundred bucks around like you owned the place."
"How 'bout I break your nose for real, jackass?" she snaps, getting up in my face. "Teach you some respect, huh?"
"Respect is earned, missy," I tell her calmly, exchanging the bills for the tumbler of Maker's Mark that is deposited in front of me. "And gettin' into a fight over a drink ain't how you get it."
Grabbing the whiskey, I turn pointedly away, not bothering to wait for whatever outburst she was gearing up to throw my way.
Un-fuckin'-believable...
I know that New Yorkers have a reputation for being brash and impatient. But that woman had been next level.
And I want to put as much distance between us as possible because I have no time — and even less interest — in getting caught up in a shouting match with a pissed-off Karen.
Slaloming myself between bodies, I make my way back to the others.
Arriving at the back of the club, I pause in a slightly quieter corner to do a sweep of the crowd, quickly spotting the now disparate members of our group. Leo’s stood off to one side, in solitary conversation with DiCaprio. Max is busy channeling his inner Travolta in the middle of a small but growing circle of onlookers. Lucy and Jamie are...making out on the dancefloor?
Huh. Did not see that one coming...
Normally I’m good at picking up on these things. But, I’m admittedly more distracted than usual...
Lifting the whiskey to my mouth, I continue my sweep of the club. Tariq’s trying — and failing — to flag down one of the VIP servers by waving his gold credit card around like a moron. Meanwhile, Chris has parked himself on a chaise long in front of one of the floor-to-ceiling windows and is in deep conversation with Hayley about something, the two undercover Guard standing a few feet away.
The only person I can’t see is Gale.
Had she left?
I shake my head irately.
It doesn’t matter, dumbass.
She’a a grow-ass woman and can do whatever the fuck she wants. Up to and including heading off the rails, or even home with a hookup. She doesn’t need my oversight or my permission...
...even if the thought of her being felt up by some guy makes my teeth clench.
I throw the rest of the bourbon back angrily.
I know I shouldn't care. I know it’s none of my business. I know I have no right.
But something about this girl wipes all the God-given sense from my brain.
Hell, I barely know anything about her apart from her name and the fact that she’s pissed at me — again — yet all I can think about is ripping that flimsy crop top off and layering my hot and heavy apology all over her body until she’s begging me for salvation as she—
A sharp clink rends the air.
Glancing down at the empty tumbler in my hand, I see that a hairline fracture had appeared down one side.
Fuck.
This isn’t good.
I need air. Now.
Throwing myself out onto the terrace — before I shattered the glass completely — I’m hit in the face by the humid evening breeze.
But it does little to tame my pulse, or the latest iteration of the graphic fantasy that I can’t seem to get away from, no matter how hard I tried...
...which — if I’m honest with myself — isn’t very hard at all.
Because let's face it. The girl’s a pipe-dream. That I keep blowing up. So, an X-rated reverie’s the closest I’m ever gonna get to the real thing with her.
May as well keep on dreamin'...
I make it to the end of the terrace. Dropping the empty glass onto a nearby planter, I reach out and grasp the coolness of the metal and glass railing as I gaze out over the picture-perfect Manhattan skyline without really seeing it.
Instead, the mental images continue to dance in front of me, haunting me like ghosts.
Gale swaying her hips between my legs at the karaoke bar...
Gale looking up at me from the back seat of the taxi, her lips parted, her eyes pulling me in like the cusp of an event horizon...
Gale pushed up against the wall, moaning as my hands explored every—
I clench my eyes shut. Christ... I’m in too deep. I should never've—
"Drake?"
My head snaps around.
Gale — the real Gale — is stood next to me, face creased in concern. "Are you... okay?"
"Fine," I reply, tightening my grip on the railing as I look out into the night again.
I’m the furthest thing from fine. My palms are sweating, my gut feels like it's been tied in knots, and my heart’s going a million miles a minute.
But like hell am I gonna tell her any of that.
"Are you sure?" she asks sceptically. "Because you looked like you were going to throw your guts up over the side of the building just now..."
I snort wryly. "Trust me, I'm good."
The irony of the situation isn’t lost on me.
Neither is the fact that — just like Chris — she seems to have an uncanny habit of being able to read me like an open book... which is weirdly unnerving.
"If you say so, Dr House," she deadpans, lifting her arms up to rest them on the railing next to mine. "But just so we're on the safe side, I'm gonna keep you under observation."
I heave a breath. "Gale, you don't need t—"
"I do," she says softly, glancing up at me. "Because I want to apologise."
I reel back, dumbfounded. "Apologise? What in the hell for?"
"For trying to pry about something that's obviously a sore subject for you," she explains. "I should've just taken the hint and—"
"No," I interject, turning to face her. "You did nothing wrong. I gave you an answer you weren't expecting, so you tried to dive deeper. It was a completely natural reaction to have."
"Then why have you been giving me the cold shoulder for the past hour?" she asks patently.
"I..." I rake my hand through my hair with a sigh. "Because you're right. It is kind of a sore subject for me. But I'm not at liberty to talk about it."
She raises a brow. "Because of the bro-code?"
I blink. Who is this girl?
She throws her head back with a laugh. "Oh, don't look so surprised, bud! I grew up with three older brothers — I know all about your 'secret' ride or die rules." She raises her hands to emphasise 'secret' with sardonic air quotes. "So, I can respect the fact that you don't want to bad-mouth the groom — even if you think he's about to make the biggest mistake of his life."
"Erm, thanks," I mutter finally, managing to recollect myself. "For understanding. Most people wouldn't."
She shrugs up at me with a smile. "I'm not most people."
I swallow. Hard. Don't I know it.
She's close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating off her body, taste the sweet earthiness of her perfume drifting over me, see the chestnut-coloured flecks that ring her irises as I stare into her eyes.
But as strong as the undercurrent of attraction is, I can't let myself get lost in the pull of possibility. Not 'til I've squared my accounts.
"Even so." I pause to clear the sudden hoarseness from my throat. "I shouldn't've cold shouldered you like I did. It was a dick move, and... and I'm sorry."
She shakes her head. "Drake, you don't need t—"
"But I want to," I insist, closing what gap remained between us on autopilot.
"Does that mean you're planning to make it up to me?" she whispers, her breath tickling my mouth as she tilts her face up towards mine.
"One hundred percent," I confirm, reaching up to brush away that same lock of hair that had escaped her up-do again. "I still owe you a proper apology."
Her eyes search mine.
I hold her gaze… waiting… wondering what she'll say.
A slow smile curves at her lips. "In that case, cowboy," she declares, flicking her finger over the underside of my jaw, "you can break it down for me on the dancefloor."
My eyes widen. "Wait... What?"
This isn’t what I'd been expecting. At all.
Her telling me to fuck off? Sure. Buying her a drink, a late-night dinner... Hell, even going back to her place for Netflix and chill had all been on the cards...
But dancing?
At a club?
Especially after she stormed out halfway through my karaoke routine?
No fuckin' way.
"What's the matter, Walker?" she purrs slyly. "You only do solo acts?"
I scoff. "No."
"Should I ask the DJ to put on some Rod Stewart?" she continues conversationally. "Get you in the mood?"
I suppress a groan. "No."
I knew that song choice was gonna come back and bite me in the ass.... I just hadn't expected it to be so soon. But, I guess I deserve it.
"Or do you need to take your shirt off?" She trails her finger down across the buttons at the front with a smirk. "Make yourself more comfortable?"
"Why?" I counter, leaning in. "Is that what you want, Gale...?"
Her eyes widen in the face of my sudden flip of the proverbial table.
"...because if you're lookin' to undress me, there's easier ways to do it," I remind her pointedly, dropping my hands onto the railing on either side of her.
Despite her initial frazzlement, she recovers quickly to meet my gaze coyly. "What makes you think I want to undress you?"
I feel a smile pull at the corner of my mouth. She wants to play it like that, huh?
"You mean apart from the fact that it's written all over you?"
She lifts her chin defiantly. "I think you're imagining things, bud."
"Funny you should say that," I reply with a lupine grin, bending low. "Because I'll bet my bottom dollar that right now, all you're imaginin' is skipping the unnecessary foreplay and diving straight into the main event..."
I hear her breath catch in her throat at the thinly veiled invitation.
"...which is that pool party, right there." I incline my head meaningfully towards the hot tub.
Her jaw drops.
I pull back with a smirk. Turnabout’s fair play, girl.
But in the next instant, that mischievous sparkle ignites her gaze again. And before I can blink, she's up in my space, calling my bluff as she hooks her finger through the front of my shirt.
My heart-rate jumps to 100.
"Or maybe I'm just looking to make you sweat, Walker..." she breathes against my mouth.
All the blood in my veins dives south.
"...and I don't want you to ruin your fancy shirt." She gives the material a sharp tug.
I groan despite myself. Fuck, baby, you can ruin all my shirts...
But before I can grab her, or kiss her, or react in any way, she's already spun away with a sassy smile, pinging the cotton against my chest. "Because you probably got just the one."
I let out an explosive breath.
Sweet Jesus. Somebody needs to put a warning label on this girl!
Because while I can think of a dozen better ways to spend the night than getting bumped around on an overcrowded dancefloor like a pissed off pin ball, my feet are already pulling me back across the terrace after her.
Like the hooked idiot that I am.
Because I can’t say 'no' to her.
And she knows it.
Which meant I’m royally screwed.
The story continues in Chapter 6 - Let It Whip
Translations:
- Murudda = idiot / shit for brains
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Picture credits
Dancing - Rooftop - H&D - Drake - Bar - Harper - Skyline - Drinks
#sleepless in new york#drake walker#drake x mc#harper gale#new york#the royal romance#trr fanfic#choices fic writers creations#cfcw fic of the week#Spotify
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