A/N: My submission for #choices bejeweled, June monthly challenge 2025
Summary: Liam, Drake, Maxwell, Leo, and Trystan are at the Royal Mountain Retreat in the Blackspine Mountains of Cordonia. The firepit is crackling, s'mores are toasting , and ... the discussion turns to ???
Trystan snorted like he’d just heard the dumbest thing in royal history. “Wait, you didn’t even kiss her?”
“No, Sherlock.”
Trystan looked at him like he’d just confessed to a crime. “Are you broken?”
Leo sighed dramatically, running his fingers through hair. “It just didn’t feel right.”
“What does that even mean? Did she have spinach in her teeth? Were you under surveillance by your dead relative?”
Leo groaned. “I mean emotionally, you emotionally stunted goat. I actually want to get to know her first.”
Trystan blinked. “Since when do you feel things?”
Leo glanced at Liam and the middle-school brigade (aka Liam, Drake, and Maxwell), who were busy arguing over whether dragons or space pirates would win in a fight.
“Let’s move this convo. I can’t have my twelve-year-old brother psychoanalyzing me again.”
They walked quickly to the lake, not forgetting their beers, and flopped onto a bench.
Trystan: “So, spill. You like her, but you didn’t kiss her because... you have morals now?”
Leo: “I just want it to mean something. She’s not like the girls who throw themselves at every bloody event.”
Trystan smirked. “Let me guess. It’s because of Madeleine.”
Leo punched him—not hard - but with enough force to make a statement.
“Ow! Dude! I need that arm for fencing and styling my hair!”
Leo grinned. “Would you prefer a push into the lake? It’s about six degrees Celsius in there.”
Trystan massaged his arm, still offended. “You Cordonians are violent.”
Leo wiggled his eyebrows. “Okay, enough about me. Spill it—who’s your secret admirer?”
Trystan sighed dramatically. “Her name’s Julianna. We’ve been friends for years, but lately… she’s gotten… interesting.”
Leo looked amused. “Like, ‘I suddenly noticed she’s 'hot’ interesting, or ‘she no longer chews with her mouth open’ interesting?”
Trystan laughed. “Both. She’s shy, which is weirdly adorable. Like a kitten that punches you in the heart.”
Leo smirked. “That doesn’t sound like your type. You usually like the loud, terrifying ones.”
“I know! But I want to take care of her, you know? Like... be the guy who shows her how to have fun.”
Leo gave a smug grin. “Oh, I bet you want to show her lots of fun.”
Trystan punched him back. “Don’t make me drown you, Romeo.”
Leo: “So? Is it happening? Are you two gonna ride off into the hormonal sunset?”
Trystan: “Maybe. Depends on what she wants. I’ve waited this long. I can wait a little longer.”
Leo: “Patience. How royal of you.”
They headed back to the firepit, where Liam, Drake, and Maxwell were still deep in their existential debate.
Leo: “You guys ready to head to the cottage? It’s past your royal bedtimes.”
Liam, brushing dirt off his pants and stood up, “Yeah. I gotta prep for tomorrow.”
As Liam walked off, Maxwell leaned in to Drake. “Hey, Li never answered your question.”
“Yeah, and now he’s gone, and I still don’t know what happened to the crown!” Drake looked agitated.
Maxwell grinned wickedly. “Dude. You seriously don’t remember?”
Drake looked like he was already regretting his life choices. “No. Should I?”
Maxwell burst into laughter, trying to suppress it and failing spectacularly. He collapsed onto the ground in a heap of giggles.
Drake groaned. “Why do you always do this? Can’t you just tell me what happened?”
Maxwell tried to look innocent. “What? You mean now?”
“Yes, now!”
Maxwell shrugged. “Nah. It’s more fun this way.”
Drake stomped off. “I hate you.”
“Love you too, buddy!” Maxwell called after him, still giggling.
Inside the Cottage – Later That Night
The royal mountain cottage was rustic-chic mixed with royal finery —stone fireplace crackling, oversized velvet couches, and expensive portraits and accessories.
Leo flopped dramatically onto a couch, nearly knocking over a tray of imported herbal teas. Trystan settled into the armchair with a grunt and a handful of shortbread cookies, which he had clearly stolen from a diplomatic gift basket.
“I’m serious,” Leo said suddenly, turning to him with a look that was one part scheming and two parts big-brother mischief. “Next time we’re in Paris… I’m going to make a man out of Liam.”
Trystan choked on his cookie. “What?!” he coughed. “What does that even mean? You’re not sending him to the Foreign Legion!”
Leo grinned. “No! I mean, like… take him out. Show him the world. Teach him the arts of charm, confidence, maybe get him a nice haircut that doesn’t look like it was done with a medieval sword.”
Trystan raised an eyebrow. “So… your plan is to drag a twelve-year-old around Paris and sprinkle him with cologne until women swoon?”
Leo shrugged. “Exactly.”
“Leo, you do realize Paris is full of croissants and chaos. Liam’s idea of a good time is still building Lego castles and quoting Star Wars.”
“Which is exactly why he needs me. Paris will change him.”
“Into what? A pretentious art critic with a beret and a heartbreak playlist?”
Leo leaned back smugly. “Into a gentleman. A Casanova. A future king who knows how to hold a wine glass and a conversation.”
Trystan shook his head, laughing. “You’re unbelievable.”
Leo wagged a finger. “Unbelievably effective.”
"Wait ... wait ... a future king? Trystan looks at Leo.
Just then, a loud thud echoed from upstairs, followed by Maxwell’s voice yelling, “Drake! I swear if you farted in my room again, I will smother you with a decorative pillow!”
Trystan looked toward the ceiling. “Yeah. Definitely ready for Paris.”
Leo grinned. “Not those two, just my Prince Mini-Me.”
Loved this so much! What did happen to the crown? Leo explaining to Trystan how he wants to take Liam to Paris, and then the thud and Maxwell yelling at Drake.
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Some of you have already expressed to me to never remove you from the list. If you told me on this post not to remove you, I already have you marked as "keep".
Everyone else, please let me know if you would like to stay, leave, be moved, etc. I'll give it until the end of the month, then remove anyone who didn't respond. I'm sure many of these people are no longer in the fandom.
Warnings for this chapter: alludes to sex, probably some cursing
A/N: Ya’ll haven’t had anything new from me in a while, so I decided to take this out of my WIP folder (where it’s been sitting, completed, for quite some time now) and offer it up. I make no promises about when this will be continued, as I have so much going on right now in real life. But, here it is. Happy Sunday.
My other stuff: Master List.
Riley blinked her eyes against the glare of light slipping through the floor to ceiling curtains she was facing. Her eyes darted from the elegant brocade curtains to the plush carpeting on the floor. She sat upright in confusion.
This was not her hotel room.
Her room was on the first floor of a nondescript budget friendly hotel she had booked online.
Judging by the plush furnishings and the high quality art on the walls, she was in a five star hotel. Through the curtains, she caught a glimpse of the city. The view was pretty good, so she must be on the top floor.
A muffled groan and rustling of sheets caught her attention. She turned her head to discover the reason for her confusion. Stretched out next to her in the double king sized bed was a shirtless man with tousled blond hair and rippling muscles. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to remember his name.
It started with an L. Lee… Leon or Louie or something like that.
His blue eyes blinked open as she tried to ease out of the bed without waking him. “Hey, where you going?”
“You caught me. I was just going to slip out quietly and avoid the awkward morning after small talk.”
“Okay. But at least let me buy you breakfast first. I’m not a complete cad.”
It was tempting. Free food, hot guy. Morning sex wouldn’t be the end of the world. “Okay, just let me text my girlfriend so she knows I wasn’t kidnapped last night.”
“Hana, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah, how’d you—” She froze as she caught sight of her left hand. Lifting it in the air, she examined the diamond ring that sparkled and glinted on her ring finger. “Um… what did we do last night, exactly?”
“The usual,” he smirked, “Got drunk, danced a lot, there was sex. Lots of it if memory serves.”
“Is that all?”
“Why? What else—” He sat straight up in the bed as one particular memory shoved its way to the forefront of his consciousness. “Shit!”
She turned toward him and thrust the ring in his face. “Please tell me this is a novelty ring!”
“I can’t tell you that because I’m pretty sure it’s not.”
Her head shook vigorously from side to side. “No, no, no, no, this can’t be happening! We did not get married!”
“Well…”
“How was there a jewelry store open in the middle of the night?”
“I know a guy—"
She flung the covers back and bolted out of the bed, scooping her clothes off the floor. “No, there’s no way we got married! Don’t you need your birth certificate for that? Don’t you have to get a marriage license first?”
“Generally, yes. But there’s a reason that wouldn’t be an issue for me.” He got up and rummaged around the room. Once he found what he was looking for, he presented it to her.
She clutched last night’s dress to her body with one hand while she took the paper from him with the other. She stared down at it in horror. It was a marriage certificate all right. Riley Brooks and Leo Rys, joined in holy matrimony. Her hands started to shake. “No, no, no, this isn’t happening!”
“I mean…. Would being married to me be the worst thing that—”
She glared at him. “I don’t even know you!”
“Well, okay.” He put his hands up in the air. “But we seemed pretty close last night.”
“This isn’t funny! Hana is going to kill me! I mean fucking murder me!” Riley and Hana were in an open relationship, but she was pretty sure that marrying a total stranger would be a deal breaker.
“It’s okay,” he assured her. “I can fix it.”
“How?”
“Just…. Get dressed. We have to go to the palace.”
“The palace?” She blinked at him as her sleep and alcohol laden brain tried to make sense of what he was saying. “Why?”
“My father can just grant an annulment.”
“Your father?”
“Yes, my father! The king. Remember, I told you last night—”
Her eyes widened as she sucked in a shocked gasp. “You were serious about that?”
“Yes. You thought I was lying?”
“Of course, I thought you were lying! Men will say any kind of shit to get a woman into bed!”
“So, you thought I was lying but you still slept with me?”
“I thought you were doing it ironically! It was such an obvious lie that no one would believe it, so you were saying it as a joke. You know, poking fun at ridiculous pickup lines. I thought it was funny and charming you fucking prick!”
“Hey now,” He held both hands up in front of him in the universal symbol of surrender. “It’s not my fault that I was honest with you and you chose not to believe me. Maybe you have some trust issues you should work on.”
“Of course, I have trust issues. Men do asinine shit like trick women they just met into marriage!”
“Oh, men do that, do they? This happens to you all the time? How many strange men have you married?”
“Fuck you.”
“You already did that. But I’m not averse to round two.”
“Oh, there is no way I’m sleeping with you again!”
Leo shrugged. “Your loss.”
She opened her mouth to say something rude when a memory from the night before broke through.
“…it’s an arranged marriage. I don’t see any way out of it, short of just…running away…”
“What if you married someone else?” she blurted out.
“What?” He laughed.
“I mean… you can’t marry her if you’re already married to someone else, right?”
“Right.”
She closed her eyes in mortification. The marriage had been her idea.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Concern laced his voice.
She was taken aback by how quickly he’d gone from cocky and flippant to kind and solicitous.
“Nothing… just…” she thrust her dirty clothes toward him. “Do you have a T-shirt and some sweats or something I can borrow? I can’t put these back on.”
“I… yeah, ok, go take a shower and I’ll make sure you have something that fits when you get out. And I’ll order breakfast.”
“I don’t think we have time to—”
“Come on. You have to eat.”
“Fine. Whatever.” She huffed as she slammed into the bathroom. Glaring at herself in the mirror, she tried to quell the panic rising in her throat. How the hell was she going to explain this to Hana?
Their epic summer abroad had just taken a disastrous turn.
Warnings for this chapter: alludes to sex, probably some cursing
A/N: Ya’ll haven’t had anything new from me in a while, so I decided to take this out of my WIP folder (where it’s been sitting, completed, for quite some time now) and offer it up. I make no promises about when this will be continued, as I have so much going on right now in real life. But, here it is. Happy Sunday.
My other stuff: Master List.
Riley blinked her eyes against the glare of light slipping through the floor to ceiling curtains she was facing. Her eyes darted from the elegant brocade curtains to the plush carpeting on the floor. She sat upright in confusion.
This was not her hotel room.
Her room was on the first floor of a nondescript budget friendly hotel she had booked online.
Judging by the plush furnishings and the high quality art on the walls, she was in a five star hotel. Through the curtains, she caught a glimpse of the city. The view was pretty good, so she must be on the top floor.
A muffled groan and rustling of sheets caught her attention. She turned her head to discover the reason for her confusion. Stretched out next to her in the double king sized bed was a shirtless man with tousled blond hair and rippling muscles. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to remember his name.
It started with an L. Lee… Leon or Louie or something like that.
His blue eyes blinked open as she tried to ease out of the bed without waking him. “Hey, where you going?”
“You caught me. I was just going to slip out quietly and avoid the awkward morning after small talk.”
“Okay. But at least let me buy you breakfast first. I’m not a complete cad.”
It was tempting. Free food, hot guy. Morning sex wouldn’t be the end of the world. “Okay, just let me text my girlfriend so she knows I wasn’t kidnapped last night.”
“Hana, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah, how’d you—” She froze as she caught sight of her left hand. Lifting it in the air, she examined the diamond ring that sparkled and glinted on her ring finger. “Um… what did we do last night, exactly?”
“The usual,” he smirked, “Got drunk, danced a lot, there was sex. Lots of it if memory serves.”
“Is that all?”
“Why? What else—” He sat straight up in the bed as one particular memory shoved its way to the forefront of his consciousness. “Shit!”
She turned toward him and thrust the ring in his face. “Please tell me this is a novelty ring!”
“I can’t tell you that because I’m pretty sure it’s not.”
Her head shook vigorously from side to side. “No, no, no, no, this can’t be happening! We did not get married!”
“Well…”
“How was there a jewelry store open in the middle of the night?”
“I know a guy—"
She flung the covers back and bolted out of the bed, scooping her clothes off the floor. “No, there’s no way we got married! Don’t you need your birth certificate for that? Don’t you have to get a marriage license first?”
“Generally, yes. But there’s a reason that wouldn’t be an issue for me.” He got up and rummaged around the room. Once he found what he was looking for, he presented it to her.
She clutched last night’s dress to her body with one hand while she took the paper from him with the other. She stared down at it in horror. It was a marriage certificate all right. Riley Brooks and Leo Rys, joined in holy matrimony. Her hands started to shake. “No, no, no, this isn’t happening!”
“I mean…. Would being married to me be the worst thing that—”
She glared at him. “I don’t even know you!”
“Well, okay.” He put his hands up in the air. “But we seemed pretty close last night.”
“This isn’t funny! Hana is going to kill me! I mean fucking murder me!” Riley and Hana were in an open relationship, but she was pretty sure that marrying a total stranger would be a deal breaker.
“It’s okay,” he assured her. “I can fix it.”
“How?”
“Just…. Get dressed. We have to go to the palace.”
“The palace?” She blinked at him as her sleep and alcohol laden brain tried to make sense of what he was saying. “Why?”
“My father can just grant an annulment.”
“Your father?”
“Yes, my father! The king. Remember, I told you last night—”
Her eyes widened as she sucked in a shocked gasp. “You were serious about that?”
“Yes. You thought I was lying?”
“Of course, I thought you were lying! Men will say any kind of shit to get a woman into bed!”
“So, you thought I was lying but you still slept with me?”
“I thought you were doing it ironically! It was such an obvious lie that no one would believe it, so you were saying it as a joke. You know, poking fun at ridiculous pickup lines. I thought it was funny and charming you fucking prick!”
“Hey now,” He held both hands up in front of him in the universal symbol of surrender. “It’s not my fault that I was honest with you and you chose not to believe me. Maybe you have some trust issues you should work on.”
“Of course, I have trust issues. Men do asinine shit like trick women they just met into marriage!”
“Oh, men do that, do they? This happens to you all the time? How many strange men have you married?”
“Fuck you.”
“You already did that. But I’m not averse to round two.”
“Oh, there is no way I’m sleeping with you again!”
Leo shrugged. “Your loss.”
She opened her mouth to say something rude when a memory from the night before broke through.
“…it’s an arranged marriage. I don’t see any way out of it, short of just…running away…”
“What if you married someone else?” she blurted out.
“What?” He laughed.
“I mean… you can’t marry her if you’re already married to someone else, right?”
“Right.”
She closed her eyes in mortification. The marriage had been her idea.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Concern laced his voice.
She was taken aback by how quickly he’d gone from cocky and flippant to kind and solicitous.
“Nothing… just…” she thrust her dirty clothes toward him. “Do you have a T-shirt and some sweats or something I can borrow? I can’t put these back on.”
“I… yeah, ok, go take a shower and I’ll make sure you have something that fits when you get out. And I’ll order breakfast.”
“I don’t think we have time to—”
“Come on. You have to eat.”
“Fine. Whatever.” She huffed as she slammed into the bathroom. Glaring at herself in the mirror, she tried to quell the panic rising in her throat. How the hell was she going to explain this to Hana?
Their epic summer abroad had just taken a disastrous turn.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Anya is LIVE right now
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Book: Choices, The Royal Romance, The Royal Heir Book 2 AU
Pairing: Maxwell Beaumont x F! OC, Daniella Gandi
Summary: Maxwell is invited to take part as a tango dance partner in an upcoming tango festival in Italy by Daniela Gandi.
A dance instructor that helped Liam and Riley win a competition in Auvernal 5 years previously, felt sparks fly between herself and her assigned partner, Maxwell Beaumont.
◇Mini-series inspired by the one-shot: All is Fair in Love & War
◇
Warnings: none
Category: fluff, mini series
This story has not been Beta'd, please excuse all errors.
Series Rating: Adult, 18+
Word Count: 1483
🎶 🎶 💃 🕺 🎶🎶
Turin, Italy
Daniella stood and stretched her long, tanned legs, her lithe figure moving with practiced ease. She ran her hands through her long, brown hair and pulled it into a ponytail, tying it back.
Daniella is wearing a black sports bra and matching leggings. Her toned muscles ripple beneath her taut skin, and her blue eyes twinkle with excitement as she started her morning routine in the dance studio.
Her dance studio.
With a generous donation by a Cordonian King in his appreciation of her participation with his queen’s quest to learn how to dance the tango years ago, she was able to realize her dream.
To have her own dance studio.
Daniella was excited for today's event, the grand opening of her dance studio. It was a big moment for her, and she could not wait to share it with her friends and family.
Finished with her morning stretches, Daniella headed upstairs and into her loft overlooking the dance floor below. She started a pot of coffee and then grabbed a granola bar and an apple from the pantry. Reaching for her phone, she sent a text to Maxwell Beaumont, inviting him to dance with her in an international tango competition next month.
Maxwell's reply came in less than five minutes later.
Dukedom of Ramsford, Cordonia
Maxwell was enjoying the morning Mediterranean sun, lounging poolside at the Beaumont estate in Cordonia. He was sipping on a fruity drink and listening to music on his ear-pods. The atmosphere around him was calm and peaceful. Maxwell was lost in his own thoughts when his phone vibrated with a new text message. Maxwell picked up his phone and read the text from Daniella. She was inviting him to attend the opening of her new dance studio. Maxwell smiled as he remembered the time he spent dancing with Daniella at the palace 5 years ago. He replied to the text at once, accepting the invitation.
After replying to the text, Maxwell put his phone down and laid back on the lounge chair. He closed his eyes and let the warm sun soak into his skin once more. His mind wandered back to his days of dancing with Daniella, and he couldn't help but smile. He had really enjoyed spending time with her, and he hoped that maybe there could be something more between them one day.
Maxwell: Yes!!! I'd love to. I'm free this weekend, if you want to practice.
😍🫶
Daniella smiled as she read his message. She quickly replied, setting up a time for them to meet, inviting him to her dance studio in Turin.
Daniella's heart beat faster in her chest as she thought about spending the upcoming weekend with Maxwell.
It had been a while since they last danced together, and she could not wait to see his handsome face again.
Maxwell: See you soon, tango-rina girl!
🥰❤️
Daniella giggled at his use of her nickname that he gave her and sent him a heart emoji in return.
With the time for their reunion set, Daniella placed her phone down on the counter and took another sip of her coffee.
Turin, Italy - 10 days later
As Maxwell arrived at Daniella's dance studio, the doors opened to reveal her smiling face.
"Ciao, tangorina girl." he chirped as he walked into the studio, embracing Daniella with a hug.
"Ciao, Maxxie! Grazie per essere venuto qui! " [Thanks for coming, here!]
Daniella replied, blushing slightly.
"It's fantastic to see you again," Maxwell says as they pull apart.
Daniella led him into the studio and gave him a tour. They walked through the large, open room where the classes will be held, and then headed upstairs to the loft.
Daniella pointed out the different rooms that they will be using for private lessons, saving the best for last --
The rooftop patio.
"Wow, this is an incredible view!" Maxwell gasped, looking out over the city.
Daniella nodded, leaning against the railing. "I'm so glad that we will have the chance to work together again."
Maxwell smiled and reached for her hand. "Me too... I can't wait to dance with you again, tangorina girl."
Their eyes locked, and Daniella felt her heart start to beat faster. Maxwell leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.
"Let's dance," he whispered, and they spent the rest of the afternoon practicing their tango routine.
Maxwell and Daniella's dance moves were seamless and in sync, as their chemistry on and off the dance floor was undeniable.
Maxwell found himself falling for the gorgeous dance instructor.
They spent the rest of the day together, and by the time they returned to their homes, they were both exhausted but content.
As Maxwell lay in bed that night, he thought about Daniella and how much fun they had dancing together.
He couldn't wait to see her again and hopefully make their dance partnership more than just professional.
The International Tango Competition was being held in Venice, and Maxwell was determined to win.
He had never won a tango competition before, but this time was different. This time, he had the most amazing woman by his side.
Dancing with Daniella was effortless. Their bodies moved together in perfect harmony, and Maxwell knew that he was in love.
Pairing - Liam x OC (Kyla) (not much is going on here though lol).
Summary - Constantine and Kyla enjoy Halloween... at Liam's expense.
Word Count - 2500
Warnings - language, Constantine shenanigains.
A/N 1 - I am participating in @choicesflashfics with prompt number 3, which will appear in bold. I don't think this qualifies for any of the other various Halloween prompts (not the ones I looked at, anyway.)
A/N 2 - Thanks for giving me a little confidence boost about this @ao719! 🥹🫶
Please excuse any errors.
Most characters belong to Pixelberry.
Liam awoke after a restless night’s sleep, tentatively opening one eye to search the area. Constantine enjoyed messing with Liam any day of the year, but a few held special significance for mischief; April Fool’s Day and Halloween. Much to Liam’s dismay, the date was October 31st.
He enjoyed the 'holiday'; the royal family spent a few hours where they stood atop the front steps of the palace passing out candy. It was a tradition Liam intended to start alone, but Constantine and Regina both liked the idea and wanted to engage. He didn’t dress up but still enjoyed seeing all the costumes the public wore.
However, he never knew what the day could hold for him. He could handle most of it, but the part he didn’t enjoy was the jump scares; perhaps it was a bit of PTSD, but it made Liam’s soul vacate his body every single time. Constantine took this with a grain of salt; at least on those two days a year, Liam could expect nothing but chaos.
With utmost caution, Liam sat up. He patted around the mattress to ensure there wasn’t something hidden in his sheets, but there wasn’t. He got up and made his way to the bathroom to relieve himself, and while he did, a brief flicker of relief shot through him; perhaps this year would be different, given the circumstances had changed. Last year Constantine wasn’t sick, but now he didn’t have nearly as much energy. Liam hoped that just this once — that would work to his advantage.
Liam groggily made his way into the shower. He turned the water on with a yawn and closed his eyes as the soothing heat cascaded down his chest and legs. He submerged his head and ran his palms through his hair; when he opened his eyes to reach for his shampoo, he realized the water was — red.
“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Liam shouted as he stumbled backward. His back slammed against the wall as he tried to get away. He scrambled out of the shower, leaving the water running behind him.
When he made it out, Liam was in such a frenzy that he slipped; in a moment of desperation, he grabbed onto a shelf but ended up taking that tumbling down with him.
A moment later, a frantic knock sounded on the bathroom door. “Sir? Are you alright?” Bastien hollered.
Liam quickly reached for a towel to cover himself and answered, “NO! Get in here!”
Bastien came barreling inside; his eyes widened as he saw Liam lying on the floor, surrounded by a pool of crimson liquid. He immediately rushed over and crouched beside him. “What happened? Was someone in here?”
“The shower!”
“... Pardon?”
Liam narrowed his eyes. “The fucking shower, Bastien!”
Bastien cautiously approached the glass door with one hand on his holstered weapon. He glanced inside and noticed the colored water coating the floor, but also noted the discoloration of the tub; Bastien knew immediately this substance was not blood.
He reached in and turned the knobs off; as he did, a sweet aroma filled his senses — fruit punch. Bastien took a wild guess regarding what happened, and as he detached the shower head and popped it open, he realized he was correct.
Bastien exited the shower, laughing to himself. Liam paced the area but grew irritated at Bastien’s lack of panic. “What did you find? Should we call an exorcist?”
Bastien chuckled. “No, sir. It’s not blood, I assure you.” He held the opened shower head to show Liam the inside. “It would appear as if someone packed this full of a red powder; if I had to take a guess, I would say it’s Kool-Aid.”
“Kool-Aid?” Liam mimicked in disbelief. “... You’re joking.”
Bastien nodded, trying to keep his composure as he scanned Liam’s appearance. “I’m afraid not, sir. And unfortunately — it stains.” He motioned to the mirror behind Liam.
Liam turned around with furrowed brows, but his mouth fell open as he took in his appearance; his face and chest had a noticeable red tint, and his hair a pink hue. “Oh dear God…”
“It’s not that bad, sir…”
“What do you mean not that bad?” Liam mocked. “I look like a sick crab! What the hell am I going to do?! I’m supposed to be in a meeting in less than an hour!”
“Perhaps you could tell them it’s a sunburn?”
Liam narrowed his eyes and let out a huff of air; judging from how his morning started, it was going to be a long day, indeed.
Further in the afternoon, Constantine and Kyla were finishing the last touches on their concluding prank. Knowing that everything they did throughout the day was constructed for Liam, Kyla felt a sense of guilt. However, she didn’t have the heart to tell Constantine no; when his eyes lit up, she found it hard to resist his child-like elation. She only hoped Liam would forgive her, and appreciate that she kept things much more minimal than Constantine originally intended.
Constantine encouraged Kyla to dress up; the only requirement was that she couldn’t wear scrubs. She looked online and came across a cute Santa outfit and decided that would be her selection; complete with festive tights and black ankle boots, she was the holliest, jolliest person in Cordonia.
Constantine opted for something more — unconventional for a former monarch. Since the opportunity presented itself, he wanted to be a cowboy; he wore jeans, a flannel shirt, the wide-brimmed hat, and carried a lasso. He’d never dressed up before, but considering this would be his last Halloween, he wanted to experience the full effect.
“Perfect! Now, stay there and wait, boy,” Constantine ordered Trent.
Trent gave Constantine an unsure expression. “Are you sure about this?”
“Is it your job to do as you’re told?”
“Yes, but–”
“No more malarky; you’re already in costume, and you will not waste all of Kyla’s hard work. Wait until Liam comes, then—” Constantine paused for dramatic effect. “—you know what to do.”
Trent gave a weak salute, nearly knocking his hat off. Constantine slowly drove his scooter away, Kyla strolling beside him. “You did a marvelous job today, dear. I have to tell you, this stuff is much easier with you around.”
Kyla dipped into an exaggerated curtsy. “It’s my pleasure to serve.”
Constantine howled with laughter. “I suppose we should give Liam his treat.”
Kyla shuddered. “You’re seriously doing this?”
“What? It’s not poison; he’ll be fine.” Constantine waved her off. “It’s funny, and if I can figure out how to work the camcorder on my cellular device, I intend to videotape everything to show Leo; maybe I’ll upload it on that clock webpage the kids use.”
Kyla furrowed her brows. “... You mean — Tik-Tok?”
“Yes! That’s the one! Come along, now; it’s time to begin our last operation of the day.” Given that this would likely be his last Halloween, Constantine wanted to go out with a bang. The dynamic duo concocted the perfect scheme to scare Liam’s socks off. Constantine handled the set-up, Kyla advising the punch-line; together they produced a glorious mix of pandemonium and humor — for Constantine, anyway.
Constantine and Kyla made their way to Liam’s office with their — treat. Constantine knocked on the door with a smirk; as he did, he handed Kyla the box and whispered, “You should probably be the one to give him these. Tell him you made them yourself and make it believable.”
Kyla’s eyes widened. “What?! Why me?!“
“He will know if it comes from me; you need to do it. Don’t worry! It’s Halloween — we’re exempt from punishment today.”
“I don’t think that’s how that works–” Kyla was cut off as the door crept open. As it did, neither she nor Constantine could control the shrieks of laughter that escaped them at Liam’s appearance; the evidence of their opening prank shined brightly, contrasted to the natural hue of his skin they were used to.
“Yeah, yeah,” Liam grumbled. “Laugh it up. Thanks to you, I’ve had three meetings looking like this today.” He spoke to his father.
“I don’t know what you mean, son.” Constantine feigned innocence.
Liam grasped Constantine’s hand, flipping it over to look at his palm and noted the tinges of discoloration. “So… you running around red-handed is just a coincidence?”
Constantine pulled his hand away. “No, it’s a part of the costume; cow people work hard — these are farming hands.”
“What about the fake mice in my fridge? Or the trash bag stuffed to look like a body? The clown stickers on my mirrors? Or the air horn under my chair?” Liam walked behind his desk and pushed down, a loud honk thundering through the room.
“Okay, you caught me. But it’s Halloween, Liam.” Constantine gave Liam sad, pleading eyes.
“You know the expression is trick or treat, not trick or trick–“
“I’m aware, William.” Constantine subtly slid his eyes over to Kyla. “If only someone had a treat for you…”
Kyla realized that was her cue; she presented the box to Liam with the warmest smile she could force, praying he didn’t see her trembling hands. “Actually, I have something for you…”
“You do?” Liam sought with an arched brow.
“Yeah,” Kyla returned as she opened the container. “It’s chocolate — balls… I made them myself and even used white chocolate since you prefer vanilla…”
Liam alternated his gaze between the offered delicacy and Kyla; he couldn’t decide if he could trust her or not at that moment. Any other day he would, hands down; today was different and as much as it pained him to admit, he knew Constantine couldn’t have pulled the day’s shenanigans off on his own.
He slowly reached into the box and grasped a treat; he experimentally sniffed it first, noting the heavenly aroma invading his nostrils. As he took in Kyla’s innocent smile, Liam shrugged and popped it into his mouth; when he bit down, what he tasted was not sweet as expected, but disgusting.
“Ugh,” Liam shuddered with a scrunched face. “Wha tha hec is tha?“ He got out as he tried his hardest not to jostle — whatever it was inside his mouth.
Kyla gave him an apologetic expression. “It’s, uh…”
“Chocolate-covered brussel sprouts!” Constantine proudly exclaimed as he held up his phone, centered on Liam. “I know how much you’ve always loved your veggies. Oh, and say hello to Leo, son.”
Liam gagged; he lunged for the trash can and opened his mouth, the mangled ball rolling out with ease. He smacked his lips together, trying to rid himself of the awful taste, but it wouldn’t vacate. When he stood, he used his hands to scrape at his tongue, but that didn’t help either. In a moment of desperation he bolted to the bar cart, only to find it empty. He groaned, but by doing so elevated the horrible sensation.
Liam rushed out of the room, intent on reaching a bathroom or somewhere with some water. As his thunderous steps made it around the corner, a presence suddenly jumped out at him. It cackled and grasped his arms, sending Liam into an instant state of panic; he only saw their green flesh, the large nose, and glowing red eyes.
Liam leaned on his body’s natural reaction; with a high-pitched wail, his fist connected with the attacker’s throat, sending them tumbling backward. As the person hit the ground Liam stood over them glaring down, prepared to strike again; they waved one hand, the other cradling the spot of impact.
“S-sir… Please–” Trent spat out through wheezes.
“Trent?!” Liam gasped with wide eyes. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t—” The sound of Constantine’s laughter interrupted him. “Dad, this is not funny!”
“Oh, calm down. It’s just Trent; the boy could use some roughing up, anyway.” Constantine answered from behind his phone.
“Put that down!”
Constantine rolled his eyes but complied. “Fine; I suppose the good part is over, anyway.”
Liam released a deep, steadying breath to keep his composure. It’s nearly over, he thought to himself. “Trent, go visit the physician and take the rest of the day off… And tomorrow.” He softly spoke as he helped him stand. Trent nodded, still cradling his jugular, but made his leave.
An extended period of silence passed, but Constantine finally broke it. “Trick or treat?” Liam growled and opened his mouth to retort, but Constantine quickly added, “Not to put a fine point on it, but this will most likely be my last Halloween…”
Liam sighed and his eyes softened; all day, he’d fixated on his worries for what was to come, but Constantine was right. He felt guilty for not embracing the day as he should have, instead of wishing the time away.
Constantine noticed Liam’s expression shift and felt instant remorse. “I apologize, Liam, I didn’t mean to–”
“I know what you were trying to do, but — you’re right. I hadn’t thought about it like that, and now I feel terrible for not spending the day with you.”
“But if you were with me, who would the target be?” Constantine expressed, earning him a playful eye roll from Liam. “Listen, life must continue. I’m dying; technically, so are you. Every breath you take is one step closer to the grave. Just because I don’t have as far to go changes nothing. I refuse to spend my time fixated on what’s coming, and I surely don’t want you to, either.”
Liam sharply sniffed and nonchalantly cleared his throat. “Right…”
“But — given that it’s a holiday, perhaps you could end your day early; hang out with Kyla and me until the candy gifting begins.”
“Does that mean the pranks will stop?”
“Against you, maybe.”
Liam smiled. “I’d like that.”
“But you must be in costume to be seen with us; sorry, it’s a rule.”
Liam furrowed his brow. “You realize I’m the King now, right?”
“You sure like to remind me of that, son.” Constantine laughed. “I’ll go to the boutique and pick out an outfit for you.”
“The chances of me wearing whatever you’re thinking are–”
“Aaaand he’s gone,” Kyla spoke as Constantine sped away on his scooter.
Liam shook his head. “I’m almost afraid to even think about what he’s going to find.”
“Should’ve come prepared like the rest of us.” Kyla playfully elbowed his side.
“Trueché…“ The pair shared a laugh, but as it died down Liam added, "You look cute."
Kyla brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and ducked her head, trying to hide her flushed cheeks. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He smiled at her. “I need to thank you…”
“For?”
“Making my father's time special. I’m figuring out he didn’t act alone today, but I’m glad he’s got someone to be the Thelma to his Louise.”
“I’m happy to do it; I love it when he gets excited.”
“I do too.”
“He’s taught me a lot about how to relax and enjoy the little things; to make every second count.”
Liam stared at Kyla with a grin, warmth blossoming in his chest. “Me too.”
They locked eyes but Constantine quickly re-appeared. "Oh, Li-am…"
"I don't like that tone… or that face you're making…"
"I found you a costume." Constantine answered as he held a garment up.
Liam stared into his basket and saw the remaining pieces of the getup and shook his head. "I'm not wearing that."
"Oh, come on! A cowboy needs a steed to wrangle, son! Have you not seen a western film?"
"But I don't want to be your horse!" Liam protested. "What if I wanted to be a superhero or something?"
Constantine pursed his lip with pleading eyes. "Liam…"
Liam held his stare for merely a moment before he rolled his eyes. "Fine."
Constantine's face lit like a Christmas tree but he was quick to shove the garments at Liam, insisting he go get dressed. As Liam disappeared, Constantine gave Kyla a knowing look. "... What did I tell you?"
"I can not believe that worked."
Constantine snickered. "I never planned on being a horseless cowboy."
"He probably would've done it anyway if you asked him…"
Constantine wanting to post his videos of the day on that click app, this was so funny and cute. I want to reach through my phone and give Constantine a big hug. Liam is actually a pretty good sport through all of these shenanigans. Still poor Liam.
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Warnings: allusion to abuse/murder, slight angst I suppose.
Word count:1420
Authors note: So I feel like this is where I should start. I know I posted the little Drabble of how Finn finds Bea, but really it all starts when Jason arrives in Redning Falls. Having his grandmothers diary, the little information it held about their grandfather, and his aunts, is what led him to discover the place he was truly meant to be and the people that would become his real family. So. Here we go.
Looking up from his newspaper at the sound of the cows making a ruckus at something, John Finnegan, Sr. stood and watched as a gangly, dark-haired boy trudged up the long drive. Once he reached the step on the porch where John was standing, the young man just stared at the older man, unsure of how to proceed.
John glanced at his watch.
“You eat breakfast yet?” John asked him as he took in his dusty clothes, the almost too-short pants that had been lovingly mended at the knees and his button-up shirt, a size too small. A healing gash on his left cheekbone and the yellow-green remnants of a black eye marred the young man’s eerily familiar face. His deep blue eyes were too hardened and serious for a child, making John want to break someone’s leg.
“Breakfast?” He asked, caught off guard by the question. “No. No, thank you, sir. I’m sorry to bother you, I was just looking for-“ John held his hand up, stopping the boy's quest.
“After breakfast.” Turning on his heel, John started into the house. When he realized the boy hadn’t followed him, he turned to find him still rooted to the spot. “You coming?”
The boy seemed to be debating, but his stomach won the argument with his mind because he nodded and ran to catch up with him.
“You like steak and eggs?” John asked as he held open the door for him.
“Steak? I’ve never had it, sir.”
John raised an eyebrow. “Never had steak? Do you eat meat? Beef?”
“Yes sir, sometimes my mom makes... She made a lot of casseroles and when she could get it on sale,” he paused, embarrassed, “she would put some ground beef in them. My father would eat steak.”
John ran his hand over his mustache, trying to keep his thoughts to himself. He went to the fridge and pulled out a butcher paper wrapped parcel. Holding up a thick cut of steak he asked, “Can you eat one of these by yourself, you think?”
The boy's eyes nearly danced out of his head at the sight of the hunk of meat. “Oh yes. Yes sir!”
“Hmm. Thought so. Milk?” He asked, pouring a tall glass and placing it in front of the boy.
“Thank you, sir.” He said quietly, looking around the kitchen.
Slapping down three steaks on the griddle, John went back to digging around in the fridge. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the boy had stood up and was now staring at a small photo that was stuck on the corkboard near the cellar stairs.
“That’s my ex-wife Nadine and our son the morning she had him. Not a hair out of place, still as beautiful as the day I met her, even after sixteen hours of labor.” He shook his head. It still amazed him after all these years.
“Ex-wife?” The boy asked, looking crestfallen.
“Yeah, that’s how I felt about it too,” John smirked, flipping the eggs in the cast iron.
“So she’s not here anymore? Do you know where she went? I was looking for her.” He sounded slightly panicked, looking longingly at the photo.
“Texas. She moved back down with her parents when she left. Cows weren’t her thing. It’s a better life there for her.”
“Oh. How far away is Texas from here?”
Sliding a heaping plate of food in front of the boy, John sat across from him with his own plate.
“Eat up. We’ll figure out Texas after breakfast. I’m John, by the way. I’m guessing you’re somehow related to my ex-wife.”
The boy looked up sharply at him. “How did you know that?”
“Because you’ve got the same blue eyes as her. And you look too much like my son not to be related.”
“I have a cousin?” Restrained excitement lit his eyes.
“I’m guessing you do. Eat up before it gets cold. There’s another steak if you want more after.”
After watching the boy devour both steaks, another serving of eggs, and three glasses of milk, John sat patiently, waiting for the boy to tell him his story.
Fidgeting with his napkin, he glanced up at the picture again, the shine of unshed tears gathering. Clearing his throat, he began. “My mom, she was kil- she died last Tuesday.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, son.”
Nodding his thanks, the boy took a shaky breath and continued. “Jason. She never told me she had sisters. Not until right before she died. Two of them. Half sisters, anyways. Same dad.” He paused, looking at the picture. “She looks so much like her. Except her hair wasn’t red. It was dark brown. Like chocolate syrup.”
“If your mom never told you, how did you know to come here looking for Nadine?”
“When my grandmother died, my mom put all her stuff in the attic. She said she couldn’t deal with it on top of everything else. But when she was…” he paused, his jaw clenched, the muscle in his cheek ticking, “when she was dying, she told me to get this journal that was in my grandmother's boxes and to find my aunts. To get away and find them.”
“What about your father?” John asked him.
“He’s burning in hell where he belongs, sir.” The hardness of the boy's voice should have set off alarm bells for John, instead it flipped the protective dad switch. Something bad had happened to this kid's mother and he had a feeling the father had been responsible.
John nodded, watching Jason for a moment. The boy was alone in the world, and worse yet, it was a world that didn’t seem to have been too kind to him in his short life. That didn’t sit right with him.
“You can call me Uncle John.” He stood, clearing away the breakfast dishes. “Jack, that’s your cousin, he’s about the same age as you. He just turned twelve last month. How old are you?”
“14 in December, sir. Ah, Uncle John, sir.”
John smiled. “We’ll work on that. Jack, he stays with his momma down in Texas during the school year, but he comes here in the summer and school vacations. He’ll be out of school in a few weeks, and flying home. Now I can take you to Texas to see Nadine, but I’m worried that may not be the best idea.”
“Would she not help me?” There was a fear of rejection simmering on the boy's face.
“No, it’s not that at all, I can almost guarantee she would. I’m just worried about Jack’s grandfather. Either he was sleeping around on his wife, or his wife was sleeping around on him. He’s getting on in years and Jack’s granny, she’s been gone for five years at least. She was a good woman. I’m worried that this may cause a lot of problems for Nadine if her father thinks she’s not his daughter. He’s not the most forgiving kind of man, if you know what I mean.”
“I didn’t think of that,” Jason said morosely, staring at the picture of his aunt. “I don’t want to cause her any trouble. The other sister lives in a different country. How much does it cost to get to Scotland?”
“I have a suggestion.”
Jason looked up hopefully.
“You can stay here with me. I know a cow farm isn’t every teenager's dream but you can go to school and I’ll only make you do chores on the weekend. Plus Jack would disown me if he knew he had a cousin that I didn’t help out when I had the chance. I’ll call Nadine and fill her in on what’s going on and we’ll see what we can do.”
The tears came pooling back at the corner of Jason’s eyes, the redness making them seem even bluer than before.
“A big old farmhouse like this needs kids hanging around. Besides, you’re family. Family helps family.”
“I don’t want to impose, sir.” He said, his voice cracking at the end.
“Uncle.” John corrected.
“Uncle.” Nodding, a tear escaped, and Jason dashed it away, embarrassed. “I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about, son. I want you to remember something. Men can have feelings, it’s allowed.”
Jason looked like he’d never heard those words before. He nodded slowly, more tears following the first. John let him get it all out, sitting in silence. Once he had stopped, John stood, patting him on the back.
“Come on. You ever seen how cheese was made?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tag list
Please let me know if you want on or off the tag list 🖤
So, as I’ve mentioned in a few other posts over the last few days, I’ve been reworking and rewriting several of my fics into a series of stories that combines the worlds of Applewine Valley, Unexpected and The Light, as well as some previous ones most of you won’t know. Below is some info on the project and my goals 🖤
(I have plans for the story lines of Pecans and Witness to be worked into this universe as well).
So. Redning Falls. Yeah it sounds made up, but I specifically chose this name for my ✨fictional✨ town because of this
This town is salvation to many of my characters, in one way or another.
Nestled in between three large mountains, Redning Falls is an oasis of small town bliss. Difficult enough to find that it can easily be missed or forgotten by the outside world. Ask Izzy about what happens when you miss the turn off 🤭
We know the ladies will be back…. I wouldn’t be able to do this without Cassie, Izzy and Irene. (As well as Rose and Mina 🖤)
Let’s meet the boys, shall we?
Three cousins (connected by their mysterious grandfather, an infamous international spy that had a reputation for being a ladies man) manage to find each other as boys and form a bond for life.
Jason March arrived to Redning Falls as a young teen, searching for an unknown family connection on the slim possibility they might offer him some shelter when he had no where else to go, and instead finding love and acceptance of family like he never experienced before. Even after he’s grown and left to join the military and then the CIA, the small town is his safe haven, the place he feels most at peace. He becomes a collector of people, taking those that have helped him while risking their lives and bringing them to the one place he knows they’ll be safe, where they can start over. The question is, will he forgive himself for the decisions he’s had to make in order to allow himself his own happily ever after? (Muse - August Walker from my fic Unexpected)
Or E. L. Munro, Elm to his friends (and only his friends) who came there in the summers to escape the boredom of his small hometown on the coast of Scotland and a difficult relationship with his own father, the excitement of visiting with his newfound cousins all he needed. Coming back as a man whose marriage had failed and carefully cultivated life had fallen apart, he finds himself surrounded by people who love and care about him and is able to start over. The cousin’s search for their grandfather has opened a Pandora’s box that nearly ends his life, but could Elm have actually found his heart among the waves? (Muse - Walter Marshall from my fic The Light except now he sounds like a Highlander 😏).
Or Finn, who only got to spend school breaks with his dad, and grew up counting down to the days he would spend up in the small mountain town with his father and his side of the family. Once he’d discovered his other cousins, it was all his mother could do to keep him in Texas to finish school. Returning to his father’s farm from war, broken in mind, body and spirit, he found that coming home was the only thing that had remotely calmed the demons within, but he still feels restless. A cow, a librarian and some serious plumbing problems might just be what he really needs to find himself again. (Muse - Syverson from my fic Applewine Valley)
So, I’m going to tag the Henry tag, and probably August, Sy and Walter tags just this once - since these stories aren’t actually about them, just based on characters from stories I’ve written about them before. But from this point forward the tags will be Redning Falls, Jack Finnegan, E. L. Munro, and Jason March. I’ll probably be doing a master list of all my thoughts, plot bunnies and little Drabbles. I’m planning on using this as a writing tool, to help me get my writing game strong again, and sorting out the back stories of the back stories, get them out of my head and written down so i can reference them but also share with you guys. I have so many things that I love the ideas of but they just don’t belong in the main stories you know what I mean?
I’m going to hit my old tag list, just this once, to let you guys know what I’m up to. If you want to continue to be tagged, please let me know 🖤
I hope I can do justice to this town and its people, and bring to life the stories and characters that are constantly dancing about in my head. Thank you for joining me (if you choose to!) on this journey 🥰
Maybe a little ditzel, about how Finn met Bea? Because you know Bea had to stay in the story. And every Queen has an origin story. Just a little thing I had clogging up the old gray matter.
Warnings: short, unedited and A touch angsty, since you know, war. Slight mentions of death, depression and alcoholism, but nothing in depth.
Thwack.
Thwack.
As his ax hit the mark, sure and smooth, over and over, Finn tried to focus on the feel of it. He let the rhythm of it calm his mind. He’d been back home for a month now, and he’d been out in the woods for most of it. He knew his father was worried about him but was also glad he had finally come home. He knew the older man was a little hurt he hadn’t come straight back to Redning Falls when he’d been discharged from the VA Hospital, but he also knew his father would give him the space he needed to come around. But they would have to talk eventually. It was a conversation he kept putting off. Finn felt like he’d failed everyone, especially his dad, who he still idolized even now.
Clearing the land by himself was cathartic in a way. Every tree that fell took him further from the chaos of war, away from the desperation of a thirst that could never be quenched and closer to mentally being home. Closer to finding himself again. Every log he added to the pile was a plea for forgiveness to those he’d lost. Needing to keep his hands busy, something inside of him was telling him to build this cabin, that he needed to do it with his bare hands as a kind of penance. A monument to them and the ultimate sacrifice his men had made that had resulted from his decisions.
Thwack.
Thwack.
Thwack.
Lost in memories he couldn’t quite leave behind, he stripped the branches methodically from the fallen tree. Hefting the log onto his shoulder, he placed it on the growing pile that would be the walls of his new home. Heading back to the trees, he selected his next mark. Raising his ax, he said a silent entreaty to whoever or whatever would be willing to listen to him, having the same conversation with some imaginary diety that he’d had a thousand times over in the last ten months since he’d stepped back onto the soil of his homeland.
Did I really do the best I could have? Made the only decisions I could have with the information I had at hand? What did I miss? Did I not notice something I should have? It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t enough. I failed them. I should have died with them. Died instead of them.
Please.
He swung hard at the tree.
Thwack.
Please. Send me a sign.
Thwack.
Tell me why it was them and not me. Please. Tell me why when every time I take a breath it feels stolen. Please.
Thwack.
Please. I’m trying my best. I don’t know what else to do. Please. I’m clean. I haven’t had a drop in three months. I’m trying to turn my life around. But why am I still here? I feel so lost. Please. Help me see.
Moo.
Halting his next swing mid air, Finn tilted his head, his ears straining in the silence following his last strike.
I’m hearing things now. Great.
Sighing, he geared up for one final swing that would fell the next oak tree. Then he heard it again. The softest, gentle moo, just barely louder than the breeze that ruffled through the leaves. Glancing around, he didn’t see anything.
Maybe the wind is carrying the noise from the farm. I thought it would be quieter here in the valley.
The clearing was only a ten minute walk from his fathers dairy farm, but this wasn’t the low of a fully grown cow and none of the farm's cows had any babies at the moment.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something brown moving through the brush at a glacial pace. Slowly, with unsure steps, a tiny, emaciated calf came wobbling out of the thicket. Letting out a soft moo, she stopped and eyed Finn.
We’ll I’ll be damned. This is my sign? A fucking cow? Poor thing is wasting away.
Crouching down, he held his hand out to her, gently murmuring “Now where on earth did you come from, Sweet Girl? I know you’re not one of ours. Come on over here, I won’t hurt you.”
Still eyeing him warily, the little calf raised her head in a way that reminded him of a queen, surveying one of her subjects.
“Is that it? Are you a Queen Bee, baby? Come on over, your majesty. I swear, I’m a nice guy.”
Slowly making her way over towards him, stopping just out of his reach, Finn got a better look at the poor thing. She was skin and bones, probably only a month or two old. Reaching into the chest pocket of his flannel, he pulled out the granola bar he’d been saving for his walk back to the farm later. Unwrapping it, he held it out to her, dropping it at her feet when she wouldn't take it from his hand.
“How long you been wandering around out here, Queen Bee? You’re so brave. That’s right, eat, baby.” He cooed at her as she took dainty bites of the granola until it was all gone. “I know you’ve had a really hard time. It must have been so scary out here all by yourself. But you’re safe now, darlin’. I’ll take care you now, if you’ll let me?”
Finally she stepped close enough for her head to rest against his outstretched hand, and as she leaned against him, he could feel the tension leaving both their bodies. She was giving in and allowing herself to trust him, and he felt like he had found someone that needed him to still be here.
Is this my reason? A cow? She needed someone… and I hadn’t been here…
Flopping down into his lap, she curled up into a little ball and let out a long sigh as he ran his hand over her bony back. After a few minutes of letting her get comfortable with him, he pulled her into his arms and stood. “Come on, Sweet Baby. Let’s go get you fixed up.”
As he walked the well worn path back to the farm, he looked down at the half sleeping calf, amazed at her sudden appearance. Shaking his head, he spoke quietly her.
“I don’t know who sent you to me, but I think they just saved both of us, Baby. What do you think of Baby as a name? I had a dog named Baby once.” She let out a irritated moo in response. “Is that so? Dont like a secondhand name? Hmm. What should I call you then?”
The calf raised her head, that regal eye watching him closely. “Queen Bee? Eh. There’s already a Queenie in the herd. Bee? Could call you Bee. Or what about Bea, with an A like Beatrice?”
Snuggling her head back down onto his shoulder, she let out a low moo.
“Beatrice? You like that? Bea?” He smiled. “Bea. That’s it.”
Series Summary - Prince Liam fell for Riley Brooks hard and fast. A marriage filled with love and devotion was within his reach, but everything changed when she vanished just before the end of the social season. As everyone voices their concerns regarding her scandalous departure, a confession from an unlikely source turns Liam's world upside down and makes him question everything around him.
Book/Pairing - TRR - Liam x f!MC (Riley Brooks)
A/N 1 - This AU starts right before the beginning of the engagement tour. There is a two-month lapse between the coronation and where we pick up, but we will stray from canon. Please excuse any errors found. Not beta'd.
Characters belong to Pixelberry.
Tags - @choicesficwriterscreations
It's another long one 😬👉👈🥹. Oops.
Liam and Drake closely followed as the guards led Bastien into the depths of the Portavirian estate. The halls remained eerily quiet as the nobility slept; not a soul to be found other than those involved with Penelope’s homicide investigation. Neither male spoke a word, but both reeled in this blindsiding revelation.
The betrayal Liam felt was like no other. Bastien was like a father to him, always around when he needed someone, but now he wondered if he ever knew him. Bastien saw him at his lowest and protected him at all costs, but somewhere along the way he changed; he couldn’t determine when that shift happened or if his guard was that good of a deceiver from the start, and felt like a fool for not seeing his insubordination sooner. It didn’t matter what he said, nor how much he pleaded; Liam already knew he was guilty, but didn’t know the extent of his involvement.
So many unanswered questions ran rampant through his mind, but ultimately the one he cared about was, where is Riley? The scandal was no longer relevant; all that mattered was finding her and ensuring she was safe. Justice would be served to all who deserved it later but right now, she was the top priority. That wasn’t a new revelation, but the urgency suddenly skyrocketed.
Liam did his best to stay afloat, but couldn’t stop his mind from wandering. If Riley was still in the country, what did that mean? Was she being held hostage somewhere? Would a ransom note appear at some point? Is she even alive? The continuous spiral intensified and formed a vortex of frustration and confusion, enveloping him from the inside out. He wanted to scream and cry to the heavens, anything to relieve some of the never-ending tension slowly constricting his muscles. Every second that passed without knowing she was safe, he grew weaker, feeling control slip right through his fingertips. The never-ending vat of unanswered questions took their physical and mental toll on Liam as a monarch and man alike.
However, every ounce of strength that remained pushed him forward. The adrenaline coursing through his veins mindlessly carried him, as he and Drake walked in deafening silence.
They continued until they entered a dark room with a table and two chairs. The guards sat Bastien down on one side and secured shackles in place over his wrists, much to his displeasure. Liam took the seat that mirrored his, shooing the bystanders out as he did. Drake lingered close by, reeling in his feelings of hurt, betrayal, and anger. Bastien quieted, but his entire body went rigid after his former subordinates exited the room. Liam placed his hands on the table and stared at them for a long while, trying to slow the wild rush inside his mind.
He finally raised his head and spoke to Bastien in the flattest, calmest tone he could muster. “Do you know why you’re here?”
“I don’t, sir.”
“First, let’s talk about Penelope. You and I both know she did not take her own life, so I’m curious to know how you came to that conclusion.”
Bastien furrowed his brow. “Not to be forward, but she was literally hanging from the ceiling… We found a note in her room, and she had every reason to want to do it — considering she was about to be arrested.”
“Right… Speaking of that… I want to see that report again.”
“Pardon?”
“The report — the one that says Penelope’s DNA was all over the murder weapon because honestly, I think you’re full of shit.” Liam hissed.
“I most certainly am not, sir. The documents are in the security office. If you remove these cuffs, I will gladly retrieve them.” Bastien confidently responded.
“That won’t be necessary.” Liam knew if he told the truth, Olivia would find them and if she didn’t, Bastien just caught himself in another lie. “Now, the next order of business — where were you the night of the jamboree? I don’t remember seeing you at all.”
Bastien stiffened. “I was doing security checks around the estate—”
“If you were doing security checks, how’d a rogue photographer make it in?” Drake interjected.
Bastien swallowed thickly, his gulp echoing in the silence. “... What?”
“You heard what he said — answer the damn question.” Liam snapped.
“She must have—”
“She?” Liam interrupted with a chortle. “That’s funny — because I never mentioned gender. Do you know something that I don’t?”
“I only took a guess — there was a fifty percent chance I would be correct.” Bastien calmly, yet firmly, answered with a dismissive shrug. “I’m not precisely sure how they breached the perimeter, but we’ve been working to strengthen our units ever since.”
“Right…” Liam nodded and forcefully clenched his jaw. It took every ounce of his restraint not to reach across the table and wrap his hands around Bastien’s throat because he couldn’t trust a single word coming out of his mouth.
Drake spoke again before Liam could act on his intrusive thoughts. “What about the Apple Banquet? Where were you then?”
“I was with His Majesty while he spoke to the Beaumonts. Someone alerted me to the body, and I immediately sprung into the proper protocol.”
“No, not when the maid was found — earlier. Where were you before that?” Liam demanded.
Bastien hesitated, but quickly fixed his features. “I was addressing an issue regarding Countess Madeleine’s security arrangements. Her old guard needed to take personal leave, so I had to find a suitable replacement.”
“... And she will vouch for you?”
“Yes, sir.”
Liam’s frustration skyrocketed, as he didn’t know how to take that statement. The number of people he could trust seemed to only shorten by the day, yet Madeleine was never present, nor even an honorable mention on that list; the time to trust her word was not amid this chaos.
“Okay, then—” Liam started again, his agitation noticeably rising. “Do you know where Riley is?”
“I don’t, sir. All I know is she returned to New York, and—”
“How did you come to that conclusion, exactly? Because I’ve done some digging and found nothing to point to that. There are no traces of her after she left the jamboree whatsoever, Bastien; not flights, not vehicles — nothing.”
Bastien shifted in his seat. “My information led me to that conclusion, Your Majesty.”
“Well, your information was wrong, and I can’t help but feel you knew that all along, didn’t you?”
“I’m not sure what you’re insinuating, but—”
“You knew she didn’t return to New York because you took her away, right? Is that how she made it out undetected? Or are you the one who assaulted her?” Liam thought back to his out-of-body experience and remembered the shadow lingering in front of her door. “Or did you stand guard while it happened? Is that it?”
“I did no such thing.” Bastien hastily replied, but cleared his throat and added, “What would I gain from any of this? Why would I give a damn who you choose?”
“That’s kind of what I’m wondering.” Drake inserted with a skeptical eye. “Look, Bas — I don’t want to believe you had a hand in all this, but it’s not looking good, man.”
“What doesn’t look good?” Bastien returned. “All I’ve done is look for her! I’ve been trying to help you!”
“Bullshit,” Liam seethed. “You know something and I demand you tell me — right now.”
“I know nothing, sir. I’ve kept you updated on every piece of information uncovered.”
“You need to understand something —” Liam's breaths turned heavy and his face flushed every shade of crimson. “I am not fucking around. This is your final opportunity — if you know something and do not tell me, I will serve your head on a silver fucking platter at the next state function. Is that clear enough for you?” He rumbled through clenched teeth. The hand he raised to point at Bastien visibly trembled, as the dam broke and rage flowed freely through his body.
Bastien’s eyes widened, and he visibly swallowed. He quickly composed himself and softly answered, “I understand the circumstances have been — tense — for everyone involved. You’ve had a rough couple of weeks, and —”
Liam slammed his fist onto the table and shot up from his seat. “Do NOT fucking patronize me!” He bellowed.
The door suddenly swung open and Olivia marched inside. In her hands, she carried a folder along with a few smaller items, but her facial expression was the picture-perfect image of unrestrained fury. “You have a lot of explaining to do.” She rumbled as she bore her eyes into Bastien.
Never could she have imagined the man sitting before her would betray them in such a way, but now they had proof; undeniable, unavoidable, but yet — incredibly unsettling evidence.
Bastien audibly gulped as he recognized the documents and all traces of pigment in his complexion vanished. With so much going on, he didn’t have the chance to dispose of everything properly. Liam and his group of friends moved faster than anticipated, and with their unexpected changes to the tour, he fell behind. The important information was extracted long ago, but what remained was still very incriminating — for Bastien.
Powerful forces expected him to pull off the impossible, but he was only one person — how was he supposed to fend off four people, plus a hired professional? Multiple ends that should’ve received immediate attention didn’t. Penelope ranked fairly high on that list, but his concerns got cast aside. His instructions were to deflect, deter, and stay silent regarding the madness; trust the process and your reward will be bountiful, they would say. Regardless, he didn’t want to aid in this crazy scheme, but had no choice — they knew information about his past nobody should have uncovered, so he found himself backed into a corner.
But as Bastien stared at the evidence of his transgressions, he realized silence would no longer be an option. He knew one way or another at that moment he was as good as dead; the question was would it be at the hands of his seething monarch, the man he practically raised, or the people who made his life a living hell to begin with?
Olivia rifled through the things on the table until she found what she searched for. “Remember when Bastien told you he disposed of Riley’s phone and her note?” She held both items up to show everyone along with her letter, noting how the guard immediately tucked his chin into his chest. “The penmanship matches mine, meaning it’s the same as Penelope’s.”
Liam forcefully clenched his jaw. “You lied to me?”
“That’s not all,” Olivia continued. “Bastien told us Penelope is the one who killed the maid, but that’s not true. Sure, the gum was hers — hair too — but the funny thing is that as it turns out, there are two sets of results on that knife.”
“There’s not—”
Olivia cackled, cutting Bastien off. “Don’t even try to lie. I’m holding what appears to be the real results in my hands. What kind of moron keeps the original if he’s planning on cloning it to frame someone else? Fucking nitwit.” She shook her head, distaste lacing her words. “Of course, we’ll have these confirmed for legitimacy, but considering who this one lists as the culprit, I can see why you’d want to cover this up.”
Liam snatched the documents from her and scanned them. His eyes widened as he went through the text, his jaw falling further and further the longer he read. Penelope's fingerprints were on the murder weapon, but unlike the last report he saw, this one went more in-depth. Her DNA might've been on the knife, but only one or two barely distinguishable smears on the blade itself belonged to her. However, the lab noted prominent traces from someone else located everywhere, but mostly on the handle, indicating that their person of interest should be whoever the second set of prints belonged to.
But Liam never received this report, and when he read who the database found as the owner of that second set of prints, he realized why he wasn’t shown.
“It was you…” Liam gasped, finally tearing his attention off the file to center his glare on Bastien. “Why?”
Bastien remained silent. He kept his gaze locked on the table, but the sweat forming on his brow wasn’t unnoticed.
“We know why, Liam. He was trying to shut her up because she spoke with us. And that’s why he offed Penelope too — right, Bastien?” Olivia answered. “Dispose of the loose ends before they can out you?”
“I did not harm Lady Penelope in any way,” Bastien stated with utmost determination, looking directly into Olivia’s steely eyes as he did.
“But you know who did, and you were working to bury that too, correct?” She quickly retorted, arching her brow.
Bastien clenched his jaw and looked away, refusing to speak, but he didn’t need to — Olivia knew she was right.
“You can deny those accusations all you want, but the next ones will be fairly difficult to talk yourself out of,” Olivia snapped as she produced another file and showed it to everyone.
“Operation Ghost?” That title caught Liam’s attention, and his mouth fell agape when he read it. He flipped through the papers inside and realized this was a meticulously planned mission, not a coincidence. While he spiraled deeper into the abyss, further away from reality, intentional carnage ran rampant within his court, and it was all a part of the elaborate plan from the beginning.
Someone plotted to hurt Riley and take her away from him, and that thought momentarily left him breathless.
“Apparently so,” Olivia answered, remorse cracking through her stony features upon seeing Liam’s broken shock. She’d already searched the file and knew what lay ahead, but didn’t know how he would react; it wouldn’t be good regardless. “Someone altered or destroyed most of this —” She paused to throw a death glare at Bastien. “But… There’s something else…”
“What is it?” Drake inquired as he and Liam took in her hesitancy, causing the hair on the nape of their necks to stand at attention.
With a heavy sigh, Olivia opened an envelope and produced a few smaller documents. She slammed them down on the table one at a time, directly in Bastien’s downward cast line of vision. “Here’s Riley’s ID, her passport, and even her goddamn credit cards. Now tell me, Bastien — how did you think she got to New York without those?”
Liam snapped his head over to her. “What?!” He snatched the items off the table and stared at the photo on Riley’s passport in his trembling hands, his heart rate taking flight.
His worst fears suddenly became reality, because he knew it would’ve been impossible for her to get out of the country without identification. This confirmed that Ray was right; she never left Cordonia. Of everything he suspected of Bastien, the things he knew and worked to cover up completely blindsided Liam. It hurt him in a way he didn’t know was possible, to be betrayed by someone he put every single ounce of his trust in.
Plus, had it not been for Olivia and Ray, he probably would have gotten away with it, too. The thought alone created a forceful swarm of guilt as Liam realized once again — this was what he ignored for so long. His breaths turned shallow as his mind took this new information and ran with it, automatically assuming the worst and with no signs to point in a different direction, he couldn’t find any strings of hope no matter which way he looked.
The waves came crashing down, sending him into an instant spiral of equal parts devastation and fear. He swayed on his feet, but eventually lowered himself back into his chair, willing the wild rush to slow.
“What the fuck is this?!” Drake exclaimed, smoke nearly barreling out of his ears. “Where is she?!”
“I don’t know.”
“Bullshit! She couldn’t leave without this! You’ve been lying to us all along!”
“I did what I had to,” Bastien returned, his voice devoid of all emotion. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“What did you do to her, Bastien?!” Olivia reiterated. “You can’t deny you know something — if she’s in danger, you need to tell us so we can find her!”
“I did nothing to her! All I did was escort her from the premises to the airport — that’s it.” Bastien huffed, immediately regretting the slip-up, which earned him a unanimous gasp.
“What did you just say?” Liam rumbled with clenched fists, his daze of self-hatred shattering on the spot.
Bastien hesitated but realized it was useless to redact. “I said I escorted her from the premises—”
Liam lunged for him without a second thought. He slammed his face into the table and held him there with all his might by the back of his skull. “So you not only knew, but you fucking helped too?!”
“I did what I had—”
“You son of a bitch!” Liam yelled as he lifted Bastien’s head, only to bounce his cheek against the table with increased force. “I trusted you!”
Bastien tried to respond, but Liam swiftly continued. “You have manipulated and made a fool of me for the LAST fucking time! I told you what I’d do, yet you still lied to me? YOUR MONARCH?!”
Again, Bastien attempted to speak, but Liam wasn’t quite finished. “This WHOLE TIME… You’ve known — you fucking helped — but you continuously led me astray.”
“Sir—”
“YOU DO NOT SPEAK OVER ME!” Liam bellowed, slamming Bastien’s head a third time.
A long silence passed as Liam securely held Bastien by the back of his neck, using more force with every passing second. He saw nothing but blood — everything that would’ve gotten covered up ran through his mind; the murders, Riley, and what seemed to be a never-ending list of other possibilities.
Finally, Bastien timidly sliced through the tension. “Sir, I’m willing to tell you what I know and what I’ve done in exchange for safety. If you do not ensure my life, I will be dead within hours.” He pleaded, preparing to meet the table again. “You have no reason to trust me now, but I will tell you what I can…” He emphasized.
Liam met eyes with Olivia and Drake, a silent conversation taking place. In all honesty, nobody cared what happened to him after the fact; all that mattered right now was getting Bastien to talk by any means necessary. Whoever wanted him dead was more than welcome to finish the job, but not until after he confessed.
Liam released him with a shove but never said a word. Instead, he strode back to the chair across from Bastien and slowly retook his seat. When Liam lifted his head, the pure fury staring back at him slightly took Bastien aback. The patient presence he’d grown accustomed to was long gone, replaced by a man driven to the brink of insanity. Those typically bright baby blues were now dark, vicious, and wild — nearly animalistic as his stare tore through Bastien. It sent a shiver of dread down his spine and made him momentarily fearful of his usually calm and composed king. His head throbbed, but he knew that would not be the worst of what he received — regardless of whose hands he suffered from.
Liam intently held his gaze for a long moment, clenching and unclenching his jaw, but finally spoke in an eerily calm voice. “... Tell us.”
Bastien strode through the country jamboree with an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as he recalled what would happen tonight. A suitor would be removed from the competition, with or without her cooperation. The trap was loaded and ready to go; all they needed was the prey — Riley.
Bastien located Penelope in the crowd and watched her approach Riley. She was deep into a conversation with Maxwell, but Penelope slipped in and played the part surprisingly well. He recognized her shaky hands even from afar, but she discreetly slipped at least half of the pharmaceuticals into Riley’s drink, unbeknownst to her or Maxwell. He didn’t think that part was necessary, but the force beyond insisted it was essential so they would force her to her room before everyone else.
After a time, Bastien observed as Riley hugged Maxwell and headed toward the estate. He quietly followed behind in the shadows as she walked through the deserted halls to her room, cursing the creaky floorboards underneath his feet, but the woman he trailed didn’t notice a thing. Riley skipped, hummed a tune, and even did a little twirl; she had no cares in the world and had no clue that her perception of a fairy tale was about to be shattered.
As her door shut, Bastien took position outside, crossed his arms, and waited for the job to be completed. Everyone else remained at the party outside; it was his assignment to ensure the vicinity stayed clear. He knew who occupied the room neighboring hers, which only fueled the need to get this done and over with as quickly and smoothly as possible.
People spoke behind the door — the voices escalating by the second — but Bastien made it a point to drown them out. The situation could go one of two ways, depending on Riley's cooperation, and it didn't take long for him to realize she chose the hard way. Although he found it difficult to ignore her pleas for help, his allegiance aligned elsewhere.
After a time, a few gentlemen approached but Bastien allowed them access, as he expected them. He didn’t know who they were, just that they would deal with ‘relocating’ Tariq; his task was Riley. One had jet-black hair, while the other donned a baseball cap. They wore a matching dark ensemble, aside from the hat and one having thick, circular lens glasses. A holster of weapons surrounded their belts, making the hair on his arms stiffen. The pair went inside without a word, but Bastien felt their eyes on him as they entered.
The deafening silence hung for what felt like centuries, but eventually, they re-emerged with their cargo in tow.
“Unhand me this instant!” Tariq demanded as the muscles dragged him away.
“Not a chance, fancy boy.” The man with glasses snickered. “Got a special place for you.”
“I did what I was supposed to do!” Tariq pleaded, his tone changing once he realized the seriousness of his situation. “Please — have some compassion!”
“No can do. Boss’s orders were strict — toss you in a hole and throw those God-awful loafers into the ocean.” The dark-haired male snapped his fingers before adding, “I can leave the shoes on if you’d prefer — put some cement in them and send you both on a journey to the bottom of the Mediterranean.” His delight showed brightly, causing Bastien’s pulse rate to skyrocket.
Tariq suddenly planted his feet firmly on the ground. “DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?! OR WHO MY FATHER IS?” He bellowed. “You won’t get away with this — I WILL ENSURE THAT YOU—”
Out of nowhere, the male with the ball cap hit him with the butt of his pistol, silencing his tirade. Tariq slumped to the floor with his eyes rolled back, blood gushing from his nose in an instant.
“Thank you, Claudius. I couldn’t stomach another second of his useless ranting.”
“You and I both.”
“Get him loaded up — we’re on a schedule and need to move.” Claudius hefted Tariq on his shoulder with ease and quickly left out the servants’ exit. As he disappeared, the remaining man shifted his attention to Bastien. “So… You’re prepared to handle the fallout?”
“Of course.” He confidently responded.
“Are you sure? Because I don't think you understand how messy this situation could get in the future… And honestly? If the boss hadn’t enlisted little Miss Penny, this entire operation would’ve crashed and burned before it even took off.” He rolled his eyes. “You thought she would agree to this just for a spot beside the queen?”
“It might surprise you what people will do to get ahead around here.”
“Yes, but they’re willing to execute better with a little — added motivation.” He flashed a wide, sinister smile. “You should know better than anyone…”
Bastien swallowed thickly, his entire body going rigid. “I’m not sure what you’re referencing.”
“Of course not.” He snickered. “I don’t blame you — I wouldn’t want anyone to know you’re the one who mur—”
Bastien held a hand up. “That’s enough.” He spat out.
The male’s smile widened. “As I said, people execute better with added motivation.” He patted Bastien’s shoulder with a little too much force.
“Was there a point to this?” Bastien rumbled through clenched teeth, shaking off the man’s palm.
“I just wanted to make sure it’s one hundred percent clear — you need to ensure anything regarding this stays buried. If too many people ask the right questions before we reach the finish line and the boss has to get involved again… Well —” He grinned, baring his teeth. “That’d just be a shame, wouldn’t it?”
A chill shot down the length of Bastien’s spine. “What is that supposed to mean? Are you threatening me?”
“You may not be the brightest crayon in the box, but you’re not that stupid — you know what will happen.” He responded, amusement written on his cold features. His almond eyes deepened to black, leaving Bastien momentarily speechless.
“I’m certain that won’t be necessary.” Bastien confidently answered after he regained his composure. His companion nodded with an eerie smirk but casually lingered around the door. “Is there something else I can do for you?”
“I was just wondering about Lady Riley… Where you’re planning on sending her since you received the — opportunity to handle her?” He nonchalantly inquired, acting as disinterested as possible. “Such a great honor you have… One I practically begged for.”
“The States, where she came from.” Bastien’s direction was to ship her back to New York as discreetly as possible. Even though the plan took a drastic turn, that was the one constant that couldn't change because otherwise, they would out themselves for taking the reins and disobeying a direct order. She would land on her feet, start a new life, and forget all about Cordonia. Liam would surely want to search for her, but all Bastien had to do was stall until the coronation, when their cover for removing Riley would come to light.
“I see, I see… Well, hopefully, that works out for her.” He smiled, the sight raising goosebumps on Bastien’s arms.
Before Bastien could respond, the door creaked open, and a hooded presence strode out. He paid Bastien no mind, instead focusing on the dark-haired male. “Let us vacate. The party is nearly over, and we have tremendous amounts of work ahead of us if we want to pull this off.”
“What about the court? We can’t go back to —”
“Do not fret, Anton… We have a plan… Trust the process; this is only the beginning. Everything will work out as it should in due time, but we must move — now.”
The pair quickly walked away, but not before Bastien heard Anton loudly whisper, “About that — pit-stop…” to his companion.
Bastien momentarily pondered that statement, but shook off the queasiness inside his stomach, concluding they must be referring to Tariq. As he stared at Riley’s door, a brief flicker of guilt traveled through him. Riley did nothing wrong, and he knew that, but this is the task he regretfully accepted. It was not a personal vendetta, by any means, but this clueless woman aimlessly landed herself in the middle of the nobility; she didn’t understand the untold, dark side of the court and its inhabitants, but would learn on this day.
Bastien cautiously opened the door and entered to find Riley on the edge of her bed, cradling her side. She snapped her head over to him as she heard his footsteps, and her eyes filled to the brim with tears when she met his gaze. He once again fought a wave of remorse at seeing her hopeful expression, knowing he was not the knight in shining armor she assumed he was.
“Bastien, you—you have to help me… Please…” Riley croaked. Her words came out slightly slurred, although it surprised him that the earlier sedatives hadn’t taken a harder effect.
“I’m going to, Lady Riley. First, I need to ensure you’re not carrying anything on you.”
Bastien assisted Riley to a standing position, which she slowly did without question. He didn’t know exactly what transpired, but she had a gash on her side, blood soaking through the thin hoodie she wore. With her permission, he checked the wounds, none of which were bad enough to seek immediate medical attention. Her face was littered with cuts, surely bruises to follow with time, as one of her cheeks was already tinted with a light purple. He started at her shoulders and patted down to her abdomen, but stopped when he felt something in her pocket and pulled out her phone. He nonchalantly slipped the device into his jacket, but despite his best efforts, Riley watched him do it.
“That is my property! You can’t take that!” She protested.
“I’m afraid I can… You are to leave completely empty-handed. Now, we have to get going — you have a flight to catch.” Bastien placed a hand on Riley’s arm to lead her away.
Riley firmly planted her feet in place, shaking away his grip. “Don’t do this, Bastien!”
“You have no choice in this matter and we’re on a time limit,” Bastien replied as he checked his watch.
“What about all my stuff?”
“As I said, empty-handed.” He didn’t understand that part either, but concluded it was easier to shove her on a plane with no items to accompany her.
“On whose authority?!” Riley exclaimed. When he didn’t answer, she reiterated, “Who told you to do this to me, Bastien?!”
“That is confidential information.”
Riley snorted, her frustration written all over her face. “Bullshit! At least be man enough to tell me!”
“Fine. You want to know who did it?” He held her glare, letting the tension linger, but finally answered, “It was Liam.”
Riley stepped away as if she took a blow to the gut, but her devastation quickly morphed into the polar opposite.
Riley laughed; hard enough that tears spilled down her cheeks. “You expect me to believe that? Liam? Of all people?” She shook her head, slightly bouncing from her chuckles. “You think I’m that naïve and stupid?”
“Believe what you will, that matters not to me but my instructions were simple, so we must get moving.” He stated, very matter-of-factly.
“Bastien,” Riley pleaded, any signs of amusement suddenly disappearing. “Don’t do this. I’ll just — I don’t know!” She cried, anxiety prominent in her features. “I won’t say anything to anyone — I swear on my grandmother’s life! Or–or we can tell Liam! Whatever got you wrapped up in this, he will understand.” She reasoned. “Please — you don’t have to conform. We can find a way out of this together.”
Bastien considered it for a second, but ultimately gave Riley a sad smile and nudged her toward the door. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, but he remained firm. He quickly dropped her phone and the pre-written note he received inside her bedside table and went to the threshold, stepping over shards of glass from a broken planter and a bloodied garment.
Leaving her phone there meant it would be an immediate dead end for Liam and her sponsors. He would want to call her — possibly track her — but this ensured that door was closed before it could even be opened. It was a distraction tactic to keep the prince occupied until his reason for her departure would present itself to him, where hopefully, he would drop the matter for good.
Bastien held her stare for a moment before he cleared his throat, emphasizing the need to move. Riley hung her head and eventually slowly walked out the door, quietly sobbing as she did.
Bastien led her down the long hallway toward the servants’ exit, as their SUV waited close by. Riley was incredibly unsteady on her feet, whether it was from the earlier medication or her injuries, he wasn’t sure, but he held his hand out to steady her wobbly steps on multiple occasions. He glanced back and locked eyes with the maid he summoned to clean the area, and even with his dark sunglasses, he still spotted her apprehension. The interaction was brief as he and Riley reached the end of the hallway, but something in his gut said he would have to deal with that later.
Assisting Riley down the stairs turned out to be tricky, as she was in an incredible amount of pain. By the end, he hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her the rest of the way down. She didn’t yell or scream, not that it would have mattered if she tried; the party still ‘raged’ in the opposite direction, leaving the vicinity barren of wandering ears. If she got combative he had a plan for that as well, but was glad she opted to cooperate, instead of throwing a tantrum and meeting a fate similar to Tariq.
He sat her on her feet when they emerged outside and escorted her to the vehicle, quickly securing her inside. He used no restraints, but she didn’t resist one bit; almost as if she’d accepted her fate, or her body just didn’t have the strength to fight back. There were no remnants of Tariq or anyone else, but Bastien moved with fire under his feet as if someone lurked right around the corner.
Within the blink of an eye, they were at the airport, where Bastien unloaded her from the back of the car. The entire ride he heard Riley’s sniffles from the backseat, but he drove faster — to unload this package and hopefully, this would be a straightforward operation. Once she was out of the vehicle his job should be done, unless too many questions arose.
Bastien parked toward the back of the abandoned parking lot so the only thing on security footage would be Riley entering the airport. With his connections, he knew exactly where the cameras were and discreetly slipped into a blind spot. Riley could hardly stand as he pulled her from the vehicle, but that was not his concern.
He did his part — all she had to do was walk inside and leave Cordonia forever.
He shoved a small envelope into her hands and said, “Here is your ID, passport, credit cards, and a ticket to New York. It’s been a pleasure, Lady Riley.” And with that, Bastien turned on his heel and returned to his vehicle, speeding away before he could second guess his decision.
He glanced back in the rearview mirror and saw the silhouette of a woman standing there disoriented, wounded, alone, terrified, and defenseless, but quickly averted his gaze, centering on the road. He nearly pushed his foot through the floorboard to get away faster, but bile rose into the back of his throat as a chilling realization sat in; he didn’t know how, but this was far from over, and the chances of him making it to see his next birthday just substantially dwindled.
“I assumed she boarded the plane, but I later received her identification and credit cards in a sealed envelope from an unidentifiable source. I tried to help her… I really did…” Bastien finished with his head bowed.
“No, you sure as shit did not!” Drake bellowed, a mix of fury and shock written on his features. “I can’t believe you!”
Bastien flinched. “I did what I had to do—”
“Where is she, then? Because she never got on that fucking plane, Bastien!” Olivia hollered.
“I don’t know! I told you everything I know about it! I tried to find out, but I can’t!”
“This is fucking unreal.” Drake shook his head and scoffed. “You expect me to believe you really don’t know? You have her ID! Her goddamn passport!”
Bastien forcefully clenched his jaw. “I received them before the tour in a sealed envelope. I don’t know where it came from and I can't trace its origin.”
Drake scowled. “We’re supposed to believe that?” He looked away and rubbed a hand down his face, his frustration steadily rising. “Let’s say I do — you chose to keep that to yourself? You didn’t think that was worth mentioning when we opened an investigation into her goddamned disappearance?!” He over-enunciated, sarcasm dripping off every syllable.
“What was I supposed to do, Drake?!” Bastien responded, but couldn’t fathom meeting his eyes for even a brief second.
“Not be a spineless piece of shit, for one,” Olivia answered. “For two, you could’ve refused to cooperate from the beginning. Or, told the truth, regardless of what would’ve happened to you then… Or, made sure she got on the plane, at least. You drugged her and left her for dead, Bastien! Who knows where she’s at by now?! Do you realize how much time we’ve wasted because of you?!”
“I did not drug her or leave her for dead—”
“But you didn’t fucking stop it either, and that’s just as damning in my eyes,” Drake spoke in a bland, empty voice as he tried to comprehend this betrayal. “I don’t know what happened to you, but you’re not the man I used to look up to, not anymore… I can’t believe you did this and continuously lied to us about it!”
Bastien slouched. “I never lied—”
“Bullshit! You’ve done nothing but lie! You’ve gotta stop and tell us the truth for once!”
“I told you everything I know, everything I’ve done. I killed the maid and had every intention of Lady Penelope taking the fall — I’ve led you astray and tampered with evidence — I admit it.”
“I don’t care about any of that shit right now!” Drake shouted. “We wanna know what you did with Brooks, Bastien.”
Bastien sighed. “Drake, I told you, I don’t know where she’s at! She was supposed to go inside and board the plane!”
“But you didn’t wait and ensure she did, at least?” Olivia asked with an arched brow.
“I didn’t think I needed to! After what I heard coming out of that room, I assumed she would run inside to get away… If anyone knows, it’s probably that Anton character!”
“Anton…” Olivia repeated, her curiosity peaking. “What do you know about him? And the other guy? Claudius?”
“Absolutely nothing. I’d never seen them before and haven’t since. All I know is they were in charge of relocating Tariq.”
“And you don’t know where that is, either?”
“No, I don’t. I didn’t ask questions, and I wasn’t told. I ran their names in the system to see if I could figure anything out, but they’re ghosts — there aren’t even medical records with either name on it.”
Olivia scoffed. “So, why do it, then?”
“I have my reasons…” He finally gathered the courage to take a peek in Drake's direction, but when he spotted the wild blaze of fire in his eyes, swiftly glanced away.
“Yeah… Okay…” Olivia indignantly laughed. “So was this your idea, or were you working under someone else’s watch?” He didn’t reply, but she and Drake noticed his shoulders tense. “That’s all the answer I need. So who is it? Who’s pulling the strings here?”
Bastien shook his head. “That I can’t tell you.”
“You’re already a dead man no matter which way you look at it, so you may as well just tell us. If you do, there is the tiniest chance that you may receive mercy,” Olivia growled as her hand instinctively reached for the dagger hidden in her waistband.
“I’m aware of that, but I cannot tell you.”
“Bas, you need to fucking—”
“Damn it, Drake, I can’t!” Bastien shouted. He knew the pain Drake felt was nothing compared to what he’d feel if he knew the truth, but he refused to open that can of worms.
Liam remained eerily quiet as he listened to Bastien retell the events of that night. To say he was fuming would be the understatement of the millennium. Bastien’s continuous misleading and knowledge of Riley being drugged, assaulted, and potentially still in Cordonia sent Liam overboard. Not to mention, he basically left her for dead in a parking lot. Bastien did all of that; he may not have physically harmed her himself, but he stood guard, let it happen, and actively worked to cover it up, making Liam physically sick to his stomach.
The all-consuming rage he tried to control reached its boiling point. He was no longer asking nicely — he was demanding.
Liam slowly stood from his chair, the loud screech halting the surrounding bickering. He leaned over the table on his knuckles and positioned himself at eye level with his former guard. “You told her that I did it?”
Bastien’s eyes spread eagle. “I just needed to get her out of the door… I assumed that would get her to leave willingly, but she didn’t believe a word I said.”
Liam indignantly laughed, the sound sending waves of uncertainty through everyone in the room. “So it wasn’t enough to physically break her — you had to pile emotional pain on top, too?”
“Sir, she did not believe me,” Bastien reasoned. “She knew you would never do such a thing. It was only a last-ditch attempt on my part to get her out.”
Liam mindlessly nodded, ignoring the new wave of dread filling his veins. He’d convinced himself even through all this madness, when they reached the bottom of this intricate web, there was still a slight chance Riley could love him back, but that hope burst into flames instantaneously. Regardless of whether she believed the lie, he was more determined than ever to find her, ensure her safety, and make sure she knew he played no part in this. He had no intentions of hiding his prolonged negligence of the situation from her, but wasn’t willing to let her hate him over something he had no part of.
Liam took a deep, steadying breath and spoke in a low, timbre rumble. “I’m ordering you to tell me who orchestrated all this, Bastien — you owe me that much.”
Bastien remained silent for a long moment as he held his monarch’s intent gaze. Eventually, he sat back in his chair and broke eye contact while pursing his lips together. “Damn it, tell me!” Liam shouted, his voice echoing against the concrete walls.
Bastien hesitated, as he quickly planned his path from here. The potential to get caught was always there, and he thought extensively about what he would do and who to say in this situation. His secrets fueled a small portion of his decision, but the majority centered around fear. He wouldn’t be safe either way but would take his punishment from the crown. Aside from keeping his skeletons inside the closet, to defy the — others — would essentially put nails in his coffin, just waiting to be hammered in. He’d seen firsthand the carnage they were capable of; a couple of treason charges were nothing in comparison.
But if he pointed them in the right direction, it wouldn't be him outing the culprit.
The tension lingered but right when Olivia opened her mouth to push, Bastien quietly answered, “It was your father…”
The room went silent; not a single breath to be heard. Olivia took in the steadfast determination in Bastien’s features and knew for once — he wasn’t lying. And it made some sense; Bastien was purely manpower, not an active brain contributing, and Constantine had the power to force him into anything. However, she instantly knew the former monarch was not the person behind that door with Riley.
Constantine was in high demand and there was no way he could’ve slipped away from the jamboree that early unnoticed. Olivia recalled that night, and to her knowledge, Constantine retired at the same time as Liam. Plus, if they believed Liam’s out-of-body experience to be reality, Constantine was right beside him while the attack took place.
She believed him but also realized while he told the truth, he didn’t tell all of it. There was more to the story, and she intended to get any and every ounce of information out of him, no matter what it took.
Olivia opened her mouth to address Bastien, but Liam beat her to it. “My father?” He repeated, confusion showcased brightly on his face.
“Yes, sir,” Bastien softly spoke. “I know that may be hard for you to hear, but—”
“Shut the fuck up!” Liam suddenly bellowed as his shock quickly morphed into dangerous fury. “You’re still trying to lie?!”
Bastien’s eyes widened. “I swear to you — he’s the one who told me to send her back to New York.”
Liam shook his head, his face reddening with every sullen breath. “No… You’re just trying to cover your own ass, that’s it!”
Bastien sighed. “I don’t expect you to believe me, but that is the truth. Your father is the one who—”
Liam paced the small area, his racing thoughts spiraling out of control. “My father would not do this, regardless of how strongly he felt about it. This is fucking evil and deranged — he is a lot of things, but he would never do something like this to me.” He seethed. “So I will ask you one final time — who was it?”
Silence commenced once more, but Bastien eventually answered. “I told you who it was. If you choose not to believe me, that’s your prerogative. I did what he ordered me to do.”
Fast as lightning, Liam brought his fist up and connected with Bastien’s jaw. He went around the table and hit him again, and again, until Bastien was on his knees with his head dangling in between his still cuffed hands. Liam didn’t care if he killed him or not at that moment; all that mattered was exacting revenge on behalf of his beloved, even if she wasn’t there to witness it. The monarch checked out, replaced by a vicious beast — a starved one, at that.
Liam saw nothing except Riley’s face, the sound of her cries from his out-of-body experience echoing in his mind. His hand throbbed as he relentlessly took his frustrations out on Bastien, but he barely felt it because of the pure hatred and adrenaline pumping through his veins.
Olivia and Drake watched, exchanging worried glances as Liam continued his assault. Both felt incredible amounts of anger toward Bastien, but they saw the bits of truth. Liam might not want to believe it, but Constantine made the most sense.
However, Olivia wholeheartedly believed Constantine was not the one in that room. He may have ordered Bastien to engage, but deep down she knew he was not the one calling the shots that night. As Liam continued to pummel him, she had half a mind to stop him, but the person taking out his anger on his crumpled guard was not her childhood friend, and even she was hesitant to interfere.
It was Drake who finally intervened, laying a firm hand on his shoulder. “Li…” When Liam shook him off, he tried again with more force. “Liam!”
“Get your fucking hands off of me!” Liam shouted, quickly returning to his mission. Every bone that snapped underneath his fist soothed a portion of his soul, but he wasn’t willing to stop until Bastien felt even a small portion of the pain enveloping his entire being.
The door crept open and Leo went to step inside, Maxwell close behind, but halted when he spotted a bloodied and battered Bastien dangling from the side of the table. Liam continued his attack, completely oblivious to the additional presences in the room. Leo noticed the mixed expressions from Olivia and Drake and quickly pieced a vague conclusion together. Never in his life did he think Bastien could be capable of such atrocities, but clearly they found something to tie him to it.
Leo stepped toward Liam and timidly tapped his shoulder to gather his attention. “Li, we found Penelope. She was headed to the palace with orders for incineration upon arrival, but we stopped it and she should be back soon. I talked with Landon and Emmaline and they’ve agreed to send her wherever you see fit for autopsy. Ray recommended a specialist, but I wanted your input before I started the process.”
Liam finally stopped his assault and stared down at Bastien’s crumpled body with labored breaths. “The amount of which you’re willing to go to bury this is ridiculous! WHO could be that important that you would do all this — risk EVERYTHING for?!” He bellowed, his voice booming against the walls.
Bastien never answered, whether by choice or from his injuries, but a silence took over as Liam really pondered that question for a moment. This wasn’t just some measly scandal anymore; this was an extensive operation concocted to remove the top competitors and ensure he married Madeleine. At first assumption, it would be easy to point a finger at Madeleine herself, but Bastien held no allegiance to her, and the two hardly spoke before the start of the engagement tour. She held no power over him and had no way to get him to bend to her will.
And that was simply too easy — right?
Bastien’s involvement suddenly narrowed down the potential list of suspects, as Liam knew there was a very short number of people he would have no choice but to obey. Despite everything, he didn’t want to believe Bastien willingly did all of this. He expressed feeling some kind of remorse while it was happening, but he still aided and lied about it afterward, making his guilt irrelevant.
He had no reason to trust Bastien, but the more he thought about it, the more his heart accepted the tale.
The betrayal from his former guard was a lot to process, but knowing who could have ultimately constructed the whole thing shredded him into a million tiny pieces. Half of him was ready to unleash a wrath like no other, while the other half wanted to crumple into a ball and cry. His already fragile heart couldn't take the strain; right when he thought this situation couldn't get worse, it did. Someone so close forcefully took something so precious, knowing how much Riley meant to him, and it completely blindsided him.
His back hit the wall and he slid down it, clutching his chest. Leo and Drake quickly moved to catch him, thinking he was having another episode, but Liam shook them off. As everyone took in his dejection, they realized he accepted who their next subject of questioning would be.
“Leo…” Liam swallowed thickly, his breaths rapid and labored. “Tell me — tell me our father wouldn’t do this… He’s not evil, just hard-headed — right?”
Leo winced. “I… I wish I could, Li, but…” He didn’t want to believe it but with Constantine’s infatuation with the throne, he couldn’t put it past him. Their father was never malicious, but he had a control problem regarding the crown; Leo knew firsthand.
But would he go this far?
Liam let out a forceful huff of air and ran his hands down his face, trying and failing to keep his tears at bay. “I — I thought it was bad that Bastien betrayed me, but — him? Why would he do this?”
“I want to answer that, Liam, but I’m not the person to ask… One way or another, you know we have to confront him…”
Liam grimly nodded. “I know… I just — what if he is the one who did all of this? What am I supposed to do then, Leo?”
Leo remained silent for a long moment, gathering his thoughts, but was to no avail, as he genuinely didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know, Liam… I really don’t…”
This was such a good chapter, it had all of the feels. Damn Liam really gave Bastien one hell of a beat down. When even Olivia just looks on and no longer recognizes her childhood friend you know he’s in a bad way. I hope they can find Riley and that she is alive. LOVED THIS!!!!!!!
A/N: I don't know what happened. I started writing Riley, and Bertrand shoved his way to the front of the line! 🤣 I blame @harleybeaumont for this nicer, softer version of the older Beaumont brother. (If you haven't read Never Have I Ever, you're missing out!)
My other stuff: Master List.
Riley’s head felt like it was on a swivel as the Beaumont limousine snaked its way down the long, twisting drive of the Cordonian National Palace.
She was bouncing in her seat and squealing as she took in the sights.
“She’s not going to act like this in front of people, is she?” Maxwell’s older brother Bertrand eyed the commoner skeptically.
“Be nice!” Max admonished him.
Riley Brooks had been a staple in the Beaumont household since Max’s kindergarten years, but never had they taken her to a royal event. He was simply worried about her manners; it wasn’t personal. Bertrand liked the girl just fine. She was good for his brother and that’s all that mattered to him.
Well, it wasn’t all that mattered.
This was a big year for him. He was turning thirty soon and his father was making noises about retirement. His parents had broached the subject of marriage a couple of times. They were trying not to push, but he could tell they were getting anxious about it.
In addition to heading the government of Ramsford and taking the reins of Beaumont Enterprises, he was expected to marry and produce heirs for the future of both the duchy and the business.
His eyes slid sidewise at Max and Riley, envying their carefree chatter and exuberance for what they saw as an adventure.
For him, the upcoming social season was a source of great anxiety. This was the first year that his parents weren’t attending. He was the representative of his house. His father had been clear on his expectations for the summer. Bertrand was to expand on his business contacts, take more of a prominent role in governance, and hopefully find a wife.
It was that last part that had him losing sleep at night.
The car rolled to a stop in front of the main entrance and the trio exited as servants appeared from nowhere to retrieve their luggage.
A gathering on the front lawn drew his attention. Scattered around the ornamental fountain across from the front door were several groups of nobility. The sound of multiple conversations interspersed with laughter drifted through the slight chill of the early afternoon air.
The most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on in his life caught his gaze and gave him a little wave. The smile that blossomed across her face sent butterflies exploding through his stomach. He returned the wave and then quickly dropped his eyes.
He felt an elbow in his ribs. “Want me to find out her name for you?”
His face flushed crimson as panic shot through him at Riley’s offer. “No!”
“No?” She arched an eyebrow.
Even though he tried not to, he couldn’t stop his eyes from finding her again. She had returned to her conversation, but as he watched, her head turned and caught him staring. Once again, she gave him a heart stopping smile.
Returning his attention to Riley, he amended his answer. “Okay, yes, but don’t be obvious about it.”
“I know how to be subtle!”
“Do you?”
“Of course!” She assured him as they followed the servants into the palace.
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...Liam's heart was racing as he leaned in, his lips a fraction of an inch away from hers. But suddenly, he felt Sophie's hand pushing him back, her expression sad.
"I can't do this," she whispered, her voice breaking.
Liam froze. "Why not?" he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Because we can't be together, Liam," she replied, her voice cracking with emotion.
"What are you ... but why not?" he persisted, his heart sinking.
"Because you will be king, and I ... I am just a commoner." Sophie covered her now tearful face, as she broke down in despair.
"I don't belong here..."
Marabelle Series Masterlist
❣️art commission by @/artbyainna❣️
📌taglist in notes
👑Whatcha working on?! @ao719 @ladylamrian @kristinamae093 @jerzwriter @karahalloway
Summary: An unforeseen encounter with the past proves that even the best-kept secrets eventually make their way into the light.
Title inspiration: Changing Tides - The Fray
Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x F!OC
A/N: Not beta’d. Please excuse any errors.
Rating: M • Warning: This series will contain NSFW material. If you read, you acknowledge you are 18+
Catch up here
Slipping out of the SUV, Liam strode through the front doors of the palace after returning from a lunch meeting in the capitol. His assistant met him in the foyer and matched his steps up the stairs as he handed him a small stack of papers he needed for his next meeting.
“Thank you,” Liam said as he quickly looked them over. “You can head to my study. I’m just going to stop and see Amara and Sophia real quick.”
“Of course, sir,” the man nodded.
Once they reached the landing, they turned in opposite directions as Liam headed for the north wing.
It had been a month since they returned from their trip to New York, and things had been going well.
Amara seemed more relaxed. The guilt she’d been feeling prior to the trip didn’t seem to weigh as heavily on her after their talk at the hotel that night. He was watching her fall back into the old Amara … the one he’d fallen in love with two years ago.
The one with no guilt.
The one with no secrets.
The press had ceased their verbal attacks on Amara’s intentions since learning she was staying in Cordonia. Now, they turned their focus on the status of her and Liam’s relationship, questioning if they would rekindle the romance they once had.
Liam didn’t give them the satisfaction of a response. Partly because he didn’t feel it was any of their business, at least not yet. And partly because he had nothing to give them at the moment.
In the month since they returned to Cordonia after deciding to see where things could go between them, they’d certainly gotten closer. They’d spent every evening together, but only behind the confines of the palace walls and as a family. They would meet once Liam finished work for the day in either the north wing or his quarters, they’d have dinner, and they’d play with Sophia before putting her to bed. Then they would have their time, which consisted of talking or watching a movie. And when they weren’t chatting or paying attention to a TV screen, they would get caught up in one another, but they had yet to cross any lines beyond kissing.
While Liam was the one who said he wanted to “slow down”, he found himself struggling to rein in his desires for Amara as they grew closer; the tension between them continued to thicken and each kiss they shared grew more passionate. He was determined to get things right this time around, however, so he was content with taking things slow.
Once at the north wing, Liam stepped inside and rounded the corner to see them in the living area; Amara was sitting on the sofa with her laptop in front of her while Sophia played with blocks on the floor.
“Dada!” Sophia squealed when she spotted him; she pushed herself to stand and toddled toward him.
Liam grinned as he leaned down and scooped her into his arms. “Hi, princess.” His gaze then met Amara’s as he approached her; he leaned down, kissing her cheek. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Amara smiled. “How was your meeting?”
“It was fine. I thought I’d stop by before the next one. What have you two been up to?”
“Not much,” Amara shrugged. “We just got back from having lunch with Regina. She was wondering if you’d spoken to Leo.”
“Yes,” Liam nodded. “He told me he was coming home next weekend to finally meet his niece,” he smiled as Sophia looked at him. “You’re going to have your Uncle Leo wrapped right around your little finger, I can already tell.” He then looked at Amara. “He’s looking forward to meeting you, too.”
“Me?”
“You are the mother of his niece,” Liam playfully scoffed. “And we’re … well, ya know …” He winked.
Amara smiled sheepishly with a quiet laugh as she dropped his gaze. “Right.”
An imperceptible smirk tugged at the corner of Liam’s lips at the light pink tint that he saw bloom on her cheeks. While she’d become much more relaxed since their talk, she was still being careful and seemed to get easily flustered at any comment he made in a teasing, flirtatious manner. The old Amara from two years ago was bold in her flirtations, and while he was hoping to see that bold side come back, there was something about her getting flustered that he found endearing.
It had become a secret little game of his to see it happen.
Just then, Amara’s phone rang; she glanced at the screen before rising from the sofa. “Can you watch her for a quick sec? I need to take this.”
“Sure,” Liam nodded.
As she disappeared down the hall, Liam walked to the sofa and sat down with Sophia. “Are you having fun with Mommy?” he asked Sophia before smothering her cheek with playful kisses. She giggled and pulled back, then leaned across him, stretching her arms out. His gaze shifted in the direction she was reaching and fell on Amara’s open laptop. “No, you can’t have that, silly,” he chuckled. He was about to close it, but his brows furrowed and he leaned forward to get a better look. He felt a pang of surprise mixed with trepidation when he saw what was on the screen.
It was a realtor’s website … with listings of houses for sale.
When Liam and Amara first talked after the statement was made and she told him she planned to stay in Cordonia, she mentioned eventually finding a place of her own. At the time, he didn’t think much of it, and in the nearly three months since that conversation, any notion of it had slipped his mind entirely. Even though she had only brought it up that one time, it clearly hadn’t slipped her mind.
A dozen questions and thoughts flooded his mind, but before he could process them, Amara reappeared. “Sorry about that.”
Snapping from his daze, Liam looked at her and cleared his throat. “It’s alright. Everything ok?”
“Yeah,” Amara nodded. As she stared at him, she could see the moment he sensed that she wanted to say more. “I’ll talk to you about it later.”
Liam nodded even as more questions filled his head. Talk about what? He thought it might have something to do with what he just glimpsed on her laptop, and despite wanting to ask her about it, he thought that perhaps that was better left for later.
Glancing at his watch, Liam sighed. “I have that meeting soon.” He stood from the sofa, kissed Sophia’s cheek, and set her back down in front of her blocks before turning to Amara. “We’re meeting at my place tonight?” he asked as they walked toward the door.
“Yeah,” Amara confirmed.
“I should be finished at my usual time, but if something comes up …” Liam turned to see her leaning against the wall, looking up at him. “…I’ll let you know.” She nodded as he took a step toward her, and in the next moment, he leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. His hand came up, settling on her neck as his thumb brushed along the curve of her jaw. A moment later, he drew back just enough to break the kiss and whispered against her lips, “I’ll see you later.”
“Bye …”
When Liam slipped out, Amara dropped her head against the door with a soft thud and closed her eyes as she let out a breath. For the past month, she’d been struggling with her longing for him. She swore each day she had to fight twice as hard as the one before to tamp down her growing desire.
It wasn’t just the longing, though. It was the giddiness over the way he was making her feel … the same way he did two years ago. Hell, he couldn’t even be playful or flirtatious without making her lose her composure. He’d make one small comment and the butterflies would erupt in the masses and she’d start blushing.
Amara lifted her head and took in a determined breath. She would continue to follow his lead because she didn’t want to do anything to ruin the progress they’d made.
****
That night, after their usual round of dinner, playing, and putting Sophia to bed, Liam and Amara sat in the living area inside his quarters as a movie played on the TV screen.
Liam had a few meetings that day, but he’d been distracted during each of them as thoughts of what he glimpsed on Amara’s laptop consumed his mind. He wasn’t sure why her looking for a place of her own bothered him so much … but it did.
Despite them currently living under the same roof, they were in separate wings, so Amara having her own place wouldn’t really change anything between them. But Liam wouldn’t be able to just walk a few corridors to her door. He wouldn’t be able to drop by unannounced and on the fly anytime he wanted like he could now. And spending every evening with them would probably dwindle to once or twice a week. He’d be missing out on time and moments he didn’t want to miss out on … like the one he found himself in now.
Liam drew back from Amara’s lips, trying to will his desire for her back inside its cage. “So,” he whispered as his thumb brushed against her cheek, “what was that phone call about earlier?”
“Oh, um …” Amara leaned back. “It was my realtor …”
“A realtor?” Liam asked, feigning ignorance.
“Yeah,” she nodded. “I’ve been looking since I made the decision to stay and with price drops happening left and right lately, I thought it would be a good time to really look.”
Liam shifted on the sofa, draping one arm across the back as he rested his hand on her thigh. “Really look as in …?”
“I have appointments to view some listings.”
“I see,” Liam nodded as he held her gaze. “Is this something you want to do right now? I told you there was no rush for you to find a place.”
“I don’t want to overstay my welcome,” Amara quipped, and he gave her a look. “It’s a process, not something that happens overnight, so I just think it might be time to start looking.”
Liam nodded again as he watched his finger trace a shape on her denim-clad thigh. “What kind of place are you looking for?”
“Something secure. Obviously, with Sophia …”
Liam’s jaw tensed at even the mere thought of anyone having easy access to not just Sophia but Amara as well, but he tried to remain casual. “Right …”
“Something with a yard for her to play in.”
A nod was all Liam offered, unable to say what he was thinking. She has acres and acres of yard to play in here at the palace.
“Three bedrooms.”
“Three?” Liam questioned.
“I thought having one for a guest room would be a good idea, just in case.”
“In case what?”
“I don’t know … in case Daniel or Riley or someone else needs to crash one night.”
Again, Liam offered nothing but a nod. There are guest rooms galore here.
Suddenly, the reason why it bothered him so much hit Liam like a ton of bricks. He didn’t want her to leave. And not just because he wanted her to remain at the palace so she’d be within walking distance but because he wanted her with him … in his wing … with their daughter … as a family. Together.
Yes, Liam was the one who said he wanted to take things slow, and they were — as slow as two people with a history and connection like them could. But he was struck with the sudden awareness that everything they had done up to that point had been ass-backward. Nothing about them or their situation was conventional and it never had been. So, was the impulse of wanting her to stay with him instead of buying her own house really that far-fetched of an idea? No.
But if she was so adamant about starting to look for her own place, perhaps she didn’t want the same thing he did or didn’t feel ready, at least, not yet.
“So when are you planning to start looking?” Liam asked.
“Tomorrow,” Amara answered. His gaze snapped up to hers, not having expected it to be that soon, but he managed to keep his expression neutral. “I’m not expecting to find the one on the first day, but I think it’ll give me an idea of what I want to look for going forward.”
As Liam nodded again, Amara held his gaze; she swore she could see a flash of something in his eyes, but he was quick to make it vanish. Before she could ask, commotion from the movie they’d been watching pulled their attention to the TV screen.
A moment later, Liam looked back at her as he stroked his thumb across her knuckles; the movement pulled her gaze back to him, and a heartbeat later, he captured her lips in his.
With that, the conversation ended.
*******
The following morning, an SUV carrying Amara and Sophia — because Liam wouldn’t let them go anywhere without at least one guard — followed the realtor through the gates of a residential development situated on the outskirts of the capitol. A few moments later, they pulled into the driveway of a two-story home that had recently been listed.
When they exited the vehicle, Amara smiled as Riley and Drake approached her. “Hey. Thanks for coming along.”
“I had nothing going on, and when I told this one—” Riley threw her thumb over her shoulder at Drake “— he insisted on coming to check the ‘fundamentals’,” she gestured with air quotes.
“You’ll look at the aesthetic, but there’s more to a house than just looking pretty,” Drake said. “That’s where I come in since Liam is stuck in meetings this morning. Although, I don’t know if he’d know what to look for either,” he snorted.
Amara chuckled. “Well, I appreciate you coming along. You’re right, I don’t really know what to check for other than the basics. So I’ll take any help I can get.”
“Are we ready?” the realtor smiled from the walkway to the front porch.
“Yes,” Amara nodded but only managed to take a few steps before her attention turned to another vehicle pulling into the driveway. She turned, recognizing who it was before he even stepped out.
When the door opened and Liam appeared, she gave him a curious smile. “What are you doing here?”
“I thought maybe you’d like another set of eyes,” Liam grinned as he approached them. “And I want to see the places this little one is potentially going to be living in,” he said as he took Sophia from her and tickled her belly. “So I rescheduled my meetings and cleared the rest of my day.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to,” Liam smiled as he slipped his hand into hers and looked at the realtor.
“Your Majesty,” the man bowed nervously.
“Just pretend I’m not here,” Liam said.
The man offered a tense smile and nodded before gesturing for them to follow him inside.
While Amara walked around with the realtor and Riley, Drake went off on his own to check what he deemed to be important while Liam gave himself and Sophia a tour.
The house was nice. The first floor was an open-concept floor plan with the kitchen, living room, and dining room all flowing into each other. It appeared to have new wood floors throughout, fresh paint, and he was pretty sure he heard the realtor mention a new roof.
The three bedrooms were located upstairs. Two were sizable with a Jack and Jill bathroom between them, and the master was massive with an impressive en-suite and walk-in closet.
It was a pretty perfect house … but Liam didn’t want her to live there.
Liam had cleared his schedule to tag along on her hunt that day. His goal? To point out everything he could find wrong with each viewing in hopes she’d realize that the palace already had everything she would need or want. Walking through this first home, he knew it was going to be a difficult task if the other viewings were anything like it.
“Maybe Uncle Drake will find cracks in the foundation,” Liam mumbled to Sophia as they stepped out of the master bedroom and headed back downstairs. When he reached the first floor, he spotted Drake in the living room. “Well?” he questioned as he approached him.
Drake nodded positively and Liam had to swallow down his disapproval. “It’s really nice. There were a couple of minor things that I noticed, but nothing that isn’t a quick and easy fix.”
“Well, that sucks,” Liam mumbled under his breath.
“What was that?”
“I said that’s great.”
“What did you think?”
“It’s … ok.”
Drake gave him a look. “I know it’s not a palace …”
“It’s not that,” Liam scoffed. “I just have some … concerns.”
“What concerns?”
Liam whirled around at the sound of Amara’s voice, meeting her gaze with a small smile as she entered the living room with the realtor and Riley. “The house is … nice. Really nice. I’d be worried about the security, however.”
“It’s a gated community,” Drake said.
Shut up, Drake. “Yes, it is,” Liam nodded. “But the gate is accessed by a keycard, correct?” he looked at the realtor, who nodded in answer. “So there’s no one at the gate, which means anyone who wanted to try hard enough could get in undetected if they climbed over. With who Sophia is, and who you are to me … we know how relentless the press can be at times, and they’re just the tip of the iceberg of people we need to worry about. I just think somewhere where there is a security guard stationed at the gate would be better … safer.”
It was a legitimate concern, even if he pointed it out for the wrong reason. Had he been on board with this whole idea, he’d have pointed it out regardless.
“He does have a point,” Amara said as she looked at the realtor; Liam’s shoulders imperceptibly slumped in relief. “I’m sure he’s going to have a guard with us at all times, but having someone at the gate would make me more comfortable with Sophia.”
“Noted,” the realtor nodded with a smile before looking at the tablet he’d been carrying around. “That knocks off three places from our list of viewings today, but there are two we’re scheduled to see that do have guarded gates.”
Liam fought back a sigh.
That was two more places he had to hope she found something wrong with or simply didn’t like.
And it was only day one of looking.
*******
The following Friday, Amara headed toward Liam’s quarters, walking behind Sophia, who was toddling along the corridor but stopping to wave at every staff member who walked by. They were going to meet him for dinner, along with Drake, Riley, and Leo, who’d arrived a couple of hours ago.
Amara was thankful for Leo’s arrival because it gave her a day’s reprieve from house hunting, which she’d spent the entire week doing. She’d viewed 13 listings over the past week but hadn’t found one that was suitable.
Suitable not to her standards … but to Liam’s.
No matter what time Amara was scheduled to view a house, Liam made sure he was available to go with her. At first, she was thankful for it; she wanted his opinion and appreciated his willingness to help despite his busy schedule. But his opinions turned into what she could only describe as nitpicking, proving that his standards were much higher than hers.
The suggestion Liam made at the first house about a guarded gate made perfect sense. Everything that came after that suggestion, however …
The yards weren’t good enough for Sophia to play in, or there wasn’t enough space between the houses, or they were too close to the street for his liking.
At one, the floorboards were “too creaky” which obviously meant that there was something structurally wrong.
Amara had a few listings lined up to look at tomorrow, and Liam said he would go with her, but she wasn’t getting her hopes up. She knew he only wanted what was best for Sophia, but at that point, she didn’t think it was going to be possible to find a home that he deemed worthy enough for his precious little princess.
Once at Liam’s door, Amara opened it, allowing Sophia in before following her; they could hear laughter from the other room and Sophia walked curiously toward the sound. When they rounded the corner, Liam looked over from where he sat on the balcony and grinned as he playfully slapped the shoulder of the man sitting next to him before they both rose from their seats.
“Dada!” Sophia gave a toothy grin as she reached for him.
“Hi, princess,” Liam chuckled as he scooped her into his arms before looking at Amara. He leaned down to press a lingering kiss to her lips, and she softly sighed before he slowly drew back. “Hi,” he whispered, brushing his nose against hers.
“Hi …” Amara let out a breath. “Sorry if we kept you waiting.”
“You didn’t,” Liam shook his head. “Leo was with Regina earlier. He just showed up here maybe 10 minutes ago.”
“Am I interrupting?” a voice drawled.
Liam turned and stepped out of Amara’s line of vision, bringing Leo into view. When he met her gaze, she smiled politely yet warily; she was unsure of how exactly he viewed her after what she’d kept from his brother.
“Leo, this is Amara,” Liam said. “Amara, my brother Leo.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
When he grinned, Amara’s shoulders loosened. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”
“And this is Sophia.” Liam tickled her belly, eliciting a giggle from her. “Can you say hi to Uncle Leo?” She looked at Leo, staring for a moment before sinking deeper into Liam’s embrace and laying her head on his shoulder, hiding her eyes with his neck.
Leo’s lip jutted. “Aw, don’t be scared of me.”
“I’d be terrified,” Drake snorted as he and Riley stepped inside to greet Amara.
Liam turned his head toward Sophia with a smile as he rubbed her back. “It’s ok.”
Sophia shifted her head just enough for her eyes to peer at Leo, and he grinned as he began playing a game of peekaboo. After a few moments, a giggle erupted from her as she lifted her head, offering him her signature toothy grin.
“There’s a smile,” Leo chuckled. “You want to come hang with Uncle Leo for a minute?” He raised his hands towards her.
Sophia studied him carefully, and after another moment of hesitation, she went to him. They locked eyes and she scrunched her nose with another smile. “Hi,” she said shyly.
Liam watched his brother’s brow furrow, and his eyes widened when he saw his eyes shine with tears. “Leo …”
“Well, shit,” Leo choked out. “I can’t believe you have one of these.” A laugh simultaneously barreled out of Drake and Liam as Leo turned his head and quickly wiped his eyes on his sleeve.
“Got you wanting one now?” Drake chuckled.
“Way down the road, maybe,” Leo replied. “Now? Absolutely not. Fuck that.” His eyes widened as he looked at Sophia. “I mean … heck that.”
“Fuck.”
Amara’s and Riley’s mouths dropped open at the word Sophia repeated as Liam leveled his brother with a glare. “I’m sorry!” Leo grimaced guiltily. “I’m not used to filtering!”
Drake shook his head with a laugh. “Uncle Leo is here.”
****
That night after dinner, Liam walked Amara and Sophia back to the north wing. Once he put Sophia to sleep, he stepped out of her room and headed for the main area; he spotted Amara in the kitchen, standing with her back to him as she put dishes away in a cabinet.
A moment later, Amara’s breath quietly hitched when she felt his hands curl around her waist. “D-Did she go down?”
“Yeah,” Liam replied as he rested his chin on her shoulder. “She’s out like a light. Uncle Leo wore her out.”
Amara smiled. “They seemed to form a quick bond.”
Liam turned his head so his lips brushed her ear. “I don’t think you’re understanding how much trouble that means for us.”
Amara tried to suppress a shudder from his warm breath against her skin, but she knew she failed when Liam let out a soft chuckle at having caught it. She turned to face him, and he leaned against the counter, placing one hand on either side of her and caging her in.
Liam slowly leaned in, his eyes dropping from hers and zeroing in on her lips before he captured them in his. His tongue swept against the seam of her lips, and she parted them in response, allowing him in. When he deepened the kiss, her hands curled around his neck as an imperceptible whimper escaped her, so soft he almost didn’t hear it, but when he did, something inside him roared to life.
Gripping her waist, Liam lifted her onto the counter as he stepped between her legs and pulled her body flush against his. He slid a hand up her back and into her hair and he tugged, causing the kiss to break; his lips moved to her jaw then down the column of her neck as her hips instinctively arched against him with a gasp, the movement pulling a rumbled groan from his throat as he found her lips again.
The kiss stretched on, pulling them both deeper into the moment until it broke at the sudden ping emitting from Liam’s pocket, alerting him to a message. He reluctantly drew back and his jaw tensed as he dipped his hand into his pocket to pull out his phone.
“It’s Leo,” Liam sighed. “He wants to have a nightcap.”
Liam’s eyes flickered back to her face and more desire unfurled and clawed at his insides at the sight of her: kiss-swollen lips, tousled hair from his hand being buried in it, and her blue-eyed gaze brimming with lust.
“Ok.” Amara’s one-word response came out in a breathless whisper.
Liam swallowed thickly as he stepped back and she slipped off the counter. He cleared his throat as he ran his fingers through his hair. “So, uh … 10 tomorrow morning, right?”
“Huh?” Amara looked up at him.
“The first house viewing?”
“Oh, uh …” Amara let out a breath. “Yeah. 10.”
Liam nodded before leaning down; he stopped a hairsbreadth from her lips, reminding himself not to get too caught up before he pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. He drew back a moment later and his hand squeezed hers. “Goodnight.”
“G’night.”
*******
The following morning, Amara was standing in front of a two-story home in a gated — and guarded — community. It sat at the end of a long driveway surrounded by trees and had a large backyard with a wooden playset complete with swings and a slide. After touring the house with Liam, Drake, Riley, and Leo, who opted to tag along, it was determined not to have any creaky floorboards.
“I just think that the stairs in the foyer … there’s too many.”
Amara stiffened beside Liam.
Drake dropped his head with a silent laugh as Riley fought back her own. They’d been with them at every house and they knew Liam had been coming up with excuses for each one, but they’d kept quiet about it. It was none of their business.
Leo snapped his gaze over to his brother. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“For Sophia,” Liam clarified as he continued to stare at the house to avoid making eye contact with him. “And they’re narrow … and wooden, so there’s no cushion if she falls.”
Steven, the realtor, stood by his car and closed his eyes as he took in a calming breath. “On to the next then?”
****
“The hedges aren’t trimmed or lit up.”
“Are you—” Leo cut himself off as he looked at his brother, wide-eyed. “You can’t be serious …”
“I am,” Liam said matter-of-factly. “The housing development, which she would have to pay a monthly fee to, is in charge of lawn maintenance and it looks like shit.”
Amara turned and walked toward the car without a word as a chuckling Drake and Riley trailed behind her.
“I think you’ve gone a little crazy in the head,” Leo scoffed.
Steven slid back into his car and shut the door.
****
“This is niiiice,” Leo said as he glanced around the kitchen of the next home; it was the last one for the day.
“State-of-the-art appliances,” Drake said, smoothing his hand across the marble countertop.
“Big rooms,” Riley grinned.
Liam looked around as he held Sophia. He’d walked around the outside and had been through every room and couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Nothing. He glanced down, scuffing his foot against the floor and his eyes landed on the bottle of grapefruit juice he’d carried in with him before they slowly slid to Sophia. He turned his back toward the others as he quietly unscrewed the cap. “Want a sip?” he whispered.
Sophia eagerly leaned forward, not knowing what it was … or how bitter it was; honestly, Liam questioned why he drank it half the time. He tipped the bottle back, helping her to sip before pulling it away and screwing the lid back on. He turned back around just as her nose scrunched and her lips puckered.
“Yuck.”
Liam glanced at Sophia as everyone else turned toward the sound of her voice.
“Well, she hates it,” Liam shrugged before turning and striding out of the house without a glance back. “Way to come through in the clutch, princess,” he whispered through a laugh.
****
That evening after having dinner, Amara went back to the north wing with Sophia alone, giving Liam time with Leo, who was leaving in the morning.
Liam carried two glasses of scotch out onto the balcony and set one down in front of Leo before taking a seat next to him. “I’m really glad you got a chance to come visit,” he said before taking a sip of his drink.
“Me too,” Leo nodded. “I’ll definitely plan to come back soon and more often. Gotta corrupt my niece and all.” He chuckled at the look Liam shot him. “So …” He paused, taking a sip of his drink. “When do you plan on asking Amara to move in with you?”
“What?” Liam asked, furrowing his brow.
“Don’t play dumb with me, little brother.”
“I’m not playing—”
“You said the house had too many fucking stairs.”
“It did!”
“And what do you call the stairs in this place?” Leo tossed back. “The grand staircase alone has three times as many stairs, but those are ok … because they’re here.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Liam said casually.
“You complained about hedges not being lit up.”
“Aesthetics matter.”
Leo snorted, shaking his head. “You’re not fooling anyone, except maybe Amara, who probably just thinks you have your child’s best interest in mind. She also probably thinks that you’re nitpicky as fuck with ridiculous standards.”
Leo arched his brow in a challenge to tell him that he was wrong. He knew he couldn’t. “Fine,” Liam sighed. “I don’t want her to buy a house.”
“Because …?” Leo smirked.
Liam rolled his eyes as he took another sip of his drink. “Because I want them with me, here, in my quarters”
“See?” Leo chuckled. “Now was that so fucking hard?”
“Yes, because I can’t say that to her. She’s looking for a house. If she wanted to stay, she’d say something.”
“Would she?” Leo questioned. “After everything you told me about what happened after you learned the truth about Sophia, what Amara wants doesn’t really matter to her. And making assumptions about what you want doesn’t seem like something she’s going to do after what happened. You told me yourself that she’s been following your lead on everything. So if you haven’t come out and specifically told her that you don’t want her to leave, why would she believe otherwise? Not to mention the fact that you’ve made it a point to go look at all of the fucking houses with her, further making her believe that you’re on board with it.”
Liam dropped his head back as he let out a breath. Yes, he knew that while Amara had been better since their talk in New York, she was still following his lead with everything, but he didn’t think about it possibly having an impact on her decision to want to house hunt. Thinking about it now, he hadn’t told her he didn’t want her to go and he hadn’t shown her either.
There was still that possibility that Amara didn’t want to stay, however. Perhaps she wanted to find her own place, that she wasn’t ready for the same thing he was.
*******
The following morning after seeing Leo off at the airport, Liam stared out the window of the SUV as it pulled into a long, winding driveway. Amara had messaged him and asked if he could meet her to look at another house.
When the SUV came to a stop, Liam’s brows furrowed when he saw Amara standing in a dirt-covered clearing. He instructed Bastien to stay in the vehicle before slipping out and making his way towards her.
“Hey,” Amara smiled as he approached.
“Hello.” Liam leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Where’s Soph?”
“Regina is watching her.”
Liam nodded before glancing around. “I thought you asked me to meet you to look at another house?”
“I did … sort of.”
Glancing back at her, Liam offered an amused smile. “Is the house invisible?”
Amara chuckled. “No … this is just the location of where the house could be,” she gestured to the open clearing.
Liam’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I talked with the realtor about the possibility of building. This is an empty plot of land for sale … and I could have a house built to ensure it would have everything I want and everything you would be comfortable with.”
“Oh …” Fuck. Liam cleared his throat as he looked around again. “I don’t … I don’t know if that’s the best path to take.”
Amara let out an exasperated sigh. “Why not?”
Liam blew out a breath. “I mean, it’s just that … I don’t think—”
“Liam … you’ve found something wrong with every house I’ve looked at. If I build, it can be to your standards … standards that I didn’t realize were so very high and specific until this process.”
“My standards are not high nor specific,” Liam scoffed.
“I beg to differ,” Amara quipped.
“My standards are not high! I just don’t want you to leave!” The words tumbled from Liam’s mouth before he could stop them.
Amara’s brows raised in surprise. “What?”
“I don’t want you to leave!” Liam repeated as he threw his arms up. “I don’t want you to buy a house. I want you to stay at the palace with me. If you’re going to move, I want you to move in with me. I want us to be together … as a family.”
Letting out a breath, Amara stared at him. She didn’t think that was an option — at least, not at the moment — because he’d never brought it up. “Why didn’t you say anything before?”
“Because I didn’t know if you wanted the same. If getting a house is something you want, I didn’t want to stand in your way … which, it probably doesn’t seem like that now considering the ridiculous excuses I came up with …” He scuffed his foot against the dirt. “If it’s what you want, then I’m not going to stop you and I’ll have to deal with it. But if you’re looking because you think I want you to go or because you think you have to … that’s not the case.” He held her gaze, seeing her eyes glisten with tears in the sunlight peeking through the canopy of trees overhead. He took a step toward her and brushed his hand across her cheek. “This is my official offer. Stay with me, Amara. Move in with me.”
Another breath escaped Amara before she leaned up and closed the small distance between them, pressing her lips to his. Liam’s arms wrapped tightly around her as he deepened the kiss.
They drew back a moment later and Liam rested his forehead against hers with a hopeful smile. “Is that a yes?”
Amara tearfully chuckled. “Yes.”
*******
Sitting on the sofa, Liam watched Amara move around the living area, picking up Sophia’s toys and placing them in their respective baskets after she’d gone to bed.
“You can do that later.”
“I’ll just get it done now.”
Liam chuckled with a shake of his head as he removed his tie. Amara and Sophia had moved in a month ago, and he’d learned very quickly how much of a neat freak she was. He’d always known she’d kept things tidy, but this was on a different level.
As she walked by him with her hands full of stuffed animals, Liam reached up, and she yelped when he pulled her down; her one knee landed beside his leg on the cushion, and he pulled her other leg over so she was straddling his lap.
Liam held her gaze as he took the stuffed animals from her arms and tossed them back on the floor. “Later,” he grumbled before pulling her down and capturing her lips in his.
Despite having lived together and sleeping in the same bed for the last month, they had yet to cross any lines. Something would come up or interrupt every time. They played it off as best they could but were both beginning to feel more than a little frustrated.
But tonight …
Liam’s hands slid beneath the hem of Amara’s shirt and settled on the bare skin of her waist, and he smiled into the kiss when he felt her shudder under his touch. He urged her forward, causing her body to arch into him, and when he felt her hips press down against his, he groaned and deepened the kiss.
A soft moan escaped Amara when he pressed her down against him again; she could feel just how much his desire matched her own. “Liam,” she gasped against his lips.
“I love when you say my name like that.” His voice came out like gravel. “Like the slightest touch from me will make you come undone.”
Amara let out another whimper of longing as her fingers began fumbling against the buttons of his shirt until it draped open, baring his muscled torso. Her hands slid against the taut skin of his chest to his abs—
“Mama.”
Liam and Amara froze at the sound of Sophia’s voice coming through the monitor speaker.
“Dada,” she whined again a moment later.
Amara leaned back, staring at Liam; they were both flushed and breathing heavily.
“Mama,” she cried.
Amara offered a rueful grin before she slid off his lap and headed toward Sophia’s room.
Liam dropped his head back against the sofa and rubbed his hands over his face in exasperation. It’d been so long since they were last together before everything happened. And while he didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to last, it wasn’t something he wanted to have to rush out of worry of interruption either. His hands fell away from his face as an idea struck, and a moment later he had his phone in hand and pressed to his ear.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” Liam replied. “I need a really big favor …”
***************************************
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About time Liam, figured it out and moved them in with him. In defense of Amara he’s the one who wanted to take it slow, she’s just honestly following his lead. He needs to learn that he can’t always assume what it is that Amara wants or needs.
