Series: None, this is a one-shot and you can find those here.
Fandom: The Royal Romance
Pairing: None. Coronation night shatters previous pairings. Now what?
Rating: Teen
Warnings for this chapter: language
Word Count: 578
My other stuff: Master List.
âI chooseâŚ.Countess Madeleine Amaranth,â Liam lifted their joined hands up in the air even as his head dropped forward in defeat.
The ballroom erupted into chaos.
Two guards pulled a struggling Riley through the doors and down the corridor as her cries echoed down the hallway.
Four guards held Drake at bay as he fought, and failed, to get to her, curses and threats falling from his lips as he was betrayed by the very institution he had pledged his life to.
Scandalized murmurs ripped through the crowd as news of the American suitorâs transgression spread faster than flames on oil-soaked kindling.
Max was ushered toward the exit while trying to explain what had really happened with Tariq that night.
Constantine squeezed Reginaâs hand as he gloated triumphantly, the taste of victory fresh and crisp as his voice rose over the crowd, calling for order.
In the back corner of the ballroom, one man stood quietly by himself, seething with silent rage as blood dripped from the cuts inflicted by the champagne glass that had just shattered in his hand.
None of this had gone to plan.
Liam was supposed to have chosen Riley. It was the entire reason he had agreed to sponsor her.
Max was a lot of things, but he was rarely wrong when it came to matters of the heart and Bertrand had taken him at his word that Liam had been completely smitten with the American. And indeed, he had been. Bertrand had seen it with his own two eyes.
So what had gone wrong?
All his plans for the future were evaporating right in front of him. He had to do something!
He wrapped his bloody hand with a bar towel as he waited impatiently for the newly engaged couple to leave the stage. He watched Liam stalk angrily toward Bastien before turning his attention to the new queen in waiting, âMay I have a word, please, Countess?â
âCertainly, Your Grace,â she replied primly, glancing around to ensure no one was close enough to overhear, âBert, listen-â
âNo, you listen!â He hissed, âYou told me this wouldnât happen! When you bent to your fatherâs will and joined the social season, you assured me, no you swore to me that the odds of Liam picking you were virtually nonexistent!â
âYes, well, you were supposed to put forth a better candidate to ensure that even that small possibility was extinguished, werenât you? This is what you get for sponsoring a fucking waitress from fucking New York! I told you she was the wrong choice!â
âShe was the right choice! A blind man can see that he loves her!â Bertrand pulled at the knot of his tie, his hands shaking with barely contained fury and despair.
âI agree!â Madeleine spat, âBut what good does that do when she was cheating on him? Even now, heâs still desperate to get to her and sheâs probably already on a plane back to America!â
Bertrand stopped pulling at his tie to stare at her in shock, âTheyâre putting her on a plane?â
âThatâs what I heard Constantine say,â there was a tremble in her voice, âBert, Iâm sorry-â
âNo,â he shook his head, âDonât be sorry, my darling. Youâre not going to marry him!â
âWait!â She cried as he stepped away from her, âWhere are you going?â
âTo get her back! Sheâs our only hope!â He turned and strode from the ballroom, forcing himself not to look back.
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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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Warnings: Language, some chapters may contain sexual content
My other stuff: Masterlist
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Liam sat in his private study, a glass of bourbon clenched in his hand. He was working on getting drunk, just as he had every night since the coronation. People were worried about him. His father, Regina, Bastien, even the secretaries were whispering about it. He didnât give a damn. Let them talk.
His days had fallen into a pattern. He was up before the sun most mornings, meeting with Constantine and the royal advisors. He spent most of the day on royal duties, before locking himself in his study at night. There was a steep learning curve to being king. Even though he had been taking on more and more responsibilities prior to the coronation, there was still a lot to learn. Normally there would be more time. Normally the king father would stay on in an advisory capacity for months, or even years. But with cancer snaking its way through his fatherâs body there was no time. He had to get up to speed within months, possibly weeks.
But why not? He thought to himself, Itâs not like anything in my life has ever been normal anyway. I was never even suppose to be king! Fucking Leo.
He felt a momentary stab of guilt for the anger directed at his erstwhile brother. Leo wasnât cut out to rule a kingdom and everybody knew it. Had Leo not abdicated, Liam would never have been in New York to meet her in the first place because he would never have had to pick a bride in order to be crowned king. He shook his head at the irony. Never had he resented his duties so much. Never had he blamed Leo for leaving, until now. If it werenât for all the bullshit royal protocols, sheâd be here right now. Riley!
He closed his eyes against the pain as he remembered the night of the coronation ball. He had made love to her, promised to marry her, he had been happy, she had been happy. Then that damned news story went viral and all hell broke loose. Heâd been forced to choose Madeleine. He had gritted his teeth and done it, then he had bolted as quickly as possible, making a beeline straight for his father.
âWhere is she?â
âLiam calm down!â Constantine ordered.
âWhere is she father?â
âLiam! Get yourself under control! Itâs time for your coronation! Get back up there!â
For the first time in his life, his fathers thundering voice and commanding tone did not intimidate him. Instead he whirled on him in fury, âAnd what will you do if I donât? Crown someone else? I need ten fucking minutes and Iâm taking them, you got your way, I chose the woman you picked for me, Iâm emotionally destroyed but I will do my duty anyway, all I ask in return is ten minutes to deal with this. The goddamn crowd can wait or you can send them all home, I really donât give a fuck!â
Constantine took a step back, shock painted on his face.
Liam didnât wait for a response, he grabbed Bastien by the arm and shoved him toward the door, âBastian, a word, now!â
Once out of the ballroom, Liam pulled Bastien into a small sitting room off the main hall and slammed the door shut.
âWhere is she?â
âWho?â
âDonât play stupid with me Bastien, where is she?!â
Startled by the fire in Liamâs eyes Bastien responded, âOn her way to the airport, where sheâs booked on a flight back to New York.â
âGet on the radio and instruct your men that she will not get on that plane!â
âYouâre majesty, I donât think-â
âDid I ask what you think?!â Liam had never spoken to anyone like that in his life. He felt a rage burning through his veins that he could barely contain.
âN-No your majesty, I-â
âNOW!â
Bastien pulled out his radio without another word and quickly relayed the instruction.
âNow,â Liam continued, âFind both the Beaumont brothers and have their car brought around to the front.â
âIâŚuhâŚthat might beâŚâ
âWhat? Spit it out!â
âTheyâve been detained your high-â
âFor what?!â
âWell, they were..umâŚimpeding-â
âRelease them immediately!â
âBut your majesty, they-â
Liam stepped directly into Bastienâs personal space, his voice dropping dangerously low with the effort to contain his anger, âIâm sorry, perhaps I havenât made myself clear. You may have noticed a little soiree going on tonight. Itâs called a coronation. In five minutes, Iâm going to walk back into that ballroom and be crowned king. Then the chain of command ends with me. No one, not even my father, will be able to save you from my wrath once that occurs. Do you understand?â
âYes, your highness, Iâll start the release paperwork immediately!â
Liam made a strangled noise that was part laugh, part fury, âPaperwork? Paperwork? Are you fucking kidding me? There will be no paperwork! No record that they were ever arrested or detained for any reason! Both of the Beaumont brothers are allies, friends to the crown and to me personally, they have done nothing wrong! Do I make myself clear?!â
Bastien jumped, âYes your majesty, they will be released immediately, of course!â
âGood.â Liam hissed through clenched teeth, âMake sure they have the gate number so they can get to her as quickly as possible. And Bastien?â
âYes, your majesty?â
âIf she is anywhere but with the Beaumontâs when I get done with this coronation, Iâm holding you personally responsible.â With that he turned and stormed out of the sitting room.
That had been two weeks ago. He had neither seen nor spoken to her since. He had verified that the Beaumontâs had, indeed, picked her up from the airport and taken her home with them to Ramsford. That was as much as he dared risk. The memory of her being drug from the ballroom haunted him and the thought of what she must be feeling tormented him every night. Itâs why he couldnât fall asleep no matter how tired he was. He had to drink himself into oblivion for that.
He dealt with royal business because he had to, he avoided his father as much as possible. He avoided everyone really. He hadnât even seen much of Drake, which was unusual, but he didnât allow himself to dwell on it much. He was too busy being king, getting drunk, ignoring preparations for the engagement tour and avoiding his fiancĂŠ. Until tonight that is.
âCome in!â He yelled when he heard the knock on the door.
âLiam! Iâm so glad youâre finally taking an interest in our wedding! Now, I have some flower arrangement ideas that I wanted to run by you.â Madeleine swept into the room smiling as she tried to hand him a stack of pictures.
He hated her. He hated the sound of her voice, he hated her smugness and her arrogance. He hated the way she treated the other ladies at court, she was cruel. What in the hell did his parents see in her? What made either of them think she would make a good queen? Were breeding and pedigrees all they really cared about?
âI donât give a fuck about flower arrangements.â
âLiam! Really, you donât have to be so crass. Fine. What part of the arrangements did you call me here to discuss?â She sighed impatiently, tapping her foot while she waited.
âThe guest list.â
âWhat about it? Itâs ready to be finalized, pending your approval of course.â
âThereâs someone missing.â
âWho?â She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
âThe Beaumontâs.â
âWell, I suppose they should be invited, they are one of the great houses and personal friends of yours. Iâll make sure that both Lord Beaumontâs are added to the list. Now, if thereâs nothing else-â
âBoth the Beaumont brothers and Lady Riley.â He corrected her.
âLiam really-â She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.
âLady Riley is part of House Beaumont now.â
âBarely. Do you really think itâs appropriate-â
âI think we had a deal!â He hissed at her, âI give you what youâve always wanted, the crown, and I get Riley!â
âSure, but itâs too soon-â
âLady Riley will be on the engagement tour or there wonât be an engagement tour!â
Fire flashed through Madeleines eyes as she drew herself up and glared at him, âDonât be ridiculous Liam, love, you know you have to be engaged to be crowned king.â
Her eyebrows drew together in confusion as a smug grin spread across Liamsâ face.
âYes, love,â He responded with so much sarcasm dripping from the word she would have had to be deaf not to hear it, âbut Iâve already been crowned king.â
She stared at him for a moment, wide eyed, then blinked as comprehension dawned, âWhat do you mean?â
âI mean, Iâve been going through some quaint Cordonian laws,â he gestured to the piles of books and papers spread haphazardly all over his desk, âand as it turns out, while being engaged is a requirement in order to be crowned king, there is no corresponding law that says a king can be unmade for breaking an engagement.â
He watched in satisfaction as fear flickered through her eyes. âYou canât be serious, think of the optics-â
He lunged across the desk and she jumped back, startled as he snarled at her, âI donât give a fucking rats ass about the optics, or anything else!â
Madeleine regained her composure and primly chastised him, âCareful. Youâre starting to sound like Leo.â
âYeah?â Liam snorted a humorless laugh, âMaybe Leo had the right idea. Maybe Iâll abdicate too. You canât be queen without a king, can you?â
âYou wouldnât!!â
âAre you sure about that?â
âYouâre honorable Liam, I know you are, Cordonia needs you, you canât just-â
âI can do whatever I damn well please. Havenât you heard? Iâm the king now!â He laughed bitterly, âHow would you like to go down in history as the countess that ran not one, but two crown princes out of their own county?â
âYouâre drunk!â
Liam snorted in derision, âNot yet Iâm not. Thatâs what you all really thought though, isnât it? Poor, pitiful Liam, locked in his study, drinking his sorrows awayâŚ.Well jokes on you. Iâve been using this time wisely. I now understand that being engaged is only required to ascend the throne, not retain it. So you become queen, or not, at my sole discretion.â
The look on her face was priceless. Liam couldnât help the gloating smile that made its way to his lips.
Her face white, voice trembling she drew in a deep breath, âFine. You win. What do you want?â
âI want both the Beaumont brothers and Lady Riley extended a formal invitation to the engagement tour, tomorrow. I want you to treat them all with the respect they are due. And I want as little to do with you as possible. I will be there, by your side, playing the dutiful fiancĂŠe for state affairs and photo ops, other than that, stay the hell out of my way.â
He watched in satisfaction as she stormed out of his study, then he turned back to his bourbon.
Warnings: Language, some chapters may contain sexual content
My other stuff: Masterlist
Madeleine nearly collided with Drake as she stormed down the hall.
âWhoa there, Cruella, whatâs wrong? Did the puppies escape again?â
âWhat?â She glared at him.
âCreuella De vil, the dalmatiansâŚnever mind.â
âYouâre an asshole you know that?â
âSo Iâve been told, and by better people than you.â
âFuck you Drake, sincerely. Why are you even here? Why arenât you off chasing your little girlfriend or something?â
âMy little girlfriend?â
âDonât play stupid, itâs unbecoming. Iâm talking about Lady Riley of course; youâre always following her around like a lovesick puppy. Why arenât you whisking her off to whatever God forsaken place commoners like to be whisked off to?â
Understanding dawned on him and he smiled at her. Leaning in conspiratorially, he asked, âDonât you mean Liamâs little girlfriend?â
She visibly flinched and Drake rocked back on his heels with a satisfied smirk.
Madeleine sniffed, âOf course she would prefer Liam, who wouldnât? Itâs not like youâre good enough for even the likes of her.â
Drake stiffened, but kept the smile plastered on his face. That one hit home because he already believed it. Pushing his annoyance aside, he gave a nonchalant shrug and drawled, âYou know who is good enough for her? Liam.â
Madeleine looked ready to tear him apart with her bare hands, âLiam is far too good for her, sheâs just a common little street tramp you picked up-â
âYouâre just jealous because everyone likes her, and no one likes you. Sheâs a genuinely good person, she doesnât go around hurting people for enjoyment, she actually gives a shit. An essential quality in a queen if you ask me, but what do I know?â
âVery little about anything important.â
âSays you. Hereâs something I do knowâŚ. I know that both Riley and Olivia were sent threatening letters the night of the coronation ball, itâs funny how two of the three front runners were blackmailed and sabotaged.â
Her eyes narrowed, âWhat are you implying?â
âJust that it certainly benefited you. I wonder why you didnât receive a blackmail letter?â
âMaybe because Iâm above reproach.â
âOr maybe because youâre behind it.â
âYou canât honestly believe that.â
âSure I can. Youâve more than proven your ruthlessness.â
She smiled at that, âWell, at least you donât underestimate me, I am ruthless, and it would behoove you to remember that before getting on my bad side.â
âIâm sorry Madeleine, I wasnât aware that you had any other side.â
âWhatever, Iâm done with this conversation. Believe what you want, I really donât care.â She spun on her heel and continued down the hallway.
Drake shook his head to clear it, raked his fingers through his hair while he collected his thoughts, then drew a deep breath and knocked on Liamâs door.
âCome in!â
Liam was leaning back in his chair, feet propped up on his desk, thoughtfully regarding the glass of bourbon clutched in his hand.
âUhâŚwhatâs up Li?â
Liam smiled at Drake and it was a real smile, the first real smile heâd seen since the night of the coronation ball.
âNot much, just taking back control of my life, thatâs all.â He moved his feet to the floor and sat up straight, plunking the glass down on his desk and pushing it away. âWhatâs up with you? Havenât seen you around much lately. Everything ok?â
âJesus Liam, how do you always do that?â
âDo what?â
âShow concern for everyone else even when your own life is in shambles.â
Liam took a few seconds to seriously consider the question, then replied, âOne part how I was raised, one part diplomatic training from the time I was like, 12, and one part genuine concern for those I care about.â
âI take it that doesnât include your fiancĂŠe?â
âWhy do you say that?â
âI just ran into her in the hallway, and she looked fit to be tied. She was pissed Liam, whatâd you do to her?â
This time Liam threw his head back and laughed. It was rich and deep and real, âI reminded her which side her bread was buttered on, so to speak.â
âHow the hell did you do that? I canât image the countess of cruelty having any weaknesses.â
âShe has one.â
âOh yeah, whatâs that?â
âShe really wants to be queen.â
Liam explained what he learned about Cordonian laws and customs surrounding ascension to the throne. When he was done Drake laughed, âDamn Liam, well done! Howâd the duchess of darkness take it?â
âNot well. But in the end she realized that I hold all the cards, if she wants to be queen, she has to play by my rules.â
Drakes brow furrowed in confusion.
âWhat?â Liam asked.
âI mean, if you donât have to be engaged anymore, why not just break it off right now? Bring Campbell back to court, propose to her? I know thatâs what you want. Isnât it? Has something changed?â
Drake could feel his heart trying to beat out of his chest, he felt a myriad of conflicting emotions cascading through him. Hope that maybe he had misinterpreted Liamâs feelings for Riley after all; anger that Liam could cast her aside casually, happiness at the thought that she might be free to pursue a relationship with him, shame that part of him wanted Liam to have moved on, and confusion because he knew he wasnât wrong about Liamâs feelings.
Liam sighed, reaching for the bourbon again and starting into the glass as if the answers were in there somehow. He swirled the liquid around while he collected his thoughts.
âI could break the engagement with Madeleine but the royal council, the media, the Cordonian people will never accept Riley while this scandal is hanging over her head. They can get past the fact that sheâs a commoner and an America as long they see a fairy tale love story. But if she is perceived to be disloyal? Then itâs no longer a Cinderella story. You know how fickle the court and the media are. She has always been one misstep away from being thrown back into the role of foreigner, interloper, outsider. Breaking my engagement with Madeleine now might make it worse, if people assume Iâm doing it for her. I risk having her viewed as a homewrecker. Plus, donât forget, we still donât know who set her up. Itâs crucial to let our enemies think theyâve won, for her protection. I cannot risk her safety Drake, no matter how much I want to be with her.â Â
The smile was gone now and Liam looked so despondent that Drake almost wished he hadnât asked the question. He nodded his understanding then drew a deep breath, he had come here for a reason.
âSpeaking of Campbell-â
Liamâs head snapped up, âWhat is it? Is she ok? Has something happened?â
âNo! No, no. Sorry, I just have some news, everythingâs ok though.â
Relief swept over Liamâs features and he smiled weakly, âLead with that next time, will you?â
âHeh. Yeah, ok.â Drake nodded.
âWell, what is it?â
âOk donât be madâŚâ
âDrake, what did you do?â
âIâŚuhâŚI made contact with her.â
âYou What??â Liam sat bolt upright, âDrake, you canât! You could jeopardize-â
Drake held his hand up against the onslaught, âIf youâll listen! Geeze, give me some credit. Do you really think Iâd do anything to put her in danger? Trust me, what I did is untraceable. Iâm not the head of your covert security detail for nothing, Li.â
Liam calmed himself with visible effort. Drake could see internal struggle Liam was having as emotions chased each other across his face. Anger, fear, hope, curiosity. Finally, Liam looked up and said, âOk, I trust you. What did she say? How is she?â
âSheâsâŚ.fine, all things considered. I mean, sheâs not in the best place emotionally but thatâs to be expected.â
âDoes she understand what happened? Did you tell her why I had to do what I did?â Liamâs voice cracked with pain and desperation.
Drake shook his head as he felt the guilt slide through him, it was becoming a familiar feeling, âIâm sorry Li, sheâŚshe wonât talk about it. I tried to tell her that you were protecting her, but she isnât in a place to hear it yet. She made it a requirement, she said the only way she would speak to me at all is if I didnât bring up you, the coronation or anything about court at all.â
Liam looked like he had been dealt a physical blow as he slumped back in his chair. âOf course, I expected her to be upset, but I had hopedâŚ.â He trailed off, staring numbly down at his desk, not actually seeing any of papers that were still strewn across it.
âIâm sorry Li.â Drake said softly.
âNo, itâs ok. Iâd rather know.â Liam closed his eyes and drew in a deep, shuddering breath, then he looked back up, âOther than hating me, sheâs ok? Physically? Sheâs safe at the Beaumontâs?â
âShe doesnât hate you Li. She loves you, thatâs why sheâs so upset. And yes, sheâs safe and physically well.â
âThatâs the best I can hope for right now I suppose.â
Drake had never felt like such a piece of shit in his life. He wasnât lying to Liam, exactly, but he was certainly omitting some things. Liam was devastated and Drake would be on the phone with her tonight, listening to her tell stories about Maxwellâs antics and making her laugh with tales of his own misspent youth. In that moment, he would have given anything to erase Liamâs pain. He set his jaw tight and resolved to bring it up again when he spoke to her, even if it meant she hung up on him and stopped taking his calls again, which, he realized with a pang, it very well might.
Warnings: Language, some chapters may contain sexual content
My other stuff: Masterlist
 ~16k words total for series
Drake paced the floor furiously. It had been three days since the coronation ball, three days since security had drug Riley out of the palace and out of his life. He knew Liam said it wasnât safe to try to contact her, but not knowing was driving him crazy. He had to do something! Spinning on his heel he headed out of his room and stormed through the palace having no actual idea what he was going to do. What could he do?
 By the time he reached the front doors, he realized that if he acted on his impulse he would be putting her in danger. A frustrated growl escaped him as he spun again, this time to head back up to his room. He was lost in his own thoughts, anger and helplessness bubbling up inside him, he blinked back tears and quickened his pace.
 He hadnât wanted her to marry Liam, not really, and yet, had she gotten engaged, at least sheâd still be here, still be in his life and maybe that would have been enough. Now he didnât know if he was ever going to see her again. The thought that really killed him was wondering if she thought her friends had all abandoned her, thought that he had abandoned her. That thought, coupled with the image of her face when they had drug her out of the palace, was almost more he could endure.
 âIâve never been, but Maxwell said-â
 He looked up at the sound of voices, but too late. He collided with Penelope and Kiara. He stumbled as he tried to catch himself but it was too late. He clipped Kiara and sent Penelope crashing to the floor.
 âMon Dieu!â Kiara exclaimed, âWatch where youâre going!â
 âIâm so sorry!â He sputtered as he reached out to steady her.
 âOh, Drake!â She inhaled.
 At the sudden heat in her eyes, Drake let go of her and quickly stepped back, bending over to help Penelope up off the floor.
 âPenelope, Iâm so sorry, I wasnât watching where I was going!â
 âObviously,â she smiled at him, âBut Iâm ok. Iâm use to being knocked over, sometimes when my poodles are really excited, they jump up on me and they can sometimes be stronger than they look! You wouldnât believe, this one time at the dog park-â
 âPenelope! Drake doesnât want to hear about your poodles!â
 âI-Itâs ok,â He said, even though Kiara was right, âI know you love your poodles. Is that what you were talking about before I clumsily ran into you? Your poodles? You were saying something about MaxwellâŚ.â He trailed off hoping she would take the bait and give him some kind of information, any kind, without him having to ask.
 âNo silly!â She giggled, âMaxwell Beaumont, I was just saying that we should try out the hot yoga place he told us about, right Ki?â
 Kiara rolled her eyes, âRight.â
 âHot yoga? That does sound like fun! You should try it, both of you!â
 âI know! I was just saying that!â
 âReallyâ Kiara looked skeptical, âThat doesnât seem like the kind of thing you would be excited about.â
 âNoâŚbutâŚ.Iâm trying to expand my horizons. In factâŚ.hey! Why donât I go with you? And of course, you have to invite Maxwell!â
 âReally?â Penelope squealed.
 âYes, really! You should call him, right now, and set it up!â
 âI donât knowâŚwhat do you think Kiara? You didnât sound excited about it.â
 Kiara was staring at Drake. âUhâŚyeah, no, I think it sounds like fun, Drake is right, I should also expand my horizons.â
 âYes, then itâs settled! Call Maxwell right now while weâre all three here so we can get a date locked down.â
 Penelope dialed her phone.
 âHello.â
 âMaxwell, itâs Penelope! Remember that hot yoga place you were telling me about? Kiara, Drake and I would like to try it and we want you to come with us.âŚWhat? Yes, I did say DrakeâŚ.. No, Iâm not pulling your legâŚ.What? Yes, heâs right here, hold on.â she held the phone out to Drake.
 âDrake! Penelope says you want to go to hot yoga with us.â
 âOh yeah, sure, sounds like fun.â
 âReally?â
 âReally, yeah.â
 âI didnât think you wanted to go.â
 âOh yeah, I - uhâŚIâve been dying to try it.â
 âThatâs not what not what you said when I told you about it-â
 âWell, I mean, you convinced me, canât ignore a recommendation from my best friend, right?â
 âIâm your best friend?â
 âWell, next to Liam of course-â
 âI knew it! I knew weâve been getting closer, I suspected that deep down you liked me more than you let on, you really are just a big marsh mellow at heart, just like Riley says!â
 His heart physically hurt at the mention of her name and he had to bite his tongue to keep himself from asking about her.
 âHere, just give Penelope the details. Iâm free tomorrow and well, the rest of the week really.â He handed the phone back with only a small twinge of guilt for manipulating them all. But if anyone was tracking who was calling Maxwell, Penelope wouldnât raise suspicion and if the call was tapped, no one would care about hot yoga, he had been careful not to ask about Riley. He would do that in person, where he was sure no one was listening.
 He hummed happily to himself as he headed back to his room.