#riley brooks
Text
Turning the Page
Come Back to Me Chapter 12
Choices, The Royal Romance, AU
Series Premise: As Riley Brooks journeys through life as a single parent in New York City, an epiphany strikes as she contemplates the future for herself and her two-year-old son.
Turning the Page Series Masterlist My Complete Masterlist
Main pairing: Liam Rys x F!OC Riley Brooks
AAll characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except William Brooks (Rys) and Matteo Magro, who both belong to this series.
Category: On-going series, contains angst/fluff/depression. Cross-over fic with Choices, Perfect Match.
Rating: M 🔞 - Warnings – Series will contain crude language, weapons, NSFW material – not Beta’d - please excuse all errors.
Words: 3331
Come Back to Me, Chapter 12
Chapter Summary: As Liam and Riley’s visit continues in Lythikos, they are joined by guests from the Capital.
Music & Title Inspiration: Come Back to Me, David Cook
A/N1: A/N1: In this alternate universe, after King Constantine orchestrates two individual scandals to humiliate and entrap Riley Brooks and Olivia Nevrakis in shame, Madeleine Amaranth secures her position as the Queen of Cordonia. Riley, as the King’s mistress and Olivia, in self-imposed exile. Tariq is never found.
A/N2: Damien Nazario has been assigned as William’s personal bodyguard. (Series cross-over with ‘Perfect Match’)
‘...and when you see what you need to see
When you find you
Come back to me
...and I hope you find everything that you need
I’ll be right here waiting to see
You find you
Come back to me...’
Lythikos, Cordonia
Liam and Olivia sat together in the cozy sitting room of Nevrakis Chateau, their hands wrapped around steaming cups of dark roast Cordonian coffee. Through the large bow windows, they could see gentle flakes of snow falling from the sky, blanketing the landscape in a soft, pristine white.
The room was adorned with rich, dark wood furnishings, plush sofas and armchairs arranged around a crackling fireplace that emitted a warm glow. Paintings depicting scenic landscapes, adding to the ambiance of comfort and luxury tastefully decorated the walls.
Mischa and Zeus, Olivia’s malamutes, were vigilantly sitting at their mistresses’ feet as she and Liam conversed in hushed tones, their voices blending harmoniously with the peaceful surroundings. Occasionally, the king and duchess would pause to gaze out at the snowfall, admiring the beauty of nature's quiet spectacle as they awaited the arrival of their guests in the early morning.
"I appreciate you taking the time to spend with Riley." Liam smiled warmly; his cup of coffee half raised.
"Of course, Li ... after every obstacle she has had to overcome since arriving in Cordonia for your social season, she deserves validation of her worth.”
"She is struggling, trying to find her place here again.” Liam shook his head, the guilt once again overwhelming him.
"She'll find it.” Olivia observed her friend closely. Olivia sighed and put her cup down.
"Liam, I'm going to tell you something.”
"Okay.” Liam lifted his gaze from his hands in response with hesitation.
"I've never been good at saying these kinds of things, so I'll make this quick.”
"Go on, Liv.”
"You are my best friend, and I care about you. And I know that Riley is the woman for you. I've known that for some time now.” Olivia exhaled deeply. “Even though ...” Olivia twisted her fingers in her lap. “Even though, I wish it were me that you chose.”
Liam listened attentively to Olivia's words, his expression a mix of understanding and empathy. He reached out and gently placed his hand over hers, offering a reassuring squeeze.
"I value our friendship more than words can express, Olivia," Liam spoke with sincerity. "You've been by my side through thick and thin, and I cherish every moment we've shared."
He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts before continuing. "As for Riley, she's an extraordinary woman, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have her back in my life. Our connection is deep and meaningful, and I believe she's the one I want to build a future with."
Liam's gaze softened as he spoke. "I understand your feelings, Olivia. You have always been a constant source of support and understanding for me, and I value that more than you know. I hope that you will always remember how much you mean to me, regardless of who I'm with romantically."
Olivia nodded, a small smile touching her lips. "I do know, Liam. And I'm genuinely happy for you and Riley. You both deserve all the happiness in the world."
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of barking. The guests had arrived, and Liam and Olivia exchanged a knowing look, their unspoken bond of friendship and mutual respect stronger than ever after their confessions.
"Thank you again, Olivia.” Liam said as he stood to greet the guests.
"And if anyone tries to get between the two of you, I'll be right there by your side.” Olivia smirked.
"That's good to know, Liv.” Liam chuckled.
“By the way, have you heard from your ex-wife?”
Liam's expression changed, the lines around his eyes deepened, and his jaw tightened.
"Not a word.”
"You know I can personally locate her, right?”
"I have no doubt, but it's not necessary. I have assigned Damien to personally lead an intel team to track her.”
"Okay, but ....”
"She's not going to come between Riley and me.”
"Good. Because if she does, I will personally handle her.”
"You know, I have a feeling you're enjoying this more than you should."
"Perhaps.”
Liam chuckled as he turned to watch Riley with Willam walk hand in hand down the grand staircase.
"Good morning, love." Liam smiled as he bent down to kiss her cheek and reached down to scoop William in his arms.
"There she is...there is my little blossom!" Maxwell cried, running towards Riley engulfing her in a bear hug, lifting her off the ground. Bertrand, Savannah and Bartie followed greeting Liam and Olivia.
"It's good to see you too, Max. You look well." Riley laughed as he spun her around in the air.
"I'm not letting go until you promise to never leave me again."
"Alright, alright, put me down!" Riley giggled, feeling the warmth and affection of her Cordonian best friend. “What are you guys doing here?”
“We came to say hello, silly.” Maxwell winked, as Bertrand walked up to Riley to place a kiss on her cheek.
William tugged on Liam’s pants, "Who's that?" William gestured towards the little boy holding his mother’s hand.
"That's Bartie, buddy. He is Maxwell’s little nephew."
"Hi." William beamed as he waved to Bartie. Damien stepped forward in anticipation to follow the crown prince.
“Hi.” Bartie returned the greeting with a smile.
“Lady Riley, you look well.” Bertrand stood beside Savannah and Bartie.
“It's so good to see you both!” Riley moved up to hug Savannah and accept a kiss on the cheek from Bertrand.
"Bertrand, it's so good to see you."
"Likewise, Lady Riley. You are a welcome sight."
"Aww, thanks, Bertrand."
"And this must be William.”
Bertrand bowed to the crown prince.
"Yes. William, this is your uncle Bertrand.”
"Hello, William.”
"Hewwo." William shyly greeted him, hiding behind Riley's leg.
"Oh, my. This is awkward. I'm not very good with children." Bertrand said nervously.
"It's okay, Bertrand. Just be yourself.” Savannah gently pushed him forward
"Very well. I, ....um, brought you a gift."
Bertrand held out a small box.
"Aww, thank you, Bertrand. That is not necessary." Riley answered.
"Of course, it is. It is only proper etiquette. William is the crown prince of Cordonia." Riley grinned, shaking her head. “I stand corrected.”
***
Under the gently falling snowflakes outside Nevrakis Chateau, William and Bartie ran through the snow-covered gardens, their laughter echoing in the crisp air. Maxwell’s cheeks were rosy from the cold, and his eyes sparkled with childlike delight as he tried to catch snowflakes on his tongue, trying to impress his nephew.
Liam, scooping up snow to build a snowman with William, laughed heartily as he watched his son splayed on the ground creating a snow angel. His normally composed demeanor gave way to playful enthusiasm as he encouraged William's creative ideas for their snowy adventures.
Riley, with Savannah stood by with a smile, capturing the joyful moments with her phone. Her eyes glowed with happiness as she watched Liam and William further bond over the simple pleasure of playing in the snow.
Their guests, a mix of friends and family, joined in the snow-filled festivities. Laughter and good-natured banter filled the air as everyone engaged in snowball fights, built snow forts, and created snow angels together.
As the day progressed, everyone gathered around a crackling fire inside the chateau, sipping hot cocoa and sharing stories. The warmth of the fire contrasted with the cold beauty of the snowscape outside, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere.
***
....later in the evening...
Surrounded by snow-peaked mountains, ensconced in romantic candlelight, Liam grasped Riley’s hand and led her to submerge down into the thermal waters of the outdoor hot tub of the Royal suite.
Riley sank down to let the warm water wash over her. "This is perfect, Liam.”
"It is.”
They sat in silence for a few moments, enjoying the peace and tranquility of the moment.
"What's going on in that sweet, beautiful mind of yours, Riley?"
"I was just thinking about how much time we've lost." Liam could see the hurt in her eyes mixed with unshed tears starting to form before she looked down, unable to keep eye contact with him. Liam reached over to gently lift her chin, as she became emotional.
"We'll make up for lost time."
"How, Liam?"
"By spending every moment together, cherishing each other, and never letting go."
"That does sound nice."
"It does."
Liam reached forward and brushed a strand of hair away from Riley's face.
"I promise you, love. I will do everything in my power to make you happy."
"I know, Liam.”
"So, are you ready to talk about the future now?"
"I am." Riley breathed in.
"Good."
Liam paused, gathering his thoughts.
"I want us to be a family, Riley. A real family.
"Me too, Liam. But, how do we do it?"
"We start by taking things one day at a time. We spend time together and get to know each other again. We take things slowly and enjoy the journey."
Liam looked at Riley with adoration, his eyes filled with love.
“Je veux t’emmener a Paris.” Riley quickly turned her head to look at Liam.
["I want to take you to Paris”]
“Il y a tellement de belles choses que je veux partager avec vous la-bas.”
["There are so many beautiful things I want to share with you there."]
“Okay, okay ... I caught the words, ‘Paris’ and ‘beautiful’.” Riley giggled and then waved her hand in the air. “Everything else went way over my head.”
Liam smiled wide and shook his head. “I want to take you to Paris and share the beauty with you.”
“The Eiffel tower was breathtaking.”
“There is so much more to Paris than the Eiffel tower.” Liam lifted Riley’s hand to his lips and turned her wrist over to gently kiss.
“Je dois montrer a l’amour de ma vie a quel point elle compte pour moi. Te revoir dans ma vie n’a pas de prix.”
[“I need to show the love of my life how much she means to me. To have you back in my life is priceless.” ]
Liam tugged Riley’s arm and pulled her onto his lap.
Cupping her cheek, he met her lips in a slow, sultry kiss, his tongue coaching her to allow him to take her breath away as his tilted her head to deepen the kiss.
Riley more than willingly let Liam take the lead. She missed the thrill she felt when he would take control and melted into his embrace.
Liam’s hands moved down to her waist pressing her body down against his, as Riley wrapped her arms around his neck she felt his impressive length as she could not resist grinding her hips down.
"Let's take this inside," he whispered huskily.
"Mmmhmm." Riley purred.
Liam rose up from the tub and lifted Riley up as she wrapped her legs around him. Dripping water and leaving a trail of wet footprints on the floor, Liam carried carried her inside to the bedroom.
With one arm supporting her, and the other opening the doors, they made their way inside.
"I've missed this," he whispered, kissing her deeply.
"So have I," she replied, her eyes half-closed, reveling in the feeling of his body pressed against hers.
They moved further into the room, stopping at the bed. Liam lowered Riley down onto the mattress, his body following hers.
Riley ran her fingers through his wet hair, pulling him in for another heated kiss.
"I need you, Riley," he whispered, his voice low and husky.
"I'm yours, Liam," she whispered back, her body responding to his touch.
Liam kissed down her neck, his hands roaming over her curves, exploring every inch.
"Liam," Riley moaned, her body aching for more.
“William ...”
“William is comfortably sleeping in the next room.”
Liam paused, as he kissed his way down her body, his hands caressing her breasts, his lips teasing her nipples.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered, his breath hot against her skin.
"I'm yours," Riley replied, her voice full of desire.
Liam kissed his way down her stomach, his hands caressing her hips. He parted her legs, his lips trailing over her inner thighs.
Riley could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her body aching for his touch.
"Please, Liam," she whispered, her voice a plea.
The world seemed to fade away as they lost themselves in each other's embrace. It was if time itself had paused, allowing them this moment of reunification after so long apart. Their hearts beat in unison, a rythym of longing and desire that had been suppressed for too long.
They collapsed on the bed, their bodies entwined, their breathing heavy.
Riley’s fingers traced the lines of Liam's face, memorizing every detail as if afraid this moment might slip away.
Liam, with a gentleness that belied his intensity, cradled her face in his hands, his eyes searching hers as if trying to convey a lifetime of unspoken words.
"I've missed you," Riley whispered, her voice barely audible above the rush of emotions between them.
Liam nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. "I've missed you too, more than words can say."
"Stay with me," he whispered, his voice heavy with emotion.
"Always," Riley replied, her heart full of love.
Riley snuggled closer to Liam, their bodies fitting perfectly together.
"I love you," she whispered, her heart finally feeling complete.
"I love you too," Liam whispered back, his love for her shining through his eyes.
"This is perfect," she sighed, her body completely content.
"You're perfect," he murmured, his arms holding her close as he kissed her forehead.
***
The next day at Nevrakis Chateau in Lythikos dawned with a gentle warmth that matched the newfound closeness that returned between Riley and Liam. As they woke up entangled in each other's arms, the sunlight filtering through the windows painted their room in a soft golden hue.
Riley stirred first, her fingers tracing patterns on Liam's chest as she watched him sleep peacefully. She couldn't help but smile, feeling a sense of contentment she had not experienced in a long time. With a gentle kiss on his cheek, she whispered, "Good morning, my love."
Liam blinked his eyes open, a lazy smile spreading across his face as he saw Riley's loving gaze. "Good morning, beautiful," he murmured, pulling her closer for a lingering kiss.
"Riley," Liam began, his voice filled with affection, "I have a special arrangement for William today. I thought it would be wonderful for him to spend the entire day with Bartie, Maxwell, Savannah, and Bertrand."
Riley's eyes lit up with delight at the thought of William having a day filled with fun and adventure with his friends. "That sounds fantastic, Liam! I'm sure they'll have a great time together."
Liam nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "I thought it would also give us a chance to have some uninterrupted time together, just the two of us. We can explore more of Lythikos, enjoy a quiet lunch, and simply cherish each other's company."
Riley leaned in, her eyes sparkling with affection. "I love that idea, Liam. Spending time with you like this is truly special."
They shared a tender moment, savoring the anticipation of a day filled with shared experiences and cherished moments. Liam's thoughtful gesture to arrange William's day with their friends allowed them the opportunity to reconnect and deepen their bond in the enchanting surroundings of Nevrakis Chateau and Lythikos.
After a leisurely morning together, they decided to explore more of Lythikos. Liam had planned a surprise outing for Riley, eager to show her some of his favorite spots in the picturesque region.
They ventured out hand in hand, enjoying the crisp morning air and the breathtaking views of the mountains surrounding them. Liam took Riley to a secluded spot overlooking a serene lake.
"I used to come here often to clear my mind," Liam shared, his eyes reflecting the tranquility of the place. "It's peaceful, away from the chaos of the palace."
"It's beautiful," Riley whispered, leaning into him as they watched the gentle breeze upon the water's surface.
As they talked and shared stories from their past, Riley felt a sense of belonging she hadn't felt in a long time. Being with Liam in such a serene setting, away from the pressures of their responsibilities, allowed them to connect on a deeper level.
After spending a blissful day together, they returned to the chateau in the evening, where a romantic dinner awaited them. Liam had arranged for a Michelin star chef to prepare a gourmet meal, complete with candlelight and soft music playing in the background.
Over dinner, they talked about their hopes and dreams for the future. Liam expressed his desire to create lasting memories with Riley, to travel the world together and experience new adventures.
"I want us to live fully, without any regrets," Liam said, his eyes locked on Riley's. "I want you by my side in every journey, every moment."
Riley's heart swelled with love, feeling overwhelmed by the depth of Liam's feelings for her. "I want that too, Liam," she replied, reaching across the table to take his hand. "I want us to embrace life together, to cherish every moment."
As the evening progressed, their conversation turned lighter, filled with laughter and playful banter. They danced together in the moonlit courtyard, lost in each other's arms, their worries and doubts melting away in the magic of the moment.
Eventually, exhaustion caught up with them, and they retired to their room, cuddled up in each other's embrace. With a whispered "I love you" and a tender kiss, they drifted off to sleep, ready to face whatever the future held for them, united in their love and commitment to each other.
Thanks for reading; please let me know if you would like to be added or removed from this series.
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#tessa liam writes#the royal romance#liam rys#trr fanfic#trr#riley brooks#choices fic writers creations#king liam and oc#king liam#king liam rys#turning the page
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All That She Wants Chapter 5: Consequences
Series: All That She Wants
Fandom: The Royal Romance
Pairings: Riley x Liam, Riley x Drake, Liam x Olivia
Word Count: 1,094
Rating: M
Warnings for this chapter: none
My other stuff: Master List.
Riley stared down at the plastic stick in her hands as a myriad of feelings washed over her.
Another negative test.
How? It had been 6 months since she’d first set her sights on Drake. They had been sleeping together regularly ever since.
Frequently even.
Disappointment and disbelief were the first emotions. She had conceived Ellie on her honeymoon with Liam. Xander had taken only two months of trying.
Frustration and relief were an odd combination, revealing her conflicted motives. Her original goal of procreation was being thwarted, and that was frustrating.
But another negative result meant she would have to keep sleeping with Drake. Not just sleeping with him, but basically dating him, per the arrangement she had agreed to.
She hadn’t meant to, but she found herself enjoying the dating part. It felt good to be wanted, to be pursued, wooed, romanced, valued.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear him until he was right behind her. “What are you doing?”
Her body jolted as awareness of her surroundings rushed back in. “Liam! I thought you had meetings all morning!”
“I did. But the Duke of Rothsford spilled his coffee on me and I came back up to change.” Astonishment crept into his voice. “Is that a pregnancy test?”
“It’s none of your business, is what it is!” She snapped as she moved her hand behind her back.
“Oh, I think it’s most certainly my business if my wife, whom I haven’t had sex with in months, is taking a pregnancy test!”
“Try a year and a half, Liam!” she bit back furiously.
He looked momentarily taken aback. “Has it been that long?”
“Yes!” She hated the tears that gathered in her eyes.
Liam faltered for a moment. He looked at her with compassion, his hand reached out toward her in a comforting gesture but froze halfway there. His voice was icy as he demanded, “Why are you taking a pregnancy test?”
“I wanted to see if I was pregnant, Liam, that’s why!”
“So, you’re having an affair?”
She gaped at him, the anger in his tone confusing her. “You literally told me that if I wanted another baby, to find someone else to be the father!”
“That was hyperbole, Riley!” Liam was shaking with barely restrained fury. “The Queen of Cordonia can’t just have another man’s baby!”
“Oh, but you can sleep with Olivia and ignore your wife, and that’s fine?”
“I—”
“Exactly. You’re a hypocrite, Liam. What if your mistress got pregnant? Then what?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Liv doesn’t even want children! She took the necessary precautions to prevent that years ago!”
“Wow.” Riley shook her head as anger replaced all the despair and sadness she usually felt when confronted with her husband’s infidelity. “You didn’t even try to deny it.”
His shoulders slumped as his fury abated. “I’m sorry, Riley. You deserve better than I’ve given you. I know that.”
“Did you ever love me?”
“I do love you, Riley. Things with Liv and I are…. complicated.”
“No, Liam, you don’t love me. If you loved me, you wouldn’t have shut me out. Something changed somewhere along the way, and you didn’t bother to let me know.”
“I’m not disputing that things changed. Our marriage became…stale.”
She wasn’t sure which emotion was more prevalent as she took in his assessment of their relationship. There was an ample amount of rage tempered by an overabundance of grief.
She had never stopped loving him. Had never stopped trying.
But the unvarnished truth was that he had left their marriage, at least emotionally, long ago, and there was nothing she could do about it.
For the first time since she had said I do, she admitted to herself that this was not the fairytale they had sold to the press. This was not her happily ever after and Liam was not her prince charming. They had been living a lie from the moment he proposed.
“Why didn’t you just marry her in the first place?” she asked bitterly.
“I just told you…. she refused to have children. I needed an heir.”
“So, you married me for my uterus?”
A defensive note crept into his voice. “You knew the terms. You agreed—”
“I agreed to the marriage terms because I loved you, you fucking unbelievable bastard!”
“Riley, you’re upset. I understand. But once you calm down—”
“No.”
“No? No, what?”
“No, to whatever is about to come out of your mouth. I’m done worrying about what’s best for you! It’s my turn, Liam!”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you have three choices. Either give me a baby, let someone else give me a baby, or let’s just get divorced and I’ll do as I damn well please.”
“Riley, we can’t just—”
“Those are your choices. Even the king can’t force someone to stay married to him against her will. Just imagine the scandal that would cause!”
He struggled to maintain his composure when what he wanted to do was throw things, yell, lock her in the room, and forbid her to leave it. Instead, he took a steadying breath and counted silently to ten before he spoke. “We said forever, Riley.”
“You promised to love me, Liam.”
“Who is it?”
“Excuse me?”
His voice was tight as he searched her face for answers. “Who are you sleeping with? Who is stabbing his king in the back?”
For the first time in their entire marriage, Riley had the upper hand. She gave him a self-satisfied smirk as she tossed the plastic stick into the waste bin. She crossed the room to the door, opened it, then turned back to face him. “You have two days to decide which option pleases you most, my king.” Then she was gone.
“Son of a bitch!” Liam picked up the nearest object and hurled it at the door that had just closed.
Glass shattered against the wood, as water and petals exploded outward.
Who the fuck had been sending her flowers?
He had barely noticed the vases of fresh-cut blooms that had changed every few days, assuming housekeeping had been putting them there to brighten the room. Now the certainty that someone was not just fucking his wife but romancing her took hold.
Something had to be done. A decision had to be made, and it had to be made quickly.
He pulled out his phone and quickly punched in Olivia’s number. “We have an urgent matter to discuss. I need you to drop whatever you’re doing and come to the palace immediately.”
#the royal romance#trr#drake walker#liam rys#trr fanfic#riley brooks#angelasscribbles#the royal romance fanfic#choices fic writers creations#cfwc fics of the week#choices stories you play#choices#trr fandom
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for @choicesfandomappreciation's secret pal event, i got @tessa-liam! here's a liam and riley (and chance the corgi) for you, i hope you like it and happy holidays!! ❤️
bg & silver medal from pb official art bc i was too tired to draw it by hand lol
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Murder at Vista Heights Chapter 6
Series: Law’s End
Episode 1: Murder at Vista Heights
Fandom: The Royal Romance (loosely, there’s not much canon in here).
Pairings: None yet
Word Count: 2,500
Rating: MA
A/N: This counts as @karahalloway ask from my 1500 followers celebration post on my main account @angelasscribbles.
Warnings for series: adult themes, any given chapter may contain murder, violence, language, drinking, drug use, etc.
My other stuff can be found on my main blog @angelasscribbles here is the Master List.
The homicide division of the seventh precinct had been plunged into chaos. All three interrogation rooms were in use, leaving a person of interest cooling his heels in the waiting area.
Riley was trying to get comments from anyone that would talk to her. Max had narrowly evaded being tossed out of the station when he had attempted to get photos of William Sloan as he was brought in for questioning.
The mayor was livid at being called late in the evening by one of her biggest campaign contributors. “I don’t care what fucking time it is or how many hours you already worked today!” Madeleine was yelling at a lithe redhead with her hair pinned immaculately in place despite her protestations over the lateness of the hour.
Olivia Nevrakis narrowed her eyes at her boss. “And I don’t care how much money Sloan Enterprises has donated to your re-election campaign. If he’s a suspect, he has to be questioned, just like everyone else!”
“William Sloan most certainly did not murder Trent Hayes! Are you out of your mind?”
Olivia doubled down. “If there wasn’t some reason to suspect him, Liam wouldn’t have brought him in for questioning!”
While the mayor and the DA were having their showdown, Drake Walker was pacing the floor, waiting for his turn in interrogation.
He was a person of interest. Presumably, because someone had ratted him out to the police about his business relationship with William Sloan. His eyes scoured the open office area until he spotted her.
Riley saw him coming and made a strategic exit to the woman’s room. She almost ran over the sketch artist from earlier. “Oof! Sorry!”
“It’s okay,” Lillith assured her. “Who are you hiding from?”
“What makes you think I’m hiding from anyone?”
“I recognize the panic.”
“Wait. Who are you hiding from?”
“My sister.”
Riley’s brain spun to catch up. Then realization washed over her. She should have made the connection before. Nevrakis was not a common name. “The DA is your sister?”
Lilith flinched a little. “Half-sister. She hates me.”
“Why?”
Lilith shrugged. “Something about my whore of a mother breaking her mother’s heart.”
“Oh….” Riley was rarely struck speechless, but she had no idea how to respond to that.
“Sorry!” Lilith dropped her face into her hands. “That was TMI and now I’ve made things awkward!”
“No, no, you’re fine!” Riley assured her. “Trust me. As a reporter, I’ve heard every damn thing. That’s not even in the top ten for most awkward.”
Lilith smiled wanly. “I’d like to hear that top ten list then.”
“Sure. We should get drinks sometime.”
“Really?” The sketch artist searched her face to see if she was joking.
“Yeah, why not?”
“Okay, yeah, I’d like that.” This time, the smile was bigger, brighter. Lilith didn’t have a lot of friends, tended to be socially awkward, and was used to being somewhat of a pariah in certain upper society circles because of her status as the bastard child of an extramarital affair.
Riley eased the door open to peer through the crack. “Unless you have any information about the case you’re willing to give me, I need to get back out there.”
Meanwhile, in Interrogation Room One…
“I get it.” Flynn eyed the man sitting across the table from him. “Beautiful woman. Rich, powerful husband. You don’t want to get sidewise with him, so when Trent started blackmailing her, threatening her—”
“I told you I know nothing about that!” Dean yanked on the chains holding him to the table, making the hard metal slam against the wood with a satisfying clang.
“You didn’t know he was blackmailing her?”
“No!”
“Did you know he found out about the affair?”
“No!”
“So, you don’t deny the affair?”
“What?” Dean looked up at him with a defeated expression. “No.”
“Okay, good. We’re getting somewhere. So, you were sleeping with her and—”
“I love her!”
“Okay, okay.” Flynn held his hands up in surrender. “You’re in love. And this man threatened her—”
Dean heaved a sigh and slumped back in his seat. “How many times do I have to tell you that I knew nothing about that?”
Interrogation Room Two….
“Here you go, buddy.” Liam sat a bottle of ice-cold water on the table and slid it across to the CEO of Sloan Enterprises. “Sorry about all this. But we have evidence your wife is having an affair and was being blackmailed by the victim. You understand how that gives you motive, right?”
William fixed the detective with a steely glare, remaining silent.
“So, how did it go down? She missed a payment? He called you up and told you? When confronted with proof of the affair, you snapped, shot the messenger so to speak? It’s understandable. Heat of the moment. The sooner you tell me what happened, the sooner I can help you.”
William leaned forward and pushed the water bottle back across the table. “I want my lawyer. Now!”
Interrogation Room Three….
Bertrand stood in the doorway of the room in his somehow perfectly pressed suit and tapped a file folder against the palm of his other hand as he regarded the woman in front of him. “Did you do it yourself, or did you have someone else shoot him? Leo Rys, maybe?”
Katie sniffed as she lifted an imperious gaze to the man across from her. “I had nothing to do with Trent’s death, but I would certainly like to thank whoever did. He was the worst kind of pond scum, and he won’t be missed.”
“Not exactly the type of sentiments that will exonerate you, Mrs. Sloan.”
She gave him a coy smile. “Please. Call me Katie.”
Bertrand’s dour expression never changed. “I don’t think you grasp the gravity of the situation, Mrs. Sloan.”
A mirthful laugh bubbled out of her. “I’m not worried because I didn’t do it.”
“Who else had more of a motive than you?”
“I don’t know. Why don’t you talk to that psycho he cheated on me with?” Her face lit up with clear hatred.
Bertrand languidly raised an eyebrow. “And that would be?”
“Sabrina Simmons!”
“Are they still an item?”
“If they are, he’s cheating on her, I guarantee it, and you know what they say about a woman scorned. Besides, she has a history of stalking behavior. She’s fucking crazy!”
Bertrand made a noncommittal sound in his throat as he jotted the name down on his notepad.
Back in the main office area…
Riley was trying to sweet talk a crime scene investigator when Drake caught up with her. “Rashad. That’s a beautiful name.”
“Thanks.” Even with his dark complexion, the blush that spread across his features was noticeable.
“There you are!” Drake’s voice boomed out as he grasped her upper arm firmly and pulled her away from Rashad. “I think we’re overdue for a conversation.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what—”
Rashad was suddenly serious. “Hey! Is everything okay?”
Riley’s eyes darted back and forth between the two men, noting the tension in both sets of shoulders. Diffusing the situation was preferable to escalating it, so she smiled sweetly at Rashad. “It’s fine. He’s right. We have a previous…. agreement we need to discuss.”
“Oh.” The other man looked disappointed, but excused himself with a regretful glance back at the reporter.
“Did you rat me out to the cops, Riley?” Drake asked as he pulled her to the side of the room for a private conversation.
“Absolutely not.”
“Then why have I been brought in for questioning? Why is my client in an interrogation room right now?”
“Your client is in an interrogation room because his wife got busted with her lover tonight by the lead detective on the case.” Riley pulled her arm out of his grasp, but moved her body closer to his. “As for figuring out he hired you as a PI, I’m assuming that was their own detective work because I did not rat you out!”
He wanted to believe her. All CCPD had to do to find him was to run Sloan’s financials. Or Max’s. “Hm. Why do I have a feeling you’re going to be a giant pain in my ass? Tell me this, who pointed them in the Sloan’s direction in the first place?”
“A private citizen who witnessed—”
Drake’s lips pressed into a thin line as he shook his head. “Maxwell Beaumont was not a private citizen when he took those photographs!”
A scathing voice cut through their conversation. “Did she sleep with you for information, too?”
They both turned to find Liam approaching, with Max hot on his heels.
Drake took a step back in confusion. “What? We haven’t slept together!”
“Yet,” Max mumbled under his breath. His eyes widened when he realized Liam might have heard him. He cleared his throat and began to fiddle with his camera, pretending to ignore the conversation.
Riley shot a murderous expression at Liam. “For the last time, Liam, that’s not what happened!”
Drake blinked as he processed the insinuation. Moving his attention back to Riley, he asked, “You slept with him for information?”
“No, I did not.” She replied through gritted teeth.
“Come on, Walker.” Liam gestured toward the interrogation room. “We need to have a discussion about what services you provided for William Sloan.”
Drake turned his head to watch Riley over his shoulder as he followed the detective, mumbling the whole time about client privacy.
As Liam and Drake walked down the hall toward the interrogation rooms, they passed William Sloan and his lawyer, Sadie McGraw, on their way out.
The moment Madeleine saw William and Sadie, she scurried after them, apologizing profusely for the misunderstanding.
Bertrand and Flynn walked into the open office area deep in conversation, comparing notes about their respective interrogations. Olivia approached them before they could make it to Bertrand’s office, a dark haired young man trailing behind her. She wasted no time demanding answers about the investigation.
Bertrand ushered everyone into his office, where the DA was given all the latest updates on the case.
When the detectives were finished talking, Olivia nodded her head. “Between Trent’s bank account showing deposits from Katie and Dean’s confession of the affair, I think Kiara will sign off on a search warrant for the Sloan properties and bank accounts.” She turned to bark at the law intern who had been shadowing her for weeks. “Anton! Get Judge Theron on the phone!”
“Yes, ma’am!” Anton squeaked as he fumbled for his phone.
Thirty minutes later, the CCPD had a search warrant, Drake was released from interrogation and Bertrand was yelling at Riley and Max to get out of his station house.
“What are you doing at my desk?”
Riley looked up into Liam’s stormy expression as she closed the lid of her laptop. “Updating my story. I promise I didn’t look through your files!”
“This time.”
“That’s what I said.” She gave him a disarming smile as she rose and started stuffing the computer, notepads, and pens into her taupe, Saffiano leather Kate Spade laptop tote. “I didn’t read any of your files this time.”
It had been a long day; he was tired; he was irritated; he was ready for a break in this case… and yet something about her infectious grin and the teasing lilt in her voice pulled a begrudging smile from him. He shook his head in wonderment. How did she keep getting under his skin?
He called out to her as she walked away. “Hey, Riley!”
She turned back to face him. “Yeah?”
“Thank you. Your intel was actually helpful tonight.”
Her grin broadened into a full fledged smile, lighting up her whole face. “You’re welcome, detective. See you around.”
She found Drake and Max both waiting for her at the homicide office door. She directed her attention to Drake. “What are you still doing here?”
“Just got out of interrogation, thanks to someone who doesn’t understand confidentiality.” There was no accusation in his tone, just a simple statement of fact.
“It’s not my fault your client was implicated in a homicide.”
“Oh, I’m not blaming you.” He replied as he looked past her to shoot daggers at Max.
Max blinked. “What did I do?”
Drake shook his head as he pushed off the wall he’d been leaning against. “Come on, I’ll walk you out.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary. She’s with me.” Max flushed a deep shade of crimson. “We’re both in my car, I mean!”
“Then I’ll walk you both out. Can’t be too careful. It’s late, and this is Cordonia City.”
“I’m perfectly capable of protecting her.”
Drake’s eyes ran quickly and dismissively over the younger man. “Sure you are, kid.”
The three stepped out into the dimly lit, air-conditioned hallway as Liam watched them leave with curiosity, regret, and annoyance mingling in his expression.
The ancient, decrepit elevator dinged as it rocked to a stop on the first floor and the doors slid creakily open.
Neville VanCouer was arguing with the front desk sergeant. “I heard suspects were brought in for questioning. I just want to get a statement—”
“Heard? Or read it in my story?” Riley gloated.
Neville looked like his head was about to explode. “Why were they allowed in?”
The desk sergeant’s bored expression never changed as he shrugged. “Came in with a homicide detective.”
“How?”
Another shrug from the sergeant.
Neville spun on Riley. “The updates you’ve been posting…someone is giving you insider information!”
She gave him a saccharine sweet smile. “Or I’m just a better reporter than you.”
Neville took a step toward her, but Drake moved quickly, inserting himself between Riley and the other reporter. “Why don’t you go harass someone else?”
Neville glared at Drake, but he stepped back. The showdown was broken by Neville’s photograph, who had just reappeared from the men’s room. “Hey! That’s the guy that told me there was a door open around back!”
Max lifted a shoulder innocently. “There was when I was back there.”
The other man’s eyes narrowed. “Then why haven’t any crime scene photos been published anywhere?”
“Ah…. technical difficulties.”
The photographer looked skeptically between Max and Neville, as if trying to decide if Max was lying.
Neville shook his head, “It’s not worth it, Tariq. Come on, let’s go.”
“See?” Drake was almost gloating. “You needed me.”
Riley rolled her eyes. “Neville is annoying and slimy, but he’s not dangerous.”
“Yeah,” Max chimed in, “And we’re standing in a police station.”
“Listen.” Riley decided to get the elephant in the room out of the way. “I know you think I threw you under the bus with Liam. I’ll understand if you want to cancel our dinner plans.”
“Oh, we’re still going to dinner.”
Riley’s brows furrowed in confusion. “But I thought you said—”
“I said you were going to be a giant pain in my ass.” His eyes tracked across her face. “But something tells me you’re worth all the trouble.”
#the royal romance#trr fanfic#angelasscribbles#laws end#trr au#trr au fanfic#writeblr#crime drama#Law's End#cordonia city#maxwell beaumont#liam rys#drake walker#riley brooks#trr fandom#no canon#choices fic writers creations#cfwc fics of the week
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Wanted to do a little something for @hanaleeappreciationweek, because boy do I appreciate my best friend Hana 🥰 (x)
#hanaleeappreciationweek#HLAW#HLAW Day 5#trr#hana lee#riley brooks#v plays trr#v draws things#Hana and my Riley and are both the best friend they never thought they'd have#After Riley's wedding to Maxwell Hana moves in with them and they all live their absolute best lives ♥♥♥#Liam and Drake of course visit often#TRH does not happen.#The End! ☺💞
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Ghosted
Ghosted - I Finally See (Chapter Six)
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 MC (Riley Brooks)
A/N1 - This AU starts right before the beginning of the engagement tour. There is a two-month lapse between the coronation and where we pick up, but we will stray from canon. Please excuse any errors found.
A/N2 - Huuuuuuugest of shout outs to @ao719, who helped me tweak this mood board a little bit (twice 🤣🥹😘)
Characters belong to Pixelberry
Rhonda led the three of them along the path to the west grounds. At one point, that is where all major events were held in Applewood. However, over the years, the Royal family decided it was best to move all festivities to the front of the estate, as it was bigger in acres and much closer to the main building.
The area was then practically forgotten about. There was housing for some of the staff, a couple of sheds, and a few stray apple trees, but nothing else. Liam hadn't been on the west grounds specifically since he was a child and would play hide and seek with Leo out there. He always found the best spots to hide, Leo practically never found him.
They followed until Rhonda stopped at an older, weathered shed toward the edge of the estate property. It appeared to be practically abandoned; the paint was chipping off the sides and the roof missed several shingles. It looked like a scene from a horror movie, and Liam felt his skin turn cold and raise with goosebumps as they approached the structure.
Rhonda turned to face them. "This is the one..."
"Don't you dare go anywhere? Do you understand me?" Liam growled.
Rhonda didn't say a word but nodded her head rapidly. She took a few steps away but stood where they could see her even after they entered the structure.
Olivia glanced down and saw a padlock securing the doors closed. She reached out and grabbed it. "A lock? Seems like someone doesn't want us to find what's in there."
"How are we gonna get it open?" Drake asked.
Olivia laughed before she responded, "Oh, don’t you worry about that, you simpleton." and pulled a small dagger out of her sleeve. She leaned forward and started working the blade into the keyhole.
After a couple of minutes, Drake grew restless. "I know this may come as a surprise to you, but not everything is solved with knives." He huffed.
Just as the words left his mouth, Olivia stood and turned to face him with a smirk on her face, lock in hand. "You were saying?" Drake shook his head and muttered a few obscenities under his breath.
The trio stood and stared at the doors for what felt like an eternity; nobody wanted to make that first move. After so long with so many unanswered questions, the anxiety of what could lie ahead was felt heavily by all three.
Finally, Olivia reached for the door and swung it open. They were indeed looking at all of Riley's stuff; all her clothes, hygiene products, knick-knacks, everything was piled directly in front of them. Olivia entered first and started searching for anything of relevance. Drake followed close behind, but Liam remained cemented in place with his mouth agape.
Liam convinced himself that Riley intentionally left because she took all of her belongings with her. To him, that meant her departure was premeditated; she had to have thought enough in advance to have her things packed so she could make her escape.
But as Liam stood in front of the open shed, he confirmed the gut feeling he had been ignoring all along was validated. Any and every bit of resolve he had left crumpled as he took those first steps into the structure before him.
Liam entered slowly and looked around. He stopped when he saw Riley’s ceramic cardinal and picked it up. She said it reminded her of her grandfather who had passed away, so having it meant he was exploring new horizons with her. She had the trinket in her pocket during the Regatta, Liam recalled her telling him her grandfather had a love of boats, so she had to bring it with her for the day. He held it in his hands for a moment before he gently squeezed it, and placed it back where he found it.
Liam continued his search and stumbled upon her tortilla blanket; he smiled as he picked it up and held it to his nose to inhale a deep breath. He hadn’t understood why Riley had such a random item, but he didn’t dare question her. The one time he saw her wrapped up in it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.
Liam went to her door early one morning to escort her to breakfast, however, Riley wasn't expecting him. He knew it wasn't proper, but he couldn't help himself; he wanted to spend any and every spare second he had with her.
When Riley answered the door, she was wrapped in her blanket with her glasses sliding down her nose; her hair sat piled on the top of her head in a messy bun, although it appeared to have shifted more to the side during her slumber. The smile she gave as her cheeks flushed completely stunned Liam where he stood. She looked immaculate in all the ball gowns with her makeup and hair perfectly done, but she had never been more beautiful to him than at that moment.
Liam shook his head in an attempt to steady himself but could feel his eyes burn with unshed tears. He quickly put the blanket down where he found it and continued.
As Liam resumed his trek, he stumbled upon a book or binder of some sort. The front and back surfaces were completely covered in different multicolored stickers. He opened it and realized it was not a binder, but a photo album.
Liam looked through the pictures with trembling hands. He saw photos of Riley as a baby with her parents, holidays, birthdays, sports, prom; practically her entire life in images. Toward the end, he found laminated funeral programs for family members Riley had lost.
Liam closed the album and wiped the tears from his cheeks that had unwillingly fallen. He knew Riley was a very sentimental person and would not have left this stuff behind purposefully. These things meant the world to Riley; her most cherished possessions, the things she was most proud of. It was one of the things that made Liam fall in love with her; in his world, all everyone cared about was power and prestige, but she cared about moments and making memories. He knew without a shadow of a doubt, she would not have left these things behind of her own volition.
Liam began to feel insurmountable rage, but couldn't ignore the all-consuming guilt that engulfed his conscience for turning a blind eye; especially knowing she could have been hurt before she left, or, that could have been why she left. More than that, he hadn't believed in Riley the way his friends did. He needed to be convinced to believe in her.
Drake had been observing Liam look through the photo album. In their many years together, he thought he had seen Liam at his lowest, but the man Drake was looking at now was unrecognizable; the defeat and guilt he felt were clear as day. When Drake saw him wipe his cheeks, his heart broke even more for his friend than it had been the past two months.
Drake approached Liam and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Liam…" He softly spoke.
Liam sniffed. "What for? I should be thanking you. Without your persistence, I never would have opened my eyes…" He trailed off and shook his head as more tears unwillingly fell.
"Don't do that, Liam." Liam looked at Drake with a confused expression. "I can see it written all over your face. You're feeling guilty. You can't do that to yourself, man. I know it's hard, but you have to look forward. Don't dwell on what's already happened."
Liam scoffed. "That's easy for you to say. You didn't need to be convinced to believe in her. You didn't turn your back on her like I did..."
"If I was in your shoes I probably would have reacted the same way. You thought she abandoned you! I'd be devastated too! Then to see her in the tabloids two days later, I'd've been fucking livid! You might be a King, but first and foremost you're a man. You are allowed to make mistakes!" Drake emphasized.
"But this isn't just any mistake! This is the love of my life, and I didn't see through this sooner?"
Drake sighed. "When me and Olivia told Max, she had to bring us back because we were doing the same shit you're doing right now." He shook his head. "I know it's hard, but you can't dwell on what you did or didn't do back then. We won't get anything solved that way. We gotta focus on what we do now."
Liam shook his head. "I just can't believe this is happening…"
"I know. It's a lot to take in. But I'm glad you're with us now." Drake smiled.
"I swear to you, I will not rest until I find the truth. Someone is going to answer for this," Liam responded with a determined expression.
Drake embraced Liam, "I know." and patted him on the back.
"Thank you for being a great friend, Drake. I’d like to apologize for losing my temper with you earlier." Liam said as he returned the embrace.
"Don't worry 'bout it. I'm just so fuckin' happy you're finally listening to yourself." Drake spoke as he stepped away.
“Guys?” Olivia’s voice rang out from the other side of the shed, where they had not ventured to yet.
Drake and Liam approached her and noticed her troubled expression. She was crouched on the ground as she searched through a tote that was filled with Riley's things. Olivia stood and held a black trash bag in her hands. She reached in and pulled out a balled-up piece of fabric, carefully unfolded it, and spread it open wide for Liam and Drake to see.
Liam took the fabric from her hands. He realized he was holding a dress, but it was ripped and torn in multiple places. Some portions dangled, others completely detached. He knew he recognized it, but couldn't precisely place where he had seen it.
The dress was white with a pink flower pattern, about mid-thigh length. It had ruffles at the bottom and a silky heart neckline at the top, which is where the tears appeared to be more prominent as well as the fabric being noticeably stretched out. The midsection had a brown leather belt sewn into its design, but portions of that had been shredded as well.
Olivia noticed a specific area of the dress that was stuck together. She tentatively reached her hand out and grabbed the fabric and pulled, which separated the garment and revealed a large reddish-brown stain. It covered a portion of the back just above the ribs, and small spots on other areas of the dress. She reached out and lightly ran her finger over the large spot and felt that the surface was dry and hardened.
She grabbed the dress from Liam’s hands and spun it around to show him and Drake, both of their eyes widening within seconds.
As Liam stood and stared at the back of what was left of the dress, his heart suddenly plummeted to the depths of his stomach as he realized where he recognized it from. “That’s…” He swallowed thickly. “that’s the dress she was wearing… at the jamboree…” He whispered.
Drake bent down and picked up the bag. He opened it and saw other small pieces of the dress and even the stockings she had worn with it that night. He closed the bag and handed it to Liam with a heartbroken expression.
Liam took the bag from Drake’s hands and peeked inside. He already knew what was in there, but looking confirmed it. Although they were unsure as to whose blood was on the dress, they could only conclude it was Riley's.
Liam suddenly realized the maid who led them there, Rhonda, was still outside. He snatched the dress from Olivia’s hands and threw it into the bag. He turned and strode with deadly intent to where she stood outside the shed.
Liam practically threw the bag at Rhonda, “Have you ever seen this?” He growled.
She looked into the bag with wide eyes, “I– I– ” she stammered.
“ANSWER ME!" Liam yelled as he once again stood over the much smaller woman.
"I– I found it on the floor. I don't know where it came from! All I did was throw it into the bag!"
"So you find a bloodied dress, and instead of immediately reporting it to someone, anyone, you just throw it into a bag like it's nothing?!"
Rhonda frantically shook her head. "I didn't know-"
"BULLSHIT! It's blood! Do you really need a fucking technical course to tell you to use your brain?!" Liam yelled.
Bastien heard Liam from his position a little ways away, and quickly rounded the corner and approached him with a curious expression. "Is there a problem here, sir?"
"YES, there's a problem here! Look inside there, do you see that?!" Liam hollered without once breaking his attention away from the woman in front of him.
Bastien glanced past Drake to the shed behind him. He briefly met eyes with Olivia, who remained inside searching. She arched her brow as she met his gaze, but he quickly turned back to Liam. "What would you like me to do, sir?"
"She knows something…" Liam growled as he stalked toward the woman little by little.
Liam stood to his entire height and squared his shoulders. He looked down at Rhonda over his nose; he puffed his chest out, only slightly, but enough to project his dominance over her. “I am giving you one last opportunity to tell me the truth. Failure to do so will result in you being placed in the custody of the Cordonian Royal Guard until you feel it’s acceptable to tell your King the truth.” He demanded in an authoritative voice.
Rhonda audibly inhaled a sharp breath, almost as if she had been hit in the gut. Her eyes welled with tears as she held her trembling hands together. “Your Majesty I swear to you on my children’s lives I know nothing else!” She dropped to her knees in front of him. “Please don’t take me from my kids! Please! I’ve told you everything I know! I'm so sorry I never said anything! P–please!” She cried as she lost herself in a fit of hysterics.
Liam stood over Rhonda while she sobbed, his mind reeling. He wanted to believe she knew more, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized whoever did this didn't let this lowly maid in on their master scheme; she was only a pawn. The likelihood of her knowing more than she had already told them was low, and she had given them the biggest lead yet in showing them where all of Riley's things were.
Even though he remained enraged, Liam crouched down in front of the woman and spoke in the softest tone he could force. "I will not take you from your children. I apologize for making barbaric threats to you. However, I need to make sure there's nothing else that you could tell us about that night."
Rhonda sniffed. "N–no, sir. I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner but I was worried about getting in trouble for snooping because I need this job to support my kids and–"
Liam held up his hand to stop her rambling. "For future reference, if you believe a guest could have been injured you are to call my office immediately and report it to me. Am I clear?"
"Y–yes sir."
"This is a delicate situation, and your utmost discretion is required. You can not tell anyone we were here, or searching Lady Riley's things. Do you understand?" Rhonda quickly nodded her head. Liam stood from his crouched position and reached down and extended a hand to help her stand. "You are free to go, but please, if you remember anything else or see something suspicious, call my office."
"Shall I escort her back to the estate, sir? I'd like to ask her a few questions as well." Bastien asked, his eyes never once leaving the maid.
"Of course, Bastien. Thank you."
As Bastien led Rhonda away, Olivia reemerged from the shed. She found something that piqued her interest; it was a long shot, but she hoped perhaps her sudden hunch could poke yet another hole in the ordeal.
Olivia approached Liam, who stood beside Drake with his hands balled at his sides watching Bastien and the maid fade away. She cleared her throat and the two turned to face her; she handed Liam a blank envelope and said nothing.
He opened it and quickly scammed its contents; it was a letter from Riley to her grandma. She had told Liam about her letters home because her grandma wasn't smart with technology and didn't have a cell phone, but Riley wanted to stay in contact. There was no date, although it had been signed at the end. The text held no relevant information, aside from Riley retelling certain portions of her time in Cordonia, the last being their trip to the ancient ruins.
As he reached the bottom paragraph, he felt like his already dismembered heart was ripped from the confines of his chest and tossed onto the ground in front of him, leaving it for anyone and everyone to openly stomp on.
I really don't know if I would make a good Queen, but I know I can do anything with Liam by my side. He’s the most amazing person I've ever met and makes me feel like I could do anything, and I would do anything to be with him. It might seem fast, but I can feel it in the depths of my soul; he is my forever.
Liam took a deep, shaky breath to keep himself calm. The guilt was piling up, but he refused to let that dam open, not now. Their next move had to be calculated and precise, and he was more determined than ever to find her and ensure her safety. "Why are you showing me this?" He quietly asked Olivia.
"I can't confirm, because I didn't see the note that was left in her room, but I know both of you did. So I just wanted to ask, does the handwriting match?"
Liam took another good look at the paper; the one left in her room was short, so there was hardly anything to compare. Looking at this script in his hands, a few things did stand out.
"The s's are different, and the r's as well." Liam pointed to the paper. "On this, every single one has some kind of a swirl on it, not to mention its continuous cursive. The one left in her room was just plain print writing."
"And this one is signed Riley instead of R," Drake added.
"Do you still have that original letter?" Olivia asked.
"I… don't." Liam looked away from them and rubbed the back of his neck. "I, uh… I couldn't stand to have it anymore. I told Bastien to dispose of it…."
Olivia arched her brow. "I take it you did the same with her phone?" Once again, Liam avoided eye contact but subtly nodded his head. She felt her irritation rise at Liam's stupid decisions while in his state of denial, but opted to keep her comments within; even though he was fighting to keep it hidden, Olivia could tell he was already feeling the effects of his refusal to see the truth. "Well, we should at least check with him and see if he still has them; we can compare the letters and see if there's a chance they match." She sighed. "Other than that, what's our plan?"
Liam was quiet for a long moment. His mind raced as he tried desperately to figure out where to go from here. They didn't have a lead as to who could have been responsible or any information regarding the scandal. The most evident thing to be found was the chilling revelation that someone hurt Riley in some way and a potentially falsified letter, otherwise, they had no solid leads.
Liam ran his hand down his face before he responded, "To start, I'll ask Bastien if he happened to keep those things. Otherwise, we need to begin a search for Tariq and Riley. Since the person in that photo you showed me can't be identified, they're the only two who know what actually happened. I'll have Bastien begin at once."
"The time I spent investigating by myself I tried to locate Tariq to question him, but he's gone."
"I'll have Bastien double-check, just to make sure he hasn't gotten sloppy and left a trace somewhere."
"Are you thinking Tariq did all this?" Drake asked.
"At this moment, no. We've known Tariq most of our lives and we all know he's not smart enough to do this." Drake and Olivia nodded their heads in agreement. “I have a feeling he could have been used in achieving someone else’s agenda, but as to who could be responsible, I don’t have a clue.”
"What do you think their ultimate plan was?"
Olivia snickered. "I shouldn’t be surprised you can't figure it out, considering your brain is the size of a walnut."
"Oh yeah? Enlighten us."
"Gladly," Olivia smirked. "Liam clearly wanted to pick Riley, that was no secret. Since Liam and I have been friends since we were children, I was obviously the second choice." She rolled her eyes but continued. "So whoever this person is formulated a plan to eliminate the two of us, leaving only Madeleine."
"There were other suitors." Drake retorted.
"Oh, please." Olivia scoffed. "Madeleine was technically the most prepared beforehand, the others weren't even in the contest."
"But why go through all this, though?" Drake motioned to the shed.
"I don't actually have any idea why her things are stored here, yet. Otherwise, I can only assume they wanted to push the idea that Riley left to be with Tariq. First, remove her from the situation. Next, let Liam sit and stew for a few days contemplating why she left. Lastly, release a scandal; let everyone assume she was a harlot being swept away by another."
"And I played right into it, just like they knew I would," Liam growled as he shook his head. "It was important they cemented the theory because whoever did this knew I would continue looking for her without the scandal. They needed to give me a reason to abandon that search, despite all the signs, and I did…" Liam looked away and forcefully tensed his jaw.
"I could be wrong, Liam… We really don't know much, yet." Olivia said in a surprisingly tender voice.
Liam sighed. "For now perhaps it's best if we lock this back up and reconvene after the Apple Banquet. That will give Bastien a day or so to start the search; we can see where we stand then?"
Drake and Olivia nodded, but Drake needed to ask Liam a question that had popped into his mind whilst they searched the shed and wouldn't leave. "Hey, Li?"
"Hm?"
"...What about the tour?"
Liam remained silent for a moment before he quietly answered. "I know it may not make sense to either of you, but the tour has to continue. First, I feel it will make investigating this easier. Clearly, something happened that night, but everything must go on as planned to avoid raising suspicion. Second…" He trailed off and looked away from Drake's curious gaze. "If we can't prove someone plotted to get Madeleine on the throne, I will have to go through with the wedding. There is nothing I can do about that, aside from abdicating."
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Olivia howled with laughter, which earned her a steely glare from Liam and a curious one from Drake. "Liam, you're the fucking King. You act as if you answer to all these people, but they answer to you. You're the one calling the shots, not them! If you don't want to marry her, then don't."
"I wish it were that simple, Olivia, but it's not. I have to take a Queen! Stability, above all–"
"Oh, my God!" Olivia exclaimed. "Am I talking to fucking Constantine or Liam?"
Liam could only stare at her with a stunned expression. Drake, however, had to hide his laugh with a cough; he had thought that same exact thing every time he heard Liam utter that statement.
Olivia continued. "I'm not trying to be insensitive, because I understand you want to do what's best for the country. But marrying Madeleine is not what's best for you or Cordonia."
Liam remained silent. Drake stepped forward after a moment and placed a hand on Liam’s shoulder. "You don't have to decide right now, just think about it, okay?"
Liam could only nod his head, as his mind refused to form a coherent sentence. After everything that had revealed itself that day, nothing made sense. He quickly dipped back inside the shed and grabbed Riley's blanket, cardinal, and photo album. Drake and Olivia gave him a curious glance as he emerged from the shed with the items, but he didn't care; he wanted to take these things with him so he could feel close to her again, and hopefully return them if he could ever find her.
Olivia placed the bag with the dress back inside the tote where she found it and secured the lock back in place; she slipped Riley's letter into her pocket for safekeeping, hoping and praying Bastien kept the one left in her room to compare.
The trio made their way back to the main estate as the sun was setting on the horizon. All three's minds were overflowing with questions, assumptions, accusations, and a wide variety of scenarios, all of which revolved around one thing: what happened to Riley Brooks?
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#trr mystery#what happened to riley?#the royal romance#king liam#liam rys#choices the royal romance#trr#choices trr#trr au#choices#liam x riley#choices fic writers creations#ghosted#liam x mc#trr liam#drake walker#olivia nevrakis#riley brooks#kristinamae093
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Turbulence
Series: Cordonian Royal Airlines
Fandom: The Royal Romance
Pairings for series: Various
Pairing for this chapter: Riley x Drake
Word Count: 1,534
Rating: MA
Warnings for this chapter: Language, sexual innuendo, and mature humor. Barley lemon scented.
A/N: See the series master list for a description of this series.
Also, this is a submission for @choicesprompts Smutember prompt event: We shouldn't be doing this....
“So, what’s up with you and Riley?”
“What do you mean?”
Captain Liam Rys turned to regard his first officer with a raised eyebrow, “What do you mean what do I mean? You two have been dancing around each other since the day she started working here.”
“Exactly,” Drake shook his head, “She works here. I don’t shit where I eat, Li, you know that.”
“Uh huh…” Liam replied dubiously as he returned his attention to the instrument panel and requested permission to take off.
Out in the cabin, flight attendant Riley Brooks was instructing the passengers of Cordonian Royal Airlines Flight 628 to put their seat backs in the upright position and fasten their seatbelts.
Maxwell shuffled up and down the aisle helping people stow their carry-ons in the overhead compartments.
As they buckled themselves into the jump seats, Maxwell lowered his voice so the passengers wouldn’t overhear, “So has he asked you out yet or what?”
“Who?”
“Come on, Ri. You know who. First Officer McSteamy!”
“Please,” she huffed, “That uptight, pig-headed, annoying asshole?”
“That’s the one,” he smirked, “I saw him checking you out when we boarded.”
“Really?” She perked up.
“Really,” Max supplied, “Not that you’re interested….”
“Of course not,” she slid her eyes sidewise at him, “But like how was he checking me out? Like oh, she’s cute or like, you know…”
“Oh, definitely you know!”
“Hm,” Riley leaned back in her seat, her eyes scanning the cabin for any signs of issues she needed to attend to as a slight smile played across her lips.
An hour into the flight, Max was dealing with an overbearing guest.
Riley scooted over to help, recognizing him, “Be nice,” she whispered to Max, “He’s a regular.”
“Yeah, a regular pain in the ass!” Max grunted a little too loudly.
“How dare you!” The man turned beet red, “I demand to speak to the captain!”
“I’m sorry, sir, but that won’t be possible, we don’t-“
“Actually,” Riley interrupted him, “For you, Mr. Lambros, I think we can make an exception!”
“We can?” Max turned to her in astonishment.
“Thank you, my dear,” the annoying passenger gloated, “and you can call me Tariq.” He shot a withering look at Max, “You can’t.”
“Whatever,” Max huffed under his breath as Riley pulled him down the aisle.
Once out of Tariq’s hearing, she hissed in his ear, “I’m going to send Liam out here and you’re going to make sure he stays out here for like, five minutes, okay?”
“Why, Riley? Why would-“ his eyes widened, “Oh! You want a minute alone with Drake! Wait, only five?”
“Get your mind out of the gutter, I’m not fucking him in the cockpit! I just want a few minutes alone for a…conversation.”
“Yeah, right,” Max laughed as he shooed her toward the cockpit door, “Go on then, have your conversation…”
She shook her head as she made her way to the cockpit, pausing outside the door to adjust her clothing and run her fingers through her hair. She pushed the door open, “Captain?”
Liam looked over his shoulder, “I told you, call me Liam. What is it, Riley?”
“We have a disgruntled passenger who’s demanding to speak to you.”
“You know we don’t normally-“
“I know, but it’s Mr. Lambros and you know how he gets…”
Liam heaved a deep sigh. Tariq and his company spent an ungodly amount of money on flights, and they couldn’t afford to lose his business, “Okay, fine.” He flipped a few switches quickly and then stood.
He paused to officially pass control of the flight deck over, “You have the flight controls.”
“I have the flight controls,” Drake answered.
Liam nodded at Riley on his way out the door. She smiled at him but didn’t move.
Dake glanced up at her, “Can I help you with something else?”
“Yes,” she took Liam’s seat, “You can tell me why you run so hot and cold.”
“Excuse me?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“Listen, Riley, I like you but-“
“Oh, you like me? Like a friend?”
“Yes, I’m on friendly terms with the entire crew-“
She snorted, “You’re not friendly with anyone, Drake!”
“I…what?” He wanted to be annoyed but inexplicably, it bothered him that she thought he wasn’t friendly.
“I mean it’s pretty common knowledge that you can be a dick.”
He turned in his chair to face her incredulously, “I am not a dick!”
“Actions speak louder than words.”
“That’s…I’m not….since when-“
“It’s okay. I was just curious why you are sometimes uncharacteristically friendly with me, specifically, but if you don’t like me-“
“I never said I didn’t like you!” He snapped.
“And I told you…actions speak louder than-“
Her words were cut off as she found herself suddenly and firmly yanked across the divide between the two seats and into his arms. His lips crashed into hers with an intensity that took her breath away.
She leaned into him, returning the kiss for all she was worth. Her hands landed on his chest, his hands grasped her at the small of her back and tugged her closer.
“We shouldn’t be doing this…” he panted even as he drew her into his lap, his lips trailing down her neck, finding their way into the cleavage that peeked enticingly out from the form-fitting uniform that hugged her curves, setting them off to quite remarkable effect.
“You’re right,” she pulled away and stood up, “We shouldn’t be doing this. Wouldn’t want to ruin a perfectly good working relationship, now would we?”
“What?” his hands reached out for her, but she was already out of reach, “Riley, wait!”
“No, that’s okay, you’ve made your position quite clear.”
“That’s not what I-“
She paused at the door, throwing a smoldering look over her shoulder, “See you tonight at the hotel?”
“Yes…” he watched as she left, head spinning. What had she meant by ‘see you at the hotel’? Had she meant that in a general sense as in see you around? Or was it an invitation for something? And if so, what?
He only knew two things for sure. One, he didn’t date coworkers. It was a bad idea. Two, he was absolutely going to find her at the hotel tonight.
“Gah!” Why was she so goddamned frustrating? He slammed his head forward into the instrument panel. The plane immediately dropped altitude, diving toward the ground as the oxygen masks deployed in the cabin. “Oh, shit!” He frantically worked to right the plane as passengers screamed.
Out in the cabin, Liam had just gotten Tariq settled down and happy again. Max was on his way to serve the now mollified guest a bottle of their best wine when the plane jolted down and to the right with a loud thud. People slammed into walls, luggage poured from overhead compartments and Max tripped forward, grappling with the already-opened bottle as he tried to regain control. It was to no avail. He watched with horror as the bottle flew, in seeming slow motion, out of his hands and directly toward their most difficult customer.
Tariq’s eyes widened as the liquid sloshed out of the top of the bottle in midair, spewing wildly and covering him in outrageously expensive, vintage red wine. “You did that on purpose!” He screeched as he jumped out of his seat.
“Please remain seated and fasten your seatbelts!” Riley called from the front of the plane as she caught herself on the wall, “Just a little turbulence!”
Liam frantically tried to make his way back to the cockpit, but Tariq was blocking the aisle, demanding Max be fired while Max ineffectively wiped at the spreading stain with a cocktail napkin.
Tariq’s face had gone a deep shade of crimson, “Captain Liam, I demand that he be reprimanded!”
“Move you jackass!” Liam yelled as he shoved the man aside in desperation to make it back to the flight deck.
By the time Liam crashed through the cockpit door, the plane was righted, and Drake was on the intercom doing damage control, “Just a little unexpected turbulence. We apologize for the momentary roughness, but it should be clear skies and smooth sailing from here on out.”
“What the fuck was that?” Liam demanded as he retook his seat and started double-checking everything on the instrument panel, just to be sure.
“Turbulence,” Drake answered but he didn’t make eye contact and his face was red.
The door creaked open, and Riley stuck her head in, “Is everything okay in here? Drake was that because-“
“Everything is fine,” he yelled, “It was turbulence! Please return to your duty station crew member!”
Liam’s eyes flicked from Drake to Riley and back again. A broad smile spread across his face as Riley backed out of the cockpit, “Oh, I see. Turbulence….” Liam relaxed back into his seat; all his panic washed away as understanding settled over him.
“Shut up,” Drake still wasn’t looking at him.
“Turbulence never looked so good,” Liam chuckled as he updated the flight log and triple-checked the instrument panel.
Drake shifted uncomfortably in his seat and then glanced at his watch with a sigh. It was going to be a very long flight.
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The Royal Romance, Bk1 Ch1: Once Upon a Time (Pt. 2)
Click here for the TRR retelling series masterlist for more chapters! 🏰
Story Summary: In this novel-style retelling of TRR, beloved scenes with original commentary from the Choices stories including your favourite group of royals and friends will be expanded upon. Contains extended commentary and scenes from the original story, in-depth descriptions of bonus scenes, and premium choices and outfits.
Chapter Synopsis: Love awaits in the royal court of Cordonia as Riley competes for the Crown Prince! Will she accept his proposal, or will someone else win her heart?
Word Count: 2k
Disclaimer: All rights to original commentary, scenes, and characters from The Royal Romance series reserved to Choices and Pixelberry Studios. No copyright infringement intended.
~ ~ ~
A short time later, they all found themselves outside the restaurant address Maxwell provided. He promised Liam and Drake nothing but the best for his two best friends, so they had no choice but to trust in his plan and follow him to where the night would supposedly begin.
However, it was an odd location to have a restaurant, considering it was squished in between a car dealership and a gas station. They thought it would have at least been surrounded by other well-known, swanky restaurants.
“I know this looks like a closed auto shop, but I’m sure it’s part of the theme,” Maxwell added, as they gazed up at the building wondering why it wasn’t busy at this time of the night.
Liam had never seen a restaurant with decor for that specific theme. New York was filled with surprises. “How intriguing.”
Drake banged on the door, but no one answered. The building’s windows provided a chance for them to peek inside and see the cars, tools, and tires inside. Something wasn’t right about this so-called “restaurant” Maxwell had bragged about on their way over. Where were the people? Where was the food?
“These rust stains are so authentic,” Liam remarked, brushing his hand over one of them. The attention to detail was very admirable for the authentic auto shop environment.
Maxwell glanced down at his phone with confusion, tilting his head to the side. “I don’t get it. I searched for ‘Michelin,’ and this came up…”
Of course. Now it made sense. Drake looked at Maxwell, slowly saying, “You do know Michelin also makes tires.”
“Why would the same company that controls the most prestigious food ratings also make tires, Drake? That doesn’t even make sense,” Maxwell answered, a bewildered look on his face as he scratched his head.
Drake sighed. What did a man have to do to get some whiskey at that moment? “I’m too hungry to explain this to you, and I don’t want to eat a tire for dinner.”
Looking around in their surroundings, Drake spotted a hole-in-the-wall bar on the other end of the street. There were a few patrons heading in and out but compared to the restaurants further down the road, it didn’t seem as crowded or stuffy as he would have thought for a Friday night. Plus, it was the closest one they could find, anyway.
“That place is open and empty. Let’s go,” Drake suggested, gesturing to Liam and Maxwell to follow him down the street.
__________
In the host area of the bar and restaurant, the men all met up with Tariq. The restaurant had a rustic feel to it with exposed brick and pine panels around them on the walls. There were numerous booths with shiny red leather seats and oak tables.
Several French wine barrels served as decor on the walls. There was a particularly large sign listing the establishment’s special of the month was plastered near the main bar area where the beer taps and shelves of alcohol were set out on display.
“You know, I’m not sure this is the best restaurant in New York,” Maxwell remarked. The place wasn’t bad or anything, but he expected a place with more ear-splitting tunes and drunk partying for a bachelor party. How else were they supposed to let loose?
Taking note of the relatively smaller number of people in that building compared to others nearby, Drake simply said, “I didn’t say it was the best. I said it was open and empty.”
Liam, on the other hand, was fascinated by his surroundings and smiled to himself. While the bar had its charms that not everyone would have valued, he thought it was rather refreshing. Very different from the polished palaces and mansions he had grown used to, almost like it was a brand new place to discover. “I find it charming… Shall we—”
But whatever he was about to say was cut off by his phone ringing. Fishing his phone out of his pocket, Liam peered down at his phone’s screen. At the sight of his father’s name on the caller ID, he knew it might have been an urgent matter. It didn’t feel right for him to ignore his father for his own night out. What if something had happened back home? What if he was needed?
“Go on ahead, I’ll be there in a minute,” Liam insisted to his friends, walking away briskly to take the phone call.
Meanwhile, Riley glanced at the door as a group strolled in. Tariq was dressed in a luxurious dark grey suit and tie with a lavender dress shirt that most likely cost more than Riley’s monthly earnings. Maxwell was the definition of a smooth, polished man dressed in his long-sleeved black shirt, dark brown khakis, and brown derby shoes. On the other hand, Drake gave the impression of being both down-to-earth and dignified with his light denim shirt done halfway up, a white shirt, black pants, and mahogany dress boots.
“Waitress, there you are. We need your best table!” Tariq called out, spotting Riley with an excited grin.
Drake chuckled, running a hand through his chestnut-coloured hair. It was easy now to get excited about the bachelor party when there was a very humble place serving his favourite drink of all time on their menu. “Forget the table. Just bring us whiskey, and lots of it.”
Riley headed to the main counter of the bar where she swiped a few menus from the shelves underneath. When she popped her head back up, she was met face-to-face with a stricken-looking Daniel who briskly typed away on his phone.
“Riley, please take this one. I’ve got a date tonight, and I’ll never make it out of here in time.” Daniel pleaded, glancing down at his watch as if he was tracking down the seconds to his date.
“You really want me to take the bachelor party?” Riley asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise. Then she snuck a peek back at the group of men animatedly talking to one another as if the night had only just begun for them. She grinned. “I’m on it. The tip will be insane! I’ll have those guys eating out of my hand in no time.”
Daniel let out an enthusiastic whoop, before placing his hands on Riley’s shoulders with a sigh of relief. “You’re the best!”
“Are you still talking? I’ve seated them already. Now get over there before I dock your pay!” The manager threatened, his mouth turning down in another stern frown.
Once past the front doors, Liam was outside by himself. The streets were fairly busy on the side of the road they were on with groups heading to different bars and restaurants. Many of them appeared to be intoxicated and caused ruckus by hollering out lyrics to songs he had never heard of. It made him smile, however, seeing how carefree they were and how they didn’t have to overthink their responsibilities to simply have fun for one night.
Liam answered the call on his phone, pressing his phone up to his ear. “Hello?”
“Son, I’m so happy to reach you. The news coming off your American tour has been quite positive,” Liam’s father, King Constantine, greeted him. “Though, I’m surprised you’re not back at the palace. Your team said your flight was leaving this morning.”
One month earlier, Liam had been sent to America to embark on a tour on behalf of Cordonia. Now that he was the new Crown Prince, his father insisted that he have a hand in international affairs by meeting with various American ambassadors and leaders to forge more alliances between America and Cordonia.
For weeks, he had sat through endless conferences, meetings, galas, and dinners all in the interest of improving Cordonia’s relations with other American dignitaries. The one positive shining light in it was he had Drake and Maxwell by his side the entire time, but he had never been able to put his responsibilities in the back of his mind until this night.
Liam pursed his lips together, attempting to word his answers properly. “I know I was supposed to be back earlier, but…we took a detour to New York.”
“A detour?” Constantine asked in surprise. Liam heard the sound of a chair’s legs screeching against the floor, a sign his father had stood up from his spot in shock.
“Nothing to be concerned about,” Liam quickly brushed off, keeping his voice as neutral as possible.
He had gotten very good over the years learning how to mask his emotions to maintain stoicism, a skill he used frequently in times of distress and danger. His father’s worrying was harmless but if he heard of any potential danger, Liam knew he would be ordered immediately to return to Cordonia.
Constantine, however, remained unconvinced at Liam’s response as he solemnly commented, “You’re the Crown Prince of Cordonia. Anything unexpected is a concern.”
“Not in this case. Trust me, I can handle myself,” Liam reassured his father. He knew his father was merely looking out for him, and he loved him very dearly. The last thing he would want was to worry him from halfway across the world.
“Of course you can. But be cautious,” Constantine advised his son. There was a brief pause on the phone, then he spoke again, “I’m proud of you. I just want you to know that.”
“Thank you, Father,” Liam beamed, a grin on his face although his father couldn’t see. He wanted nothing more than to be a son worthy of his father’s praise.
Constantine continued, “I know you won’t do anything to disappoint me or the Crown.”
Liam stiffened, almost as if the guilt ate at him for disobeying orders and going out on a whim with agreeing to this bachelor party the guys had planned. He politely answered, “Of course not, Father.”
“That’s always been your brother’s specialty, as you know,” Constantine remarked.
At the mention of his older brother, Leo, Liam was no longer in the mood to make conversation. Constantine rarely praised Leo anymore as much as he did before he abdicated, which made Liam feel conflicted. Leo was his roguish older brother who had his back at every moment when they grew up in the palace together.
He admired Leo and Constantine more than anyone could ever know. He knew the three of them had always been so close before and to see the bond weaken between Leo and his father knowing he couldn’t do anything to mend it was hard on him.
Liam thought to himself once more, before saying, “Mm. Well, I must get back. Take care.”
With that, Liam hung up the phone. For a moment, he stood underneath the pale light from the streetlamps and imagined himself as one of the young college students he saw passing by had he been in an alternate universe where he wasn’t born as a prince of Cordonia.
He pictured himself walking freely around campus to go to classes with Drake and Maxwell, not having a bodyguard on standby 24/7. Liam imagined going out to clubs with the two of them without asking for permission and being able to enjoy himself without worrying about how it affected his representation of his country. It would be much easier for him to meet more people of his age over an unsupervised drink or two compared to how many other noble ladies he’d met before at previous formal dinners.
A dull ache filled Liam’s chest, the way it always presented itself whenever he dreamed of a distant universe where his life was not his own. In previous therapy sessions, he had learned that dwelling in the possible outcomes in the past had no place in his busy life as a Cordonian royal as it only brought him stress and disappointment. With a shake of his head, he sighed and headed back inside.
~ ~ ~
Click here for the TRR retelling series masterlist for more chapters! 🏰
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Hands Down - Prologue
Pairing: Liam x Riley
All characters belong to Pixelberry
Summary: Can Liam and Riley still find their way to each other despite Riley turning down Maxwell's invitation to Cordonia?
Rating: G
Word Count: 1,945
Song Inspiration: Hands Down - Dashboard Confessional
A/N: I am participating in @kingliamappreciationweek Day 5 (Friendships/Relationships/AU, all of which apply to this prologue), as well as @choicesflashfics Week 29, "That's all we/they are now. A memory. A faded picture. A failed potential." It will appear in bold below.
A/N 2: It's been a minute since I've posted anything, let alone started a new series. I've had bits and pieces of this story forever, but could never figure out how to put it all together. Then my aunt died (IYKYK), and I've been working on this ever since.
A/N 3: Thank you to those of you that I have been bombarding with ideas, snippets, and complaints. They're still going to be coming, probably now more than ever. But I appreciate you listening and humoring me. Especially @txemrn for looking over this prologue and making sure it was okay.
Tagging my usuals, if you'd like to be added or removed just let me know!
Liam was in a daze as he returned to his hotel suite, still thinking about her. They had only spent a couple of hours together, but it was all Liam needed to know that he was destined for so much more with Riley Brooks.
He fell back onto the couch and pulled out his phone, texting Maxwell to see if he was still up, and if he would join Liam in his room. He was, and he would.
While he had his phone in his hand, he opened his camera roll and looked fondly at the picture that they had taken together. Liam told her that it was because he wanted to remember his trip to the Statue of Liberty, but more than that, it was because he wanted to remember her. Not that she wasn’t permanently imprinted on his mind the second they locked eyes, but he wanted to have a photo of her, to have tangible proof that she wasn’t a dream.
A knock at the door pulled Liam’s attention away from his screen. He stood, returning his phone to his pocket as he answered to find Maxwell grinning on the other side.
“Well well well. Have fun, your highness?” His friends crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe.
Liam chuckled, he couldn’t help it. “More than you know. Please, come in.” He moved aside and motioned toward the sitting area.
“Soooooo… tell me everything. You seemed pretty smitten, I’ve never seen you like that before!”
“Maxwell, I’ve never felt like that before. She’s incredible. I’ve never felt more carefree, more happy.” Liam sighed at the memories of his evening. “That’s why I need your help.”
Maxwell’s head tilted in confusion. “Me? What can I do?”
“Ramsford doesn’t have a sponsor for the social season, correct?” Maxwell nodded slowly, still not sure where this was going. “I want you to sponsor Riley, to bring her to Cordonia.”
“Liam… are you sure? I mean we’re not prepared for that. We weren’t expecting to sponsor anyone.” Maxwell hesitated. He wanted his friend to be happy, but he also knew his family’s financial state, and he wasn’t sure they would be able to support a sponsee.
“Maxwell, I know your house has been having some… difficulties financially since your father took ill. I would be more than happy to pay for anything she needs. Discreetly, of course.”
Maxwell studied Liam’s expression, he had never seen his friend like this before. The textbook definition of stoicism, the young prince was never one to show his emotions so openly. But now? He could see the desperation, the need clear as day on his friends face.
“You really have it bad for her, don’t you?”
“More than I ever thought possible.” Liam answered.
“I’ll find her tomorrow morning before I head back.” He patted his friend on the shoulder.
***
Liam stood in the receiving line greeting the suitors one by one. It was the first night of his social season, but all he could think about was her. She was all he had been able to think about since the night before.
I hope she had a safe trip.
She’s going to look so beautiful.
I wonder if she’s been thinking of me the way I’ve been thinking of her.
I need to move through this line faster. She’s in it somewhere, I need to see her again.
Before long, the final suitor dipped into a courtesy and made her way back to the party. Liam looked around the room. Perhaps she had just gotten caught up in something and didn’t make it to the receiving line in time.
“Liam? Is everything alright?”
He turned around, to respond. “Yes father, I was just taking everything in.”
Constantine chuckled. “Well, enjoy it son. This is all for you. It’s the beginning of a whole new chapter.”
Liam nodded, looking past his father to the bar where Maxwell was ordering a drink. “Father, if you’ll excuse me for a moment.” He didn’t wait for a response before stepping away.
“Maxwell.” Liam greeted his friend as he stood next to him at the bar.
“Oh, Liam. Hey!” Maxwell shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “Happy social season!” He held up his drink, smiling awkwardly.
“Where is she?” Liam asked, anxious to see her again.
“Riley?” Maxwell asked, trying to buy as much time as he could. Dreading having to deliver the news. “She… well, she’s not here.”
“Why not? It’s the first event of the season, is she running late?” Liam began rambling, a knot forming in the pit of his stomach. “Was there an issue getting her a gown? I could…”
“Liam,” Maxwell interrupted. “She’s not here as in, she’s not in Cordonia. She didn’t come.”
“What… why?”
That Morning
“Riley!” Maxwell jogged up to the familiar figure as she unlocked the door of the bar.
She turned to face him as the door opened. “Oh hey, Maxwell, right? Did you forget something last night?”
“No, I actually had a proposition for you.” Riley furrowed her brows. “Do you have a minute to talk?”
“Sure, come in. We don’t open for another hour, so I can spare a few.” She walked into the building, and he followed behind.
As she approached the bar, she pulled down one of the stools and signaled for him to sit. He took a seat and she stepped behind the bar, grabbing an apron and tying it around her waist.
“So, you and Liam seemed to hit it off last night.” Maxwell said, wanting to gauge Riley’s take on the evening. He wanted to make sure Liam didn’t misinterpret, or misunderstand her side of the outing.
A slow smile spread across Riley’s face, the same one Liam had on his the night before. That’s when he knew the feeling was very mutual.
“We did. I’ve never met anyone like him before. Hell, I didn’t think guys like him existed in real life. I hope whoever wins that social season realizes how lucky they are.” She said wistfully.
Maxwell grinned, this was going better than he had hoped. “What if you were the one to win it?”
“Ha-ha, yeah right.” She replied, shaking her head and turning to empty the dishwasher.
“No, I’m serious.” He assured her. “Each noble house sponsors a suitor. Since we don’t have any sisters we can pick whoever we want. And I pick you!”
Riley froze and turned back around looking at Maxwell with a shocked expression. “You,” she pointed at him. “Want me,” she turned her finger to point at herself. “To come with you to a county I only just found out about like twelve hours ago, to join some fancy royal version of The Bachelor to try to marry a prince?”
“I wasn’t going to word it quite like that, but more or less.” He shrugged.
“But… why me?”
“Riley, Liam couldn’t stop talking about you. He was so happy last night. Happier than I’ve ever seen him, and we’ve known each other forever. His life is full of meetings, and stuffy dinners, and boring things he does because it’s his duty. He gets to break away and have fun sometimes, but those times are getting less and less now that he’s ramping up to become King. He’s such a good person, he puts everyone else ahead of himself. He deserves to be the kind of happy you make him all the time.”
Riley was silent, examining Maxwell’s expression. He seemed to be sincere. “Maxwell, that’s really sweet of you. Liam’s lucky to have a friend like you looking out for him.” She started. “But be realistic, even if I came with you, I’d have to quit both of my jobs and put school on hold. Basically quit my life to travel halfway across the world for the chance to be with Liam. It wouldn’t even be a guarantee.”
“He asked me to sponsor you!” Maxwell blurted out.
Riley’s breath caught in her throat, she hadn’t been expecting that. “But why? He doesn’t even know me.”
“He knows enough to believe that there could be something between you two.”
She blinked back the tears that had started to rise. She felt it too, but it was a major risk. Riley Brooks didn’t take risks. “Yeah, but even if I did come with you, that doesn’t mean anything. He told me about the social season, it’s not like he’s going to be able to just send the other girls home the second he sees me. Everyone gets a say, and I'm a nobody from America. I know nothing about your country. I don’t know about your customs. Hell, I don’t even like fancy foods, I’d probably make a fool of myself and be laughed out of the country at the first dinner.”
“But Riley…”
“Maxwell,” She reached across the bar, placing her hand over his. “You’re such a good friend to come here for him. But my answer is no. Maybe if we were in a different time, or a different place, but we’re here. These are the cards we were dealt, our lives are just too different for it to work.” She swallowed over the lump in her throat. “I need to get things set up to open. Have a safe trip back.” She turned and walked to the back, leaving Maxwell alone.
“I’m so sorry Liam. I tried, I really did.” Maxwell said sympathetically. He could see the pain in his friend’s eyes, despite his attempts to remain composed. “I don’t know if it helps or hurts, but she had the same dreamy look on her face when she talked about you that you had when you talked about her. Everything you felt last night, she felt it too.”
Liam cleared his throat, “Thank you Maxwell. It was a longshot, but I’m very grateful to you for trying. If you’ll excuse me.” He nodded solemnly to his friend before walking away, moving to the double doors that lead to the balcony.
He stepped outside and breathed a sigh of relief that he was alone. He approached the balustrade, leaning his forearms against it as he gazed out to the garden maze. He thought about Riley, what she was doing right now, if she missed him as much as he missed her.
Perhaps he had just gotten caught up in the magic of the evening, he had overromanticized their connection. He took his phone out of his pocket and pulled up their picture. He examined their faces, they both looked so happy. He placed his thumb and index finger on the screen, dragging them apart to zoom in on her face. He was trained to read people, and everything about her, both in that moment, and in the photo, told him that she had been feeling exactly what he had been. Even Maxwell had noticed it the next day when he went to talk to her.
It just hadn’t been enough.
“That's all we are now. A memory. A faded picture. A failed potential.” He lamented as he continued to stare down at the picture, remembering their night together.
“Liam.” His father’s short tone startled him so much that he nearly dropped his phone off of the balcony.
“Father,” he turned, discreetly returning his device to his pocket.
“What are you doing out here by yourself? You should be in there spending time with your suitors. The season is going to go by quickly, you need to take every opportunity to get to know your potential brides.”
“Yes father.” Liam closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to get Riley out of his mind.
**********
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Where Do We Go From Here?
I am participating in @choicesflashfics prompt week 28 using: “I saw this and it reminded me of you, and “Sometimes forever doesn’t necessarily mean forever” and past prompt “I don’t regret it... but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a mistake.” All used quotes will be in bold.
I am also participating in @aprilchallenge for the over all theme Just want to be with you.
This is Part 8 of the Cordonian Arrangement.
The Book: TRF
The Series: The Cordonian Arrangement
Pairings: MC is widowed, Past Pairings Riley x Nico (Riley x M!OC) , Past Pairing of Liam x Riley
Word Count: 2232
Warnings and Ratings: Mention of character death, grief. Mention of pregnancy complications, profanity: / Teen
Summary: Riley and Liam try to deal with a very awkward situation.
Original Post 04/14/23 at 2PM EST.
It was barely dawn and the sun was only creeping slightly through the windows. When she moved, his embrace tightened, pulling her back close to him, so that he could lean into her to kiss her neck. He sharply inhaled because her natural scent was so intoxicating to him. He had missed sharing tender moments like this with her.
Riley was still waking from her slumber but to her, it felt like a typical morning, that she had lived every day when waking in his arms was commonplace.
She moaned softly as he continued to gently dot kisses to the sensitive skin of her neck, her body responded naturally to his touch.
“Let’s stay in bed. Don’t go…." she mumbled in her sleep. “Stay with me.”
“Always.”
His voice made her immediately leave that place of pre woke slumber to soberingly wide awake, quickly pulling away from him.
“Liam….”
Fully awake, all the memories of the last few months, and from last night flooded back to her in a wave.
Observing the shock and almost disappointment in her eyes, Liam knew, as she shielded her bare body from him with the bedsheet.
Liam’s voice was heavy with discontentment as he spoke.
“That wasn’t intended for me, was it?” Liam’s gaze was piercing, full of disappointment causing Riley to quickly break eye contact with him. She just couldn’t look him in the face right now, but she wanted to be honest with him; he deserved that.
“No… I’m…. sorry….” She murmured as she turned heading towards the door still draped in the sheet from the bed.
“Riley, we need to talk about this. There’s a reason you came to me last night. It felt right for us to be together that way. We felt like us again!”
“For a brief second, this morning, I forgot the horror that has been my life these last three months. Last night, I was lonely… I wanted to feel…. connected to someone again. I didn’t mean to give you the wrong idea, and for that Liam, I’m truly sorry."
“Do you regret what happened between us last night?”
“No… I don’t regret it… but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a mistake. It was a mistake Liam. We have way too much history for me to think that you would simply be okay with it. This is all my fault. I should have been clear with you what last night truly was….for me.”
“We made love last night Riley.”
“We… didn’t. It was just sex, Liam. I’m still in love with my husband.” She glanced down at the ring on her finger that she was still wearing. Nico's wedding band dangled from a gold chain around her neck.
“Your husband is dead.”
Riley gasped in shock. Liam immediately wanted to take the words back, but it was too late; the damage was done. Riley shook her head in disbelief.
“Who are you?”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like it came out, Riley. Forgive me, I didn’t mean it Riley. I promise you I didn’t.”
"Yes you did."
"I really didn't…"
“Get out of my house.”
“Riley….No… We’re supposed to take Angelo to the zoo together today.”
“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE NOW!!!!”
"Riley please…."
She adamantly shook her head no.
"Nico was wrong about what you and I could be to each other. I need you to pack your stuff and leave now.."
“Riley, that's not fair for you to say that. We’re still figuring all of this out. This isn’t easy for either of us to navigate.”
“I need you to leave Liam.”
“Not like this. I’m not leaving you like this Riley.”
“Fine, then I’ll leave.”
Riley left his room and locked herself in the master bedroom.
After a few minutes she heard the sound of Liam’s rolling suitcase on the floor, it stopping in front of her bedroom door.
“I’m going to say goodbye to my son before I leave.”
"You should do that."
"For what it's worth Riley, I'm really sorry."
“Goodbye Liam.”
A few minutes later Liam was gone. Riley took a deep breath finally unlocking her door.
Ruby One
“I was sure you said you were here until Monday, how the hell did I fuck that up?” Leo asked when he got on the plane clearly confused and hungover.
“That was the plan.”
“Well what went wrong?”
Liam explained what happened with Riley.
“You’re an absolute fool when it comes to Riley. That woman is a walking red flag right now, and trust me I know a red flag when I see one.”
“What?”
“It’s not her fault though, she lost her husband. You ignored all the signs because you want her back, and Riley’s not there yet. She can't be what you want her to be Liam…at least not right now. You have had a front seat to her grieving Nico.
You know how hard this whole ordeal has been for her. When I saw her last, she was still wearing her wedding ring, and his wedding band. Did she take them off?”
“No.”
“That’s not a woman that’s ready to move on with you, no matter how much you want her to be ready. She’s stuck in that place where she still desperately misses her husband, and wants him back.
She was probably lonely, and let's be honest horny, and you were there, and she sought comfort from you, in that way. You had to know what you were getting into when she showed up at your door last night. Liam, be honest with yourself. It wasn’t the beginning of rekindling of your relationship with her, and you knew that, but you wanted her so much, that you didn’t care. You just wanted her, any way you could have her.”
“You’re right. I love her."
“Liam, you have to give her time. If the two of you are meant to be, she will come back to you. But what you did, didn’t help the situation, you got mad with her and said something incredibly hurtful. It was true, mind you, but hurtful. You do this to her, you know and you need to stop."
"Do what?"
"You impose all these things on her, expecting her to follow them, to be what you what, how you want it, when you want it. Then you get all surprised that she rebelled against you and ran, and put up every wall imaginable to keep you out, this not being the first time she’s reacted this way to you. Does this sound familiar?"
"I'm acting just like father would….."
“You are little brother.”
“Give her some space, and she’ll come back around.”
“If she doesn’t?”
“It was just never meant to be, and if we’re being completely honest here, you lost her over three years ago; it might be time to finally let her go.”
Liam was in a deep state of contemplation the rest of the way back to Cordonia. He decided it was time to listen to his own message that was given to him by the late Nico Karahalios. Liam pulled his own envelopes out of his desk drawer. He had given him two envelopes one said "If it's working" the other one said "If it's not working."
He picked up the "If it's not working" video and began watching.
"Hey Liam. I can honestly say… I’m not surprised.”
Nico smiled. "You thought it was going to be easy, didn't you?"
Nico began to laugh.
"You really did, didn't you?!!"
Nico abruptly stopped laughing. "I'm sorry. This is not helpful.”
"Damn right it's not." Liam thought.
“I’m sure that you were expecting more from me.”
Nico sat silently for a few moments.
"Like what exactly? Did you think this was the part where I am going to tell you how to win my wife's heart back? How to get her to fall in love with you again? I'm not going to do that. I can't do that. She's not going to do anything because you want her to do it. She does things on her own time. That woman has her own mind, and she's not afraid to use it. Liam, she's a different woman than the one that came here a week after you met her in New York. None of the same rules are going to apply. You have to get to know her again as the woman she is now. She’s been a lover and a confidant to me, she’s been a faithful wife, and a beautiful mother. How I won her then, I can’t even take credit for that, I didn't win her, but instead she chose me.
I think she chose me because I was patient with her. I did what I said I was going to do. If I told her, we were meeting at 6PM for dinner, I’d be knocking on her door at 5:50. She could always rely on me being there for her. Comfort and stability allowed her to relax with me, because Riley is not a calm person. Her senses are always heightened, waiting for the other shoe to drop, because of all the hurt and loss she’s experienced in her life. I finally got her to relax with me…and then I died on her. I will never forget the look in her eyes when I told her I was dying. She was completely blindsided. The light after everything she’s endured that you see in her eyes so easily, disappeared. It broke my heart.”
Nico shook his head.
“Our marriage wasn’t perfect. We had our fair share of fights. Our very first year of marriage was particularly tough. We lived with my mother. Can you imagine? Small house, with a newborn, while my cousins helped me build the house we were in now. Our first really huge fight, after we moved in, Riley kicked me out of the house and locked me out.”
Nico laughed.
“From my house. I slept in a tent in the yard for 3 days. My cousins saw me, talked all this macho shit to me, and so I got all ballsy and I went up to MY HOUSE. MY HOUSE THAT I BUILT FOR MY WIFE…And insisted Riley let me back in. You know what happened Liam? Can you guess?”
Nico was silent for a few moments.
“It was the equivalent of upsetting a bee hive. I spent a fourth night out in that damn tent. Day five, I left her alone. Day six, when I woke, she had brought me breakfast, and wanted to talk. Was she still angry with me? Yes, but she had calmed down enough that she could talk to me without shutting down on me. I hope you understand what I’m trying to tell you.
Riley put up with a lot to be in that arrangement with you, that experience changed her. Now, yet again, she will be forever changed from losing me. I don’t know if she’ll come around. I hope she will, because I want her to be happy, Liam. She’s had too much sadness in her life, to not be. I wanted to be her forever, and sometimes, forever doesn’t necessarily mean forever.
So in closing, whatever you did wrong… Make it right Liam.”
Liam decided to take a page from Nico’s book. He gave her space. Finally after the most painful weeks of not speaking to Riley, he decided to send her a text. Riley used to like a good meme in the past, so he decided to send her one.
“I saw ��this, and it reminded me of you. Just imagine they are butterflies, and I remember how you feel about butterflies.”
Later in the day he noticed she had seen the meme, but she hadn’t responded. He decided not to push and maybe Riley would respond on her own. During the night while Liam was sleeping she sent a meme back to him.
He took it as a sign she was ready to talk.
He immediately called her and once she picked up he started speaking, not even waiting for her to say hello.
“Riley, I completely deserved the way you treated me that day. I’m so sorry for what I said. I never meant it, and I never meant to hurt you. Please forgive me.”
“This isn’t Riley. It’s Athena, we just got Riley to the hospital, she wanted me to call you.”
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s the baby. We’re really concerned.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Staff had the Ruby One prepped for departure within the hour. Leo when hearing the news decided to go with him for support. Within three hours they were at the hospital.
"What room is Riley Karahalios in? I need to see her."
"Are you family?" The receptionist questioned, and when he didn't respond she countered with "Only family is allowed back in this wing."
"He is family. He's the baby's father."
"He's right. I am the baby's father.”
She’s in room 224.”
Leo followed as Liam walked briskly down the hall at an accelerated pace.
“She’s going to be fine. Her and the baby are going to be fine. They have to be.”
Athena and Mama K were sitting outside the room when he walked up. Athena immediately stood.
“Athena, what happened to Riley?”
“She was having pains, and there was some bleeding. We were really scared. It’s stopped now. They have her calm and she’s finally resting.”
Liam walked into the room, Riley was snoring, the beeps of the multiple monitors didn’t seem to be bothering her. Taking her hand in her sleep and gently stroking it, Riley still did not wake. So he sat there quietly holding her hand.
He softly whispered to her. “I’m here.”
Riley woke up a short time later.
“What are you doing here Liam?” Her hand tensing slightly under his touch.
“Athena told me you wanted her to call me.”
“No I didn’t….”
“Oh…”
“But I’m glad she did. I told her not to, because, I didn’t want to worry you.”
Riley’s hand relaxed in his again, her free hand rubbing her stomach.
“I thought I lost her, and I can’t lose both of them. I can’t handle that. I’m such a mess right now. I’ve never felt this out of sorts in my life. I’m sorry I got so angry with you. I get that this isn’t an easy situation for you either.”
Liam could almost hear the words of the late Nico Karahalios in his ear. “You have to get to know her as the woman she is now.”
“It’s alright. I know. How about this? Let’s just start over. Let’s forget all the missteps on both our parts, and start at the very beginning. I’m Liam Rys, it’s a pleasure to meet you….”
“I’m Riley. Riley Karahalios.”
And that’s the woman, she is now.
#bebepac writes#the cordonian arrangement#riley x nico#liam x riley#choices fanfiction#choices flashfics#choices monthly challenge#trr fanfic#trr fandom#liam rys#riley brooks#choices fic writers creations
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Turning the Page
A Step Back in Time, chapter 11
Choices, The Royal Romance, AU
Series Premise: As Riley Brooks journeys through life as a single parent in New York City, an epiphany strikes as she contemplates the future for herself and her two-year-old son.
Turning the Page Series Masterlist
Main Pairing: Liam Rys x F!OC Riley Brooks
All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except William Brooks (Rys) and Matteo Magro, who belongs to this series.
Category: On-going series, contains angst/fluff/depression. Cross-over fic with Choices, Perfect Match.
Rating: M🔞 - Warnings - Series will contain crude language, weapons, NSFW material – not Beta’d - please excuse all errors.
Words: 3268
A Step Back in Time, Chapter 11
Chapter Summary: Liam, Riley and William arrive for a weeklong retreat in Lythikos. Olivia takes Riley ‘under her wing’ to mentor and to offer advice for her return to court. Olivia was determined to get her friend into the right frame of mind and to ultimately get the sparkle back in her eyes.
Music Inspiration: What Was I Made for? Billie Eilish ; Lose Control, Teddy Swims
A/N1: In this alternate universe, after King Constantine orchestrates two individual scandals to humiliate and entrap Riley Brooks and Olivia Nevrakis in shame, Madeleine Amaranth secures her position as the Queen of Cordonia. Riley, as the King’s mistress and Olivia, in self-imposed exile. Tariq is never found.
A/N2: Damien Nazario has been assigned as William’s personal bodyguard. (Series cross-over with ‘Perfect Match’)
‘Cause I, ‘cause I
I don’t know how to feel
But I wanna try
I don’t know how to feel
But someday I might
Someday I might
Think I forgot how to be happy
Something I’m not, but something I can be
Something I wait for
Something I’m made for
Something I’m made for’
Cordonian Royal Palace, Capital
If you told Riley Brooks that she would be living in Cordonia, in the Royal palace, with the King of Cordonia just last summer ... she would not believe you. She would tell you that ‘once upon a time’, she fell in love with that King and competed for his hand in marriage in his social season. By reason of the cruelty of fate, and the callousness of the Royal court, that dream would be ripped away from her by a world that was foreign to her. Where outsiders, or commoners, were frowned upon and/or deemed lesser than the noble class. She would be relegated to be the other woman, the mistress to that immensely powerful man whose duty to his country dictated that he must marry a ‘chosen’ woman, even though he did not love her.
...and she had to watch that man she loved, marry another.
...because she loved him, she remained. Confiding to him, ‘I’ve made my decision ... I want to be with you. I don’t care what it looks like.’
...and it broke her.
In the Royal east wing, inside William’s bedroom, Riley meticulously packed his clothing into a large suitcase. Carefully selecting each item with love and care for their winter vacation in the Alps of Lythikos, she folded his small woolen sweaters with matching pants and jeans. Soft mittens and a woolen cap were nestled next to his favorite plushie, Scooby; ready to go with him on his snowy adventures.
"Li Li, sweetheart, come here please," Riley called out, her voice echoing through the spacious room. William bounded towards her; his eyes wide as he watched his mother pack his belongings.
"We go away, Mama?" William asked, his voice filled with wonder.
"Yes, my sweet boy," Riley replied with a smile, scooping him up into her arms and placing him down on his bed. "We're going to the mountains with your father to visit a good friend of ours. It's going to be so much fun."
William's eyes sparkled with delight at the mention of his father. In the five short months since he met his father for the first time, the bond between father and son had grown stronger exponentially. William adored Liam, who always had time for his son's playful antics in New York and now, here in Cordonia, as well. Despite his Royal duties, Liam made the point to spend as much time with William as possible. Riley was not surprised. Liam often spoke about what kind of father he wanted himself to be. The exact opposite of his own father. She could tell that Liam was trying his best to make up for all the time they had lost. And she could not be happier.
Riley continued to pack, tucking away William's favorite books and toys to keep him entertained during their trip in Lythikos. She had already arranged for snacks with the kitchens, ensuring they would have everything they needed for the long drive to the northern chateau.
Riley looked up, catching Liam's gaze.
Liam stood and silently watched, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded. A gentle smile played on his lips as he watched Riley packing their son's belongings for their trip, while William happily tried to help his mother.
"Come, my King," Riley softly spoke and smiled with a playful glint in her eyes. "Help me double-check if we have everything for our little adventurer."
Liam pushed himself away from the doorframe and strolled over to Riley; he crouched down beside William, who was wide-eyed with anticipation.
“Daddy, look.” William pointed to the large suitcase, smiling happily at his father.
"Hello, my little prince," Liam greeted, ruffling William's hair. "Are you ready for an adventure?"
William giggled and nodded his head vigorously, his eyes reflecting the admiration and adoration he held for his father. Liam chuckled, “I see you have lots of toys packed.”
William climbed over to the suitcase and plucked his favorite plush to show his father.
“Ah, I see you packed your little dog. Is he your special friend?”
“Yes, Daddy. I love puppies.” William grinned, squeezing his toy.
“You do? That is good to know,” Liam winked at Riley as William returned his toy to be packed.
“I will meet you two in an hour. All right, love?” Liam asked Riley.
“Okay, Daddy,” William answered as Liam and Riley chuckled together at his response.
As Liam left to go to his study, Damien entered, bowing to Liam, “Your Majesty”.
Liam smiled and nodded 'hello' in response as he walked towards his assistant waiting in the hall followed by his security detail.
Nevrakis Chateau, Lythikos, Cordonia
Driving through the majestic mountains, Riley stared at the vista overlooking the Nevrakis chateau. Memories flooded her mind as they passed the frozen lake below. The lake where she, along with the other suitors skated on, with Liam during his social season years ago.
Riley shivered. Was it from seeing the beautiful winter landscape or from those memories of past competitions for the man she loved? Riley’s thoughts were interrupted by the happy sound of her son’s voice.
William giggled; totally enthralled by Liam’s storytelling of his past adventures in the snow. The sight of father and son was precious to Riley, as she softly smiled at the two of them. William was sitting on Liam’s lap as he pointed to the large chateau coming into view ahead.
The escalade stopped at the grand entrance of the Nevrakis chateau as members of the royal guard went into formation and opened the vehicle doors.
As they made their way toward the entrance, a flurry of snowflakes fell from the sky, adding a layer of white powder to the ground.
"Wow, this is beautiful.” Riley raised her arms to the sky. “I remember my first visit here during your social season.”
"It is. If I remember correctly, it was just as cold." Liam quipped adjusting William’s scarf.
Members of Olivia’s waitstaff greeted the party as they entered the lavish and grand estate. Standing at the base of the grand staircase, Olivia grinned as William squealed at the pair of Alaskan malamutes sitting inside the foyer.
“King Liam, Lady Riley and Prince William ... welcome to my quaint northern lodge. I am delighted to host the three of you.”
Liam approached Olivia and kissed her cheek, then gestured to Riley and William to join them.
"Olivia, it's been far too long since I last visited. The grounds are magnificent.”
"Indeed, thank you, Liam.” Olivia beamed with pride.
"Thank you for hosting us. Your hospitality is greatly appreciated.” Riley added.
"Anything for my dear friends."
Olivia's attention was drawn to William, who was petting the dogs and giggling.
"Well, hello again, prince William." Olivia walked over and knelt beside and offered treats to her two canine companions.
William looked up at her and smiled.
"Hewwo."
"He's even cuter than I remember," Olivia grinned. “This one,” she motioned to the brown tipped dog, is ‘Mischa’. And this big guy is ‘Zeus’, "she cooed.
"Now, Riley." Olivia stood and walked forward slowly, looping her arm through Riley's arm and leading her inside. "We have lots to catch up on. Liam, make yourself at home. Your Royal suite is ready for you. Gustav will be your personal attendant for your stay."
"Thank you, Liv. That is much appreciated."
"You are quite welcome. Now, Riley, let us get started on our girl time.” Liam winked at Riley, his shoulders shaking as he chuckled at Riley’s faux scared expression.
"Okay, sounds good." Riley shook her head grinning as she walked by Liam.
Olivia and Riley climbed the grand staircase and disappeared around a corner while William sat on the floor playing with the dogs.
"William, let's get you changed and settled." Liam extended his hand down for his son to take.
"Okay, Daddy."
“Bye bye puppies.” William exuberantly spoke to the large dogs.
***
Riley and Olivia sat on a plush sofa in front of a large window overlooking the mountains. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the snowy landscape.
"It's so beautiful here." Riley marveled at the picturesque view.
"I'm glad you like it.” Olivia proudly acknowledged as she handed a large glass filled with chardonnay to Riley.
Olivia sat back and watched Riley; her expression turning serious.
"Riley, I know that things have been difficult for you since you've come back, but you have to remember, you're a force of nature. You are stronger than you think.” Olivia was continuing the conversation of their last visit at the palace.
Riley looked down at her hands, which held onto the wine glass with a death grip. She knew the invitation to spend the week in Olivia's duchy was not just a holiday for her, Liam and William. Her once adversarial friend, and now, her good friend, wanted to assist her with reuniting with Liam.
"I can see the pain and sadness in your eyes." Olivia continued.
"Oh... "
"How is it really going? Riley, how is everything between you and Liam?"
Riley sighed and set her wine glass on the table.
"I'm...I'm not sure."
"Do you still love him?"
"Yes, of course. I have never stopped loving him.”
"Do you think he loves you?"
"Yes.” There was a small smile followed by biting her top lip.
"Then what's the problem?"
"I'm not sure."
Olivia shook her head and sighed.
"You have to trust him, Riley. He loves you. And I can see how happy William makes him.”
"I know that.”
"But there's something else, isn't there?" Olivia eyed her friend for clues.
"It's just that... we've spent so much time apart. And now that we are back together, things feel different.”
"I think I understand. That is quite normal, all things considered."
"And I'm worried that he'll eventually resent me for leaving him while I was pregnant with William."
"He could never resent you, Riley. You are the mother of his child. It'# not in his DNA.”
“I keep thinking that that there will be another scandal around the corner. That something or someone will tear us apart.”
"What happened to that confident and free spirited American girl? The one who turned the court on its' head. Where did she go?"
"I know what you are asking. I feel scared; waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
"Scared of what? And why?"
"That he won't forgive me."
"Riley, listen to me. That is your guilt talking.”
Olivia reached over and grabbed Riley's hands, looking her in the eye.
"Liam loves you. He will always love you. You and William are his world. And I know that he wants nothing more than to make you happy.”
"But..."
"But, nothing. There is no 'but'.”
"Okay." Riley was not convinced. "But, Madeleine ..."
"Is out of the picture; where Liam is concerned. You have the power of position now, make Madeleine feel it."
Riley looked at her friend and took a staggered breath.
"Most importantly, you hold the King’s heart...show the world, show Cordonia, show Madeleine what that means...you will bring her to her knees." Olivia sneered.
"This is why I wanted you to come for a visit. To remind you of who you are and what you are capable of.”
“Olivia ...” Riley sighed, shaking her head, ‘no’.
"Now. Come with me."
Olivia stood and motioned for Riley to follow.
Olivia took her down to an armory in the bowels of the chateau.
"Here we are." Olivia turned and motioned to a wall of weapons.
"What are we doing down here?" Riley asked, eyeing the collection of weapons displayed on the wall.
"We're going to do some training.”
"Training? For what?" Riley questioned, perplexed.
"For the press."
"Why do I need training for the press? With weapons?"
"Because they're vultures. They will try to get a rise out of you. They will ask rude and invasive questions. They will try to trip you up.”
"But why do you think I need training? I know you haven’t forgotten that I was subjected to them during Liam’s social season."
"Because they're relentless idiots.” Olivia sneered.
"Okay, but ...”
“Now that you are back in Cordonia, the mother of the crown prince, no less ...they want to find out your intentions with their king.”
Riley took a deep breath, closing her eyes.
"Don't worry. I'm going to teach you how to handle them.” Olivia confidently proclaimed with a smirk.
"Thank you, Olivia.” Riley sighed as she eyed the collection of pointy weaponry again.
"Of course. Now, let us get started.”
Riley was grateful for Olivia's help and advice. She knew that she was right about the press, having dealt with them through the engagement tour, after the scandal was brought to light.
Riley didn't have to know that. At least, not yet.
And she knew that she needed to be prepared. Riley understood the extent to which the press would dig and manipulate information to get a juicy soundbite. But she was not aware that Madeleine would have her own agenda to discredit and sabotage her at every chance she got, all the way from Morocco. However, Olivia was well aware of Madeleine’s spite and her bitterness over losing the crown.
"First off. I want you to choose a weapon." Olivia pointed to her collection of weaponry mounted on the wall.
"A weapon?" Riley’s eyes were wide looking at the selection before her.
"Yes. You cannot fight the press with words alone.”
"Um...okay." Riley answered sceptically.
Riley looked at each weapon closely. There were swords, halberds, axes and daggers, among others.
She picked up a sword.
"Hmm...a sword? Interesting choice."
"It's light and I can move fast.”
"Good. Particularly good.” Olivia nodded approvingly. “That would be a weapon that Liam would choose.”
“Really?” Riley admonished.
"Now, we'll practice some moves.”
"Moves?"
"Yes. Maneuvers. Stances. Blocking and parrying.”
"Wow. This is serious.”
"Indeed. I'll start slow, but don't let your guard down.”
"I won't.” Riley responded warily.
"Good. Now, attack me."
"What?" Riley looked aghast.
"Attack me."
"Oh, um ... okay."
Riley raised the sword and ran at Olivia, who easily dodged the blow.
"Is that the best you've got?"
"No.”
Riley lunged at her again, and again, Olivia sidestepped each attack.
"You're leaving yourself open.” Olivia challenged.
"I am?"
"Yes. If this was a real fight, I would have cut you down by now." Olivia chirped.
"Oh.” Riley let out a large breath, wondering to herself how this lesson was going to end.
"Here. Let me show you."
Olivia demonstrated a series of moves, her sword flashing and swooshing in the air.
"Now, you try.”
Riley imitated the movements, her sword swishing through the air.
"Better.” Olivia critiqued.
"Thanks." Riley answered questionably.
"Again.” Olivia commanded with Riley going on the defensive.
They continued to spar, their swords clashing together. Riley was impressed with Olivia's skills and ability to read her opponent and react accordingly.
As they continued to fight, Riley became more comfortable with the sword, her moves becoming more fluid and graceful. Liam slipped into the back of the room, quietly watching the sparring.
"Excellent.” Olivia praised.
"Thanks.” Riley smiled at the compliment, picking up a bottle of water.
"Now we need a target." Olivia led her to a stuffed, practice dummy.
Riley chuckled as she watched her friend attach a large face photo of Madeleine onto the head with a dagger.
"Here, let me help you." Olivia handed her an assortment of knives, before she expertly threw her dagger.
Riley's first few throws landed wide, but she quickly found her mark, sinking several blades into the center of the picture.
"Nicely done.”
"Thanks."
"Feel better?" Olivia snickered as Riley laughed.
“Yes! Yes, actually I do. But I don't understand. How is this going to help me?”
"When the press asks you questions, you need to stay calm and confident. If they try to rattle you, throw them off balance. Focus on your target.” Olivia pointed to the picture.
"Let's practice."
"All right."
"Imagine I'm a member of the press. And I ask you, 'Lady Riley, where have you been all these years?'"
Riley cleared her throat and straightened her posture.
"I've been raising my son in New York. It's where he was born and raised.”
"Why did you leave Cordonia?"
"I left to protect my child. And because I knew that King Liam had an obligation to the Queen.”
"What are your intentions now that you've returned?”
"I'm here to support my son and to be a part of his life.”
"Do you still love the King?”
"Yes, of course."
“No! STOP!!!”
Olivia moved assertively towards Riley. "This is where you say, 'that's all the questions for today’ and then you walk away from the microphones. Show confidence. Show determination. Show stoicism. Control the narrative.”
Riley raised her eyebrow. "How did you get so good at this, Olivia?"
Olivia shrugged, her shoulders rising slightly. "I'm the duchess of Lythikos. People talk. And sometimes they don't realize I'm listening."
Riley nodded, a new respect for Olivia blossoming in her heart with a renewed sense of determination in her step.
Feeling his arms, Riley giggled and leaned back against him with a content smile.
Liam sauntered up to Riley from behind, wrapping his arms around Riley’s waist.
Riley turned around to look at Liam, her eyes filled with love.
“The Royal guard will then lead you away from the gathering,” Liam interjected. “You will never be left without protection.”
"Thank you, Liam.” Riley tearfully smiled.
"I want you to know that while I am alive, you will always have a home in Cordonia. And I will never let anyone threaten that ... or you ... ever again.”
Riley felt a warm feeling in her chest and a sense of calm.
Maybe everything was going to be all right, after all. As long as she had Liam and William, she knew she could face anything.
"Liam, I love you."
"I love you, too, Riley."
Liam pressed his lips to hers, and Riley melted into his embrace. They kissed for a long moment, savoring the feel of each other's bodies.
"Come, let's go get some sleep. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."
"I'm ready.*
"Pleasant dreams you two. Good night."
"Olivia, thank you for your expertise. It is much appreciated.
"Your welcome, Liam. It's my pleasure."
Good night." Riley called out.
Riley followed Liam out of the room, her hand firmly grasped in his.
And for the first time since she had come back to Cordonia, she truly felt like she was home.
"Thank you, Olivia," she whispered as she lay in Liam's arms, his steady heartbeat lulling her to sleep.
Thanks for reading; please let me know if you would like to be added or removed from this series.
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#tessa liam writes#the royal romance#liam rys#trr#riley brooks#trr fanfic#choices fic writers creations#king liam#king liam rys#choices liam x oc#turning the page
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All That She Wants Chapter 9: Confrontation
Series: All That She Wants
Fandom: The Royal Romance
Pairings for this chapter: Riley x Liam, Riley x Drake, Liam x Olivia, Drake x Olivia (past)
Word Count: 929
Rating: M
Warnings for this chapter: none
My other stuff: Master List.
Olivia let herself into her suite after returning from the palace spa. Since she was here, she might as well take advantage of it. It was a long drive back to Lythikos, after all.
She dropped her clutch onto the chair nearest the door and flipped on the light switch.
“I was beginning to wonder if you were ever coming back.”
Olivia nearly jumped out of her skin but did her level best to disguise that fact. “What are you doing in my room?”
“Your room?” the voice snorted. “That’s rich. You are a guest in my home.”
Olivia rubbed the bridge of her nose as annoyance sparked through her. “But it’s my space when I’m here and you entered it without asking. For no apparent reason. You and I aren’t close, so I’ll ask you again Riley, why are you here?”
“Don’t you think you and I are long overdue for a conversation?”
Olivia snorted dismissively as she sat and pulled her heels off. “I can’t image what about.”
“Oh, how about the fact that you’ve been fucking my husband for the entirety of my marriage?”
“Oh, honey.” Olivia’s voice dripped with saccharine sweetness. “I’ve been fucking him a lot longer than that.”
Riley tamped down the rage that surged through her. She refused to give the redhead the satisfaction. “Why is that? You don’t love him. You have plenty of other options, so why him?”
“How do you know I don’t love him?”
“Because I offered him a divorce, and you didn’t jump at the chance to be with him for real.”
Olivia’s eyes narrowed. “He told you that?”
She would never admit it, but she had expected him to come back to her rooms last night, or at least to call or text her.
But he hadn’t.
She hadn’t heard from him this morning either. It was starting to annoy her. She felt upset, a little ignored, uncomfortable.
Riley smirked at her, with no intention of answering that question. Instead, she changed the subject. “You know he asked me to stay married to him and have another baby.”
“I thought you had Drake for that.” Olivia snapped.
Something in her tone drew Riley’s attention and curiosity. “Why do you care what Drake and I are doing?”
“I don’t.” She stood, picking the shoes up and stalking toward her closet. “I just thought he had better taste than that.”
Riley regarded her thoughtfully. “You and Drake were an item for a little while, weren’t you?”
“Like you don’t know the answer to that.” Olivia rolled her eyes.
“Why did you break up?”
“That’s really none of your concern.” The truth was they had never been officially dating, just sleeping together regularly. Very regularly. Until he had broken things off without warning or explanation.
Riley took in Olivia’s expression, her body language, the way her steps became a little heavier as she strode back across the room.
She sat straight upright with a gasp. “Is that why you’ve always been such a bitch to me?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I assumed it was over Liam. Are you telling me that you’ve hated me all this time because Drake had feelings for me?”
“Please.” Olivia huffed. “Why would I care that Drake was in love with you?”
“Wait. You knew he was in love with me?”
Olivia turned to face the queen with fury dancing in her eyes. “Everyone in the entire kingdom knew! Except you, apparently. Let me ask you this. Are you blind or just that fucking stupid?”
“I was focused on my husband!” Riley hissed as she rose from her seat. “And I want to know from you if you’re a threat to my marriage.”
A malicious smile spread across her face. “If I wanted him, I could have had him. Twice now.”
“But you don’t want him?”
Olivia was taken aback. She had expected anger, maybe even tears, but Riley looked…hopeful. “Are you asking me if I’m going to interfere in your pathetic reconciliation?”
“Are you?”
“Don’t you feel pitiful having to beg another woman for your husband?”
Riley’s hand moved so fast that Olivia didn’t see the slap coming until her head had snapped to the side and her ears were ringing. It was with great effort that she restrained herself from hitting back. She cupped her check and turned her head back to look the queen directly in the eye. “I deserved that one. It’s the only pass you’ll get, though. Hit me again and queen or not, you’ll be bleeding out on the ground.”
Riley leaned closer to her. “Tell me, Liv. Which would bother you more…. if I reconcile with Liam, or if I don’t.”
Olivia mirrored Riley’s movements, leaning in even closer. “Why the fuck would I care either way?”
For the first time since entering Olivia’s room, Riley smiled. “Because if I don’t, then I’ll be running straight into Drake’s waiting arms.”
Olivia’s eyes widened and her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood. She struggled to keep her voice even. “I don’t care what you do.”
Riley’s eyes flicked down to Olivia’s clenched fists with a smirk. “Sure, you don’t.”
For the first time in eight years, the queen had the upper hand with the duchess, and she knew it. Riley made it all the way to the door before Olivia called out, “What the fuck does he see in you?”
Riley paused, hand on the knob, to turn back to Olivia. “Liam?”
“Drake.”
Her only response was a laugh as she exited the room.
#angelasscribbles#the royal romance#trr#the royal romance fanfic#drake walker#liam rys#riley brooks#choices fic writers creations#cfwc fics of the week
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"I can make you happy."
Sobbing because my headcanon is that Riley is much older than Maxwell, and despite their age gap he is hopelessly in love. She wants him, but she is torn between him and her feelings for the prince.
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Murder at Vista Heights Chapter 5
Series: Law’s End
Episode 1: Murder at Vista Heights
Fandom: The Royal Romance (loosely, there’s not much canon in here).
Pairings: Riley x Liam (past, sort of). Riley x Drake (future potentially), Riley x Max (he wishes)
Word Count: 2,431
Rating: MA
Warnings for series: adult themes, any given chapter may contain murder, violence, language, drinking, drug use, etc.
My other stuff can be found on my main blog @angelasscribbles here is the Master List.
Riley leaned in close to Max as they entered the bar, “He’s a source, I need to flirt with him for information so make yourself scarce.”
“I’ll be at the bar if you need me.” Not that she would. She was more than capable of taking care of herself. But he didn’t want to leave her alone at night in a bar…even one filled with cops.
The Beat was a hidden gem. A dingy hole in the wall from the outside, a drab exterior graced by a small rusted tin sign, easily missed amongst the shops and eating establishments that crowded the rest of the block.
Inside, the place was alive with activity. To the right as patrons entered the front door, a highly polished bar stretched halfway down the length of the room, curving around at both ends. A big screen TV on the wall above the bar was tuned to ESPN. Bottles clanked as the bartender served drinks and the hum of twenty different conversations floated across the open area.
As Max detoured for the bar itself, Leo guided Riley to a table near the back. He wasn’t even seated before a waitress appeared at his side, “Hey Leo, Riley. I didn’t realize you two knew each other.”
Riley arched an eyebrow at her companion, “You really have been here before! You must be a regular if Siobhan knows your name.”
“I used to be a regular,” he grunted as he waved away the drink menu, “The usual.”
“You got it sugar,” the waitress winked at him before turning to Riley, “What are you having tonight?”
After they gave their drink order and Siobhan left to fill it, Riley focused her attention on Leo, “Okay. You promised me details about the case so start spilling.”
“No, no, no, Ms. Brooks, nothing is free in this life. The price for what I know is you telling me what’s going on with you and my brother, remember?”
“I remember. But I’m not very trusting, so you first.” She sat a recording device on the table between them, pushed play, and looked at him expectantly.
Leo threw his head back with a laugh, “All right. I see how it is. You don’t trust the disgraced cop that you just met fifteen minutes ago. Fair enough.”
Leo passed along the information that he had gleaned from his interrogation while Riley furiously scribbled notes.
They discussed the case as the waitress came and went. When everything else had been covered, Riley asked, “What’s your connection to Katie Sloan?”
Leo nearly dropped his drink, “What makes you think I have-“
“Your entire demeanor changes when you mention her. You flirt shamelessly with the waitress and you’ve been eye fucking the blond at the table behind us for the last ten minutes, but when you talk about Kaite, there’s a tenderness in your tone and you keep steering the conversation away from her every time she comes up.”
“You really don’t miss a thing, do you?”
“I try not to. I’d be a pretty shitty reporter if I didn’t notice details.”
“Listen. Katie and I have a past and I don’t want to-“
“You want me to tell you intimate details about my personal life, I expect the same level of transparency from you.”
“Shit,” he stared at his beer bottle as he fidgeted with the corner of the label, “I just don’t want a hatchet job done on her in the paper.”
“I understand and if you’re worried about her being slut shamed for cheating on her husband, well I won’t do that but if she murdered a man-“
“She didn’t!”
“Leo, all the details are going to be public soon enough then every paper in the state will be reporting on it. I’m your best chance at spinning a more positive image for her and mitigating the fallout. Her husband is going to find out. There’s no way Liam isn’t going to bring both her and him in for questioning and you know it.”
“Fine,” he leaned back in his chair and raked a hand through his hair, “We dated briefly several years ago, before she hooked up with that Trent guy. That’s our connection.”
“That’s not why you were threatening him.”
Leo heaved a loud sigh, “No it wasn’t. Damn, you’re better at this than the cops, girl.”
“So, tell me why you were threatening him.”
“Can you promise me you won’t make Katie look like a horrible person in your story?”
“I can promise to do my best to spin her in the best possible light and minimize the damage, but I’m in the business of reporting the facts.”
“Fair enough I guess.”
When Leo was finished telling Riley the same basic facts he’d told Liam he sat his beer on the table in front of him with a thunk and gave her a pointed look, “Now I believe you owe me the story of why you showing up at the precinct rattled my brother so much.”
“Because something happened between us that he’s trying to convince himself he regrets.”
“Why would he want to do that?”
“He thinks I used him. Seduced him just to get confidential information for a story I was working on.”
“And did you do that?”
“No! Well…kind of…”
“So, which is it? Yes, or no? There doesn’t seem to be much room for grey area here.”
“Yes, I knew who he was, and he had no idea who I was. Yes, I targeted him specifically because he was the detective assigned to the case I was covering-“
“Starting to sound a lot like Liam was right…”
“No! I don’t have sex with sources in exchange for information. I will, however, flirt shamelessly. You’d be surprised how much information I can get out of a man just by showing him a little attention.”
“No, I would not,” Leo smirked as his eyes ran down her body.
“Anyway….” she rolled her eyes as she shifted in her seat, “My plan was to do a little flirting to see what I could shake loose. Get him to drink with me. Drunk people talk more. But your brother was an impossible nut to crack. Impenetrable. He wasn’t giving anything up!”
Leo laughed, “Yeah, that sounds like him.”
“I honestly gave up and if you knew me, you’d know how huge that is. I don’t give up easily.”
“I could have guessed that about you. So why does he think you used him for information if he didn’t give you any?”
“I’m getting to that! We ended up talking all night about things unrelated to the case and the attraction was real! I hadn’t planned on going home with him, but that’s what happened. Because there was a real vibe and we clicked.”
“I’m sensing a but in there somewhere.”
“We went back to his place, and it was…well, it was…” An involuntary smile pulled her mouth up as the memories of that night danced through her head.
Leo groaned, “Yeah, that’s far enough, please don’t paint me a picture!”
Riley laughed then her smile faded, “But I got up in the middle of the night for a drink of water. I didn’t want to wake him, so I found my own way around the kitchen. On my way back I noticed the file laying on the desk…”
“And you read it?”
Riley had the good grace to look ashamed, “Read it, photographed it, quoted it in my article.”
“Wow, that’s a really big but,” Leo shook his head as he signaled the waitress for another round, “I don’t know whether to be impressed or disappointed in you.”
“Liam was understandably furious and hurt.”
“You sound troubled by that.”
“I mean, I knew he was going to be mad, but I didn’t realize how mad.”
“That bad, huh?”
“That bad. We’re not really on speaking terms.”
“You want to know what the most disturbing part of that whole story is?”
“What’s that?”
“The part where you slept with my brother, putting yourself off limits to me,” his eyes glittered with humor as he tipped his bottle to her.
Riley scoffed, “I doubt you have any trouble attracting women.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Oh, I don’t know…the boyish good looks, the devil may care attitude, the sparkling blue eyes, the bad boy demeanor, those goddamn dimples!”
“What makes you think I’m a bad boy?”
“Oh, you’re definitely a bad boy,” she answered as she lifted her drink to her lips, “and a fuck boy. And I don’t do fuck boys. So, I was never an option.”
He watched her toss the drink back with amusement, “Seems like you’ve got me all figured out then.”
“I’m a good judge of character. You may be a fuck boy, but I like you, Leo.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. The fact that you wouldn’t sleep with someone your brother is interested in elevates my opinion of your character.”
“What makes you think he’s still interested in you? You just told me he was furious with you.”
“Oh, he’s still interested,” she told him with a cocky grin, “He just doesn’t want to admit it.”
“I think you’re right,” Leo choked on his drink as he nodded toward the door.
Riley turned to find Liam bearing down on them, his expression grim.
Riley slipped her recorder discreetly and quickly into her bag with the arm he couldn’t see as she turned her body to face him and shoved her belongings behind her, “Can I help you, detective?”
“Wow!” Leo marveled at the innocent tone of voice and flutter of eyelashes.
“You!” Liam addressed Leo first, “Please tell me that you did not divulge any confidential information relating to an ongoing case to a civilian…to a reporter no less!”
Leo threw his arms up in surrender, “Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies.”
“Fucking great,” Liam huffed under his breath as he spun on Riley, “And you….you know you can’t print whatever he told you, right? It’s unverified hearsay. He could be making stuff up just to get your pants, you see that, don’t you?”
“First of all, calling him an unidentified source close to the investigation and liberal use of the word alleges covers most of those bases. But more importantly,” She plunked her elbow on the table and leaned her chin on her hand with a smile, “What makes you think he’s trying to get into my pants and why do you care?”
“Yeah, okay,” Leo tipped the bottle back and finished his beer before setting it down in front of him with a clunk, “I’m just gonna….go….”
Liam never pulled his eyes from Riley, “That’s probably a good idea. Stay away from this case, Leo.”
Leo paused when he was standing directly behind Riley, “The case? Or her?” He grinned at his brother then leaned down to whisper against her ear, “Keep an eye on the bartender tonight. You might get the answer you’re looking for.”
“Hm,” she replied struggling to keep her eyes locked on Liam. If he knew the bartender had any information, he’d question him himself and forbid her from doing it. She’d let him know if the man had anything pertinent to add to the investigation.
Her eyes quickly swept the bar as she turned her head to smile up at Leo, “Thanks for the tip.”
“Thanks for the conversation. We should do it again sometime,” he winked at her before giving his brother a grin, “See you Sunday at dads?”
“Mm,” Liam grunted. The weekly Sunday dinner was a command performance at his father’s estate ever since the advent of his most recent marriage.
“Oh, you have Sunday dinner with your father?” Riley perked up at the personal information, “I think that’s very sweet!”
“You wouldn’t if you ever attended one,” Liam snorted.
“I would love to attend one! Was that an invitation?”
“Absolutely not!”
“I would be delighted to have you come to Sunday dinner as my guest, Riley,” Leo offered.
“Why would you do that?” Liam asked in dismay as Riley and Leo quickly exchanged cell numbers.
“Trust me, bro, I’m doing this for your own good.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’re an idiot sometimes,” Leo told him with a wave as he walked away.
Liam watched his brother leave then turned back to Riley in consternation, “Are you seriously coming to my father’s house as my brother’s date?”
“Oh, absolutely!” She answered as she scoured the bar again, “Does that bother you?”
“No!” He lied. “So, what did my brother tell you?”
“No more than he already told you, I’m sure.” She decided to try and deflect his attention, “Hey, remember last time we were here?”
Heat flushed through him as the memory of the night they met flashed through his mind, “Don’t change the subject, Riley.”
“Oh, it’s Riley again? Not Ms. Brooks?”
“I was working. It’s called professionalism.”
“You sure it’s not called sour grapes?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
Riley pushed her drink away with a sigh, “Listen, I’m sorry. I don’t know how many times you want me to say that. I didn’t sleep with you to get information out of you. I slept with you because I liked you. The rest just kind of happened…”
“Even if I believe you, you can understand why it would be hard for me to trust you again, don’t you?”
“I suppose,” she agreed, “But what if I could tell you who Katie Sloan is having an affair with?”
His head snapped up in interest, “How could you possibly do that?”
“Riley! Riley!” Max nearly tripped in his haste to make it to the table she was sitting at.
She smirked at him, “I already know.”
“Know what?” Liam demanded.
“Who Katie Sloan is sleeping with, I told you!”
“Okay, I’ll bite. Who? And how do you know?”
“Dean Collins, owner and proprietor of The Beat.” She tipped her head toward the bar.
Liam’s eyes traveled across the room to land on the owner who was currently leaning across the bar, his face inches from the woman on the other side of it, his expression clearly besotted.
Her blonde hair was tucked under the brim of a stylish oversized hat and she hadn’t removed her sunglasses but it was Katie Sloan.
They watched as Dean tossed the register keys to one of the waitresses then moved around the bar, taking her hand in his and disappearing up the stairs in the back corner of the establishment, into the living quarters above.
#trr au#trr au fanfic#writeblr#crime drama#angelasscribbles#Law's End#laws end#cordonia city#maxwell beaumont#liam rys#drake walker#riley brooks#trr fandom#trr fanfic#the royal romance#no canon#choices fic writers creations#cfwc fics of the week
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Déjà Vu
Chapter 4
New? Check out the first THREE chapters HERE! (Go ahead; we'll be here. 😉)
Series Summary: After an unforgettable night with a stranger, Princess Eleanor finds herself caught in a secret love triangle between a noble and a commoner.
Chapter Summary: Drake heads to Club Core with Leo; he unexpectedly meets a young woman that reminds him of a past life.
Pairing(s): mention of Liam x Riley; Drake x Riley (former)
Word Count: ~4970
Warning: 🔞 Mature Audiences Only 🔞 language (tons; it's Drake); sexual references (crude); mention of excessive drinking; drug-use reference; brief violence
A/N: Welcome to my Crack Fic! If you are new, hi! Thank you for joining us! This story takes place approximately 2 decades after TRR/TRH. I have made some canonical changes (they will be mentioned). Although this is from my crazy mind, it takes a village! Huge thanks to my sweet writing buddies for helping me figure out various parts! Love y'all! Characters and some plots belong to our friends at Pixelberry! This was not Beta'd; please excuse my errors.
~🖤~
Drake
What the fuck was I thinking? I hate large crowds and eardrum-piercing music. I hate being around people who can't hold their liquor, not to mention I hate dancing. But even worse, I hate Leonardo Anselm Phineas Rys. Old thorn in my side. What in the actual fuck made me agree to hang out with blondie in the first place? At a club? On opening night?
Because you're lonely, and he offered free booze…
My twisted expression relaxes as I shrug my shoulders. Meh. I guess it could be worse.
"Okay, baby… I'll be home later… yes… I'll tell Liam you said, 'hello'..." Leo gives an obnoxious kissing sound before disconnecting his call with the touch of a button. He lets out a sigh, taking a hit of his vape pen. "Dahlia," he answers to the question I never asked. He glances at me, sucking in his bottom lip before giving me a slow flutter of a wink. "She's a bit clingy."
I nod, drumming my fingers against the leather interior, playing it cool like I care. "Is… she your–?"
"Friend."
Ah. Okay. 'Friend.' The term just glides off of his tongue. Nonchalant. Sweet and syrupy, almost as if he believes the bullshit he's feeding this poor girl that's waiting at home for him.
And she thinks what now? That he's coming over after an evening with his brother's family which, no doubt, she has never met. And judging by that brief interaction with goldie locks here, she doesn’t seem to have the intellectual capacity to wonder why she wasn't invited to the dinner in the first place.
Side-piece. Booty-call. Friend. It's all just semantics to douchebags like Leo Rys.
I fidget with the navy collar to the button-down shirt Leo loaned me. I could barely fit my broad shoulders into the lean cut of his tailored threads. The guy has a rock hard physique, but tough, manual labor creates a different kind of body. A strong one. Like mine.
The buttons pull slightly across my chest as I flash a glance in the car visor mirror. I look like a fucking tool. I'm not used to my stubble brushing up against starched cotton; I'm usually wearing a tee, my work denim and my steel-toes. I mean, unless I'm meeting with a client or going out to dinner where you have a waiter and utensils. But, other than that, I am a fish out of water: this shirt is uncomfortable. And I have a feeling this is just a prelude of what's to come.
At least Leo approved of my jeans and Tecovas. He tried throwing my trusty chambray shirt in the trash. "No one has worn this for at least twenty years… and they weren't even wearing it then."
Fuck off.
We pull up to this club, and I swear everyone in Cordonia has turned out for this spectacle. The moment Rys steps out of his 'I didn't want anything too flashy' red Ferrari, the paps were on him like white on rice. Flashes of light rain from every direction as reporters flood him with curious questions about his Gucci loafers and gray Brioni blazer.
Lucky for me, I'm a nobody, and the press quickly discovers that the moment I step out onto the red carpet. Dropping their cameras and microphones in disappointment, they instantly turn their attention elsewhere. I don't know if I should be grateful… or offended, to be honest. At least confuse me for Leo's new lover… bunch of dickwads.
I push past the commotion, combing my hair out of my eyes as I look around the red carpet. This place is pretty snazzy, but holy fuck, they didn't spare with any expenses. It’s like a fucking fortress: a tall, wrought iron fence encased with stone surrounds the perimeter. Armed security in black tie a la James Bond swarm the space.
Now, the entrance? This wasn't just any ol’ red carpet; oh, fuck no, that wouldn't do for such a prestigious guest list. Contortionists and acrobats on pedestals perform sultry poses and maneuvers, leaving the crowd bewildered and amazed.
Scantily clad women tend to the average Joe commoners waiting in line. They serve hors d'oeuvres and complimentary spirits, fooling them into thinking they're still important even though they're on the outskirts of the main event, and truth be told: they'll never get in.
Taking it all in, I suddenly feel a massive clap against my back before an arm hugs tightly around my neck.
"Ready, Walker?" Leo pops his gum in between his smarmy grin. "Let's get our dicks wet."
—
Fucking. A. I'm pretty sure I just entered the third level of hell.
"Hey-yo, Walker!"
Make that the fourth level…
I glance back at Rys who is now flocked with an entourage of, and I quote, ‘aspiring models,’ all with their fake tits falling out of their tops, their overly-injected blow-job lips, and lashes so thick, you can't tell if they're sleeping or having a stroke. He flashes those pearly whites as he dangles a small, gram-size plastic bag of white powder.
Now, I'm not against tokin' up or getting obliterated with alcohol, but cocaine isn't my style… not to mention, if we got caught–no doubt, Leo knows people that could bail us out, but if Liam and Riley were to hear about this? They'd kick me to the curb in an instant, especially with their kid around. They’d label me as a bad influence, and Liam would give me that fatherly disappointment glare.
"What do you think, Walker?" Leo nods with eager anticipation. "Wanna join… all of us?" He lets out a knowing laugh, winking at the women around him. They take his cue and begin to giggle, as if he was the funniest, most charming man they've ever met.
And my IQ just dropped two points.
"I think… I'm going to… " I notice a large bar area, quickly throwing a hitched thumb back at it. "...I'll check out the bar,"
"Suit yourself." The women practically swallow him whole with their arms. "Don't forget: give 'em my name. Drinks on me!"
The drove of venereal diseases buzzes off with their king, and a sense of relief washes over me. Would I rather be at home? Absolutely, but since I'm already here…
I make my way toward the crowded bar area, ducking between drunken cat fights and groping couples. Finding a stool, I plant my ass down, and despite how busy it is, the bartender tends to me quickly–probably because I'm a 45- year-old man alone in a club. Translation: I have money, I know what I want, and chances are, what I order doesn't require my rim being bedazzled with seasonings, flowers, or fruit.
"What can I get ya?"
Oh, shit, I haven't heard that distinct nasally Portavira accent in so long. My God…
"Um… Larceny. Neat."
"Double?"
My man… I nod as I watch him pull out the bottle and a clean tumbler.
"Do you have a tab started, sir?"
I reach for my wallet, but I abruptly stop, remembering Leo's words. 'Give 'em my name. Drinks on me!'
"I do. It's under Rys," I smirk, "and actually, do you have Macallan?"
The bartender stops, giving me a glance over when finally a Cheshire grin creeps across his face as if he just struck oil. "We sure do, Mr. Rys." He extends his hand to fist bump me before reaching to the top shelf for a new bottle of the liquid gold. Before I knew it, he's twirling the tumbler across the bar. "Enjoy, Mr. Rys."
Taking a sip, I give him a wink as a thank you as I bask in the much needed woodsy burn of clove on my tongue. Damn, that's tasty.
Feeling more relaxed, I glance out onto the dance floor as other club-goers get lost in the hypnotic buzz of the ethanol electrifying their veins. The tantric beat of the music and the flashing swirl of multicolored lights feeds the adrenaline and raging hormones as people grab and grope one another.
I am way too old for this scene.
I grab my glass to take another pull when out of the corner of my eye, I see a familiar face at the bar. Turning my head to get a better look, I suddenly swallow my whiskey down the wrong pipe, causing me to fall into a fit of coughs. Smooth, Walker, real smooth.
Blinking back the tears, I sniff into a napkin before looking back at the beautiful face. Shit. She's absolutely…wow. Gorgeous dark, silky waves, porcelain skin, that pouty mouth with those big, doe eyes… She's the spitting image of… Riley.
"Fuck," I growl at myself before rubbing the shit out of my eyes. No way, it can't be. I look up again, and instantly I can feel my jeans begin to tighten.
You're just wanting to see her. You're just wanting it to be her, especially with what happened back at the palace.
I down the rest of my drink before allowing my attention to be completely saturated by this girl.
It's not Riley. It's not…
See? Her nose appears more prominent from the side, and-and her neck. Her neck seems longer, slender. And her eyes. They're gorgeous and big… they aren't Riley's navy blues, but damn, that sparkle–
"Would you like another–?"
"Please," I grumble as I stare at this Riley look-alike. I just… can't tear my eyes away. Her presence feels so real, so intimate. Now, judging from this woman's creamy, velvet skin, she's young. Maybe early 20s. Way out of my league… but still that face. It's like looking into a past life, a life I once loved.
—
(Two decades ago…)
"Brooks," Drake whispers loudly, "come on!"
"Shhhh!" Riley presses a finger to her lips, stifling her giggles as she looks down from her palace window. "Are you trying to wake everyone up? You're going to get me into trouble."
"You are trouble, lady."
Riley looks back at the commoner, the glint of mischief in his eyes making her adrenaline pump faster through her veins. "Now are you sure about this?" She bites her lip, "you'll catch me if–"
"For the hundredth time, yes," Drake rolls his eyes, holding his arms out wide.
Since Drake's confession to Riley at Applewood, the two of them have been enjoying each other's company, especially after hours. They flirt with danger, sharing in kisses that they swear will never happen again for obvious reasons: she is there to pursue Liam and his hand in marriage; Drake is his best friend.
After watching Liam share a kiss with Riley, a dam of excruciating jealousy broke in Drake's heart. He already shared with Riley before that he was developing feelings for her, but now, it was… something else. Something more.
During dinner, the commoner passed her a note, asking her to meet him outside her window after midnight because they needed to talk.
Riley is staying in the guest quarters off the West Wing with the other suitors. She's only on the second floor, but still, a jump from that high could be dangerous. So, Drake helped the brunette construct a climbing rope with her top sheet.
"I've got ya. Just… ease yourself over."
Riley takes one step at a time, following Drake's directions; but when she gets close to the ground, she looks back at Drake, raising an eyebrow, then jumps.
"Whoa!" Drake stumbles as Riley crashes into his chest, his arms quickly cradling her close. "What the fuck are you doing?"
Riley giggles, combing her fingers through Drake's thick hair. "Sometimes a girl just wants to be caught."
Their eyes lock on one another, Drake's hand finding her cheek. He gently rubs his thumb across her soft skin, her eyes fluttering closed as she leans into his touch.
"Come with me," he whispers softly while grabbing her hand.
"Wait… I thought we were going to talk–"
"I want to show you something." Riley gives him a curious glare. "It's a surprise," he smirks, pulling her to follow him.
They walk silently, hand-in-hand across the grounds, playfully gazing back-and-forth at one another–that is, until all a sudden a bright flashlight skims over where they are walking.
"Who goes there?" A palace guard bellows.
"Brooks, take off your flip-flops," Drake commands under his breath, watching the guard in the distance.
"What? Why?"
"Just trust me," he squeezes her fingers.
Riley quickly kicks them off, holding them in her hands. "Okay… now what?"
Drake grabs her hand again, his grip tight. "Run!" Giving her a warning tug, they both take off across the wet lawn, Riley following Drake's lead.
"Where… are we… going?" She pants, laughter bubbling from her chest.
"You'll see," Drake chuckles, "but we have to lose Barney Fife first!"
Dodging the glow of the searching lights, Drake and Riley finally make it to a large wall of greenery. Finding an entry, they pass through the walkway and hide behind the vines and leaves.
Drake looks to see if they finally lost the guards, but Riley takes a moment to look around the thicket they just entered.
"Whoa," her eyes widen as she looks at the well-manicured covert. "Where… where are we?"
"It's… a maze. A hedge maze that we used to play in as kids."
"Are you serious?" She meanders down a corridor, looking around a corner. "It's so dark. Did you ever get lost?"
Drake chuckles, reaching into his pocket. "Plenty of times." He saunters closer to Riley, pulling out a flashlight and handing it to her. The air crackles around them as the charm of the blue moon ignites the twinkle in their eyes. Drake lowers his voice into a deep gravel. "Come get lost with me, Riley Brooks."
With that, he smiles and takes off jogging, Riley staying close behind. "Hey, not so fast Drake." She turns a corner and notices his denim shirt discarded on the grass. "You lost your shirt."
"Did I now?" He snickers. "Can you bring it to me?"
Riley scoffs into a giggle as she continues through the maze at the sound of his voice. "Maybe if you'd stop running away–"
"Maybe if you weren't so slow–"
"Hey!" Riley chides, "I just jumped out of a window–" she falls silent as finds Drake's belt tossed on the ground. She collects it in her hand, biting her bottom lip. "Drake?"
"You're getting warm," he teases. Riley stumbles through another corner, turning left, then right. The sounds of her toes in the grass compliment her heavy breathing as she stops again to the cooing of his voice. "Warmer, Brooks."
She continues until suddenly, she notices a warm glow just up ahead. Her steps quicken until finally she reaches a small clearing in the maze that opens to a stunning backdrop of the star-filled sky. Gas-lit sconces illuminate the garden, revealing tapestries of vines and flowers fixed to wooden lattice work amongst the bushes.
"Wow," Riley gasps, her eyes glowing with the wonder all around her. "This is beautiful." She feels Drake's warm touch on her hand, their fingers lacing together.
"Cmon," he tugs on her, "I want to show you something."
"There's more?" She giggles, following his lead. They walk a short, pebbled path until they are standing in front of a large gray-stoned well. Riley presses her fingertips to the cold marbled edges before looking down into the dark abyss. Her eyes shift to Drake, "Is this where you murder me?" He chuckles, shaking his head as she turns back to the well opening. "Hello!" She shouts, the echoes welcoming each other back and forth.
"I'll be honest, Brooks." Riley looks back at Drake. "I'm kinda shocked Liam hasn't already brought you here. It's one of his favorite places to show off in the entire estate."
"Oh," Riley's eyebrows knit together with a pained expression.
"Hey," Drake nudges her playfully. "What's with the long face?"
Riley snickers into a scoff before finally succumbing to tears. "I'm just exhausted," she pulls her hands to her face.
"Brooks," he pulls her into his comforting arms.
"This social season bullshit is just … it's really screwing with my head," she sniffles. "I've never been more insecure in all my life, and what for?" She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, clearing her throat. "I wish I knew where I stood. I wish the competition was over. I wish–"
Drake reaches into his pocket, pulling out a couple of worn copper coins. He offers them to a confused Riley.
"Pennies?" She sniffles.
"Yeah," he chuckles, "I forgot to get rid of them when we were in New York. They're worthless here. No conversion."
Riley's lips begin to curl. "Then why keep them?"
Drake starts inspecting the coins in his hand, allowing them to softly clang together in his palm. "I read a book once–"
"--picture books don't count as reading."
"Ha. Ha." He smirks, feigning annoyance as he starts to jingle the coins in his hand. "I read that in ancient civilizations, finding random metals was a sign or a blessing from the gods."
"You see them everywhere back home. The streets, sidewalks," she snickers, "a whole cent. How generous of the gods."
"What? A penny isn't enough for you?" Drake playfully growls, slowly leaning closer to Riley. She coyly bats her lashes, a soft titter in her throat. "Here." He puts a coin in her hand.
"What's this for?" Riley studies the trinket.
"For something bigger, citizens would offer the metal back to the gods, like a payment. So they would say a silent prayer, then toss it–"
"--into a well," Riley softly finishes.
Drake nods over his shoulder to the stoned well. "Let's make your wishes count."
One by one, Drake and Riley silently take pennies, casting them into the well with unspoken hopes and dreams until every last coin was gone. Feeling his close proximity, Riley stares up into his dark eyes, getting lost into a charming stillness.
"What did you wish for?" She whispers.
Drake slowly shakes his head. "Nothing."
"Nothing?"
He offers a crooked grin. Combing his fingers into Riley's dark, espresso waves, his hand gently grips the back of her neck, pulling her closer. "All my wishes have already come true, Brooks." He closes the space between them, their lips grazing one another. The feather-light touch instantly ignites a hunger, one they both feel and crave. Drake pulls back, chuckling under his breath as he fidgets with the hem of Riley's shirt. "So... why didn't you take off any clothes?"
Riley bites her bottom lip. "Maybe... because... I wanted my wish to come true." She pauses, her fingers tucking into the front pocket of Drake's jeans, pulling his hips flush against hers.
He swallows thickly. "Which is?"
"Take them off for me, Walker."
—
(Present)
Damnit. I adjust myself in my jeans, but my cock always hardens at the memory of Riley and me that night. We fucked. A lot. But that night, our first night together, it was more than just sex. We made love.
I take a swig of my new drink that the bartender must've dropped off while I was taking a stroll down the boulevard of broken dreams when my eyes dart to my Riley look-alike.
And I feel my dick shrink.
She's with someone, some blond tool, probably named Chad, with a tool haircut that shops at Tools-R-Us with a matching trust fund.
I sigh to myself, polishing the rest of my drink before staring at my empty glass.
He is pretty hot; I don't blame her.
I glance at them one more time, kissing my own dirty fantasy away when I notice something odd. His hand is sternly gripped around her wrist, staring at her like she's his next meal.
But her face tells a different story. She seems to be struggling, trying to tear her arm away from him. Those big, doe eyes are panicked, large as table saucers as she frantically looks for help.
I sigh. Goddamnit...
I wipe a napkin across my mouth as I stand, my glare fixed on this commotion transpiring before me. I shrug my shoulders, loosening the tight fabric off my back as I stretch my muscles. Just in case.
I hurry my way through the dense crowd of patrons gathered around the bar. I flex my fingers, bending my wrist as I get closer.
Ah, shit. This is the part I'm bad at. What do I say first? 'Stop that!' No, that's lame. I need something clever, like maybe, 'Is there a problem here?' How about–
My clenched fist meets his jaw, knocking the asshole in one swing into a bartop table before he crashes down onto the floor. He's so disoriented; he's trying to get up, but he keeps slipping on shards of glass, falling back into the pathetic rumple he calls his life.
Fuck. My hand. I know it will hurt like a bitch in a few minutes when my body depletes of adrenaline, but for right now, I'm basking in the moment.
A smirk grows on my mouth, but it doesn't last for long. The young woman. I turn to the Riley look-alike, her terrified stare already fixed on me. Instinctively, I carefully put my hand on her shoulder. She's shaking.
"Excuse me, miss. Are you alright?"
Ho.ly. Fuuuuuuck.
Brooks? Seeing her up close is almost painful; I can feel my balls beginning to ache. This woman is hauntingly stunning: the subtle freckles on her nose, the curve of the bow to her top lip, even the flounce of her long, flirty eyelashes. She's beautiful; she's… like somebody I used to know…
The young woman shyly nods, but she's trembling. She's clearly not alright.
And I suddenly possess this overwhelming need to take her in my arms, hold her tight and let her know she's safe.
Calm down, Walker.
"Let's get you away from this." I look up, noticing an open lounge-type area near the dance floor with large, plush couches. Offering my arm, she holds on tightly as we escape through the debris of the nightmare that just happened. Placing a reassuring hand on her back, I encourage her to sit.
I, on the other hand, keep an eye on douche canoe who is being helped up by security and his friends. But, I don't think he'll be a problem for us anymore tonight. He never got a good look at me, and even if he had, something tells me his ego would keep him away from telling the truth of who made him taste his own blood.
Turning towards the young woman, I notice she is anxiously looking around, her body on edge. I tilt myself to her ear, shouting over the blaring music, "Are you here with anyone?"
She nods, "B-but it's okay," she yells back, waving her hands. "I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
She fakes a smile, and my God, it knocks me back. Stunning.
Focus on her words, Walker...
"I don't exactly want to…"
I don't quite understand the rest of her statement, her words lost in the heavy beat of the music. I give her an inquisitive look, causing her to careen towards my ear, her hand brushing across my shoulder.
And my cock twitches. Breathe, buddy…
"I said… I don't want to interrupt their fun." She motions aimlessly to the dance floor. Got it.
"Can I call someone for you? Family perhaps?"
Her eyes widen. "What? No, no."
She grins, but it's clearly hiding her true feelings. Which is fine. I'm a complete stranger. Shit, she probably thinks I'm some creepy old man, hitting on her at the bar. And sure, maybe on a night where she wasn't assaulted, maybe I would've bought her a drink, asked for her number.
But the fact of the matter is this: I really don't feel comfortable leaving this girl alone. She just got into a physical altercation with… whoever that guy was. Her boyfriend? Oh shit, husband? I look at her hand; I don't see a ring, but that doesn't mean anything. You never know these days. Still, she doesn't need to be by herself right now. She really doesn't need to be here, but again, who am I but another creep at the bar.
I run my fingers through my hair. Oh, what the hell. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"
A hint of fear crosses her expression as she looks me over.
I hold up my hands in defense before leaning over her shoulder. "I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone in a place like this," I shout, "especially with what happened with your boyfriend."
She takes a deep breath. She flashes those big, brown eyes at me before finally nodding in agreement.
And my heart melts.
I offer my hand. "Drake."
The corners of her lips curl as she takes my hand, leaning towards my ear. "Jake?" She yells.
I shake my head, facing her ear more directly. "Drake!" I holler over the deep thrumming of the bass.
She raises an eyebrow. "Jake?"
Eh, close enough. I smile in agreement.
"I'm Nora," she smiles, already more relaxed.
"Nora?" I repeat, ensuring I heard her correctly. At least one of us should be called by our real names this evening.
She nods innocently, a beautiful rosy pink painting her cheeks. "Oh, and, um… he's not my boyfriend." A piece of her hair falls like liquid silk into her eyes as she looks down at her lap. She quickly shoos the wisp away, chasing it behind her ear before looking back at me, trying to figure out my angle. Am I here to hurt her? Flirt with her? Invite her home for a messy, drunken fuck?
Don't worry, sweetie, you're safe with me.
"American?"
She catches me off guard with that one. "Uh, yeah. How did you–?"
She points to her mouth, her lips perfectly rounded and plump, painted a deep crimson. Oh, duh. My watered-down accent. Toto, we're not in Texas anymore. It's hard to believe that at one point in my life, I actually sounded like these people. Every once in a while, the Cordonian beast pounces, but these days, I sound like the typical American mutt.
"Are you on vacation?" Nora asks.
I smirk, shaking my head. "I… moved here for work."
"To Cordonia?" She snickers. "Of all places?"
"Fair," I chuckle under my breath as I feel the heat rise up my neck. "I… grew up here, so I have… connections, friends and family. It makes for an easy transition. How about you?"
Her eyes brighten, like a pageant contestant being asked about world peace. "Cordonian. Born and raised."
"That's unfortunate," I joke. Sorta.
"Hey," she giggles, scrunching up her nose playfully. She swats the back of her hand against my shoulder. The touch sends a shockwave of familiarity, robbing me of my breath. "I love Cordonia–"
"Spoken like a true Cordonian."
"And… what's wrong with that?"
Drake guffaws. "What isn't wrong with that?"
"Your tone is suggesting that there's something wrong with having pride in your country–"
"It's egotistical–"
"The only thing egotistical is thinking that your opinion about Cordonia is the only opinion to be had." She furrows her brows. "If you hate it so much, why did you come back?"
Shit. She's feisty. And this conversation has gone completely off the rails. I can't tell if she's really pissed… or if I'm just really turned on and wanting a sparring match.
Fuck. You just had to be a jackass…
"Okay, truth?" I offer, even though I'm sure she wants to toss a drink in my face at this point.
She turns to face me, tucking her leg underneath her. "Please."
"I had a rough time fitting in here. Except for my best friend. He's–" I grin thinking about Liam and I, growing up together, how perfect and inseparable we were. "--as Cordonian as you can get. Well, except… I mean, his mom… nevermind," I shake my head. "He's the nicest person I've ever met in my life. I needed some help after a bad business deal, and… he was there and… now I'm here."
"Huh." She sits back, crossing her arms as she takes me in. She raises an eyebrow, the corner of her lips curling. She's clearly unsure of me, and I don't blame her.
"Drinks?" A cocktail waitress dressed in a skimpy, leather skirt interrupts us.
Rubbing the back of my neck nervously, I turn to Nora. I have a feeling that this might be the end of the night for us, especially if I don't offer her a cocktail.
I stare at the sparkling flecks of bronze in her eyes. There's something about this girl, more than just the memories she stirs up in me. I can't explain it… shit, then again, maybe I'm fooling myself, wanting something to be there that never was. Still… I clear my throat… you never know unless you try.
"Would… you like one? A drink?"
She narrows her eyes in thought… and fucking hell, she's so goddamn beautiful. Like Riley incarnate. The mannerisms, some of her expressions. Watching her literally robs me of speech and air, and I am dying to spend more time with her. Hell, who knows where the night will take us.
I really hope she agrees to this drink. I can tell I haven't exactly won her over in the past twenty minutes, but if she would just agree to one more drink, just a few more minutes with me, maybe history could repeat itself. Maybe I could experience the woman of my dreams in a different way. Now, I could never tell Nora this; she could never find out. I mean, I am attracted to her, it's just…
"Sure," Nora interrupts my thoughts, her lips curling. "I'll take a drink."
~🖤~
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#the royal romance#the royal heir#choices the royal romance#choices the royal heir#choices trr#choices trh#princess eleanor#drake walker#riley brooks#liam rys#crack fic
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Okay. Soooooooooooooooooooooooo, I've been working on this for a while, and I'm finally going to start posting it. I've never posted anything, anywhere, ever, at all, at any point in time in my life, so to say this is nerve wrecking would be an understatement. And it's not even the actual chapter yet. 🤣🤣🤣
ANYWHO, I'm going to post the title and summary of this fic. I don't have a tag list or anything like that, but I can make one if enough people show interest 🙃 (and I can navigate my way through that lolololol.)
And can I give the biggest shout out to @ao719, who has literally talked me through this entire process and continuously reassured me that this is a good idea 🤣🥲😍😘
TITLE- Ghosted (If this has been taken, please let me know. I couldn't find anything with that same title.)
Fandom- TRR, but this is an AU
Pairing's for this series- Liam X MC (Riley Brooks)
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 into thin air just before the end of the social season.
As everyone around him begins to voice their concerns regarding her scandalous departure, a confession from an unlikely source turns Liam's world upside down and makes him begin to question everything around him.
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