Heroes Ever After Boxset: Books 1-3

by Alana Albertson

“Don’t be shy. Suck it, Princess.”

  She didn’t hesitate and took me completely in her mouth.

  Her warm tongue felt heavenly. As her head bobbed up and down on my cock, I gave myself over to pure bliss.

  “That’s it, baby. Don’t stop.”

  My breathing became labored. I ran my fingers through her hair, guiding her rhythm. One more look down at this beautiful woman pleasing me threatened to send me over the edge.

  I pulled her off of me. “I’m going to come.”

  She immediately took me back in her mouth. Hell, I warned her.

  She sucked me tightly, and pleasure ripped through me. I exploded in her mouth. I was certain she was going to run to the bathroom and spit, but instead she swallowed.

  Damn.

  I put on my underwear and then sat beside her, stroking her hair.

  “I hope that was okay. I didn’t really know what I was doing.”

  Her innocence broke me. “It was perfect. Giselle, you are perfect.”

  Giselle

  I TOOK ANOTHER GLANCE IN THE mirror. I was so nervous about going to Erik’s house. I had already met him, and he seemed lovely, but I was eager to meet his wife, Aria. I had read everything about her online. She was an Olympic gold medalist in synchronized swimming, one of my favorite sports, and she was the first female Navy SEAL. I was so impressed by her.

  We pulled up to a glorious mansion on Ocean Avenue. I couldn’t help but notice that there was a For Sale sign on a property a few houses down. I didn’t dare inquire about the price because I didn’t want Ryan to feel uncomfortable with my wealth. Besides, what was I going to do with a home in Coronado? Stare out the window at Ryan running past me on the beach while I wept?

  Aria opened the door and immediately embraced me. “Princess Giselle, it’s so lovely to meet you.”

  I presented her with a bouquet of flowers. “Likewise, Aria. And please, call me Giselle. Thank you for having us.”

  Erik handed Ryan a beer.

  Ryan touched my arm. “Babe, I’m going to go help Erik barbecue. You good?”

  “Yup. I’m great.”

  He kissed me on the cheek before heading for the grill.

  Aria’s dog sniffed my toes.

  “Flounder! Stop. I apologize for him. He’s a beagle, which is pretty much a nose with a dog attached.”

  “Oh, no worries at all. I love dogs. I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel myself.”

  She smiled. “Can I offer you a drink? Wine? Lemonade?”

  “I’ll have the lemonade. Thank you.”

  She led me into the gorgeous kitchen. It was so light and bright. Miguel had said he wanted to live in the palace after we got married, but I would prefer something simpler. Not that Miguel cared about my preferences.

  Aria motioned for me to have a seat at the island. “So, is this your first time in San Diego?”

  “Yes. I love it here.”

  “Yeah, you can’t beat Coronado. Though I hear you have fabulous beaches in your country.”

  “We do.” I paused. She had obviously researched Santa Cariña. She had to know about my engagement. I took a deep breath and said, “You must think I’m so awful, coming here with Ryan. I’m sure you know that I’m engaged.”

  She poured me a glass of lemonade, added a sprig of lavender, and then stirred it before handing it to me.

  She sat down beside me. “I don’t think you’re awful at all. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to be a royal. I’m sure you have responsibilities and commitments that I can’t even begin to understand.”

  “I do. Don’t get me wrong. I love my life. But my duty comes first. This is the first time I have traveled alone. Ever.”

  She nodded. “I don’t want to make you feel bad, but Erik has mentioned to me that he has never seen Ryan like this. He’s crazy about you. He never dates. Like, ever.”

  Guilt ate me up inside. “I know. He’s told me. I’m crazy about him too. I wish I were free to love him, but I’m not.”

  I gazed out at the ocean. I wanted so badly to break away, be free, live my life by my rules, but I just couldn’t. The invites were sent, the wedding was planned. How could I bring such shame to my country?

  Aria placed her hand on mine and offered me a sympathetic smile.

  “I get it, I do. But secrets will eat you up. And you deserve to be happy. I really hope everything works out for you.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  Erik called us for dinner. We dined in the backyard. Two couples just talking about life and sharing laughter without a care in the world. I had nothing like this back home. My cousin was great, but she was more of a party girl. My friends from university were busy with their own lives. I craved to be part of a real group of tight-knit friends.

  But genuine friendship and true love were two luxuries I couldn’t afford.

  Ryan

  GISELLE INSISTED ON COOKING dinner. We went to a local fish market, and she picked out all the ingredients, making an incredible salmon dish with asparagus and potatoes. I was impressed that she could cook, but Giselle was full of surprises.

  After dinner, we relaxed and had a glass of wine. It felt good to be alone with her in my place. Like we were a normal couple, even though we were anything but.

  If I was being honest with myself, I was getting used to having her around.

  She placed her hand on my thigh. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Shoot.”

  “Tell me about your family.”

  Anything but that.

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m curious.”

  “But why does it matter?”

  “Because this is what people do, Ryan. Talk. Express themselves. It’s not healthy to keep your life bottled up inside.”

  My internal shield popped up as if I was going to war. I inhaled and exhaled slowly, allowing my SEAL training to take over and counteract the heat in my chest. “Why? You aren’t my girlfriend. You won’t be with me at the dock when I deploy or greeting me when I return. Why should I tell you anything?”

  She bit her lower lip. “Because I care. I’m sorry my life is the way it is. But I still care about you. I will always care about you. Let me in.”

  Fuck. What did I have to lose?

  Oh yeah, my heart.

  Maybe it would help me to share. I had never told a soul about my past. Not even my Teammates.

  I took a deep breath, willing my hands not to shake.

  “Fine, Giselle. My mom was a crack addict. Fucked so many men that I don’t even know who my father is, because she sure as hell never knew. I’m a fucking bastard. She overdosed, and then CPS took me in. I was in the system my entire life. No one wants to adopt a little boy who’s a troublemaker. So, I got passed around to foster home after foster home. And I was abused. Daily. I watched my foster sister get raped. I tried to save her, but my foster dad beat the shit out of me.”

  The second the words left my mouth, I instantly regretted them.

  Giselle clasped her hands over her heart and looked at me with a combination of pity and horror. She would never see me the same way again. As her hero. I was beneath her. Definitely not suitable to date royalty.

  She reached out to me, but I pulled away. “Ryan, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

  “Yeah, you shouldn’t have. Look, I’m going to call it a night.” I went to my room and closed the door. Fuck. I was being a jerk. She was just trying to get close to me, but I couldn’t help myself.

  Why had I let her in?

  After my foster dad burned his cigarette into my neck, I vowed to be the biggest, baddest motherfucker in the world so no one would hurt me again.

  But I hadn’t succeeded. Because someone was about to hurt me.

  And that person wasn’t a motherfucker the size of a pickup truck.

  That person was a beautiful princess.

  Giselle

  I CLIMBED INTO RYAN’S BED LATER that night after giving him some time alon
e to cool off, but he was passed out. I tossed and turned beside him until I fell into a fitful sleep. The next morning, we didn’t talk about his past. It was so horrifying; I didn’t want to pry further. I regretted asking him to open up, especially because he was right. No matter what, I was going to leave.

  We spent the day lounging on the beach, and the sun and saltwater seemed to help lift our spirits. Ryan even taught me how to surf. I’d always been so scared to learn, but with Ryan by my side, nothing seemed impossible.

  Back at his place, I relaxed on Ryan’s sofa. He turned on Netflix, grabbed a beer for himself, poured me a glass of chardonnay, and put his arm around me.

  I glanced around his small apartment. The coffee table was spotless, and he even had some cozy throws draped on the back of the couch. I closed my eyes—what it would be like to live with him? Could I get used to the simple life that I’d always proclaimed to crave, or would I miss my royal world? I guessed I would never find out. There was no way I was going to abandon my country and my family. Not even for Ryan.

  Especially not for Ryan, a man who’d told me repeatedly that he never wanted to get married or start a family.

  Ever.

  What kind of future could we possibly have together? He would probably tire of me when the challenge wore off.

  Ryan flipped through shows, and I couldn’t stop staring at him. He was perfection. His arms were muscular, his profile was distinguished, and he had an adorable grin that could seduce a nun.

  A nun, but not a princess.

  “What are you in the mood for? There’s supposed to be this great documentary about World War Two. You game?”

  I was constantly impressed that he binged history documentaries, not reality television. My long-held stereotypes of Americans’ viewing habits didn’t hold true—at least not when it came to Ryan. “Sure.”

  The truth was, it didn’t matter what we watched, because I simply couldn’t focus at all.

  My mind was focused on only one thing.

  Him.

  We had only a couple days left together. A couple days before I flew back home to Santa Cariña.

  And less than a month before I got married to Miguel.

  How could I ever go through with it? Say “I do” to a man I didn’t love now that I had actually been in love?

  Wait . . .

  I was in love.

  I’d just admitted it to myself. It wasn’t a casual thought. It was the truth.

  I loved Ryan.

  I needed to tell him now. Even though we could never be anything more than this. Even though we would still say goodbye forever. I needed to tell him this so that for once in my life, I could know what saying those words to someone I adored really felt like.

  Before it was too late.

  I placed my hand on his thigh, and he immediately put his hand on top of mine. He was so kind, and shockingly, still a perfect gentleman. It baffled me that we had been hanging around each other every day for more than a week, and we still hadn’t had sex. When I’d first met him, I thought that he would try to pressure me into having sex with him, but he never had.

  He’d never seduced me.

  Maybe it was my time to seduce him.

  But first, I had to tell him something.

  “Ry. We need to talk.”

  He nodded and turned off the television. “Sure. I can’t believe we only have two more days left together.”

  “Me either. But it’s not about that. I don’t want to talk about that now.” The quicksand that was my life, my duties, would swallow me whole before I knew it. But not yet. Not tonight. Tonight, I still had Ryan.

  “What do you want to talk about?”

  “Sex.”

  “Look, babe. I’m crazy about you. But I fucking refuse to teach you how to please your new husband or, as he says, ‘break you in.’” His eyes narrowed, and a scowl graced his handsome face. “Just the thought of that wimpy, sleazy motherfucker touching you makes me want to slit his throat. Maybe I should have.”

  Ah. Ryan was jealous. It would almost be cute if he hadn’t just threatened Miguel’s life.

  But this was all my fault. I had gotten myself into this situation. And now there were real feelings involved. How stupid was I to think that I wouldn’t fall for Ryan? I’d known the first time I kissed him that my heart was in danger.

  “That’s not it. Not at all. I don’t want to please Miguel.”

  I took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. “I want to lose my virginity to you.”

  His eyes bulged. “Come again? You’re still marrying him, right?”

  I nodded my head. “Yes, of course. But it doesn’t matter.”

  He clenched his fists and looked away from me. “Fuck yeah, it matters. I’m not going to be your lover when you’re married. You know what I think about cheating and cheaters.”

  Why wasn’t Ryan comprehending what I was saying? “Ryan, listen to me. I’m not married—yet. And Miguel isn’t a virgin. Why should I save myself for him? I want to lose my virginity to you. Tonight. Now.”

  His jaw dropped, but he didn’t say a word.

  Perhaps I needed to be more direct.

  I rubbed his cock through his jeans. “Let me suck your cock again.”

  He pushed my hand away. “What are you talking about? No, not going to happen, Princess.”

  My heart ached, and my self-esteem plummeted. “Not exactly the response I was hoping for.”

  He stood and ran his hands through his hair. “What the fuck do you expect me to say? You just want me to let you use me before you run off and marry some other guy? No. I refuse.”

  I pointed to his face. “Use you? You yourself told me that you were a manwhore. That you had slept with hundreds of women. But you won’t sleep with me?”

  “Exactly. I didn’t care about any of them. I’ve never cared about anyone. But I care about you!”

  Since the day I met Ryan, he had been the pillar of strength. When I was breaking down, crying, hysterical, he had been calm. But now Ryan’s jaw was shaking.

  Oh my God. What had I done to him?

  This strong man who had never been loved by anyone had finally fallen for someone.

  Me.

  And now I was going to hurt him.

  My body ached like a truck had just hit me.

  But it didn’t matter. There was no going back. He’d known from day one what he was getting into with me. Hell, he had even admitted that he planned to seduce me and bounce.

  Funny how life never worked out the way you wanted it to.

  “I want you. I mean it.” I pressed my body against his. “I love you, Ryan.”

  His eyes watered and his mouth opened. I hoped, I prayed, that he would tell me that he loved me too.

  But he didn’t say a word.

  He grabbed me by the waist and kissed me fiercely. He pinned me to the wall as he rubbed my nipples.

  “Now, Princess.” His voice was husky with lust. “Tell me now if you want me to stop so I can get the hell out of here. I can’t resist you anymore.”

  “No, don’t stop! I love you, Ryan. Make love to me. Please.”

  Before I could blink, he picked me up and carried me into his bedroom.

  Fear and anticipation twisted inside me. I had held on to this romantic ideal of losing my virginity my entire life. I had pictured candles, a bathtub, champagne, and most importantly, my husband.

  None of those things mattered.

  My virginity wasn’t a prize for me to give away to my husband, or a reflection of my worth.

  No. Not at all.

  It was an expression of my love for Ryan.

  And no matter what, we would always have tonight.

  Ryan pulled my tank top over my head and buried his face in my breasts.

  His lips grazed my chest, the scruff on his jaw scratching my skin. When his lips finally covered mine, I was already breathless. Though he was definitely in control, he relaxed and allowed me to lead, submitting to the passionate
way I wanted to kiss him. The way I wanted him to kiss me. Through those kisses, I felt he was telling me what he couldn’t say.

  That he loved me too.

  My body was already so hot and wet, dying to feel him closer to me. Ever since I met him, I had craved his touch, his tongue, his mouth. Everything about him.

  And Ryan was a dream come true. He removed my bra and sucked on my nipples. I moaned, and his cock hardened beneath me.

  He pulled off my pants in a flash. Within the space of a few seconds, I was completely naked.

  He spread my legs wide and devoured my pussy. I ran my hands through his hair, and my back arched as he took me to bliss. As his tongue licked me, I writhed on the bed. In our previous makeout sessions, he had gone so slowly and taken his time.

  But now he was moving like he was almost possessed. He gripped my thighs, kissing and sucking on me.

  I was so close to coming, but Ryan stopped.

  “No, Princess. Not like that. Not tonight. Come here.”

  Fire coiled in my belly.

  “Last chance, babe. Tell me now to stop.”

  I shook my head. “I want you completely.” Now. Forever. But I didn’t dare say those words out loud.

  He grinned, and I melted. He grabbed his wallet and pulled out a condom and tossed his wallet aside. He quickly unbuckled his belt, and his jeans dropped to the floor.

  I pulled off his boxer briefs . . . and stared at him standing in front of me, naked.

  His body fascinated me. His hard, muscular frame seemed to have been sculpted by Michelangelo himself. And his big, beautiful cock beckoned to me.

  Nervousness and desire pulsed through me. My cheeks burned from embarrassment; I was so anxious. Ryan was used to sexually experienced women. How could he possibly enjoy being with me?

  “Princess, come here.”

  He placed his hand behind my neck and gave me a gentle, loving kiss.

  I wanted to laugh; I wanted to cry. I wanted him so badly, and I knew deep in my heart that once I went through with this, I would never be the same. Physically, mentally, or emotionally.

  Ryan kissed my face and stroked my hair. “I can still stop if you want me to.”