“And I’ll cover all of that. I promise. I wouldn’t do that to you.” I didn’t know how she would take it. I hadn’t had much time to process it myself.
“This is so weird. They’re going through everything.”
“I’m sorry. I’d be there if I could, but it would only upset everyone in the building. I don’t want our neighbors to be harassed for an interview.” I looked out the window. Everything was peaceful and serene here. Surrounded by beautiful grass and ocean scenes, it was hard to imagine what Brooklyn was dealing with.
“I can’t believe you would just leave like this.”
“I meant to call you before they got there, but Damon is a little impatient sometimes.” I pulled the curtains together and returned to the sofa. “But I have something I think will cheer you up.”
“What?” she snapped. She tried to stay annoyed but I could tell she was intrigued.
“How would you like to attend a royal ball?”
“Go on,” she prodded.
I smiled. “Damon is throwing a ball tonight to announce my position at the palace. It’s a protocol thing. I could really use a friend. And I know you would have fun. It’s exactly the kind of party you’d love. All the royals in one place,” I teased.
“You aren’t kidding. He is impatient.”
“Will you come? Please?”
“Does this mean I have to go shopping for a dress?” she asked. The previous anger in her voice had been replaced with excitement.
“Probably.”
“Then, yes. I’d love to go.”
I grinned. “Thank, God. I thought you were going to turn me down.”
She laughed. “I would like to kick these movers out of the apartment.”
“Soon. They’ll be gone and you’ll have your own place.”
“You know I never really wanted my own place.”
“I know. I’m sorry. But we can hang out tonight and we’ll make some plans. You can come to the palace anytime. I’m going to have my own apartment here.”
“Holy shit.”
I looked up when the elevator dinged. Ayla walked into the suites.
“Brooklyn, I have to go, but I’ll make sure you have all the details and an invitation. And a car.” I smiled. If I was dating the king, I could send a car.
“Wow. You can do that?”
I wasn’t completely sure, but I thought it was worth trying. Sutcliffe would go crazy. I decided I’d try to flex my muscle with him a little.
“I can’t wait to see you.”
“You too, Mol.”
“Thanks for doing this.”
“I can’t believe I’m going to a ball.” I smiled. Maybe there was a way to smooth things over with my best friend.
“See you soon.”
I hung up and looked at Ayla. She was holding a leather-bound notebook. I was nervous about whatever was in there. It looked like a lot of information to cram into my head in such a short amount of time.
“Are you ready to get started?” she asked.
I nodded. “Lesson number three hundred fifty-two.” I sighed.
“I promise to make it as painless as possible.” She smiled lightly. “But as usual, we are pressed for time. We need to review the guest list, royal customs for balls, and I think we’ll need at least three hours for your wardrobe.”
“Three hours?” My eyes popped. “Shouldn’t I spend more time studying the attendees than having my hair done?”
Ayla laughed. “It’s all equally important.”
“I don’t see how that’s possible.”
She patted the sofa. I sat next to her, making sure my ankles rested against each other in a slight slant as she had taught me. I was amazed at how quickly I had started to adapt to the nuances of acting royal.
“As Royal Consort you’ll have to reconcile what is important to the king against what you’re accustomed to as an American. I don’t pretend that it’s easy. If it were, there wouldn’t be a position for someone like me. Royal expertise is an honored and respected profession in Galona. I trained for years, Molly. Becoming royal isn’t something to be taken lightly.
“It’s not any of my business to know whether that’s something you need to consider. It’s my job to make sure that you have every tool you need to be on the king’s arm. I’m here to help you.”
Ayla was too polite to be rude. She wouldn’t be callous like Sutcliffe. She wouldn’t push me like Damon. I believed she genuinely wanted me to succeed, but I heard her subtle messages. This role was unlike anything else I’d ever experienced. And it wasn’t for everyone. Dominic’s story had taught me that some relationships weren’t strong enough to withstand the cloud over the crown.
To Ayla, spending hours to choose fabric and accessories wasn’t a waste of time. It completed the package. Being dressed in a well-known designer with a stunning clutch held just right was equally as important as knowing the names of foreign dignitaries.
“Ayla, I’m not actually becoming royal. This is for show. For Damon.”
It must have sounded sacrilegious. But why should we all continue with the charade behind closed doors?
“You are going to be the king’s Royal Consort. That is not a show.” She flipped open the leather cover. “Let’s get started.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you, Ayla. Or the crown.”
“First we will cover the differences between the king’s cabinet and the royal advisory board. One is a part of Galona’s government and the other is part of royal tradition.”
“And where do I fall as the consort?”
“You are under the royal side. But since the ball tonight includes both, you’ll have to study each group and understand how they fall under the king’s rule.”
“All right. I can do that.”
I’d spent the past year doing nothing but studying. I was a professional student. If I thought about tonight like an exam I had to cram for, I could nail the details down, no problem. I twisted my hair into a bun and grabbed a pencil from the desk, jamming it into place. Now I was almost ready.
“Ayla, can I have some note cards?”
She tilted her head sideways. “Note cards?”
“Yes. I need note cards if I’m going to make this work.”
“Anything else?”
“Coffee?”
She grinned. “Coffee is a must.”
I wanted to think I had found a new friend in this woman who advised me, but there was a noticeable distance between us that I feared Ayla would never let me shorten.
31
Damon
Who wore fucking tails anymore? I shirked the jacket off and searched through my closet, banging hangers together looking for a different tuxedo. I reached for a fitted coat, but Sutcliffe’s voice nagged in my ear. If I didn’t show up ready to present the new Royal Consort in true Galona style, I’d essentially be slapping everyone in the face.
I didn’t know if I was willing to do that. Molly was the goal. The reason the palace had turned into a circus today.
Guests were arriving. Champagne was being poured.
I threaded one arm through the jacket and then the other, grumbling as I buttoned it together. When the fuck had I become this man?
There was a knock at the bedroom door. I turned to see Sutcliffe glance over the tux with approval.
“Your Majesty.” He bowed.
“Did you pull it off, Sutcliffe?” I smirked, knowing he was containing his anger.
“I believe so, sir.”
He walked over, brushed the front of my lapel and took a step back. There may have been a time when Sutcliffe could have been a fatherly figure to me. A man I could look up to after my father’s death. But the minute he started to try to control my decisions, any chance of that was eliminated. I wasn’t going to let an advisor manipulate me.
His agenda was stuck in the past. He was aligned with my father’s philosophies. My uncle wasn’t far from their ideology either. I had wrested with him the first two years and fin
ally realized I may be a young king, but I was their king.
A king who had served his country in the military. A king who had been groomed for the crown. A king who was going to do whatever the hell he wanted.
“Good,” I responded quickly. “Is my Royal Consort ready?” I looked at my watch.
“She is getting dressed, sir.”
I hadn’t seen Molly since the morning meeting. I was sure she had been briefed on the vote, but I wanted to talk to her about it.
“What is the order of events, Sutcliffe?”
“The royal family will be introduced. Your arrival will be announced, followed by the presentation of your mother.”
“She’s here?” I was stunned.
“Of course.” He flicked his mustache.
She hadn’t made an official royal appearance in months. If there was one person Ayla couldn’t prepare Molly for, it was my mother. Damn it.
“Then Molly will be introduced?”
He nodded. “Yes. First to the government. She will go through cabinet introductions, and then to the opposite side of the ball room to meet the royal family.”
“Standard,” I muttered.
“It is, sir. Except that we are doing this for a woman no one knows.”
“And that bothers you, doesn’t it?” I straightened my cufflinks one last time. I only had a few minutes before I needed to be downstairs.
Sutcliffe pressed his lips together.
“You may speak freely. What is it about Molly that you don’t like?”
“I am to speak freely?”
“Yes.” I didn’t have time for this, especially if he was going to make me repeat myself.
“I’m not the only member of the palace household who knows where she came from.”
“You have something against Americans?” I questioned. I didn’t need political issues along with family ones.
“No, Your Highness. I’m talking about The Titan.”
My eyes darted across the room. “The Titan?”
He folded his hands behind his back. “A woman who would participate in the gala is not someone I would choose to be our next queen.”
“Queen?” What the fuck was he talking about?
“You’ve moved her into the palace, given her a title, and tonight she meets the entire royal family and every member of government. Do you not want to marry her?”
I balled my fists at my side. “That’s none of your damn business.”
“It is my business. I am a citizen of Galona. I serve the crown. And if that gold digging harlot thinks she has the right to rule next to you, I’m going to have a say.”
“Is that so?” I arched my eyebrows.
“Your Majesty, you asked me to speak freely.” He wasn’t backing down. There wasn’t an ounce of fear in his eyes.
“I did.” I walked toward the bedroom door. I turned before I exited. “You are the last of my father’s advisors.”
“I am, sir.”
My eyes set on him. “Did you ever question his decisions as you have mine?”
“Your father was king for years. He was much older when he had the crown.”
“Don’t confuse age with wisdom. I’ve learned they aren’t synonymous.”
Sutcliffe puffed his chest forward. “She’ll do the same thing to you that Sophia did to Dominic. I’m only trying to protect the crown.”
I glared. “I’m the one who protects the crown.”
I walked toward the elevator, not giving a fuck how rude or abruptly I ended our conversation. Sutcliffe was here because I allowed him to be. If he didn’t embrace the new Royal Consort, he would not remain for long.
32
Molly
The creamy silk was unbelievable. I looked at the woman in the mirror. When had this happened? No messy bun. No glasses. No yoga pants.
“His Majesty will love this dress on you.” Ayla stood next to me, admiring her work.
“You think so?” I watched her expression in the mirror.
“It fits you perfectly.” She grinned. “The color is perfect for your skin. It’s almost bridal.”
There it was again. The hint that tonight’s ball meant more than moving into the palace. My stomach lurched. Wasn’t it possible for a royal to date without having to make a life commitment? Couldn’t we get to know each other first?
I turned from the mirror, nervously. “I better go. I don’t want him to wait.”
“I will be there if you need anything,” Ayla reassured me. “Try not to be nervous if you can.”
“Right. I’m meeting every member of the government and the entire royal family. No reason to be nervous at all.”
I thought I could throw up on my glittery heels. If I thought I was nervous on gala night, it was because I didn’t know nights like this existed. My ankles wobbled as I held the beaded clutch Ayla handed me.
“Just breath. You’ll be fine.”
“I can do anything for a few hours.” I convinced myself. Just don’t fall down, forget a dignitary’s name, or spill my champagne.
At the end of the night was the reward. Damon and I would be able to go public about our relationship. I could be with him every night. My skin warmed at the thought of sharing his bed. The way his mouth possessed mine. The way he touched me. The way he taught me to embrace a side of myself I had buried.
I nodded. Yes. I could do this.
“He would like to see you before you’re introduced. You can go through the service tunnel.”
I remembered Damon mentioning them to me before. I could barely navigate my way through the first floor of the main rooms. Learning a passageway system seemed unlikely.
“But where do I go?”
“We decided it’s the best way to ensure no one sees you together before the ball begins. If you start walking, he’ll meet you.” She grinned. “It’s perfectly safe. And there are lights along the walkway by your feet.”
It was ridiculous to be nervous about walking through a secret tunnel, but my heartbeat accelerated as she ushered me inside the narrow door. My mind flashed briefly to the dark hallway in The Titan where I awaited my first meeting with Damon. The mix of nervousness and adrenaline. I glanced down at my dress and smiled thinking of that naïve girl. Even with all her books and daydreams, she could have never imagined this.
The latch clicked behind me. I moved forward, following the tiny lights that illuminated the worn floorboards.
I wondered if the tunnels had always been here. My fingertips traced the lines of the walls. There were divots and crevices in the stone. How many times had people used this path for this same reason?
I carried the hem of my dress, careful not to let the train hit the floor. I passed several doors as I ventured farther. Where was Damon?
And then I heard his footsteps.
I stopped moving.
“Hello, love.” He turned a corner before I had to decide which hallway to take. “My God, you’re beautiful.”
I couldn’t help but lower my eyes and bite my lip. He undid me. Unraveled everything inside me.
His arms wrapped around my waist. I held my breath.
“Do you know what you do to me?” he asked.
“What you do to me?” I sighed.
“I’m tempted to blow off the ball and spend the night in the tunnels with you.” He cocked an eyebrow.
That would be one way to avoid meeting the entire country.
“Can we?” I pleaded, pressing my breasts into his tuxedo. They were modestly covered, but near Damon I could already feel the heated prickle running through my body.
His hands rounded to my ass. “Don’t tempt me like that, Molly,” he warned.
“I guess they would figure out we were missing.” I pretended to sulk.
“One of the hazards of being the king.” He squeezed roughly, making me whimper. “They notice when I’m not around.”
My body reacted with hungry need every time he touched me. I was already alive. Desperate to be with him. I wanted
to taste his kiss. Ayla would scold a kiss would ruin my perfectly placed lip liner.
His eyes lit as my whimpers turned to little moans.
“Every man is going to be looking at you tonight. They won’t be able to take their eyes off you,” he growled against my ear.
He gathered the hem from my hand until he had found his way under my long dress. I didn’t protest when his fingers slid beneath my satin panties.
“And when they see you, they’ll know you’re mine.”
I nodded as he pushed his fingers inside me. I clenched around them wanting more than this. I wanted all of Damon.
“I’m yours,” I whispered.
“Fuck me like this, Molly,” he demanded. “Come on my fingers. Squeeze that beautiful pussy around them.”
“Oh God,” I groaned, rocking my hips into him as he pumped faster. He knew how to compel the orgasm from me with his dirty words.
“That’s it. Fuck, Molly. You make me so hard. I want to fuck you. Damn it.” I heard the anguish in his voice. “Too many layers.”
I grabbed his shoulders. It was starting to overtake me. I didn’t know if I could balance myself on my heels as I started to revel in the crashing waves of the peak. His thumb flicked over my clit, sending me headfirst into the orgasm.
I panted, trying to steady my breath. Damon’s eyes were on me. “God, you’re amazing.”
He straightened my dress, drawing his fingers to his lips. I watched in awe as he licked the tips. It was erotic and sexy. I started to believe anything this man did was sexy.
“Do you feel more relaxed?” he teased.
I fought for breath. “Somehow, yes.”
“Good. Because there’s nothing to worry about. I’ve got you.” He grinned. “And you are the Sauvage Royal Consort, Molly Washington. This night is about getting what we want.”
“If I get nervous will you pull me into the tunnels again?” I teased. My body was no longer tense. Damon had managed to erase the butterflies and the tension in my shoulders.
He kissed my temple. “If I pull you in these tunnels tonight, you won’t be leaving.”
My face flushed.
He laughed. “Because of that look. You just came in my hand and you still get shy. You still act surprised. I don’t think I can ever get enough of your eyes when you come. You get lost in it.”
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