The Prince and the Pop Star: Rich and Royal Romance (True Royalty Book 3)

by Miranda King

  “I called the General and thanked him for you, and he told me you can use his gift as a backscratcher.” Ollie laughs again. “He totally did not get that concept, did he?”

  “I’d say he did. He’s already called in a favor from me to bypass High Command over airstrikes. They found out about it and called my brother into an ‘emergency meeting’ tonight. We weren’t invited. I think they want to try to control Adam when he becomes king.” He looks Ollie square in the eyes. “Our job is to make sure that doesn’t happen. Are you with me on that?”

  Ollie doesn’t even blink. “Absolutely. It’ll be like taking down the Galactic Empire and Darth Vader. Only who do you think is the Darth Vader of High Command?”

  “I don’t know yet. But we’ll help my brother figure it out when he becomes king.”

  Ollie thumps his chest twice. Logan does the same, remembering the last time he did that.

  “You’re thinking about Dante, aren’t you?”

  “You make it sound like it’s a sin to think about him.”

  Ollie shakes his head. “I think about him every day, too. It’s just that I don’t think Dante would like to see you like this.”

  “Like what?”

  “So… miserable.”

  A servant comes in with a note on a silver tray for Logan. The cursive loops in his name on the envelope could only have been written by one person—Eden.

  He rips the envelope and scans the note.

  Something sparks within him. Hope? Didn’t that hope he could ever be with Eden die with Dante? He should say no to her. That red dress is a siren’s call, igniting his body to feel again. His heart flickers, like a pilot light burning inside him and reminding him that hope is still there...

  And so is his promise to Dante.

  But she needs me.

  This late at night? Being alone with her tonight would only turn into trouble.

  “Your Royal Highness, what should I reply?” The servant asks him.

  “Tell her…” Yes. Yes. Yes. “No, I’ll see her tomorrow.” In daylight hours. Not alone. Not when she’s wearing that sexy dress. Not when he has a fool’s chance tonight of keeping his hands off of her.

  The servant slips out. Time passes, and the two men sit in silence with each other, their eyes focused on the crowd below. But every now and again, Ollie looks at Logan and huffs. Why?

  “Spill it, Ollie. I’ve known you long enough to know that something’s wrong.”

  Ollie smirks. “I don’t know what that note said, but you’re being a jerk to Eden, and she doesn’t deserve it.”

  Logan crosses his arms. “How did you know that note was from Eden?”

  “Your whole face lit up for a split second, and then it died.” Ollie does an it’s-such-a-shame shake with his head. “All because of Dante and that promise you made to him.”

  Logan narrows his eyes and his tone invites an argument. “How do you know about that promise?”

  Ollie doesn’t flinch. “How did I hear you with Eden in the conference room on base? From my desk, I could hear everything going on in the conference room with the door open.”

  Logan crosses his arms. “Would’ve been nice if you didn’t eavesdrop on people’s conversations.”

  “I didn’t do it on purpose. But now I’m glad it happened because I have to tell you something as a friend, and you need to listen.”

  That’s Ollie-talk for brace for impact.

  Ollie leans forward in his chair. “If Dante only had a chance to see you and Eden together, he would’ve changed his mind about that promise.”

  Regret for the things that could’ve been crashes head on into Logan. Images of what can never be flash in his brain: Dante as the best man at their wedding. Dante holding their first child. Dante getting married and starting his own family. Their kids playing together.

  Those images burn in his brain like photographs set on fire until they shrivel to ashes and bury him in regret.

  “He can’t take that promise back now. He can’t take back anything now, can he?” Logan’s words attack the hope left in his heart.

  Dante can’t take back the promise. Logan can’t break it. Eden can never be his.

  There’s a knock at the door, and hope flares in his heart. Despite everything, and all he’s done to push her away, could it be Eden?

  Is she drawn to him the way he is to her? Like a moth to a flame. Because if she gets hurt, only he is to blame.

  If it’s her, he should turn her away.

  That’s what he should do. But could he?

  “Eden Knight Caught Leaving a Party with Bo Hunter”

  – headline from The Summerland Tattler

  “10.5 Million Likes”

  – Pop Star Eden Knight’s video performance of her megahit song

  “Just Friends” at the Summerland Gala posted on YouTube

  “Without hope we live in desire.”

  – Dante Alighieri, Medieval Poet

  Eden and Poppy huddle their heads together in one of the half-dozen private alcoves beneath the royal balcony. They’ve closed the red velvet drapes for privacy. Gossip runs rampant at gala gatherings like these tonight. A servant stands ready outside the entrance, awaiting his next assignment.

  “The note didn’t work. I thought for sure…” Eden shakes her head. Hasn’t Logan said that if she ever needs him, he’d be there? “I don’t understand why he’s turned down my offer to see him tonight.”

  “My brother must be seriously depressed if you can’t get his attention. I’m pretty sure no other man would’ve done that to you.” She eyes Eden’s red dress. “I mean, look at you? You’re a knockout in that Legendary dress from the Supermodel Convention.” She looks down at her own dress with voluminous layers to her long skirt. “There’s nothing sexy about me. Maybe that’s why Rylan never wants to see me. But you? There’s no reason why Logan would turn you down.”

  Oh, Poppy. She’s only sixteen, but head-over-heels in love with Rylan. A young royal in the military, just like Logan, only Rylan is from the Diamond Royal Family of Maravista. She and Rylan have an arranged political engagement set up by their families to unite Summerland and Maravista. But for Poppy, it’s a real engagement, filling her with fairytale dreams of a happily-ever-after with her handsome military officer.

  That dream is oh-so-similiar to Eden’s own dream. And just like Logan, Rylan has been turning down Poppy’s offers to see him.

  The heartbreak in Poppy’s eyes is Eden’s mirror reflection of her own self-doubts, her questions about all the things she could’ve done wrong to lose the attention of her handsome military officer.

  “I’m not much older than you, but I’ve seen enough of the world to know without question”—Eden cups her fingers slightly under Poppy’s chin and turns her face up to hers—“you are a knockout.”

  Poppy’s eyes glisten. “I’m not. Not like you—”

  “—You are. You’re exceptionally beautiful. Everything about you is, especially your heart. Don’t ever think a man doesn’t love you because there’s something wrong with you. Because there isn’t.” Eden drops her hand, but their eyes remain locked. “If a man can’t love someone as special as you, then he’s a fool. And you don’t want a fool, do you?”

  Poppy looks away and intertwines her fingers. “I don’t think Rylan is a fool. I know he loves me.” She looks back up at Eden. “I just know it. He used to write me every day, and then all of a sudden, he stopped. I don’t know why, but I just have to figure it out. I just have to. Because I know he loves me, and I’m not giving up on him.” The vehemence in her voice leaves little question that she would one day figure out why Rylan is avoiding her, or she would at least die trying.

  “And I know Logan loves you. You can’t give up on him, ‘kay?” Poppy reaches for Eden’s hands. “Please, don’t give up on him. If you can’t snap him out of his depression, then no one can. You can bring my brother back to life.” Poppy gives Eden’s hands a firm squeeze and then releases them. �
��You can. I just know it.”

  Eden tucks a strand of hair away from Poppy’s face. “You have more confidence than I have.”

  “Then I’ll have enough for the both of us. We just need a Plan B. Let’s see, Logan will have to be at the music video shoot tomorrow. Hmm…” Poppy snaps her fingers together. “’kay, I’ve got it. Didn’t you say that Logan seemed jealous, even of Ollie?”

  Eden nods. “What do you have in mind?”

  “We’ll get Ollie to come tomorrow to the video shoot. That’ll force Logan to act. A man always stakes his claim on the woman he loves when a rival is around.” Poppy says it like she’s a relationship whisperer, a wise authority on the topic of love at sixteen.

  “What makes you so sure of that?” Eden asks, not so sure at all, especially after Logan’s rejection to her note.

  “It happens all the time in movies.” Poppy flicks her hand in a gesture that suggests the answer is just that simple.

  Eden arches a brow. “So you’re suggesting Plan B is for me to make Logan jealous?”

  “Exactly.”

  “But I don’t want Logan’s jealousy. I want his love.”

  “Oh, Eden, don’t you know? Jealousy is just an invention by God to knock men over the head and tell them to wake up before they lose the woman they love.”

  Eden could feel her lips, which had been curved into such a serious line, now grin. “Did you also learn this from movies?”

  Poppy nods. “We can learn everything we need to know about love from the movies.”

  There is a stinger in what Poppy says, and it swells in Eden’s heart, making it want to burst with the sadness for Poppy’s life. She watches movies because she rarely gets to experience life outside the palace walls.

  “You know how I’m scheduled to present at the Golden Globes this year.” Eden’s voice grows as excitement builds in her chest. “Maybe your grandfather will let you walk the red carpet with me?”

  Poppy’s eyes are stars reaching to hang the moon. “If only he would, and then I could run away from this place. Oh, how I want to run away from this place.” Her eyes are eclipsed by sadness. “But I can tell you right now, he won’t let me. But just maybe,” there’s a hopefulness to her voice, “if you marry Logan, you’ll be my true sister… and just maybe Grandfather will change his mind because then, you’ll be family.”

  Family. Eden had no blood family left. But they didn’t need to share the same blood for Eden to care about Poppy like a sister. “I wish I could be your real sister, too.” Eden brushes another errant strand of hair from Poppy’s face.

  Poppy’s gaze is direct. “Fight for Logan. Fight to be my sister. I desperately want that.”

  “I will. I can’t stand by and watch Logan slip further into a depression. I’ll work on Plan B while you’re at school tomorrow.” Eden walks to the closed drapes covering the exit and pulls one side back.

  Poppy follows, whipping out her cell phone from her skirt pocket and feverishly texting. “I’m alerting Jean-Paul that he’ll have two men to direct tomorrow instead of one.” She’s talking and walking and texting.

  Eden laughs. “And I thought I knew how to multitask.”

  “I have no choice when I have to coordinate everything from here.” Poppy is done with her phone and shoves it back into her pocket. “As soon as school is done tomorrow, I’ll be at the shoot.” She smiles up at Eden. “Hopefully, by the time we’re done, we’ll have our old Logan back.”

  Eden is amazed at how this sixteen-year-old girl has skills that surpass someone twice her age. “How could any of this have happened without you?”

  Poppy shrugs. “You wrote the song.”

  “But you made all the rest happen. I’ll bet you’d be a phenomenal Hollywood producer, if you wanted. I know how much you love movies.”

  “Wouldn’t working in Hollywood be a dream? Grandfather would never let me do it. But maybe I could write scripts from the palace.” Her eyes light up. “I can do that. Would you help me figure out the right people to send one to when I’m done?”

  Eden nods. “And if it gets picked up, I’ll even write a song for the movie just for you.”

  “Oh, wow! You’ve won two Golden Globes and an Oscar for best original songs. You’d really write one for my movie?”

  “Consider it done.”

  Poppy looks down at her feet. “But what if… you and Logan don’t work out?”

  Eden raises her chin up with her fingers and drops her hand once their eyes meet. “You always have me, no matter what.”

  Poppy reaches up and gives Eden a heartfelt hug. “That’s one less thing I have to worry about. I never want to lose you, and I was afraid if you and Logan didn’t work out, that I’d never get to see you again.”

  “Never worry about that.” Eden beams at her.

  “Now if only I didn’t have to worry about Emma and Adam.” Poppy turns to look out into the crowd. “Do you see either of them out there? Emma left him in a hurry after their dance. Something’s wrong between them, and they need my help. I just know it.” Poppy clutches the drape with one of her hands. “I’ll bet it’s Marianne. She’s charming to all the right people and has an impressive resume, but she uses her looks to manipulate people to get what she wants.”

  Poppy squeezes the drapes hard in her fist. “Emma never does that, and neither do you. The fact that you both could—and don’t—is one of the reasons why I’m rooting for Emma and Adam, and you and Logan. As to Marianne, she’s only after Adam’s title. I just know it.”

  Poppy says that last bit like the fate of the world rests on her shoulders.

  Eden smooths the hair back from Poppy’s shoulder. “What can I do to help you?”

  Poppy looks up at her. “Just be you and never give up on my brother. I’ve got Adam and Emma covered.” Poppy peers past the drapes, searching.

  She takes her matchmaking very seriously, as she does with whatever she sets her mind to. Eden smiles down at her, and then following Poppy’s lead, she scans the crowd for Adam or Emma.

  “Wait, that might be Emma exiting through the stage door.” Poppy points. “Do you see her?”

  Eden squints. “If it was, she’s already gone.”

  She continues looking until her gaze lands on Bo Hunter, the hunky Hollywood A-list action hero. He’s hard to miss. He’s taller and has more muscles than anyone else around him. His aura exudes sex appeal and physical stamina, making him a multimillion-dollar box office draw.

  But he has a secret. One that Eden has helped him keep. Not even Bo’s own family knows. Bo is just that good of an actor. Would he want to put his skills to work for her?

  “I might have an alternative to Plan B.” Eden whispers a quick message to the servant, standing outside the alcove.

  After telling Eden that she’ll follow the lead on Emma, Poppy asks, “What’s better than Plan B?”

  “Plan Bo.”

  Logan stands at attention when Eden enters the balcony box, although she’s not alone. Bo Hunter stands next to Eden.

  Is Bo holding her hand? The breath knocks out of Logan and he backs a step away from them.

  “Bo.” Logan manages a curt nod, in deference to Bo’s royal status. Even though Bo does not carry a title, he carries royal blood. His uncle is the King of Maravista.

  “Bo, you already know my friend, Logan.” Eden then introduces Ollie.

  Bo nods, in turn, to both men. Then he releases Eden’s hand and slips his arm around her waist. His fingers splay on her hip and press her right up against his body, so that there’s no mistaking Bo’s claim on her.

  Logan’s hands curl into fists. If it wouldn’t cause an international incident, he would have slugged Bo right then and there.

  “I thought you were here by yourself tonight, Eden.” His tone is accusatory.

  Bo chuckles. “Oh, trust me, she’s definitely not alone tonight.” His fingers rub circles along the curve of Eden’s hip.

  Would a right hook to Bo’s jaw damage his cou
ntry’s peace treaty with Maravista? Probably… dammit.

  “Eden said she hasn’t seen you since you left the hospital. We thought we’d come by and see how you are doing before we leave for the night.”

  We? And leave for the night, as in together?

  “I’m fine.” His tone suggests that he is anything but fine.

  “Well, then, it was good seeing you again.” Eden gives Logan a cursory glance. Then she looks up at Bo, almost pleading. “Shall we go?”

  “You bet, Babe.” Bo brushes back the hair along the side of Eden’s face and kisses the curve of her cheek. “Just you wait till I get you home.” He says in a low voice, but audible enough that it’s clear he wants the other two guys in the room to hear.

  “So you two are… together?” Ollie steps out of the shadows. “When did this happen?” Ollie points his finger back and forth between the two of them. Then, as if he realizes that his question is probably rude, he stumbles out, “I mean, well, it’s just that… um, how did you two meet?”

  Logan almost forgot Ollie is also standing here, witnessing the obliteration of Logan’s world. This isn’t just Hiroshima devastation. Seeing Eden with Bo is the crippling second Nagasaki hit. So unexpected. So decisive. So soul-crushing that it’s broken down Logan’s defenses. His heart attempts a tactical retreat, trying to avoid a meltdown.

  “We’ve been dating off and on for a while now. We just always seem to come back to each other.” Bo reaches for Eden’s hand with his free one and kisses it. “She gets me. Mentally. Emotionally. Physically.” Then he interlocks their fingers and drops their hands, decidedly right above his crotch.

  It’s where their hands fell naturally. But still.

  “Were you two together this past year?” Logan has to ask. That’s when he thought Eden only belonged to him.

  “No.” Eden’s stare slices into him faster than the curve of a WING-tactic knife.

  Logan won’t retreat from her stare. That she was his alone last year is something. Something he can hold onto. “I got your note. I apologize I couldn’t see you earlier tonight, but what is it that you want to see me about?”