Protecting Her: A Romance Bundle

by Mia Ford

  I needed to play it cool like I had no fears, no emotions, and no thoughts about him. I needed to hide the fact that I was pregnant and make sure I didn’t get dragged back to the palace. My heart ached at the thought of watching him drool all over other women in the tabloids. I moved behind the counter to hide any sign of a slightly swollen belly. I wasn’t far enough along, but I felt like you could already tell. He stepped forward and stood in front of me. I watched as his eyes went from mine and down to my belly. Butterflies were shooting through my chest, and my breath was heavy.

  “I’m sorry,” he said as he shifted his gaze to his own clutched hands. “I have made a mess of something that could have been beautiful. Now, I am faced with losing you and our unborn child.”

  “What?” I said, stepping back. “How did you know?”

  “Zlata,” he said, shaking his head. “I was furious that she checked into you, but at the same time, it brought me to my senses.”

  “That bitch,” I said with clenched teeth. “She was such a miserable human being.”

  “I’m a miserable human being,” he replied. “I can’t get you off my mind.”

  “You don’t have to pull this little stunt and make yourself sound all sad,” I said, sighing. “I signed a contract, but I don’t want to be hurt anymore. I can’t just keep letting you play me for a fool. I have someone else to think about now. In reality, Milos, you just need to forget about me and leave. Make up whatever story you need to get yourself out of this mess.”

  I looked down at my shaking hands. I couldn’t look at him for another minute without collapsing into his arms for comfort. I needed to be strong. He hadn’t shown any sincerity. I moved to walk away, and he grabbed my arm and spun me toward him. I watched as he fell to his knees, tears tugging at the corner of his eyes. I stepped back in shock, not knowing what to do or say.

  “Please Adriana, I can’t live without you,” he said pleadingly. “After you left, I fell apart, even worse than before. I locked myself away in my room and just ran everything through my head over and over again. I realized how much I truly loved you, how badly I had treated you, and how perfect you are for me and my kingdom. I realized that you would be the most amazing queen, the most amazing mother, and the most amazing wife that I could ever imagine. Please marry me, or stay married to me. Let me love you and worship you forever. I’m begging you.”

  I stood there, and he grasped my hands, waiting patiently for my response. I didn’t know what to do, and I stood frozen in front of him. Could I truly believe that he had changed? Would I get back to the palace and find that he quickly forgets me all over again? I could tell his words were sincere, but I didn’t know if they were strong enough for him to give up that life he once clung to so tightly. At that moment, I knew I loved him too much to not give it a shot. The worst that could happen was I ended up back here in the same position as before, with the same broken heart. I breathed deeply and grasped his hands in mine.

  “I will,” she said. “But there is one condition. We are going to draft a real marriage contract, and if you break the rules, there will be heavy penalties. I will not live a life cast in the shadows and neither will this child.”

  “Absolutely,” he said without hesitation. “We will do it as soon as we return.”

  His reaction was so quick that I knew he meant every word that he was saying. He stood from the floor and pulled me close, embracing me with everything he had in his body. The warmth of his arms covered me, and I relaxed into him, feeling like I was once again at home. He pressed his lips against mine, sweetly at first, but then heavier. I felt his wants, needs, and love pulsing through his veins, and I pulled back and laughed at the passion between us.

  “Grab your mother,” he said, adjusting himself. “I’m going to take you two to a hotel.”

  “Just make sure Mother’s room doesn’t have a mini bar,” I said, only partly joking.

  Milos helped me bring my mother downstairs and get her situated before we left for the hotel. He had called ahead and booked two suites, one right across the hall from the other. To say my mother was slightly confused was an understatement, but I explained the gist of what was going on. She seemed to snap out of her haze very quickly. I ran her a bath in the large tub and ordered a pot of coffee and dinner for her in her room. She didn’t even ask for any alcohol, which made me pretty proud of her.

  When I finally got into our suite, the lights were dimmed and Milos was standing in the doorway of the bedroom with a smile plastered on his face. He raced across the room, scooped me into his arms, and pressed his lips strongly against mine. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back with all the passion I could muster. He raised up, leaving me dangling around his neck, and walked toward the bedroom.

  He set me down and lifted my sweatshirt over my head. He kissed the side of my neck and my shoulders as he pulled my pants down and lifted me up onto the bed. I kneeled at the edge as I unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it from his broad, strong shoulders. He leaned down and kissed my mouth softly as my fingers fiddled with his belt and buttons.

  As his pants fell to the ground, his hard cock bulged under his black boxer briefs. At that moment, all the pain drifted away, and I could think of nothing more than feeling him inside of me, filling me to the brim. He reached around and unclasped my bra, letting my breasts spill out, my nipples hard and ready. I scooted back on the soft bed and laid my head back on the pillow. He crawled toward me, stopping and pulling my panties from my body. He sat up and stared down at me as if he was scanning every inch of my body with his eyes. He rubbed his hands down between my breasts, across my belly, and hovered right above my wetness.

  “God, I missed you,” he whispered before lowering his head and spreading my legs. “I want to taste every part of you.”

  His mouth moved softly across my lips, and his tongue parted me, rubbing over my clit. I arched my back at the sensation of his wet mouth rolling across my skin. I didn’t realize until that moment that my body missed him just as much as my heart did. His touch was light but steady, and he lapped over my mound repeatedly. My body writhed beneath his hands.

  He pulled his hand up, ran one finger through my wetness, and slowly pushed it inside of me. I groaned loudly at the sensation. It felt like every nerve in my body was on high alert. The heat of an orgasm began to move from my stomach, downward. I started to grind my hips, feeling more need for him than ever before. I let go of my inhibitions, knowing that I had forever to feel the erotic nature of his touch and let him bring me to a full orgasm.

  My back arched, and I reached out and grabbed the sheets. Milos pulled me forward into his mouth and moved his lips frantically across my nub. I screamed out as wave after wave of pleasure pulsated through me. Whether it was my pregnancy or the understanding that I could rest easy in our commitment, I didn’t care because that was the most intense orgasm I had ever had. But I wasn’t done.

  As soon as my body untensed, I grabbed his face and pulled him toward me, planting his mouth on mine and licking his lips. I could hear him groan as I tasted my own wetness on his mouth, and he wasted no time slipping deep inside of me.

  I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he moved gently over top of me, slowly thrusting in and pulling back out. He explored my mouth with his tongue, and he continued to build us both toward climax. His hands slid up my arms and wrapped around my hands, pulling them up over my head. He began to push faster and harder. I grasped onto his hands tightly, and I felt every inch of his hard cock pounding into my pussy with increasing speed. The pleasure was beyond measurement.

  I broke free from his hands and grabbed tightly to his back. He reached down and grabbed my ass, lifting me up in the air and moving his hips like a wave. The motion spiraled the ecstasy out of control, and he groaned loudly into my mouth as I dug my fingernails into his back.

  The bed shook and squeaked beneath us, and my short, loud screams followed along in a symphony of pleasure. I could feel Milos�
�s body begin to tense as he thrust deep and hard inside of me. With two more pushes, he grabbed on to my hips and pushed his face into my shoulder, letting out a deep growl. I could feel his cock explode inside my body, and immediately, my building orgasm took notice, pushing me over the edge right along with him.

  I leaned forward and bit gently down on his shoulder, and he thrusted in short bursts against my pulsating mound. I could feel my wetness engulf his throbbing erection, and we sunk slowly into each other as our muscles relaxed.

  Milos fell to his side and pulled me close to him, our faces toward each other. He kissed my nose gently as we both attempted to catch our breath. I leaned my forehead against his and smiled at the thought of our forever. He pulled me in even harder and squeezed tightly. I never wanted him to let me go. I never wanted to feel what life was like without him ever again. The bond that we had fought for had finally arrived, and butterflies flew into my stomach.

  He whispered into my ear. “I love you Adriana, and I always will.”

  20

  Milos

  I stood there next to my bride, holding her hand, as she lay on the examination table. A blue sheet draped over her waist, and the sonogram technician sat comfortably next to her. There were so many instruments around us, it looked like a torture chamber. I winced as the technician globbed some of the clear jelly she was warming in a tube on the big wand she was holding. Adriana giggled at my reaction, and I looked down at her beautiful face and smiled in awe at how far we had actually come. There had been so many ups and downs, but we were finally in a place that left us both happy, relaxed, and completely in love.

  The tech nodded her head at Adriana and rubbed the large wand across her growing belly. We looked up at the screen, but I had a hard time figuring out what we were actually looking at. Then it happened. I heard a tiny, beating drum pulsating from the speakers. It was fast and strong, and I looked down at Adriana in complete amazement. She grabbed on tightly to my hand, and I watched a tear fall from her eye and down her cheek.

  “There’s the baby,” the tech said, smiling.

  We looked up at the screen and watched as a tiny little human shimmied and shook as if it were dancing to the sound of its own heartbeat.

  “The heartbeat is strong and everything looks amazing,” the tech said. “You are doing well, mom.”

  I leaned down and kissed Adriana on the forehead as we watched our child for the first time. It was more amazing than anything I had ever witnessed. Immediately, a feeling of love and pride for my family flooded my chest. Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, and I was completely overwhelmed by the sound of our child’s heartbeat. I knew right then that everything was exactly as it should be.

  As Adriana finished up and got dressed, I sat thinking about the nursery we had been decorating together. My mother offered to have it decorated, but Adriana and I thought it was important to add our own touches and make it extra special for our first child. The colors were bright and beautiful. Every little stuffed animal, every whimsical detail added to the paint, and every soft color added to the room made me think of Adriana and how her smile brightened every room she stepped into.

  Adriana stepped out of the room and smiled as she reached her hand down to me. I stood and took her in my arms, pressing my lips softly against hers.

  “I have a surprise for you,” I whispered.

  “I love surprises,” she said with a huge smile.

  I led Adriana out of the hospital, stopping to smile at the paparazzi who were crowded around, waiting for us to emerge. It was much nicer having them chase me down for pictures of me and my wife than it was getting caught in bad places with terrible people. We hopped into the town car parked out front, and I took Adriana to one of the most exclusive restaurants in the capital. She gawked at the elegance of the place but looked at me strangely. There were no other people in the entire place.

  “I rented out the entire place for privacy,” I said with a mischievous smile.

  She laughed and walked to the back where a table was set up and ready for us. We talked and laughed as we ate the special meal prepared by the chef, dreaming about our future together. The Parliament had embraced the change in me, and I had begun making preparations to take over the throne as King of Silesia. My mother would stay on for advice, but she was more than ready to retire her crown and spend her time puttering around her garden. My father’s death had been hard on my mother, and even though she always kept her head high and a royal presence, I knew she needed to let out a deep breath and really take time to enjoy the rest of her life.

  When we had finished lunch, we sat sipping our water and discussing the ridiculous baby shower that my mother had been planning since she received the news. Adriana’s mother had gotten herself clean and sober, and we had brought her to the castle to live. She got along famously with my mother, and the two spent many an afternoon sipping tea in the garden and planning the baby shower. It was definitely going to be the celebration of the year.

  I looked down at my watch as two servers exited the kitchen and nodded in my direction. I cleared my throat and stood from my chair, motioning for Adriana to stay seated. She watched me with curiosity as the chef walked out with a silver tray. I nodded my head at him, took the small box from the tray, and bent down on one knee in front of Adriana.

  Her smile warmed my heart as she tipped her head to the side and allowed me to take her hand. I was nervous, as this would be the first real time I had proposed to Adriana. My palms were sweaty, and I laughed at my own nerves. Who would have thought I would be at this place just a few months after thinking my life had ended?

  “Adriana,” I said quietly. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met, inside and out. You are not only carrying the future Prince or Princess of Silesia, but you are also carrying my heart and soul. I will forever be in your debt for taking a man like me and turning him from a Prince into a King. I realize that the first time we got engaged, you did not get the ring you should have gotten. So, I am asking you again, today, will you do me the honor of being my wife, my love, and my Queen?”

  I opened the box, and Adriana looked down wide-eyed at the large sparkling stone inside. She clasped her hand over her mouth, and tears streamed from her eyes.

  “Yes, Milos,” she said. “Of course, I’ll marry you.”

  I took the ring from the box and looked deep into her eyes. Then I slid it perfectly onto her finger. She shook her head up and down, watching as the diamond shimmered under the low lights of the restaurant. I pulled her up from her chair and wrapped my arms around her, never wanting to let go. The servers and chef clapped, and Adriana wiped the tears from her eyes, looking around at our audience.

  “This one is real,” I whispered into her ear.

  She laughed loudly and dried her eyes with the napkin from the table. Even though we had already gone through the ceremony, I wanted her to know how dedicated and how serious I really was to be her husband, to protect her, and to grow our family. I wanted the whole thing, the children, the adoring wife, the throne, and it looked like I might just get my wish.

  We happily left the restaurant, thanking them for their beautiful arrangements and hopped back in the car waiting out front. I took Adriana to the shopping district where I told her to pick out anything and everything her heart desired. I loved to watch her eyes sparkle as she tried on beautiful clothes and allowed me to spoil her. I had more surprises for the future, but for right now, I just wanted to watch her enjoy her new life as future Queen of Silesia.

  “Make sure you pick out something tropical,” I whispered in her ear. “Our first wedding was all stuffy and excessive, but this one will be much simpler, much more intimate, and set in one of the most beautiful places you will ever see.”

  Adriana turned and pressed her lips against mine, pulling back and smiling. She turned and continued to shop, asking me what I thought about everything she tried on before we bagged it up. Normally, the designers would come to us in the palace
, but it was nice to feel somewhat normal from time to time. Before we headed home, we stopped at one last store where there was nothing but baby clothes. I truly felt like she was more excited about this one than any of the others. Together, we picked out outfits for both a boy and a girl, not sure yet what we were having. We took everything back to the castle, where we now shared a wing, and sorted through it all.

  After dinner, we decided to hole up in our room and spend some quality time together, just the two of us. I had the servants bring an array of local chocolates up, and we sat sprawled across the bed, feeding each other candy and laughing about our escapades that day. As Adriana pushed a piece of chocolate between her lips, I could feel the heat of passion and love surge through my stomach. I reached over and took the tray down, setting it on the floor and pulling Adriana close to me. She was glowing from head to toe, and she giggled at the sparkle coming from her ring as she pulled her hands to my face.

  I leaned in and kissed her hard, tasting the chocolate still lingering on her lips. As our mouths were intertwined, I ran my hands down the front of her and pulled her nightgown up and over her head. She leaned her head back and bit her bottom lip as I traced her chest with my lips. I could feel her pulse begin to race and her breathing increase as I laid her down on the bed and pulled the rest of her clothes from her body. She was absolutely perfect with her curves and the small bump across her belly. She tried to pull the blanket over her, but I pushed it to the side and leaned down, taking her breast in my mouth.

  “You are so beautiful,” I whispered.

  I sat up on the bed and pulled my shirt off, tossing it to the side with a dramatic flair, making Adriana giggle beneath me. I laid down and pulled my briefs off, releasing my already hard cock like a spring from my pants. I turned toward Adriana and pressed my face against her breasts, feeling her soft skin underneath me. She ran her fingers through my hair and scratched down my neck with her fingernails. For a moment, I sat listening to her heart beat wildly in her chest and thought of the first time we ever made love. I couldn’t think of anyone sexier, and just the feeling of her heavy breath aroused me even further. I scooted up to face her and pulled her on top of me, feeling her wet mound on the shaft of my cock.