

Royal Playboy

The Prince's Choice #1

By: Leila Haven

**Published by**Smutpire Press

Copyright 2016 All Rights reserved

Smashwords Edition
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# Chapter 1

## Richard

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

These women all wanted me. Whether they would admit it or not, they did. Their made up faces, their heavy perfume, their dresses that pushed their half exposed tits up to their neck... they were all little things hoping to grab my attention.

What they didn't realize was that I wanted someone _different_.

If my parents wanted to demand that I marry, the least they could do would be to provide me with women that I could actually like.

"You need to make a decision soon," my mother said as we walked through the dancing crowd. The women all keeping an eye on me to see if I happened a glance in their direction so they could preen accordingly.

"I don't see what the rush is, Mother. It's not like the crown will be on my head anytime soon."

"Sooner than you think." She slapped at my arm playfully. "The crown needs an heir too, do you think that happens overnight? We have to get these things underway, otherwise instability will creep into the palace and we all know that we can't have that."

She made a pointed look at my father, sitting on his throne while he oversaw the ball. His illness showed on his face even though he tried to hide it. There was paleness in his sallow cheeks that wasn't there just months ago.

He would be lucky to see the year out.

Then the crown of the Kingdom of Illium would pass to me and I would become King. It wasn't something I'd ever wanted and the walls were starting to press in on me. At first it was just taking on extra duties to lighten my father's load. Then it was making more public appearances. The latest was this ridiculous quest for a wife.

But, that was with good reason.

The laws stated that I must have a wife in order to take the crown. If my father died and I was still single, my uncle would step in and accept the position. The man was a fool, there was no way any of us wanted that to happen.

I didn't want to be burdened with a wife either. And I certainly didn't want to continue on with these infernal social gatherings so the women could prance about and throw themselves at me.

It's not like it was difficult getting women as a prince, especially around the kingdom. But I could always just leave after I'd had my fun. Staying until the morning was something I had never done before.

Just the thought of being married was enough to make my cock soft. Sticking with the same woman was definitely not my thing. Unfortunately, this kingdom didn't tolerate adultery so having a mistress – or several – was not permitted. If they caught a whiff of scandal, the people would stop supporting us and our reign would be over.

"Mingle," my mother said like it was a warning. "Speak to as many as you can tonight and make a decision. Otherwise, I will make it for you and you probably won't like my selection."

Mother's idea of a wife and mine were completely different. She was right, I wouldn't agree with her decision. She would choose for long term and I could barely see past tomorrow.

Looking around at all the beautiful faces watching me discreetly, I just couldn't believe that I would have to _marry_ one of them. I could have easily taken any of them to bed. If I had some more to drink, I would be able to take _all_ of them to bed.

Choosing just one didn't seem fair.

Our walk ended when we reached the two thrones lined side by side at the top of a small platform. I helped my mother into the vacant one. There was no throne for me tonight, I was expected to walk around for the entire night as I continued my search for _the one_.

Mother pulled me in close before I could escape. She whispered in my ear, "Start dancing or the night is going to be gone before we know it. Don't forget what is at stake here, Richard."

"Yes, Mother."

She patted my hand before letting it go. I surveyed the room and tried to find a good hiding spot. How was a man supposed to pick _one_ in a single evening? What if she turned out to be a bitch beneath a smiling face? Or worse, what if she didn't know how to fuck me properly? Unfortunately, every inch of the ballroom was filled with smiling people. I needed a drink.

And a cigarette.

And a naked woman who didn't care about marriage.

Anything to get me out of this room and out of the spotlight. The collar of my tuxedo was too tight, a physical manifestation of the noose I felt around my neck.

Fuck this.

I was in no mood to find a wife tonight and I was quickly losing patience with the whole thing. What were the chances I would find happiness with one of these women, anyway? All they wanted was the crown, the money, and the fame. I doubted any of them wanted anything further that I could personally give to them.

My feet started to head toward the door and I was powerless to stop them. If I timed it right, my parents wouldn't notice where I'd gone and assume I was speaking with a Potential in the corner.

I was almost at the door when I had to stop quickly before I ran into someone. My eyes went from the floor and up her blue dress, over the curve of her breasts, and up further until I reached her startled eyes. Her dark hair was upswept and to the side, framing her gorgeous face.

"My apologies," I said politely, even though she was equally at fault for the near-collision.

"No harm done," she replied before hitching up her long dress and moving out of my way. She didn't give me a second glance as she walked off.

It had been a long time since someone had so blatantly disregarded me like that. With the booze and cigarette forgotten, I turned and scanned the room for the woman.

Her dark hair bobbed amongst all the others, standing out for some reason that I couldn't fathom. She was slightly smaller than most of the other women, yet my gaze stuck with her anyway.

_That_ was different.

I hurried after her, wondering how she could move so quickly when she was so small. My legs were much longer than hers, I should have easily been able to catch up to her.

Finally, she stopped to type on her cellphone and I was able to reach her. "I don't think I introduced myself," I started, holding out my hand to her. "I'm Richard. But please call me Rick."

She looked from my face to my hand before she shook it. "Melody. And I know who you are. It's a bit hard not to know you. Not when I've seen you on the news every day for my whole life."

"And somehow this has made you angry?" I was trying to lighten the mood and cheer her up from whatever was taking her down, but I doubt it worked. She frowned.

"Yeah, actually it does." The crinkle in her nose told me she wasn't joking. I supposed this was one of those people that didn't appreciate the royal goings-on.

I wasn't sure what to say to that. People didn't really speak to me like she was. It had been a long time since someone had verbally put me into my place.

A glance back at my parents showed they were watching me with great intent. The queen made a waving gesture to urge me on. She obviously thought this conversation was going much better than it was.

I turned to the woman, so absolutely gorgeous and mean all at the same time. My lips quirked into a forced smile. "Would you care to dance?"

She once again looked at my extended hand before she replied. "Am I allowed to say no or would that be considered treason?"

"Treason, of course. With a mandatory jail sentence, I believe." For some reason, the more she tried to pull away from me, the more I wanted to dance with her.

Go figure.

"I guess I have no choice then. Let's get this over and done with." She took my hand and allowed me to lead her onto the dance floor.

Because it was a ball, we were expected to stick with one of the classic dances. A waltz would have been acceptable, but I'd never cared for it. The foxtrot was much more my style.

I waited for a beat in the music and then commenced, bringing Melody closer into my hold than would normally have been appropriate.

Up close, I could see the brown flecks in her gray eyes. They were glittering with some kind of emotion that I couldn't quite read. It was probably anger or annoyance but I couldn't be entirely sure.

For now, we were dancing and my parents were watching, so at least I was scoring some points with them. That was one thing accomplished, at least.

"I'm sensing you really don't want to be here tonight," I said as we moved around the ballroom floor. She danced very well for someone that wasn't raised royalty. All the princesses I'd been forced to dance with over my lifetime had always been the same – perfect down to the last beat. We were all taught from an early age how to dance.

Her eyes flicked up to meet mine and they would have shot lasers at me if she had a super power. "No, I don't want to be here tonight. But I didn't really have a choice, did I?"

"You could have said no."

"When all the single women in the kingdom were summoned tonight? I didn't see the part on the invitation that allowed me to say _no_ on the RSVP."

I had not been involved in any of that process, but she probably didn't want to hear that. Instead of fighting her, it was better if I just agreed. It _was_ how I was feeling anyway, after all.

"You're not alone with not wanting to be here. This whole this is ridiculous."

"Are you kidding? You should _love_ all this. Every single woman here wants to get in your pants and have your babies. That's a guy's version of paradise."

"Maybe not the babies part," I said. Finally, I made her smile, even if it was only a small one. I would take that and run with it. "Do I get points if I admit that I wish to have a relationship that wasn't so... superficial?"

She looked at me with disbelief all over her face. "Yeah right, you're looking for a soul mate?"

I dipped her backwards as I noticed at least a dozen people watching us intently. I pulled her even closer this time. "I'd like someone that wants more than to just hold a title and bank balance."

She was quiet after that confession. Somehow I had managed to render her speechless. I was used to that with other women, but this time it felt exceptionally satisfying.

We continued to dance, swaying around the dancefloor like we owned it. It was so crowded that moving was difficult and elbows collided with others more often than not. My mother really had made sure to invite half the country to the ball.

"So why don't you just not get married," Melody said, breaking our silence. "You're a prince, it's not like you can get arrested for staying single or anything."

It was possible to count on one hand how many people knew about the situation at the palace. My father's quickly declining health and the law that would prevent me from inheriting the crown, were both covered up with the maximum amount of secrecy.

For anyone watching on the outside, this great wife hunt probably seemed ludicrous. Still, I couldn't admit that. "I'm thirty-two-years-old. You know how parents get when they don't have grandchildren yet with a son my age. Being a prince makes that even worse."

She arched an eyebrow.

She didn't believe me.

But the song ended and we were interrupted while we applauded the orchestra that played in the corner. Only a moment later I looked around to ask her to continue dancing with me.

She was gone.

No matter how much I looked, I could not see her dark hair bobbing in the crowd as she tried to get away from me.

Melody was absolutely nowhere to be seen.

Another woman stepped in my way, all white teeth and desperate eyes. "Could we dance, Prince Richard? Please?"

She didn't wait for an answer as she wrapped herself around me and sunk her claws in.

I wondered what I said that made Melody run off like that. It was probably the first time in my life that _I_ wasn't the one running away. This was definitely different.

# Chapter 2

## Melody

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

Thank goodness I had gotten away from him. I may have been forced to come to this ridiculous ball, but they couldn't make me _dance_ with him too.

I'd done my duty, I'd met him. Now, I would be able to forget about the prince and return to my normal life. Getting out of the city and away from all this glitz and glamor couldn't happen quickly enough.

I headed toward the gates, having to hold my long dress up so it didn't drag on the cobbled ground. It was borrowed from my aunt and I didn't want to return it with any damage. If my aunt had just been that little bit shorter, it wouldn't have been a problem.

The hotel room with its soft bed and warm furnishings were beckoning to me and I couldn't wait to throw these ridiculous heels on the ground and relax. When I returned, I could take a hot shower and slip into my comfortable pajamas.

Then tomorrow I could go home.

As I approached the gates, I noticed a pair of uniformed men standing guard. The king and queen seriously had a warped view of what constituted voluntary. I guessed that to ensure all the ladies remained at the palace, the gates surrounding it were barred shut.

I shuffled over to them as quickly as I could. "I'd like to leave, please."

The guard was dressed in a perfectly fitted red suit, complete with his black dress helmet. "The gates will be opened at midnight. Until then, I suggest you enjoy the prince's company."

He smiled and I wanted to hit him.

You didn't argue with a King's Guard so there was nothing more for me to do except return to the ballroom. Although, sitting out in the courtyard in silent protest sure sounded good too.

Until the guard shooed me away.

I wished for better shoes as I trudged all the way back to where I had come from only minutes earlier. My brow was starting to sweat from the effort but I didn't care if anyone else noticed.

Midnight seemed a hell of a long way away.

I didn't even look for the prince when I entered the ballroom. All I wanted was a chair to sit on and count down the minutes until I could go.

Thankfully, a row of them were by the wall on one side. The decadent food was laid out on the opposite side. I went by that table first, grabbing a few bites to eat while I waited. If I had to be bored, at least being bored with food was slightly more bearable.

There were so many single women in the room and the desperation reeking from them was like an overbearing perfume. Everybody wanted the prince to choose them. I mean, why not? A life of being adored by the public, unlimited cash, pushing out a royal heir, and the prince wasn't bad looking.

Everybody back home said I was extremely lucky to be in the pool of possible princesses. I didn't see it that way. When you receive a letter stating that you must interrupt your normal life to attend what was essentially a great big speed date for the prince, you tend to think it would be better not to be on that list.

I had a job, a life. I wasn't planning on leaving all that to be a baby basket for the heir. I had better things to do with my life than be a showpiece.

Although, watching the prince as he danced with a redhead, I could see the attraction to _him_. Rick, the reluctant king-in-waiting, had charisma that oozed from his pores. When he smiled, you felt special, even if it was through a photographer's lens and printed in a magazine.

And those eyes.

They could melt steel.

One glance into those piercing baby blues and you could get lost in them. As hard as it was to admit, he affected me in physical ways that made me at least a little curious what was under that nicely fit tux.

The smile he was giving the woman he was dancing with wasn't all that convincing. He wasn't doing a very good job of faking it this time. Perhaps he was tired, perhaps he was being honest when he said he didn't want to be here.

But, come on. Hundreds of women, all ready to submit to him in an instant. How could he not be enjoying himself? He wouldn't be a guy if he wasn't.

I hoped he found his wife soon so we could all go home. Hopefully he wouldn't play around for infinity while we were all stuck here as show ponies for him. Any longer here in the palace and I was going to go crazy.

"He's so sexy," the woman next to me growled. She had leaned closer to me, like this was a confidential conversation.

I shrugged. "He's alright."

"Alright? Do your eyes not work? Look at that ass. All I can think of is squeezing those cheeks. Doing that while underneath him would be even better."

The girl from my other side leaned in too, joining the conversation. "I heard he's a tiger in the sack. Like scream-your-heart-out tiger. Someone said he could do it all night, just keep going and going."

That was more information than I needed to hear.

"I heard the family jewels are something he should be _very_ proud of."

"I bet they are."

"I wouldn't mind testing out that scepter."

The women laughed and I just wanted to throw up. Seeing the prince's family jewels or riding his scepter was of no interest to me. When so many others had been there already, why bother?

It did, however, pique my curiosity. The playboy prince had been in the tabloids more than any celebrity in the country. He was often photographed stumbling from a club at three a.m. with a woman on each arm.

Trying to imagine him with a cleaned up image and posing for wedding photos was laughable. I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to change his priorities so quickly?

It would have taken a miracle.

I excused myself to go to the bathroom, but it was really to get as far away from that horrendous conversation as possible. When I returned, I found a more secluded spot in the corner and tried to look as unapproachable as possible.
* * * * *

When midnight came around, I couldn't wait to leave. I headed toward the gates, determined to get through this time.

They were in sight when someone tapped my shoulder from behind. "Excuse me, Miss Parker. I have this for you." The boy would have been in his teens but bore the uniform of the royal house staff. He handed me a small envelope, sealed with a piece of wax.

Clearly the palace hadn't heard about self-sealing envelopes. They could probably save a lot of time if they did.

"Thank you," I said automatically as I accepted the envelope. The kid merged back into the landscape of the palace grounds and disappeared.

The gates were open in front of me and the guards at the side. I didn't want to hang around for a moment longer. I slipped the envelope into my bag and hurried out.

It played on my mind the entire way back to the hotel. I both dreaded and was intrigued by what could be inside. With any luck it would be a dismissal so I could go home and not have to attend any more meet and greets.

My aunt Helen was already asleep in our room. Even though I was twenty-three years old, my mother wouldn't let me go to the 'big city' by myself. Mom was too busy working so Aunt Helen graciously stepped in for me.

I clicked on a single lamp as I sat down and pulled out the envelope. It was another invitation, this time to a garden party that was to take place tomorrow.

Great.

Another speed dating session.

The invitation was addressed to me personally, in cursive handwriting that looked like it was written by someone from two hundred years ago. Nobody wrote that neatly anymore.

There was no place to RSVP on the invitation. Even better, this one was as _optional_ as the last. It may have asked me to attend the garden party, but I knew it was another summons. Just like the one that had brought me to the capital.

Helen was going to be excited.

Too bad she was the only one.

# Chapter 3

## Richard

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

"You have to take this seriously, Richard." Anna wrinkled her nose while she tried to be angry with me. She was recently tasked with finding me a wife and I think she thought it an impossible task. "It's not a nightclub where you can take any girl home and throw her out in the morning."

"I am taking it seriously. I spoke to hundreds of girls last night." I wasn't lying, I had the sore feet to prove it. If one more woman stood on my toes they were going to fall off.

" _Dozens_ , not hundreds. I watched you, you just didn't put any real effort into knowing the women."

"What was I supposed to do? It was a ball."

She stood with her hands on her hips. The angry fumes rolling off her were almost visible. Poor Anna, she thought my mother liked her and now she was tasked with the impossible.

Her hands were thrown in the air as she stormed back to her desk. She took a few deep breaths while sliding the chair in. "Maybe the garden party today will allow you to have more time with the girls."

"I'll try my best."

She sighed again, knowing that was a lie. It wasn't like I wasn't trying, just that the whole thing seemed to be a farce to me. People weren't supposed to get married like this. They were supposed to stumble home together, drunk out of their minds, and fuck for a few hours. If they were still together in the morning, it went from there.

Balls and garden parties were never going to cut it.

Booze, that's what we needed.

"You better get going or you'll be late," Anna said as a dismissal. "Make sure to change."

"What's wrong with my clothes?" The jeans and polo shirt I had on seemed perfectly adequate to me. She shot me another angry glare. "Okay, I'll change."

She didn't watch me leave.

When I got back to my room I changed into some brown chinos and paired it with a blue shirt. Hopefully that would pass Anna's approval. She was rather terrifying when angry. Her and my mother were the only people in the world that scared me.

I headed toward the back garden of the palace grounds. It was a nice area that my mother retreated to often when she needed some alone time. Today though, it was packed with women.

For a moment, I felt excitement. It was odd, considering how much I didn't want to be there. I finally put my finger on what it was.

I was hoping to see Melody there.

I had danced with her, so that would mean she was added to the invite list, but would she attend? Technically, she had to but that didn't mean she would. It wasn't like the palace was going to actually charge anyone for ignoring the royal summons.

"Prince Richard, it's so good to see you again," a woman said, pulling me closer to her before I could barely get inside the gardens. "I dreamed of our dance all night, I can't get it out of my head."

Telling her I didn't remember her probably wouldn't go down too well. Over her shoulder, I saw Anna ready with a scowl for me. Not talking to the woman wasn't really an option.

I plastered on my best fake smile. "Dancing with you was a dream." She giggled, mission accomplished. "I hope you enjoy the luncheon we've put on today."

"Oh, I'm sure I will. Maybe we could have a chat? I was hoping I could tell you all about me and you could do the same? I'd love to get to know you better."

Another face popped into the crowd behind her. I would recognize that dark bobbing of hair anywhere. I had to get to Melody before she disappeared.

"A chat would be lovely. But I must go, so it will need to be later." Her face flashed disappointment before I stepped out from her clutches and hurried down the path.

It was like running a gauntlet. Women popped into my way, all trying to get my attention before I could move onto the next one. All while I watched Melody slowly disappear over and over.

This definitely wasn't how to meet a wife.

Melody knew I was following her. Every few steps she glanced over her shoulder to make sure I was still there. I don't think it was because she wanted me to chase her. I think she was trying to avoid me.

Which was all the more reason why I had to speak with her. The woman had been consuming my thoughts since dancing with her last night and nobody else had even come close to that before.

She spiraled through the paths, through hedges, and around the fountain in the middle. The woman was practically running, her short skirt flouncing in the wind. I walked faster and only barely closed the gap between us.

I knew where she was heading and it made me smile. This was my favorite part of the palace gardens. I'd run through them countless times when I was a child. Melody could run, but she couldn't hide out here.

She turned the corner and stopped, just like I knew she would down the dead end of the hedge maze. Her whole body froze like a deer caught in the headlights.

"What it takes to say hello to you," I said.

"Well, you got me," she said. "You trapped the poor country girl in your web. Happy now?"

"Not really. It would be better if I didn't have to corner you. You seemed to go to a great deal of trouble to get away from me. Last night, today, I'm seeing a pattern here."

"Maybe you should let me go home then."

"You are free to leave whenever you like."

She snorted. "Yeah, right."

We studied one another carefully. Being up close to her again reminded me just how fucking hot she was. If Anna looked this cute while she was angry I might have chosen her for my wife.

The fire in Melody's eyes was real. I would bet she had that same look there when in the throes of wild sex. There was passion blazing in those gray eyes and I wanted to see if I was right, more than anything.

I placed my arms on either side of her head, leaning on the statue behind her for support. She was boxed in, and despite her protests, she didn't seem that unhappy about it.

"My god, you are sexy," I growled in her ear. "I want to kiss you so badly right now."

Her lips quivered just slightly before she chewed on them with her pearly white teeth. "I'm not some fool in a bar that you can fuck and throw away. If you kiss me, I will knee you in the balls." She moved her leg slightly to prove to me she would do it.

I didn't doubt it.

Melody was a little firecracker and I wanted to light her on fire. "I don't see a club here, do you? It's just me and you and a whole lot of hedge."

"Funny, I still see a bastard."

I leaned in slightly, making sure our lips were so incredibly close to kissing we could almost taste one another. I brushed them together gently, so briefly she would wonder if it really happened or if she just wanted it to.

Her lips were pink as she blushed slightly. Her teeth let go of the flesh and her mouth parted slightly. Fucking hell, I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to own those lips until all she could do was gasp my name with them.

Her breath was sweet on my skin as she fought to control herself. It was satisfying to see her reaction. Her words were one thing, but you couldn't hide the physical attraction between us.

I wanted to take her right here, right now. It would be unlikely that anyone would find us here in the center of the maze. I could just take off her panties, press her against the hedge and not stop until we were both gasping out our pleasure.

"My knee is in position," she said, completely shattering the fantasy I was lost in. My gaze returned to her eyes where all the passion was now lost to unmistakable determination.

"I could make you scream in pleasure," I replied breathily. I was putting everything I had into seducing her and she was closing me down at all chances.

"I can make you scream in pain."

Her jaw was set in stubbornness now. There would be no changing of her mind. I pushed back and took a few steps away from her. Leaning against the hedge, my hands were shoved in my pockets.

"You don't like me," I stated.

She recovered quickly from our little moment, standing to face me from across the small space. "I don't like any of this. I don't want to be here."

"I have no control over that."

She laughed like she didn't believe me. "Yeah, right."

"I'm serious. This whole thing is in the hands of my mother. There is no telling her _no_."

Melody studied me carefully, looking for signs that I was lying. In this particular case, there was nothing for her to find. "So I guess we're both stuck here."

"Yes, we are."

Fantasies of closing the gap between us and fucking right here and now were still dancing around in my head. I mentally undressed her, eager to see what lay underneath her short purple skirt and white blouse. Those boobs would fit nicely in my mouth.

"So what do we do about it?" she asked.

A plan formed in my head, one that she just might be agreeable to. "We make a deal. You stick around and talk to the other women, help me find one that won't make me want to shoot myself."

"And what do I get out of it?" Fair question, I supposed. But what I wanted to give her wouldn't be something that would seal the deal right now.

"You get whatever you want. Name your price."

She had to think for a moment while I waited patiently. "I want a million dollars."

"Done."

"I was kidding."

"I wasn't." That stunned her for a moment, I liked the way her mouth quirked at the edges when she was shocked. I would have agreed to anything to keep her close by.

"Are you serious?"

"Absolutely."

She hesitated some more, looking at me with those sexy lashes. All I wanted to do was throw her over my shoulder and take her somewhere more comfortable. Somewhere I could make her scream for hours on end while our bodies were wrapped around one another.

"So, do you agree? Otherwise I can speak with one of the other women. I'm sure any of them would jump at this opportunity."

"I only have to give you information about the other ladies?" she asked. I nodded. "And then you'll give me a million dollars."

"Very well summed up. You have five seconds before I change my mind."

She didn't even need one second. "Okay, I'll do it. If I'm stuck here, I may as well make myself useful and take your money."

"We should get back to the party so you can get to work." As much as I would rather spend time alone with her, it wouldn't be too long before many people noted my absence.

She nodded as if dazed and started walking down the maze. I moved ahead of her to show her the way without it being obvious. I wouldn't want to embarrass her by needing to ask directions.

We made it back to the garden party which was in full swing now. We merged into the crowd, separating quickly. My dick was still excited from having been so close to Melody. If I didn't stop thinking about her soon, I'd have to find a woman to help me with my situation.

I spoke to woman after woman, all of them the same. They were excited to be here, the gardens were so lovely, the ball was amazing, _blah blah blah_. None of them had something new to say to me and, fair to say, none of them stood out.

The entire time, I kept an eye on Melody. She mingled with the other women but I could see she wasn't having any fun. She was probably finding their conversation as dull as I was.

With the party almost over, it was time to throw caution to the wind and liven things up for us. I headed directly toward her, taking her by the elbow and dragging her away from a brunette.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, panic in her voice. She was a fiery girl, that was for sure. I bet she was a cracker in the bedroom. It only took that one comment to get me hard.

"I'm taking you to meet someone," I replied. She protested the whole way but was silenced the moment we stood in front of my mother.

Melody curtsied. "Your Majesty, it is an honor to meet you."

"And who is this?" Mom asked.

"I would like to introduce you to Miss Melody Parker," I made the introduction. The woman was angry at me for not preparing her for this, one glance my way told me everything she was thinking.

It was too much fun riling her up.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Parker. I hope you have been enjoying your time in the palace?"

"I have, thank you. You have a very nice... home."

Anna appeared at my side, leaning in to whisper to me. "May I steal you away? There are some women you _must_ meet."

One thing I'd learned lately: Do not say no to Anna. She had the power to make my life very miserable so it was best to keep her happy.

"Yes, of course," I said to her before addressing Mother and Melody. "Please excuse me for a moment."

The group of women Anna took me to were nothing special. They quickly lost my interest – mainly because I saw Melody leave my mother and find new women to speak with.

My cock throbbed between my legs.

# Chapter 4

## Melody

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

First he presents this ridiculous agreement.

Then he introduces me to the frickin' _Queen_ without any kind of warning.

His Royal Highness, Prince Richard, was a dick. A heartless, thoughtless, annoying, dick. It was no wonder he wasn't married, he wouldn't be able to fool a woman that he was worth it for as long as an engagement entailed. Just a few weeks would be his limit.

A few minutes was my limit.

He was infuriating.

But I was stuck here as one of the women eligible for marriage. I couldn't leave so his deal was actually quite handy. I had a purpose now, something to focus on instead of being bored out of my mind by all these events.

He wouldn't give me the million dollars, of course. It was just another one of his ruses to make me do his dirty work. I would do it, but I never expected to be useful or receive compensation.

Maybe, for some fun, I should steer him toward some women he would hate. At least then he would know how I really felt about him.

I spotted a woman I hadn't spoken with and headed in her direction. She was blond and beautiful, standing alone with a cupcake in her hand. I made sure to pick one up along the way.

"Hi, I'm Melody."

She seemed a little shocked that someone was talking to her. "I'm Amy."

"The food is good here, isn't it?" Making conversation wasn't something I was exceedingly good at. But at least it wasn't a lie.

"It's too dry for me. They needed to put more butter in. For a palace, you'd think they had a better caterer. I hate to think what they're giving us for dinner tonight."

"I thought we'd be able to go home after the garden party?" It was what I assumed, and God, did I hope I was right and she was wrong. I needed to tell Helen about the deal, she was going to laugh her head off.

"For some of us, there is a formal dinner. But only a few will be invited, I hear. I have already been asked, that's how I know about it. The prince had chosen me as someone he'd like to know more." She said it so haughtily that I wanted to take her down a few levels. If I wasn't so polite, I might have done just that.

I probably shouldn't have said what I did next. "I have already spent time alone with Rick so I guess my invitation will come shortly."

She arched one eyebrow at me. "Alone time?"

"Yeah, we had a very _intimate_ chat earlier."

"I don't believe you."

I shrugged. "I don't really care." I left her standing there with an open mouth.

It was really mean of me, I knew that. But something had poked at the bitch in me. The way she was acting like Prince Richard was all hers was annoying. There was no way I would be recommending her when I reported back to him.

When I turned I practically ran into the woman who had whispered in Rick's ear earlier before he quickly left me standing alone with the Queen. She was dressed in a skirt suit, her hair pulled back into a tight bun. This woman was all business.

"May I speak with you alone, Miss Parker?" she said very politely.

"Sure," I replied, as if the choice was mine.

She led me inside the palace but didn't speak another word. If she was another woman vying for Rick's heart, she may be leading me to a trap. Perhaps the other girls had seen us emerge from the maze earlier and wanted to make sure I was no longer in the running.

Nothing would surprise me here.

Inside, the palace was beautiful. High arched ceilings, sumptuous tapestries on the wall, and thick rugs underfoot. It was everything I could have asked of a royal palace.

The woman stopped at a door. "This way please, Miss Parker." She gestured for me to go inside and closed the door after us, trapping me in. "My name is Anna Wilkinson and I have been tasked with assisting His Royal Highness in finding a life partner. I am working very closely with him to keep him on track and focused on the task at hand. I would like to ask you a few questions."

She sat behind a desk and gestured for me to do the same in the seat across from her. I did, taking in the room. It wasn't like the palace on the other side of the door. It was a working office, decorated for business and nothing else. It could have been an office in any building in the country.

I realized too late that I hadn't answered her. She was staring at me expectantly. "Yes, of course. Questions are fine."

"Good. Let's start with your sexual past."

I almost choked on my tongue. "What do you want to know?"

"How many partners have you had?"

"Uh, two."

"Have you ever done drugs?"

"No."

"Do you have a problem with alcohol?"

"No."

"How strongly do you feel about your career?"

"I only just finished university, I haven't been able to get suitable employment yet."

"What did you study?"

"I majored in humanitarian issues." I felt like I was on a game show and was terrified of saying the wrong thing. Anna was scary with her bird-like gaze and constant tapping on her keyboard. She was taking notes as we spoke.

She laughed when she heard my college major. "So you'd like a career in international affairs, while in the country?"

"I was hoping for a job with a charitable organization or something similar."

"Right." She typed really fast then, entering details into her computer with furious speed. "Do you want children?"

"I guess, someday. I haven't really given it much thought."

"You are twenty-three years old, correct?"

"Correct."

"And you've never considered children?"

It felt like I'd done something wrong. If Anna didn't like me, I would be out of the running to be the next princess and then I wouldn't be able to continue with my deal with Rick.

Being sent home was suddenly something I didn't want to do. For reasons I wasn't entirely sure of in the moment.

I needed to start saying the right things. "I'm sure I will be very blessed to have children. As many as possible."

Anna actually smiled. "Are you a discreet person?"

"I'd like to think so."

"I have checked your social media profiles and you don't post very often."

"I'm private. I don't feel the need to post selfies every five seconds. I mainly only have the accounts so I can keep up with my friends and family."

"Have there been any scandals in your family?"

"No." Unless you counted Uncle Ray dressing his naked body in tinsel and running through the center of town when he got drunk last Christmas. It wasn't like it made the newspapers.

"Okay, I think we are done here. Thank you for your time, Miss Parker."

"Did I pass?"

"Pass what?"

"Never mind." She probably would have to study the data intensely before she could answer anyway. At least I was now able to get out of her clutches.

I had made it all the way to the door when her voice stopped me. "Please join us for dinner tonight at seven. Dress formally."

So I _was_ invited to the secret dinner party. I shouldn't have been excited about that fact, but I was. It meant I had passed her test.

The garden party was all but over when I rejoined the others. I caught a glimpse of Rick speaking with the blond woman and it was enough to make me want to leave.

Hopefully the gates would be open.

I grabbed another cupcake and started toward the exit, wishing the palace wasn't so damn big so I could disappear quicker. I needed a shower and to get dressed for the dinner, it would take a while to make myself presentable enough.

The garden gave way to a large courtyard. All I had to do was cross it and then I would be back on normal, common, land.

A light touch to my back stopped me. I spun around quickly to see Rick there. "Where are you going?"

"Back to my hotel."

"Could I interest you in something I think you might like?" He was so goddamn charming, and he knew how devastating his smile was.

Ugh. I wanted to say no, I really did. But my mouth still said something different. "I suppose so."

"Great! Come with me."

# Chapter 5

## Melody

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

I followed Rick back into the palace. I couldn't help staring at everything we passed. Full suits of armor lined one of the corridors and if you looked away from them, you could swear they moved.

"This is the oldest part of the palace. It was built in the fourteen hundreds," Rick explained. The next King of Illium was actually giving me a tour of his home.

Me.

He was giving it to me.

He took me through so many rooms and down so many ancient, cobbled staircases that I quickly lost track of where we were. Looking at the palace from the outside, I knew it was massive. But inside was like a labyrinth. I would need a map to get through it again and find the exit.

"Does it feel weird that this is your home?" I asked, unable to maintain my manners and only speak when spoken to. Rick had a way of making me feel equal to him, free to speak as I liked.

"Sometimes. But this is all I know. If I were to live in a regular house, it would feel weird."

"What about when you went to boarding school?"

"It was just as large and old as this place. I felt quite at home there." He flashed me a cheeky smile. "I quickly found all the secret tunnels and shortcuts to get around."

"Does this place have secret tunnels?"

"It certainly does. Would you like to see one?" I nodded eagerly. "Follow me."

Again, we wound through rooms and Rick told me fascinating facts about the paintings or the rug. Even the candlesticks had stories. How he remembered it all, I didn't know.

We reached what could only be described as a library when Rick stopped in front of a bookcase. "Now here's the secret." He pushed the bookcase aside, revealing a secret tunnel hidden behind it.

It was smaller than I expected, it only had enough room for me to walk comfortably; Rick had to crouch slightly. But the lack of cobwebs told me that it probably wasn't as secret as Rick would have liked me to believe.

The light in the tunnel came from skylights outside. Some were little more than slits, others were the size of small windows. A flashlight would have come in handy down there.

Rick stayed close, either because he wanted me to be that way, or he didn't want me getting lost in the winding tunnel. I couldn't read him well enough to know.

The tunnel eventually came to a halt at a wall.

Or, what _appeared_ to be a wall.

Rick pushed on it and it gave way easily, revealing a room behind it. I was glad to be out of the enclosed tunnel. He may have grown up in a cave but I preferred wide open nature.

The room was large – no surprises there. It also had a four-poster bed sitting in the middle of it, draped with curtains. It was unmade, the sheets splayed everywhere.

"Welcome to my room," Rick announced.

"That makes sense."

"What does?"

"The tunnel looked well trafficked. The fact that it ends in your bedroom explains it all – you use it to bring up all your conquests so your parents don't keep count."

"You think you know me so well," he said.

"I've seen the tabloids."

Rick laughed. "And they are known for their accuracy. How about you do me a favor and forget all your prejudices and just start to get to know me? Me, as I am."

I instantly felt bad about the comment. Perhaps I had misjudged him. He did have a point about the tabloids. "Fine," I said somewhat sarcastically. "It's all wiped."

"Good. Now, I don't know about you but I am tired from all that walking." He stalked over to the bed and flopped onto it. I followed, standing next to the huge piece of furniture.

"Don't you have someone to make your bed for you?"

"I like the messy look."

I couldn't stop my eyes from rolling. "Sure you do."

He patted the space next to him. "Why don't you join me?"

I shouldn't have.

My instincts said not to.

But I did it anyway. I laid next to him, the huge bed allowing plenty of space between us. I half-expected a mirror on the ceiling, but there was a wood carving that covered the roof instead. It was actually quite tasteful.

"I bet this bed could tell many tales," I said.

Rick rolled over to face me, leaning on his elbow to prop up his head. "So much for starting fresh I guess."

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I just call it the way I see it."

"Oh, so you've seen me fucking all these women then?"

"I've seen the footage." And what interesting shots they were. His Royal Highness, Prince Richard III had his own sex tape circulating on the internet. It was dark and grainy but you could still see the naked royal ass cross by the screen a few times.

"That's not me in the video."

"That's what they all say."

"I'm serious."

He seemed genuine and I didn't want to argue with him so I let it drop. "Whatever. I think you're a very big playboy, my prince."

"And what's your secret sexy past?" he asked, making the question seem salacious. Perhaps it _was._

"Not you too."

His brows furrowed. "Someone else has been enquiring about your sexy past?"

"Yeah, that woman, Anna."

"She questioned you?" I nodded. "Why?"

"I don't know. If anyone should have the answers, I would have thought it was you."

"I know nothing about it. But nicely done, changing the topic." He smirked, clearly not interested in Anna's interrogation.

"I don't have a secret sexy past. Unlike you."

He studied me for a few moments before his lips quirked into a smile that made him look like he had a terribly mischievous plan in mind. "Do you want to know how I make love?"

"How you fuck?"

"No, how I make love. There is a very big difference." He paused before continuing on unbidden. "I take my time, never rushing the process. People think you should get naked as quickly as possible but I don't agree with them. Disrobing one another should be a cherished ritual, after all, it's something being shared that no others get to."

"Except with the next woman you sleep with," I added to his little story and earned a dirty look for my comment.

"I like starting with the top, taking each button in turn and kissing the skin as it becomes exposed. Just one kiss with each button. By the time I reach the last one I am at her stomach and I love watching it flutter as I tickle it with kisses."

It was starting to get hot in his room. I looked around but there was no air conditioning. I really needed some coolness for my burning skin.

I push her blouse off her shoulders, kissing the delicate skin along her collarbone. The way the fabric falls away skims along her skin and gives its own caress. My arms go around her, pulling her into a hug so I can smell her perfume and she can smell my cologne. It's a treat for the senses. Gently, I lower her backwards until she is comfortably lying down. I don't move on straight away, I take the time to work down her body.

The way her breasts were proudly displayed in her bra is glorious. They sit there like two peaks, so ready to be touched and kneaded. My tongue is ready to work them but I only kiss the rounded bumps now.

"I can't resist going down her stomach with kisses again. I revel in the way she knows I'm so close to her most intimate area but haven't touched it yet. I already know she's wet for me but I'm going to draw it out so the sweet anticipation can build."

It was definitely too hot in the room, surely he could feel it too? It wasn't like we were working up a sweat, we were just lying on the bed.

"Whether she wears a skirt or pants, it doesn't matter. I ease them down over the curve of her ass and down her legs. I let my fingers skim across her skin, tracing a winding line down the inside of her thighs. Goosebumps follow my touch. I know she wants to wrap those legs around me and there will be time for that soon," Rick paused with a devious smile. "I'm not boring you, am I?"

"No, it's okay." My breath hitched in my throat, suddenly breathless. It was probably the warmth still lingering in the air.

"When she is just in her underwear, that's when it's her turn to disrobe me. Her hands are shaking as she rushes to get me naked. She wants the feeling of my skin on hers, and I know just how she feels.

"She doesn't stop with my pants, diving straight into removing my underwear. She's eager to get to my cock, eager to wrap her hands around the hardness and feel what will be inside her soon.

"I have to remind her that I'm there for _her_ pleasure too. Taking her hands off my cock, I lie her down again. I pull her boobs out of the cups of her bra. My thumb flicks over her hard nipples, making her groan with the wonderful sensation.

"My mouth is eager and I can't wait any longer, I take one of those nipples into my mouth and gently suck. My tongue draws circles around her sensitive area and she arches her back so I will take more of her in.

"I undo her bra and take it off completely, enjoying the way her breasts are free for my hands to grasp. I take the whole, beautiful thing into my hand and gently knead it. She sighs under my touch."

My chest was aching for that experience. The way he was talking was reeling me right in, making me feel like he should be doing those things to me.

I shouldn't have been thinking like that.

Definitely not.

Not on his bed, not while we were alone, and not when he annoyed me so much.

"After I spend time on her nipples, once more I kiss down her stomach. I get to her panties and kiss her sweet spot through the fabric. She loves the touch, but she wants so much more. My tongue is ready to give it to her, to lick her pussy and suck on her nub.

"She needs to have the first orgasm of the night. I want to see the look on her face as she's lost to the exquisite sensation. I will use my mouth to give it to her, holding her ass cheeks in my hands so she can't wriggle away.

Without any warning, Rick leaned over and gave me a kiss on the lips. It was so sudden that I had no time to react. He was gone again just as quickly.

He sat up immediately. "Oh, well, I guess I'll save the rest for the woman who will be my wife."

I so badly wanted to hear the end of the story. My body was aching for it, my pussy wet. Somehow I had become lost in his story and my body reacted strongly. I felt like he had left me on that bed, naked and with my legs spread.

It took a moment to recover.

And then I was angry.

He had played me like a fiddle. Rick knew what he was doing to me and he just kept going until I physically wanted him more than the air I breathed.

"It's getting late," he said, like everything was as normal. Like he hadn't just thrown gas on my body and lit a match.

I forced myself to sit up, making sure my skirt was still down and my hair wasn't a mess. I was certain my cheeks were blushing but there was nothing I could do about that until my heart had slowed down and resumed its normal beat.

"What time is it?" I asked, at least sounding relatively normal.

"Six."

"Six?! I have to get back to the hotel so I can change for dinner."

"You're not going to have time."

"Well, I can't wear this. There's a dress code for tonight and this isn't formalwear." Panic was now cooling me down, as I tried to work out how I would manage to fit it all in without being late. Anna definitely wouldn't include me on any further guest lists if I showed up like this.

"There are plenty of dresses here," Rick said casually. "I can arrange for you to get dressed and then you won't have to go anywhere."

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

I didn't have any real excuses. It was actually really nice of him to offer, and it would save me a whole lot of stress. "Okay, fine." I didn't want to let on how much I appreciated his gesture.

"Come along, then. You need to get all gussied up for me. Don't forget about our arrangement." Rick clicked his fingers. He _actually fucking_ _clicked his fingers_ for me to follow him!

And I'd let him turn me on?

Impossible.

# Chapter 6

## Richard

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

"You look so handsome," Mother said as she kissed both my cheeks. "And soon you'll be married. You've grown up so quickly."

I didn't like to remind her that I was thirty-two years old. I'd grown up quite a while ago. "Thank you, Mother. Maybe the lucky woman will be here tonight."

"Oh, I do hope so, dear. Do really try." She left me alone in the room to go speak with Anna, no doubt she would want some updates from the day.

These social engagements were killing me. I wondered if it would be wrong to just close my eyes, turn around in a circle, and then point randomly at a woman who would be my wife. Any more of these atrocious gatherings and I might very well do that.

Women were starting to enter the small, intimate room. It held a dining table that could seat thirty with chandeliers sparkling overhead and a few priceless paintings of my relatives lined the walls.

I did a walk-by of the table. I was to sit at the head of it, as expected. Anna had placed me between a girl named Violet and another called Wendy. They both sounded dull. I found Melody's place card and switched it with Wendy's. Anna could scold me later.

Speaking of the devil, she appeared. "How is it going, sir?"

"You know I don't like to be called that. Do we really need to have so many of these parties?"

Anna didn't even give me an ounce of sympathy. "This matter is of the utmost importance. I'm sure you can appreciate the need to be swift in this task?"

My father, of course. How could I possibly forget? The noose of marriage was growing more urgent by the day. It was still difficult to get excited about something that felt like it was choking me.

I forced on a smile, like I had done my entire life. "And what are your thoughts on the ladies? Any potential matches?"

"There are a few that seem adequate."

"I hear you've been interrogating them."

She was unable to keep the momentary guilt at keeping this little piece of information from me. "I am using logic to help cut down the list. The more information I have about the ladies, the better I can assist in finding you a match."

"What do you think of Melody Parker?"

"The brown haired girl from the country?" The crinkling of her nose pretty much answered my question. "She seems mildly suitable but does have a good attitude, which is why I invited her tonight. I think that either Violet Proctor or Wendy Lane would be far more suitable. I have placed them both next to you, so please make a proper effort in getting to know each of them better."

Hearing that Melody had a good attitude made me laugh. By the time I tuned back into the conversation, Anna was reeling off information about Violet. She sounded like excellent wife material - for someone else.

Anna subtly pushed me toward a group of women that started giggling when I joined them. She slipped away before I could protest.

This was my duty.

This was what my parents needed.

If I were to be King, I needed to do this.

"Ladies, how are you all tonight?"

"I am perfectly happy, now you're here," Blondie said. I'd seen her at the garden party but couldn't remember anything she said. "This is _such_ a beautiful palace, I bet your room is just as beautiful."

"Well, hang around a little longer and I'll have to take you all on a tour." They started cackling like hyenas. "But don't let my mother hear me say that."

"Oh, you are so cheeky," Blondie admonished. "But I plan on taking you up on that offer."

"And me," Blackie added. Thank goodness all these women had a range of hair colors, otherwise I never would have been able to tell them apart.

"Ladies, there is enough of me to—" My words disappeared as I saw Melody enter the room. She was wearing the red dress I had asked the maids to deliver to her in the guest rooms.

She didn't just enter the room.

She owned it.

In just that simple movement of taking one step inside, she had dulled everyone else by sparkling like an exquisite diamond.

And she had no idea she had done it.

"What exciting plans are waiting for us tomorrow?" Blackie asked.

"I am as in the dark as you ladies, I'm afraid." The women all jostled closer, pinning me in so I couldn't escape. "I'll let you in on a little secret, if you really want to know anything, ask Anna. That's what I have to do."

They laughed like I'd made the best joke in the world. People tended to do that around me, no matter what I said. I yearned to find some genuine people, those that didn't care about my title.

Like Melody.

I needed to stop thinking about her so much. She had already made it clear she wasn't interested in me. I was hoping my little story earlier would elicit some kind of reaction but she didn't say a thing. Maybe our deal was as good as I would get with her. At least she might help me make the decision I needed to.

We sat down to dinner after a round of drinks. Anna cut me off after one, insisting I needed to keep a clear head. Putting up with all these women sober was a cruel joke.

As it turned out, Violet was a smiling girl that didn't speak much. She laughed at everything I said and ate very little. She was as thin as a rake and even though I shoved more food in her direction she never accepted it.

Melody, on the other hand, had said very little and laughed even less. I leaned her way. "You look absolutely breathtaking tonight."

"It's a beautiful dress, thank you for letting me borrow it," she replied dutifully.

"It's yours to keep."

"No, I can't, it's too much."

"My dear, I've already offered you a million dollars, do you really think a five thousand dollar dress is going to make any difference to my allowance?"

She searched my face, trying to work me out. I was telling the truth, but wasn't going to waste time trying to convince her.

"Just accept it and say thank you."

"Thank you," she said sullenly.

"And I meant it when I said you look beautiful. It's not the dress, it's the way you wear it." We ate in silence for a few moments. Then I stopped beating around the bush. "You still find it dreadful to be near me, don't you?"

"I don't like your type."

"The _stereo_ type you have applied to me."

Her stunning gray eyes burned as she looked directly at me. "I have seen nothing to the contrary since I've been here."

She was pissed.

Somehow I had pissed her off, probably just by breathing.

She was impossible.

There were two that could play at that game. "So, Miss Violet. Do tell me all about yourself. I bet you've got an amazing story to tell me."

Violet giggled.

Melody scowled.

All was right with the world.

I counted down the minutes until the dinner was over. There were still several girls lingering when I decided my time was up. I slipped out to get more wine and never returned.

My Aston Martin flew out of the garage as quickly as I could make it go. The engine purred with the effort, roaring to get even faster once we cleared the palace grounds. The guards at the gate opened them quickly, already being alerted by the vehicle staff that I was coming and nothing would stop me.

Gunning it down the open road made it feel like I could breathe again. All the pressure back home was stifling and I needed a release. Melody had been at my side all night, her tits brushing my arm every time she reached for something.

I was a tightly wound cork and I was going to pop soon. I was hoping to find the release at my favorite club. It was dark, their brandy was good, and nobody would give a rat's ass that I was the prince. It was a place where names and titles were left at the door, only good looks and good times permitted inside.

The valet took my keys, knowing not to expect me to pick it up again until the next day. I wasn't stupid enough to drive drunk, not when the fate of the _entire kingdom_ rested on my shoulders.

I needed a double shot of brandy.

Heading directly for the bar, the place was exactly as I'd predicted. Beautiful people gyrated together on the dance floor, their bodies obscenely close for public view. Booths were filled with people imbibing the overpriced liquor.

There were plenty of faces there I recognized, nobody I really wanted to talk to. I could seek solace in most of the women present, but I was looking for something new and unfamiliar.

I was trying to get Melody out of my head.

She wasn't going to get the best of me. I was the fucking prince of the country, she had no right to cast me aside like I was nothing. I'd tried everything I could to win her over softly and she wasn't buying any of it.

It was _her_ loss.

My problem was that I needed a good fuck, that was all. It had been too long since I'd let loose, and now my frustration was pent up. I didn't need Melody, I needed a willing cunt. Anyone would do.

As I surveyed the room, there were plenty of girls that had already noticed my arrival. I received more than one wink and smile to come hither. But they were all just more of the same. Big boobs, big white teeth, big hopes for the evening.

I wanted something different.

My brandy was served to me without me needing to order it. At least I could always rely on Marty the Bartender for something that I needed. If he came with a vagina I would have been happy.

Another three brandies later, and I had another look around the room. Everyone was drunker this time, dancing slower as they started to tire for the night. Everyone was just that bit more desperate – like me.

The alcohol was doing nothing to quell the ache in my balls. I had to get laid and it had to be tonight. I couldn't sit through another day of wife parties with a dick this hard. I would be too cranky to last ten minutes in one.

There. Sitting in a booth by herself was a pretty young thing. She had to be early twenties, caramel skinned, and with hair that reached down to her waist. She was looking my way, definitely interested in a summons to my bed.

But there was only one way to find out.

I swaggered over to her, knowing it would be a breeze to get what I wanted. As long as she surrendered her phone so there could be no accidental mementoes of the night, everything would be sweet.

I reached her booth and leaned in close, making sure nobody else could overhear. "I want to take off your panties and fuck you until tomorrow."

Her eyes widened before a Cheshire cat smile traced across her ruby lips. "Please, be my guest."

And just like that, she was mine.

I led her out of the club and into the elevator. I'd sworn the serviced apartment in the building was a good investment and that's why I bought it. I didn't like to tell my parents that it was my most-used fuck pad.

We reached the apartment and I didn't hesitate in taking what I wanted. My lips collided with the woman's, pressing her against the wall and pinning her there with my body.

Her cheeks were flushed when I finally pulled back to catch my breath. "How about a drink first?"

"How about we fuck first?" I countered. She smiled, unable to refuse my charm. Either that or she was just so grateful to be chosen by the next king that she didn't care how rude I was.

I pulled her backwards until we reached the sofa where I laid her down on the soft cushions. We would start here before having sex in every corner of the house so I could work out my pent up frustration.

Her boobs easily popped out of the skimpy black dress she was wearing. I wasn't even going to bother taking it off for the first time in my life. All I needed was access to her cunt. Dresses were handy like that.

Her hands started to fumble with my zipper, trying to get it undone so she could free my cock. It was hidden under my pants, harder than it's ever been. Relief couldn't come quick enough that I was almost ready to beg for it.

"The crown jewels are impressive," she purred when she cupped me.

"Don't talk," I ordered.

I pushed her dress up and grabbed at her panties. She was shaven, freshly so. Her skin was smooth under my touch, she'd feel good with me buried inside her.

She tried to sit up so we could kiss but I wasn't interested. There would only be one set of lips my mouth would be around and they weren't on her face. I pushed her down again, she went with a playful whimper, like I'd actually hurt her feelings.

But she wasn't going to complain.

I knew she wouldn't.

But that thought ruined everything for me. I was suddenly frozen.

Standing up again, I took my hands off her. "What's wrong, baby? Don't you want some of this sugar?"

The realization that I really didn't want some of her sugar was a stark shot of reality. I'd never had this happen to me before. My dick was hard, my mouth was watering, I was more than ready to fuck this woman.

And yet I didn't want to.

That was definitely new.

I grabbed my wallet and handed her a hundred dollars. "Take a cab home and don't tell anyone about this. I'll deny it all and make you seem very foolish."

The look she gave me could have set the curtain alight as she stalked out of the apartment. I collapsed onto the area of the sofa she'd just left. What was I doing? What the hell was I doing?

It had to be the wife competition, that had to be it. It was messing with my mojo and getting inside my head. This should be the time where I could enjoy fucking around, at least enjoy it while I still could.

But a part of me knew that wasn't really it. The image of Melody kept popping into my head unwelcomingly and I couldn't shake it. She was there, always there and watching – _judging_ me.

I needed to get back to the palace before my absence was noted by my parents. Technically, I was supposed to be staying home while these wife parties were going on. My mother thought it would create the wrong message if I were caught doing something like I was just about to.

She was right, of course.

But that didn't mean I had to like it.

I locked up and returned down to the club. There was too much alcohol still in my blood so I called for the royal limousine. It was kept close to the clubs, just in case I needed a discreet escort home.

The dance floor looked the same as when I'd left it. There was no sign of the woman I'd taken upstairs. She was probably on the phone to her friends, complaining about my lack of follow through.

I waited by the door for the signal from my driver when another woman caught my eye. She was still in the same dress I'd given her for dinner.

Melody.

My thoughts were too scrambled to be of any use. I headed toward her, grabbing her wrist and dragging her away from the few other women she was with.

"Come with me," I growled in her ear.

She looked up at me with those doe eyes she liked to batt my way but she didn't argue. I dragged her out to the limo and shoved her inside.

# Chapter 7

## Melody

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

I probably should have been angry with him. No man would get away with pulling me along like Rick did. If a part of me hadn't wanted to go with him, I definitely wouldn't have done so.

Rick jumped into the back of the limo after me, banging on the side so the driver knew he could take off. I'd seen the vehicle outside when we entered the club, but I never expected to be inside it.

We sat together on the seat, the inside almost pitch black with the door closed that I could barely see anything. The tinted windows may have allowed for privacy, but it also kept out any form of light.

"Turn around," Rick said.

He sure liked ordering me around tonight. I followed the command and swiveled around so he faced my back. I had no idea what he had in store for me, but it sent a shiver down my spine with the sweet anticipation of it.

He brushed aside my hair and swept it over my shoulder before I could feel him carefully unzipping the zipper that started at the nape of my neck. Every time he brushed my skin with his knuckles it sent a wave of goosebumps down my arms.

Rick kissed the freshly exposed skin of my spine. I knew he was taking my dress off, but with each one of his kisses setting my skin on fire it was impossible to stop him.

He reached the end of the zipper near my lower back before his hands snaked underneath the dress and around my waist as he moved closer. Nuzzling into my neck, he began giving me a million tender kisses, each one making my body buzz more than the last.

A giggle erupted, I couldn't hold it in. His kisses tickled as well as sizzled. He was quickly sending me into a spin and I wasn't sure how far I should let it go. The smart thing would have been to stop him now before it got out of hand.

But I couldn't.

I wasn't done with being kissed yet.

His hands started wandering as they skimmed over my stomach to reach my breasts. He cupped them, feeling the generous weight before sliding underneath the fabric. His movements were making it clear that he was the ultimate pro.

The feeling of his strong hands gripping and toying with my breasts underneath my bra had me weakening under his spell.

There was nothing that turned me on more than my boobs being played with. I hadn't had much experience with sex, but I did know that for sure. It was a must have for any of my sexual encounters.

"You are so fucking sexy," Rick whispered in my ear. His breath tickled as it ran over my skin. "I want to fuck you so badly."

He picked me up and turned me around so that we faced one another again. Without saying anything more, he pulled my dress down over my shoulders, taking my bra with it so that I was quickly naked from the belly up. I was glad for the darkness of the limo now, I couldn't take him seeing me so exposed like that.

He undid his own pants and it took me a moment to catch up. I placed my hands over his, stilling them so I could move them away and place them at his side. Getting his cock naked was my job, and I wouldn't relinquish it to him.

I undid the zipper and pushed down the elastic of his underwear until his cock could be freed. It was already hard and the tip already wet as precum slicked over the skin.

He was much bigger than I expected he would be. Not that I actually thought about it, but it was impressive nonetheless.

I had to resist the urge to take it into my mouth. Instead, I massaged the head with my thumb, moving around the wetness to cover the entire tip of the shaft.

"Take off your panties," Rick demanded.

"I'm not wearing any," I replied. The ones I had worn to the garden party showed up too obviously underneath the dress. The only option I'd had was to go commando.

His lips turned up on one side. "What a naughty girl. In that case, climb on board."

He gripped my waist on both sides and helped to position me over his hardened cock. I sat down slowly, making him wait an extra few moments just because I could.

When his cock touched my entrance, I hesitated. Once we did this, we couldn't undo it. He would probably just discard me like he did with all those other women.

Maybe that's what I wanted.

But maybe he wouldn't.

He tugged me down and completely interrupted my train of thought. He eased into me, his shaft stretching my walls to accommodate his size. His eyes burned into me the whole time, his expression unreadable besides being lost to the enjoyment. I felt good around him and he felt good inside me.

My thighs were on his sides. As he was buried deep within me, I started undulating my hips. I rocked on top of his lap, enjoying the feel of his cock as it slid back and forth inside me. I wanted every part of this man but starting with his shaft was a good place.

One of his hands slipped underneath my dress and found my pussy. He slipped two fingers between my folds and started to stroke me with the same rhythm I was using on him.

His fingers were magic as they toyed with my clit, pressing on my nub with every stroke and sending me into a pit of ecstasy. I started bucking faster, carried away with the lust and desire. I was chasing that orgasm and determined to make sure Rick got his too.

My body was electric, buzzing with energy as his fingers stroked long and hard along my clit. His cock was thumping inside me, slamming in and out as I pumped up and down on him. Rick grunted with his effort, his jaw clenched with concentration as he fought to stay together.

"Ah," I cried out as it all got too much for me. The fire exploded in my belly and spread like wildfire throughout my body. Sweat beaded on my forehead as Rick's fingers were finally able to still.

The orgasm was intense, pooling down below and then shattering me into a million pieces. It felt like an explosion had occurred in my pussy, the amazing tingling covering all of me in the space of less than a second. My heart was beating so fast I wondered if it was ever going to be able to calm down again.

His hands moved to my hips, holding me firm as he encouraged my movements. My legs were straining to maintain the momentum while the orgasm was still coursing through me.

Finally, Rick moaned and then stilled my hips while he was lost to his own bliss. His brows were furrowed while he experienced the fire himself, lost to the orgasm that was taking him to his happy place. I didn't know where that was, or what it felt like for him, but his face soon became serene and relaxed.

I knew how he felt.

His eyes closed as he pulled me against him, our sweaty bodies resting on one another after so much hard work.

My heart was racing, beating way too fast to be healthy. I could feel Rick's underneath my hands, satisfied when I felt his heart thumping against his ribcage too. We were little more than animals, having sated our primal urges, now we were spent.

"Melody," he started.

I stopped him. "Just hold me for a few moments more, okay? That's all I need."

He tightened his arms around me and I sighed with contentment. I could deal with the consequences later, right now all I wanted to do was bask in the afterglow of being with such a sexually virulent man.

The prince, of all people.

I'd never thought of that once since I got into the limo. My body wanted him, regardless of his title or any other detail.

Granted, I'd only seen Rick's cock and not the rest of his naked body, but if his manhood was anything to go by, the rest of him would be exceptional. What he could do with his cock was extra-exceptional.

My body relaxed in his hold but I knew I had to move. We were in a moving limo, for goodness sake, we had to be nearing the end of the journey soon.

I leaned back and Rick's hands snaked away. I lifted up and off him, moving to sit back in my original seat. It seemed like forever since we'd stepped foot inside the limo.

Rick tucked his cock back into his pants and zipped up again. He looked a bit rumpled but otherwise you would never guess he'd just fucked me.

I pulled my bra back on and then the top of my dress. Rick had to zip it back up again for me. I guess if nothing else, I ended up with a really nice dress.

"Where are you staying?" Rick asked. So no small talk about rocking his world or anything then, good to know.

"The Regency on Raven Street," I said flatly. I wasn't going to show him any emotion if he wasn't going to either. I would save that for later, when I was alone.

He nodded and then pressed a button on the console, giving directions to the driver. We sat in awkward silence until the vehicle stopped outside the hotel.

I quickly ran my hand through my hair and hoped it would keep my secret. Rick climbed out of the vehicle first, holding the door for me. "Thank you," he said.

"For what?"

He gave me a small smile. "For finally giving me some stress relief."

I clamped my mouth shut and looked upwards so I didn't cry. I hurried from the limo and up to my hotel room.

Stress relief.

The best sex of my life was just his stress relief.

Calling it a mistake was a complete understatement. I should not have let him take me to the limo. I shouldn't have put myself into a situation where I was alone with him.

_Stupid. Stupid. Stupid_.

Helen was asleep so luckily I didn't have to do the walk of shame past her. Heading straight to the shower, I washed away every last piece of Rick from my body. I scrubbed until my skin was pink and all my tears had fallen down the drain.

I couldn't believe how stupid I'd been.

# Chapter 8

## Melody

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

I don't know how I managed to fall asleep, but I did sometime in the night. I awoke in the morning with the same anger boiling in my blood.

"Get up, sleepy head. You need to be at the palace in half an hour," Helen said, trying to take the sheets from me.

"I don't want to go," I protested.

"You have to. You don't want the police knocking on the door because you failed to present at a royal summons. Do you?"

Did I? A part of me would really have liked to have seen Rick trying to explain why I didn't show up. I would tell the police to just ask him and he would have to pardon me.

After all, I could still go to the media.

I could be like all the other girls he'd used and abused in the tabloids. I could tell my story about how amazing he was in bed and how he'd never spoken to me before or after. My story would be even better than theirs because of my position in his wife selection project.

But I knew I never would.

My privacy would also be shattered and I didn't want to have that story haunt me for the rest of my life. Being known as another notch on the prince's bedpost wasn't exactly my ambition in life.

Helen made sure I got up and dressed, she also placed me into a cab so I could get to the palace on time. She waved me off, telling me to have a good time. Poor Aunt Helen, she had no idea that I would never end up as the next Princess of Illium.

This morning's palace activity was a morning tea held in the conservatory. It was a massive room with doors that ran down one side, all of which were completely open to the outside deck. Tables of six were dotted around the place, all with large platters full of sweet treats.

Considering I'd skipped breakfast, my mouth started watering. As much as I wanted to dive in, I had to remember my manners – the queen was in attendance with us.

I picked a table and joined the ladies there, noticing Violet to my right. "Good morning," she said politely, neatly laying her napkin over her lap. She had been placed next to Rick at dinner last night, did that mean that she the front runner in the competition?

I doubted I was.

"Dinner was so lovely last night, wasn't it?" she continued. She was almost polite to a fault. She would make a good princess.

"It was fine," I replied. I was the first to grab something to eat – a strawberry mousse with chocolate biscuit base.

"And here's our prince." It took a moment for her words to sink in, about two seconds before Rick joined our table.

"Ladies, so lovely to see you all today," he said happily. He looked around the table but refused to meet my gaze.

So he was going to completely ignore me?

My instincts were to storm out but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

He talked to all the women at our table, turning on the charm and making them all giggle and beam. He was a smooth talker, that was for sure. He could easily have seduced any of these women into his bed.

Maybe he already had.

Images of him lost in his orgasm last night filled my mind. I remembered the feel of him inside me, the guttural groans he made as his climax was approaching. He was so sexy in those moments.

And they were clearly never going to happen again.

Violet was giggling about something when she jolted me from my mind. "What do you think, Melody?"

I shook my head, hoping to erase the images. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Prince Richard thinks we should all play games this afternoon. Cards and the like, what do you think? Should we indulge this poor prince?" She was alive with the conversation, sparkling in the presence of the prince.

My mind was decided about who he should marry.

If he wanted me to complete our deal, I would tell him.

"I think the prince is very good at playing games," I replied. "He would probably cheat in all of them. Maybe it isn't so wise to play with him."

Violet laughed and so did the other women at our table. Rick's gaze burned as he watched me. I hoped I'd made my point clear to him, there would be no more playing with me.

Rick stood, re-buttoning his suit jacket. "Well, ladies, it has been a pleasure but I must do the rounds. Enjoy your morning tea."

I let out a sigh of relief after he'd left. One of the other girls leaned in to the table. "I heard that a lot of women will be cut today so the number of his choices is smaller. This morning tea will be the last event for most of us. Our last chance to impress."

Perfect.

My way home.

I doubted Prince Richard would choose me anyway, but I needed to make extra sure of it. I spotted Anna at the tea station and decided to make my move.

My tea cup was empty anyway so I took it to the station and pretended to peruse the tea selection. We were alone so it only took a moment for her to notice me. "Oh, hello, Melody. How is your morning?"

"It's all lovely, thank you. I'm just so worried about things back home that it's difficult to think of anything else today," I said sadly, casually enough for her to take the bait.

"Oh, what's happening back home?"

"My ex-boyfriend is having a hard time letting me go. He's been hassling my parents about my whereabouts. I'm worried he might hurt them."

Her eyebrows arched in surprise. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"I was too. They called last night. James thinks he has some claim over me since the pregnancy scare."

"Pregnancy?"

"Yeah, it happened just before I came here. I thought I was pregnant, but thankfully it was only a false alarm. I made the mistake of telling James about it and he was really excited about the prospect of being a dad."

"He sounds like a formidable force," she said.

"He's definitely got a mouth on him. But it's his anger I'm worried about."

"I'm sure the police can step in if needed."

"I hope so." I sighed pointedly and chose my flavor of tea.

"I must return," Anna said, now a little worried herself. "Enjoy the rest of the morning tea."

My mission was complete. There was no way I was going to be invited to the next palace event now. I would be deemed inappropriate and allowed to return home. I could finally return to the life I'd left behind and missed so dearly.

I would never see Rick again.

Somehow, that thought didn't seem as good as it once had.

The rest of the morning tea passed by in a blur as the women talked around me. I ate, making sure I had enough for a lifetime. When I walked out the palace gates this time, I knew that I would never return.

Invitations for the next event were discreetly delivered by Anna toward the end of the tea. I watched the girls as they received them, their faces lighting up like they'd won the lotto.

Violet got one, which I was glad about. Not many other women did. The girl was right, they were severely cutting numbers for Rick's choice. He would be down to the final one soon.

When the doors were open so we could leave, I didn't hesitate. While most of the girls lingered, I made a beeline for the exit.

The entire walk to the gate was anxious, I kept hoping I wouldn't see Rick along the way. The last thing I needed was some kind of foolish apology for throwing me to the curb so easily. I knew what he was like, I knew what I was getting into.

I just didn't think it would hurt this much.

The gate opened for me and I was allowed to leave. I caught the bus back to the hotel and could finally stop holding my breath.

"What are you doing back here?" Aunt Helen asked from her reading perch by the windowsill, her glasses resting on the end of her nose.

"Packing. We can leave. They made a major cut to the number of women today and I didn't get another invitation. I'm allowed to go home," I explained. It was bittersweet leaving like this but I was already looking forward to going back to normal life. This whole thing had felt like a fairytale, only it definitely wasn't one.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I'm sure you did everything right, they were just looking for something different."

"I'm okay about the decision, really. I'm looking forward to going home." If she kept looking at me like that, I was going to cry. I didn't need her sympathy, I wouldn't allow myself to think that I'd lost something.

Even if I had.

Prince Richard would marry Violet and they would have cute children and live happily ever after. She wouldn't put a step wrong and the tabloids would love her. She would be everything I wasn't.

It was for the best.

Really.

Helen placed a comforting hand on my arm and turned me toward her. She pulled me into a hug and rested my head on her shoulder. I couldn't stop the few tears rolling down my cheeks.

She patted my back. "It's okay, sweetie. You'll find your prince one day. You're still so young. You have your whole life to find that special person that was meant just for you."

I'd been foolish enough to entertain the thought that Rick was that man, albeit only briefly. It was a fleeting thought, one I'd never really considered to be true. Crying now was silly, yet I still couldn't hold back the tears.

I finally sniffled and pulled myself together again. It would be good seeing my parents, our little family dog, and everyone at work again. It seemed like we'd been gone for ages.

There was a knock on the door as I returned back to my packing. Aunt Helen answered the door. There were murmurs before she returned with an envelope for me. "This was just delivered, it's got the royal seal on it."

I took it from her with shaking hands, wondering what could possibly be inside. I considered leaving it undone, but knew I couldn't. This was royal correspondence, and it must be read.

The parchment was thick and the writing beautiful. The message, however, was not so welcoming.

Dear Miss Melody Parker,

You are invited to the palace for games on the lawn with His Royal Highness Prince Richard III. Party to commence at two p.m. Please arrive early for drinks beforehand.

It was signed by the king and queen. It was a royal order.

I had received the invitation.

They didn't cut me.

# Chapter 9

## Richard

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

The palace was terribly big when I least wanted it to be. I was late once again and I was going to be ripped to shreds by the women in my life if I didn't hurry.

Yet another party.

More chances for the robots to prance their goods in front of me and push out their chests. It sounded like fun at the beginning but it was starting to turn into a sad joke. The group I was to choose from kept getting smaller and I couldn't imagine marrying any of them.

Except one.

She thought she could go home and forget about me. I was livid when Anna told me she'd been cut. Apparently she didn't think Melody had the image that the palace was looking for in a princess.

Fuck that.

If I was to stand next to any woman in a church in front of my peers and declare my life and fidelity to her, I wanted to have a say. I didn't care who got upset. She had been good enough to receive the initial invitation all those weeks ago and she was good enough to stay now.

Anna had issued the invitation.

Finally.

I don't know what Melody said to get herself out of the running, but I wasn't going to let her get out of this so easily.

The party wasn't exactly like the club I'd visited the previous night. A few women stood around, another few sat, they each had a glass of orange juice in their hands and were eyeing off the buffet at one side of the garden. Nobody was playing the lawn games laid out.

I stood on the edge of the garden and took a few breaths, making sure I was presentable enough to mingle with the ladies. My shirt was buttoned, my fly up. Good enough.

Melody was easy to spot as my gaze travelled over the guests. Anna was trying to convince them to start with the games, only a few were brave enough to volunteer to go first.

They didn't matter to me, I made a beeline for the only one I wanted to speak with. She was dressed in a blue playsuit, cinching at her waist with the shorts falling halfway down her thighs. Where all the other women wore pretty dresses, she had stayed true to her style. Or she was just trying to get kicked out, one or the other.

She looked fucking hot.

No matter what that woman wore, she seemed to ooze sex appeal. I would have loved to have seen her fully naked in the limo but we didn't have enough time. Not that I was complaining about fucking her with that dress on, that was something else entirely.

"Thinking you could get away from me so easily?" I whispered in her ear as I approached. I startled her, Melody turning around quickly to face me.

Her expression went from surprised to angry in about two seconds. "I thought I was excused from all further palace activities."

"I bet you did. So what did you tell my assistant to get yourself cut?"

"I didn't say anything," she replied, pursing her lips together as if she was physically holding in the truth.

"Liar."

"Maybe I told her I had sex with you last night and wasn't completely satisfied with the experience. Perhaps that's what did it."

Fuck.

She better not have.

There was a difference between being sassy and just being stupid. Anna and my mother had lectured me sternly about sexually cavorting with any of the potential brides. They were supposed to be off limits to my cock.

Strictly forbidden.

Melody started laughing. "You can stop having a heart attack, I didn't tell anyone. Your secret is still safe with me."

I tried not to make the relief obvious but I don't think I got away with it. I had to cover it. "I'm glad, because that would have been very stupid."

"Glad to know your opinion of our... encounter." She was definitely angry now. If I had to guess, she was on the verge of exploding. I wasn't entirely sure what I had done to cause such a reaction.

"I didn't give my opinion of our encounter," I replied.

It wasn't the place for us to be having that conversation. Not in the garden, not with Anna watching everything I did so closely. She knew me too well for me to be able to hide anything.

Melody stood directly in front of me, having to look up to meet my gaze. Even wearing fuck-me heels, she only came up to my chin. "You completely ignored me this morning at the tea. You threw me out of the limo last night like I was a piece of ass that had no value to you. You completely used me and then made _me_ feel guilty about it."

"I'm sorry to have offended you," I said in a hushed voice. "But this isn't the time or place to discuss it."

"Well, we're going to, because I probably won't get another invitation back to this place."

I pulled her closer to the hedge as subtly as I could without attracting any attention. So far she was keeping her voice low but that could stop at any moment. This scene could only cause scandal.

"I'm sorry," I said sincerely. I hadn't realized I'd done anything to deserve her wrath. Clearly, I was wrong. Just when I thought I'd started to understand women...

"You're sorry? That's all you've got to say to me? We had mind-blowing sex in the limousine and all you can say is _I'm sorry_?"

"What else do you want me to say?"

She huffed out a breath and looked around. "I don't know. You shouldn't have invited me here. Then you'd never have to talk to me again."

"That's not what I want." She huffed again, I was saying all the wrong things. I'd never met anyone like her. I lowered my voice. "Last night was fantastic, okay? I truly mean that. But I wasn't supposed to have sex with any of the women here. If anyone finds out, I'm going to have to explain to my parents how I let them down and I really don't want to do that. I need this to stay discreet, even if I do feel like telling everyone how much I enjoyed it."

"So why ignore me?"

"Because I'm paranoid. My assistant, Anna, watches me like a hawk. If I'd paid you any extra attention, she would have skinned me alive."

"But you were just using me."

"No, I wasn't." I couldn't start telling her why I needed to fuck her so badly last night. I wasn't going to confess everything, she would be able to hold me by the balls then. "We need to talk about this later. Right now, we need to join the party."

She looked around as if she only just realized there were other people here. "Okay, fine." She still wasn't fine, that was clear in the tone of her voice.

"We've got games to play," I said as I stepped away from her. I plastered on the smile I had learned very early on in my life and spoke loudly to everyone. "Who wants to play? I'm sure you're not all here just for the food."

All the women laughed.

Except Melody.

She was a challenge, that was for sure. I picked up the nearest croquette stick and swung it over my shoulder jovially. Entertaining was something I was good at, this party should have been a breeze.

Melody stood on the fringe, sipping her juice and eating as she watched on. As time progressed, her mood seemed to lighten. Anna had spoken with her, as had a few of the other women. We were down to eleven now – Melody causing the uneven number, a fact that was probably driving Anna nuts.

Anna was highly strung.

She was also scary as all hell.

"You're very good with your stick," one of the girls said, adding a wink for good measure. I couldn't remember her name, I was about fifty percent certain it started with an M.

"My stick is my specialty," I replied, making the group of the women laugh. Puppets. They were all puppets. So desperate to stand out, to adhere themselves to me so I couldn't shake them off.

I was pleased to see Violet was amongst those joining in with the games. She seemed shy but a very nice woman. Anna thought she was perfect for me but I wasn't convinced yet.

We finished our game as I let a blond girl win. She laughed and clapped with the triumph but I was just happy to get it over with.

It was time I made Melody hate me just that little bit more. "Miss Melody, how about you join me in the next game?"

Her eyebrows arched. "I'm fine right here, thank you for the most generous offer, Your Majesty," she said sarcastically. She didn't realize that every time she was annoyed by me, it just made my dick throb harder for her.

"Oh, come on. Do play with me."

Everyone was looking at her, she had to be aware of their eyes boring into her. She looked around and finally saw them. "If I must."

She placed her plate and glass onto a table and walked down the pathway to get to the flat area of the garden. The lawns were thick here, prime for outside games. I'd played here ever since I was a child.

I considered our options for games and chose checkers. There was a giant cement board in the grounds, also capable of playing chess if we dragged out all the pieces.

It was a two player game, which ensured none of the other girls would try to muscle into the play. They stood a respectable distance away, but their gaze was still keenly aware of every one of our actions.

"You can go first," I said once I'd set up the board. "You know how to play, right?"

"Of course I do," she snapped back. Her pieces were black, she moved one and waited for my turn. We played back and forth, taking pieces until there were only a few left on the board.

At that point we were about equal. The following turns would be the pivotal ones. As we played I had noticed the ladies losing interest in our game. One by one they returned to the tables and continued eating, drinking, and talking in small groups.

It was unimaginable to believe one of them was going to be forced upon me as a wife. No doubt Anna would cut some more away after this party, limiting the numbers I had a choice from.

"I win," Melody said while I was lost in my musings. I looked down at the board incredulously.

"No, you've cheated."

"I did not."

I studied the board and traced her pattern to the current position. She was right, she had bested me. Nobody had done that in more than ten years. I was unbeatable in checkers.

"How did you do that?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I'm good. You're not so much."

"I demand a rematch."

"I don't think your fans would like that. They've already been shooting daggers at me."

I looked back at the ladies and the sly glances they were directing our way. They may have appeared to look like proper ladies, but they all had claws.

"Maybe not then," I said.

We left the board and returned to the others. All I wanted to do was steal Melody away so we could get to know one another better.

Naked.

Some of the best conversations I'd ever had were carried out naked.

I needed to find a way to get away from the ladies and Anna. "How about we all go for a tour around the gardens?" I suggested. "There are plenty of beautiful sights that you all have yet to see."

Anna wore a look of disapproval but she didn't say anything. Speaking against the reigning prince in public like this would not have looked good for her. She could save it for later.

One of the girls – the one starting with M again – took my arm. "Why don't you give us a guided tour, my prince?"

"Certainly, let's be off."

I managed to shake out of her grip near the roses, pretending I needed to answer my cellphone. I hung out next to the hedges while the women went along. Melody was at the back of the group a few steps behind. Probably as some form of protest.

The minute I got a chance, I grabbed her hand and pulled her along, making a _shh_ sign with my finger over my lips as we moved.

I knew these gardens better than anyone else, including the groundskeeper and gardener. Diving around the bulb plants and through the ornamental vegetable garden to reach the higher standing bushes.

Twirling around Melody, I gently pushed her against the door that led to the secret garden. She was puffing from the running, her cheeks pink and full from the exertion.

Her lips were plump as I kissed her. She opened her mouth to me almost instantly, beckoning me inside and deepened the kiss. I wanted her so badly, every part of her.

My tongue explored her mouth, slipping in and out with the kiss. She tasted like the chocolate custard we were serving back at the party, a delicious sweetness adding to her sexiness.

She moaned as my hands explored her figure. One held her wrists above her head, making sure she couldn't go anywhere. The other found her boob and cupped her gorgeous tit. Her nipples were already hard underneath the fabric, tight little buds that needed to be tweaked and squeezed and sucked on.

It was a pity she wasn't wearing a dress.

I would have hiked it up and fucked her right there in the garden.

I wanted every part of her. Having sex with the woman once wasn't enough, not nearly so. When we'd been in the limo together she had driven me into a frenzy. Her body was a playground and I never wanted to leave it.

It was impossible to get enough of this woman.

My hand went down the top of her playsuit, slipping into her bra and feeling the soft skin of her breast. Her nipple was exactly how I thought it would be – tight and hard for me. I toyed with it, stretching and tweaking the little bud until she moaned again.

"I want to fuck you so much right now," I breathed against her neck. I left a trail of kisses from her mouth down to her collarbone. Her skin smelled sweeter than the surrounding flowers.

I needed her.

All of her.

"I think I'd let you," she said, laughing.

"Are you wet for me?"

"Check for yourself."

With a challenge like that, how could I refuse? I pulled her leg up to my hip, wrapping her around my body. Her shorts were loose, it was easy for my fingers to snake up them to reach her panties. I slipped underneath the fabric, feeling her hot pussy instantly.

She was wet.

This woman responded to my body as easily as mine did to hers.

"You're drenched, baby girl."

"You did it to me."

I laughed. "I sure did. What else would you like me to do to you?"

She looked at me seriously, fire in her eyes. "Make me want to scream."

Another challenge that I would easily rise to the occasion for. I started stroking her clit, warming her up even more for me. Her hips undulated, pressing herself harder against my finger. I could feel the desperation in her movements.

Melody closed her eyes, letting the feeling take over her senses. I loved seeing that calm, yet urgent look on her face. She enjoyed sex as much as I did, enjoying being lost in the feeling of two bodies bringing one another so much bliss.

I stopped stroking her with my finger and found her entrance. My finger easily plunged inside, her cunt was drenched with her juices. It was so tempting for me to tear off her clothes and shove my cock deep inside her.

But this pleasure was about her, not me. It didn't matter that my cock was twice its normal size and about to explode in my pants. I would have to deal with my massive erection later. This was my chance to show her I wasn't just here for my enjoyment.

Her hips moved to match the thrust of my fingers as they fucked her. Her hole was hot and tight, so perfect for my cock it was driving me wild. My erection was as hard as possible and desperately wanting to bury itself inside of her.

Each of her breaths came in little gasps, so goddamn sexy that they mesmerized me. I wanted to bite on her lips, suck on them until she was groaning and wild with desire.

She chewed on her own lip as the orgasm grew close. Whimpering with need, her body completely was turned on and raging with heat. I stopped pumping her but kept my fingers inside. With my thumb I rubbed her clit, hard. It didn't take any more to plunge her over the edge.

Her climax peaked and her body went rigid with the occasional pulse while she was lost to the sweet relief and happiness that only an orgasm could offer.

I remove my hand from her cunt and pulled her close to me, allowing her to be swept away with the intense joy while we embraced. Rubbing her back as she folded against me, I could feel her trembling and weak.

If she felt my raging cock between us, she didn't say anything. It was painful as it swelled with nothing to relieve it. If I didn't deflate it soon everyone was going to know what we had been up to.

We stayed there for longer than we should have. Anyone could have walked into the garden area to see us locked in an intimate position. If they got even closer they might even notice the huge bulge in my pants.

Melody recovered enough to stand on her own two feet and we parted. Her eyes were sparkling and I was proud that I could do that to her. "Is there a bathroom where I can clean up?"

"Yes, I'll take you there," I replied.

"No, it might seem too obvious. Just tell me where it is and I'll go."

She was a stubborn woman which only made me want her more. "It's down that pathway and then turn left. Go into the first door you see and the bathroom is on the right."

She nodded, taking in the instructions. "You should get back to the party before they notice you're missing."

They would already be noticing that but I wasn't going to point it out. Suddenly, I didn't want to be separated from her. It seemed wrong just to go our own way now. "Stay after the party," I said.

She started shaking her head, her tousled hair still managing to look gorgeous. "You need to get to know the other women. You shouldn't be focusing on me."

How could she say that after what we just did? I'd fucked her with my hand and she had let me. Now she was ready to call it a day? It didn't make sense.

"I want you to stay."

"And I'm saying I can't."

We had a stare off but this was one fight that didn't seem winnable. I was the bloody prince of the country, I didn't have to beg women to be with me. If she expected me to throw myself at her feet, she was sorely mistaken.

"Fine," I said. "I'll see you back at the party after you've freshened up. Remember, nobody is allowed to leave until the party is over."

I walked off before she could say anything else. I'd given her a peek of my cards and that's all she would get. I returned to the main gardens where the women were all standing around in small groups. They spotted me like a vulture would a corpse.

Yet it was Anna who made it to me first. She stole me away to go for a walk around the rose bushes. "Where have you been?"

"I had a phone call to make."

"Liar. Melody Parker disappeared too. Tell me that was a coincidence." She was halfway between angry and annoyed. I could either make her worse or better, there was no way to tell which way she could fall.

"We went for a walk. Just an innocent walk, that's all."

Anna looked around pointedly. "And where is she now? Huh?"

"She had go to the restroom so I showed her where it was. I'm sure she'll be back here any minute now."

She sighed, a trait I seemed to elicit out of women. "She wasn't supposed to be on the guest list today. I was surprised when you forced me to issue an invitation."

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I like her, Anna. Surely I should have some say about whom I spend the rest of my life with?"

"She's not appropriate."

"I will decide that."

And I would. Nobody would tell me who I should marry. Nobody else would have to deal with that woman on a day to day basis. Nobody else would have to share a bed with them. The palace may have been searching for a princess, but I was looking for a soul mate.

The decision would be mine.

# Chapter 10

## Melody

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

I hoped I didn't wear that just-got-fucked looked. The restroom had everything I needed to freshen up so at least there were no traces of what Rick just did to me. There was only the mental mess he left in my head.

It would take him longer to recover from the incident. The way his cock pulsed against my belly when we hugged... I bet he walked with a hunch all the way back to the group. A part of me was glad he was all hardness without a release. It would serve him right for using me in that limo. He deserved to suffer for ignoring me afterwards.

My legs were still a little shaky from the orgasm. It was powerful and rocked me down to my core. He might have been an asshole but he sure knew how to finger a girl. If I concentrated, I could still feel his fingers in my pussy, stroking long and hard.

But we weren't just playing here. He was on a quest for a wife and I was his plaything to pass the hours. He would win a wife while I would be sent home to resume the life I had left. The woman he chose would be the big winner, not me.

He never considered me a real contender, which was why he was so happy to play with me. I was like a mistress back in old times, the one that would only ever be used for sex and nothing else.

I wasn't going to let that happen anymore.

I was not a plaything.

Rick was speaking with the ladies when I returned. He was laughing and joking, being as charming as he always was. He still had a sizable bulge in his pants but it wasn't noticeable unless you knew to look for it. At least he was probably uncomfortable with the tightness in his pants.

I joined two other women as they talked about the weather. Clearly, they'd run out of conversation starters. "These gardens are beautiful, aren't they?" I said. I refused to talk about the warm weather, I wasn't that boring yet.

They looked at me, assessing me up and down before one of them spoke. "I like the roses but it's such a pity they have to come with thorns. Don't you think?"

"I don't know, maybe the thorns make them a bit more interesting," I replied.

She arched an eyebrow, not being able to retort back quick enough. I looked around the women to see Rick animatedly talking with the others. His whole face was alive while he made them giggle.

Rick was going to marry one of these women. The numbers would be dwindled down until he found a wife and the palace would rejoice with the news.

I would not be one of those women.

But a part of me really wanted to be.

Perhaps if I'd never let Rick fuck me in the limo he would consider me in the running. I'd ruined my chances when he groped me and I'd let him. I had let myself become his little fun on the side plaything.

The game was over for me.

I watched Rick out of the corner of my eye for the rest of the party. When it was over, I was actually relieved to be getting out of there. I wanted to be alone so I could mope in private. Putting on a happy face for these people was killing me inside.

The women were starting to file out when I felt a gentle tapping on my arm. I expected it to be Rick, but when I turned around, it was the queen.

She smiled politely at me. "Excuse me, my dear, would you mind sparing a few minutes to have a quick chat?"

How on Earth did you say no to the queen? "Yes, certainly, Your Majesty."

She led me into the palace, an iron grip on my arm the entire way. I was certain she was about to tell me to leave her son alone. I was going to get the talk about remaining silent and to go home without incident. I would agree to whatever the woman told me. It would be treason to do anything else.

We made it through the long, decedent hallways to reach a small sitting room. The large bay windows peered out over the gardens where the party was held. A cup of tea, half drunk, on the table told me the queen had been sitting here not that long ago.

"Please, sit down, my dear." She took the seat on the right, I took the one on the left. It was so quiet in the room I could hear my own breathing. "How did you enjoy the party today?"

For a panicked moment, I wondered if she had seen Rick and me getting dirty in the garden. He promised that nobody could see, that it was a blind spot, but now I wasn't so sure.

I had a lump in my throat when I answered. "It was lovely, thank you."

"My son likes you very much," she said. Everything she did and said sounded so elegant. I was in awe of her. It would take a hell of a princess to be able to take over her role.

"He's very charming," I replied.

"My son doesn't give his heart away freely. He has always been the sensitive kind, holding his cards so closely to his chest that one would have to pry them away to see how he really felt."

That didn't sound like the man I knew. He only had one emotion and that was horny. And he gave that away freely to any woman with a pulse.

The queen continued without needing an answer. "I see him with you and he lights up like it's Christmas. It is very easy to tell how he feels about you."

"We're just friends. I'm sure he doesn't think too much about me outside these parties."

"It sounds like you don't have reciprocal feelings." She was looking at me now, staring deep into me like I was stripped bare and she could see everything. I had to force myself not to squirm.

"It's not that, so much. I don't want to be a princess. That position does not appeal to me."

"No?" she said with surprise, and then laughed. "I've never heard anyone say that before. Now I can see why he likes you so much. Tell me why it does not appeal to you."

She wasn't making fun of me or mocking me in any way, it seemed the queen did actually want to know the answer. I guessed I had nothing to lose, I may as well be honest with her.

I took a deep breath. "I've just finished my university degree, I majored in humanitarian issues. I want to get out there and help people. I want to make the world a better place by getting my hands dirty and into the trenches. Being a baby factory for the royal line is not in my plans for the future. I hope I haven't offended you in any way, I just want to tell the truth."

"I understand, my dear. Maybe I can explain a little better about what exactly it means to be a princess _._ You see, being a member of the royal family is one of the most challenging jobs one can do. Sure, you are expected to have children. One at least, two is better. But that is all and only when you are ready for that stage in life."

She paused, taking a sip of her tea. It had to be cold by now. I waited patiently until she was ready to continue her story.

"Being a royal also means being a humanitarian. I have eleven charities that I actively run, did you know that? They cover everything from childhood diseases to looking after the elderly. In amongst them is a charity that deals with domestic violence that I spend a great deal of time with. Nearly every week I go out there and talk with the women, trying to do everything I can to help them."

I did not realize that. Sure, I'd seen the news reports about the royal family opening a building in their name or something guaranteed to get media attention. But I had never heard about their charities, not like this, before.

"I could talk your ear off all day about the work I do for humanitarian issues, but I'm sure you get the point. Being a royal is the greatest privilege in this country, and being able to help people is the most important thing we do. Believe me, my dear, your life doesn't stop when you become a princess. It just opens up your opportunities."

The queen was dangerous. She was making me question everything I thought about them. I had this vision of a princess sitting in her tower and just watching the world go by. I had never occurred to me that I could actually use the position to do good in the world.

She insisted we have a fresh cup of tea together after her speech. The conversation continued as she told me more about all her charities. If the media knew how much she did, they would have a field day trying to report on it all. The queen of our country put everyone else to shame. She was practically a saint.

I left the elegant room and the elegant woman when it was almost dark. It was one of the best moments I'd ever had in my life and I was beaming from it. How many other people got to have tea with the queen and a conversation that was so interesting it would keep replaying in their mind afterwards?

I'd reached the gates of the palace without even remembering how I got there. My mind was so alight that I barely noticed my surroundings.

"Just hang on a moment, ma'am," the guard said from his booth. He picked up a phone and spoke for a few minutes before returning his attention back to me. "I can't let you out. Prince Richard will be here in a minute to explain."

Great.

More of his charm and sexiness.

I wondered what he wanted with me now. Another quickie in the royal linens? Perhaps he would tell me to get down on my knees and repay the favor from earlier. Whatever it was, I was certain it wouldn't be something his mother would approve of.

I knew better than to argue with the palace guards. They only followed instructions from the royals so it would have been a waste of breath. The wait gave me time to seethe over the nerve of Rick to request my detainment. That man knew no boundaries.

He finally turned up, all smoldering good looks and oozing charm. His smile shouldn't have been allowed to affect me like it did. "Miss Parker, so good of you to wait for me. I'm sorry I wasn't here to meet you personally."

"What do you want?" I asked bluntly.

"I want to show you the crown jewels, of course." His smile only grew bigger as he held his elbow out for me to take, as if we were in some eighteenth century courtship.

"I've seen your crown jewels, I'd rather leave. Please."

Rick looked me up and down, no doubt remembering the time when our bodies were writhing together and his crown jewels slapping against me. Just the memory made me wet all over again.

Which was why I needed to get out of there.

"I promise these ones are much less impressive," Rick said, wiggling his elbow at me. I sighed and took it, not having much choice.

We walked into the palace and through all the winding corridors. There was a ramp that led downwards to a steel door that resembled a safe. Rick typed on the keypad and the sound of huge locks opening filled the corridor.

Rick put all his weight into opening the heavy door. Inside resembled a safe, too. The walls were made of steel, as was the roof and floor. Masses of sparkling jewelry were in glass cases lining the walls.

The door thudded closed behind us, trapping us inside. "It's always to remain closed," Rick explained to my panicked expression. "Don't worry, it's easy to open the door from this side, you don't even need a pin code." That was a relief.

I'd never seen so many diamonds in one place before. They were everywhere, from the scepters to the crowns, to the necklaces and earrings. The entire room lit up in a jeweled wonderland.

Rick had wandered over to the central case and was waiting for me to join him. "These are the crown jewels. They have been in my family for eight hundred years." A scepter sat next to a golden crown. Diamonds, rubies, and sapphires decorated each point on the crown.

"Does anybody ever wear it?" I asked. It looked heavy, I didn't think I'd be able to keep my head up with it on.

He nodded. "In coronations. I will be the next one to wear it when my father passes it to me. It's not exactly practical for day to day use."

"No, I don't think so."

"All the jewels were gathered from different parts of the country. When it was commissioned, the king of the time found the poorest silversmith in the capital and paid him to make it. He wanted to give the man notoriety so he would get more work."

"That was kind of him."

"There are many stories like that in my family. The Somersby family built this kingdom on kindness and that is still our first consideration when making decisions."

I'd remembered reading something about their generosity. It was usually eclipsed by Rick's latest scandal and delegated to the back pages of the newspaper.

The way Rick spoke of his family was endearing. They really were people he was proud of and it was nice to see that side of him.

He took a step closer to me and stood there a moment to see what I would do. When I didn't step backwards, he cradled my cheeks in his hands. Tipping my head upwards so my gaze could meet his, I could see the fire in his eyes. They were ablaze, completely muddling my thoughts.

His head lowered so our lips could meet. I would never get used to the feeling of his kisses. They were sizzling, hot, and urgent; determined to take me away from reality.

I opened my mouth to him, his tongue searching in my mouth and finding a home there. He was holding me up now as I became putty in his hands, lost to the beautiful sensation.

The kisses deepened to something intense and powerful. Our lips locked together as if nothing would be able to separate us. That was where I belonged, his kisses were something I could no longer live without.

Which was why I had to stop.

I pulled back to see Rick's confused expression. He let me go and I stepped backwards, needing to place a hand on the wall to steady myself. It was difficult to see the dejected look on his face.

"I can't do this anymore," I said, still trying to gather my breathing into a normal rhythm again. I'd lost myself in his arms and now I had to piece myself back together again.

"Do what anymore?" Rick asked.

"This. No more secret meetings, no more kisses, definitely no more sex. We can't do any of that anymore. It has to stop. Our agreement, or deal, whatever it was, it's off. I'm not spying for you anymore."

"I don't care about the agreement. That was never important to me."

I shook my head, he wasn't understanding me. But, then again, I wasn't explaining myself very well either. "I like you, Rick. That's why we have to stop. I'm stepping up. I'm going to be a real contender in this competition. I'm a wife prospect now."

He looked at me with his eyebrows furrowed. I saw his face run through a myriad of expressions before he finally relaxed into a smile. "Well, then. Welcome to the competition."

It _was_ a competition.

And I was planning on winning now.

# Chapter 11

## Richard

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

"We can stop this now, Melody," I said softly, wishing there was a way she could understand how I felt about her. "I can tell Anna I have found my wife right now and everything would be settled."

"No, I don't want that. I want you to be sure. You have to go through the whole process before you choose me."

"So you actually _want_ me to date those other women?"

"Yes," she said. There was hesitation in her voice and doubt in her eyes. "I do." This was a game she didn't know how to play – A game neither of us knew how to play.

"You're crazy."

"If I'm the right one, it won't be an issue."

She _was_ the right one. I knew that and no amount of time with the other ladies could change that. But, if this was what she really wanted, I would go through the remainder of the competition.

For her.

Even though she was nuts.

I walked Melody to the gate and watched her step into the taxi I had arranged for her. She wanted to be in the competition now. But what she didn't realize was that she always was.

For some reason, she thought she was never in line to be my wife. Maybe it was me who had made her think that, maybe it was something else. Whatever it was, it made me saddened to think those were the thoughts that ran through her head.

Just knowing she had felt like that meant I had already done something wrong. A few weeks remained in the competition. I knew there would be plenty more ways I could stuff it all up.

I had to be conscious of my ever move. My every decision. These next weeks were going to be difficult and even more than that, they would decide a big part of the rest of my life. I would have to pretend to be open minded with my mother and Anna, plus with the other women. I would play my role and continue on, just like I had done since meeting Melody in the ball room on the first night.
* * * * *

My next official engagement was the following day. Anna insisted the two of us sit down and have a meeting to discuss the search for my wife.

She also insisted the meeting be at eight in the morning and I'd been up all night mentally replaying the scene between Melody and I in the vault. The look on her face when she said she was a contender was one of my favorite memories now. She was so determined, so beautiful. Especially with her lips swollen from our kisses.

Anna had coffee waiting for me, she knew me well. "What did you think of the garden party yesterday?"

I took a few sips before I answered. I needed that time to process. "It was interesting."

"You need to spend more time with the women."

"I've been spending every day with them for the last two weeks. Isn't that enough?"

Anna looked scary when she was annoyed. "This is a very big decision, Richard. You can't continue to be so flippant. It's a life changing thing we're doing here. I have worked so hard to bring you the best ladies we have here in Illium. The least you can do is put in as much effort. I won't have to live with the woman, you will."

"I understand." It was too early in the morning to argue with her. Also too early to receive a lecture, but I wasn't going to point that out. "What is our next event?"

"We're moving to individual dates." Anna pulled out Polaroid photographs of all the women that attended the garden party. She splayed them across the desk between us. My eyes instantly went to Melody, her smile lighting up her picture. There was no way any of the others would outshine her.

"Dates on the palace grounds, I assume?"

"Of course. We don't want any of these dates to be public knowledge. If they caught you on dates – actual _dates -_ with multiple women, it would be plastered all over the media. They'd have a field day knowing we were screening for a wife."

"Agreed."

Anna gestured to the Polaroids. "We need to cut these numbers or we'll be here for a year. Which ladies did you feel any kind of connection with?"

Pointing to Melody first would have been too obvious. I'm sure Anna was already onto us, but I chose a few others first. I couldn't remember any of their names and had no connection with them, but I'm sure they would be bearable for a date.

"We'll start with Violet first," Anna declared. "I really like this woman, I think she's perfect for you. Please keep that in mind when you are with her."

"I will."

I made all the promises I needed to before I could leave her office. It _was_ Anna's job to find me a wife so I could understand her fervor. It was everything else I didn't like.

I had lunch with my parents. It was nice being able to talk about something besides the wife search. We covered some of the political decisions that needed to be made and discussed the next roster of official engagements we needed to attend.

My father's health appeared to be in decline on a daily basis now. I silently willed him to hang on for as long as he could. It was selfish, but I wasn't ready to say goodbye to him yet.

I wasn't ready to rule.

They didn't ask about my wife prospects and I didn't bring up the subject. No doubt Anna had kept them in the loop on a regular basis. My father wasn't that interested in the finer details of it all, but my mother probably was.

My first individual date was that evening. Anna had arranged for Violet to join me for dinner in the dining hall. It seemed ridiculous that the two of us were seated at a table meant for a hundred.

"You look lovely tonight," I said as I pulled Violet's chair out for her.

She giggled and blushed. "That is so kind of you, thank you, Your Majesty. May I say, you look very handsome yourself?"

I was wearing a tux, again. Ridiculous, but Anna wouldn't have it any other way. The laundry staff were probably damning me for wearing the blasted formalwear over and over again.

We sat down and the first course was delivered immediately. "So tell me about yourself, Violet. We haven't really spoken much before."

"Well, I'm twenty-five, and I'm a school teacher. I have a class of thirty eight-year-olds at home waiting for me."

"That is a lot of children. How do you handle them all every day?"

"I bribe them to be good," she said with a cheeky smile crossing her lips. "A five minute early mark is an amazing tool of bribery."

We laughed and that eased any awkwardness between us for the rest of the night. Violet was actually a very funny woman. Shy, but incredibly fun when she relaxed and let down her guard.

Not only was she a teacher, but she also looked after her elderly parents. If she were to be the next princess, she would need to make arrangements for them. Moving them into the palace would be the obvious choice, we already had a nurse on staff and there were more than enough rooms available.

I caught myself thinking about her as my wife halfway through the meal. I pictured her undertaking royal duties and making appearances with my parents and myself. The thoughts came completely unbidden and surprised me.

Violet _was_ a good choice. A very good choice. I finally understood why Anna was pushing me toward her with such force. She was a likable woman, supremely suited to the role we needed to fill.

I went to bed later that night more confused than ever. Melody had wanted me to be sure she was the right one. She had challenged me to consider the other women for the role of my wife. When she said that, I had been certain it would be an easy process. The date with Violet had me questioning everything.

Even sleep couldn't give me some relief from the decision. My dreams showed me the faces of all the women at the garden party, rotating around like a demented carousel.

We had dwindled the numbers down to six and now I still had five dates to go. One every night this week before I had to make another decision on who to cull and who to keep. I wasn't sure now how I was going to do it.

The date between Melody and I wasn't scheduled for another three days. I couldn't handle going that long without seeing her. I had to know if I still felt the same way about us.

The next morning, I had all kinds of urges to visit her. I could easily slip out of the palace and turn up at her hotel unannounced. I just needed to see her, to speak to her. To make sure she hadn't changed her mind.

But I couldn't do that anymore. She had told me in no uncertain terms that I had to stay away from her. I was to treat her like all the other women in the competition and that meant staying away. After all, I wouldn't dream of seeing the other ladies alone outside of the palace.

My date that evening was with a blond called Holly. I couldn't even remember her being at any of the other events. She was pretty, with curls and long eyelashes. She didn't giggle much, unlike all the others. She was probably the most serious of any of the women I'd met.

"So you must be close to making a decision," she said toward the end of the night. "It's been weeks, you have to have some ideas."

"It's a very big decision," I replied. What was I supposed to say? If she was looking for a promise tonight, she would be sadly disappointed

"I understand." She paused and I thought I had dodged her question. Apparently I was wrong. "But you must have some preference. It's okay to tell me, I won't say anything to the others."

"I really don't know."

After that, the date went downhill. Holly didn't appreciate my answer and she seemed to be looking for me to confess my love for her that night. She didn't understand anything that was going on.

I walked her to the gate because it was my duty but I'd checked out of the date hours ago. The moment I saw her into her taxi, I went straight to my room and tried to forget the whole thing.

The pressure to get married was weighing heavily on me. I hated the situation, I never wanted to find a wife this way. I wanted to have time, I wanted to find her on my own with no royal interference. They'd decided everything else about my life, I just wanted this one thing to be mine.

But it wasn't.

And I couldn't change anything.

My father was sick and as much as I hated to think about it, he wasn't going to last much longer. The rules were that I had to be married before I could take the throne. There was nothing I could do about those things.

I laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling. The pillow smelled faintly of Melody's perfume. I inhaled the scent, trying to lock it into my memory. She wanted to be a contender in this crazy competition but she didn't deserve that either.

Thankfully, Melody would be my next date. It was the only one I was truly looking forward to. I dressed in jeans with a nice blue shirt to go with it. Every other time I'd seen her it was in my formalwear. I wanted to show her that I could be like a regular person too.

I fussed over the preparations all evening, making sure the staff had done their jobs. We weren't going to have a formal dinner in the palace like with the others, it felt like we were beyond that. Instead, I'd organized a picnic in the forest area of the grounds.

Fairy lights were strung through the thick trees, lighting everything just enough for us to have a romantic evening. A heavy blanket was on the ground with our dinner in glass containers. I'd placed a few cushions on the blanket in case the floor got a bit hard.

The best part of the picnic area was its seclusion. Everywhere else in the palace didn't feel private. But down here, in the woods, no eyes would watch us. We could speak freely without inhibitions.

The sound of footsteps made me snap around to face the noise. Our butler had walked Melody down to greet me. He handed her over and nodded before returning back to the palace.

Melody wore a short white dress that hung just above the knee. It cinched on her waist and showed off her awesome cleavage. Images of removing the dress and exposing her beautiful body flashed through my mind and made my cock come to life.

"You look lovely tonight," I said, trying to break the ice. She looked more than lovely but I was supposed to behave. "Thank you for coming."

"Thank you for having me. I have to say, I wasn't expecting all this." She gestured to the lights and the blanket.

"I wanted something special for you." I took her hand and guided her over to the blanket. She took off her shoes and stepped onto the plush material. "Make yourself comfortable and I will serve dinner. I hope you're hungry."

She sat in silence, taking everything in around us. I started opening the dishes, handing her a plate and spoon so she could choose what she wanted to eat.

"You look good tonight. It's nice to see you in something casual," she said.

"All those suits and jackets are not me. This is more like it. I can actually breathe and be more like myself when dressed down."

"It's funny how clothes can change the way you feel."

"It is." We shared a smile and I knew that getting through the dinner without pinning her to the ground seemed impossible. My hands were supposed to stay to myself, yet they were itching to touch her.

All of her.

My tongue wanted to join in too.

We started eating, the food as divine as it always was. The kitchen staff were outstanding at the palace. They never failed to deliver. I'd told them only this afternoon that I wanted to hold a picnic and they'd changed their plans just for me. They were exemplary.

"So how have your other dates been?" Melody asked. I really didn't want to be talking about the other women while I had her all to myself.

I chewed slowly to buy myself some time and formulate an answer. "They have each been interesting in their own way."

"What did you do with them?"

"We ate in the dining room and had dinner together."

She nodded to herself and looked at her plate, avoiding my gaze. I would have paid a million dollars to know what was going on inside her head right now. It was a guarantee that I had no clue.

"Did you like any of them?" Melody continued. Her fishing for information was never going to end well. I didn't want to lie to her, but I didn't want her to know the absolute truth either. I didn't want to hurt her in any way.

"One was nicer than the other."

"Have you had a date with Violet yet?"

So that was the one she was particularly worried about. I guessed it was reasonable, Anna had been pushing her the whole time. "Yes, my first date was with Violet."

"And she was the one you liked better than the other?"

"Yes. How about we talk about something more exciting? How did you spend your day today?" We couldn't keep going down the same path. It only led to trouble.

Apparently Melody didn't have the same belief. "So Violet is your first choice?"

"I haven't made any choice, Melody. Please can we change the subject?"

She wouldn't meet my gaze again and remained silent for a very long time. I had really been enjoying her company until that moment. My mind reeled trying to find something I could do to turn her mood around.

Clearly she was worried about the other women. Yes, I had to go through the process to make sure I was making the right decision. But my heart would ultimately decide and not my head.

"I used to hide in these woods when I was a child," I started to fill the void that had grown between us. "I would disappear for hours and nobody would be able to find me. Eventually my father would call off the search because he knew I would return when it was dark. The woods at night were too scary for me."

"What did you do in here all day?"

"You really want to know the answer? Because I warn you that it is embarrassing and you may think much less of me."

"Now I want to know more," Melody said teasingly. Success.

"Okay, but I did warn you." I paused for dramatic effect. "I used to pretend I was a pirate and I had to find buried treasure. So I would wander all through the woods looking for the perfect spot."

"And did you ever find it?"

"No, I didn't bring a spade with me so I wasn't going to get my hands dirty and dig."

The smile I earned with my story was worth it. Melody's face lit up with it, transforming it into something astounding.

"That's the smile I've been waiting for," I said, poking her ribs to make her giggle too. I shifted all the empty food dishes to the side so we had the blanket all to ourselves. "You look so gorgeous when you laugh."

She regained her breath and composure. "This whole thing is so weird, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"The whole finding a wife deal. Aren't you sick of it yet?"

"Very much so," I sighed, looking up through the trees at the beautiful stars for a moment before I returned my gaze back to Melody. "But, until the process is over I am not allowed to be relieved of my duties."

"It is normal for your family to hold a competition to find a partner?"

"No, I believe this is the first."

"So why now?"

I trusted Melody, but I wasn't ready to share the horrible situation with her yet. I wasn't ready to talk about my father with anyone yet.

"I guess my parents think I'm getting too old to be single. My mother wants grandchildren before she's too old to play with them."

"You're only thirty-two."

"Apparently that's old." I shrugged nonchalantly and hoped that would be enough questions for the night. I laid down on the blanket and looked up at all the fairy lights twinkling in the trees, just like the stars above them.

A few moments later, Melody did the same. I found her hand and held it tightly. Surely that would have been an action approved by Anna. I couldn't keep my hands off completely.

"This really is beautiful," she sighed. "And dinner was delicious."

"Just to make sure, you're not going to let me remove all your clothes and fuck you until you scream with pleasure tonight, right?"

"Right," she said, looking my way with a confident smile.

"Just checking."

We laid together, wriggling closer and closer until Melody was cradled next to me, her head nestled in my shoulder. I never realized how nice just cuddling was before. The warmth of her body against mine – clothed – was comforting. I still wanted to fuck her badly but it would have to wait for another time.

I didn't want the evening to end but it did start to get cool in the woods as it approached midnight. Melody yawned and that was my cue to get her home. Although, the thought of waiting for her to fall asleep and carrying her up to _my_ bed was tempting.

"We should get moving," I said quietly, not wanting to startle her in the quietness. "I'll walk you to the gate."

"Can you carry me? I'm too tired to walk." She said it teasingly, but now was my time to impress her.

"Okay."

"I was joking."

"I know," I said as I swept her up in my arms and started walking for the gates. She wasn't heavy so that made it easier.

Melody snuggled against me and all I could smell was her perfume. It was the same as the one still on my pillows. I wanted to inhale all of it, let it fill me the way she was filling my heart.

I didn't stop at the gate, instead I walked her all the way to her taxi and placed her inside. Her delicate little feet didn't have to touch the ground at all.

"When will I see you again?" she asked sleepily.

I cringed. "Probably not until next week. I have the remainder of the dates to complete."

"Right." She was wide awake now. And unimpressed. "I'll see you around then." She pulled the door closed before I could respond.

That wasn't the ending I'd wanted for the night.

# Chapter 12

## Melody

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

When I first woke up, I thought everything was great. I remembered the date with Rick and it was enough to make me tingle with happiness.

Then I remembered the real situation. The other dates, the other women.

I couldn't do it anymore.

Aunt Helen had already ordered room service and was eating toast by the television when I got up. "Good morning, dear. You were home late last night. How did it go?"

"It was okay," I replied.

"What did he do for you? Was it a formal dinner like that last times you went to the palace?"

Just as I was about to reply, there was a knock on the door. I went to it with dread, wondering what it was now. A bellboy had an envelope for me. I accepted it and closed the door.

"Another invitation from the palace?" Helen asked.

I nodded and opened it. "The queen has requested the presence of all ladies. Apparently I'm having lunch with the queen today."

"Oh, how exciting."

"I don't know about that."

I only had an hour before I needed to leave for the palace so I quickly got ready and filled Helen in on the details of the date. She gushed about it until the very end.

The car was waiting for me downstairs and whisked me away to the palace. I was ushered inside and through to yet another room of the massive building that I hadn't seen before.

I could only describe it as a sitting room. Plush antique couches were placed around in a square with mini sandwiches and other finger foods placed on the table in the middle. Tapestries covered all the walls, no doubt they were hundreds of years old.

The other women were already there and seated. I noticed nobody else was sitting next to Violet, even though there was room. Did they resent her for being the front runner too? The competition was making us all cuckoo.

I took the seat next to her, not wanting her to be left out. She was a nice person, she didn't deserve to be shunned. We couldn't lose ourselves in the process, at least I couldn't anyway.

When we were all present and seated, the queen arrived. She was just as elegant and lovely as I remembered. We all stood for her entrance and she greeted us individually by name. When she reached me, she gave me a wink too.

We sat and began our lunch. If I was ever sent home, I would definitely miss the food. The chefs in the palace knew how to cook and there was nowhere else in the country with food as good as it was here.

"You're probably all curious about why I called you here today," the queen started. "I want you to understand what would be expected of you if you were to marry my son. There are duties that will need to be filled."

We were all silent because there was nothing anyone dared to say to her. The protocols here were a bit murky, caught between an informal meeting and a formal one. Technically, we could go to jail for saying the wrong thing to our reigning monarch.

"Our engagements are very important and much be taken seriously. As a princess, you would be expected to attend a few of these each week. They include everything from official openings to visiting schools and inspiring children. Our main aim is to help the people of this country in every way possible. We serve them, not the other way around. It has been this way for several hundreds of years and I plan to keep it that way."

It was slightly different to the way she'd explained it to me but the idea was the same. We weren't going to flounce around the palace and smile for cameras. We were going to work, just like with any other job.

"There is no pressure from us that you have children straight away," the queen continued, "However, when the time is right, you do need to produce at least one child. Succession rules state that only a male child can take the throne, therefore you may need to have more. These decisions will be made between Richard and yourself."

That was reasonable. Nobody here would have the belief that children weren't involved in this deal. I had always wanted to be a mother some time in my life so that wasn't a big deal.

For just a moment, I indulged the thought of being the winner of Rick's heart. I could imagine little children running around the palace, one running into his arms so he could swing it around. It was a nice image, one that made me both warm and fuzzy, and terrified at the same time. What if he didn't choose me?

The queen continued throughout lunch, explaining the duties the princess would take on and how things would go when Rick made his decision. She had a lovely nature to her, it oozed out and made the lunch more than pleasant.

When the queen left, we were served dessert and allowed to eat in peace. I turned to Violet. "She makes it sound pretty attractive."

Violet was about to burst at the seams. "It sounds perfect. I would die to spend my life serving the country this way." She paused, looking around before continuing. "I think it's going to come down to the two of us. I've watched Richard with the others and he hardly pays them any attention. You can see it in his eyes."

For a moment, I toyed with the idea of telling her exactly what Rick and I have been up to. But that would have just been boasting and it wouldn't serve any purpose. I bit my tongue so I didn't talk.

Violet didn't notice. "How do you think he'll decide between us?"

"I really don't know."

"To be honest, I like you Melody, but I'm going to do everything I can to be the final woman standing. I really want Richard and I'll fight for him if I have to."

She smiled, going back to the sweet girl everyone else saw her as. Now I'd seen her guard down just a little. "I guess time will tell, Violet. Richard will choose whoever he wants to in the end."

From the doorway, I saw a hand waving. A few seconds later, Rick quickly popped his head into view. It was just the distraction I needed to leave the room. I didn't want to talk to the women anymore.

I excused myself and headed for the corridor. Only a second later I was dragged into another room. Just like the other one, this also seemed to be a sitting room.

Rick spun me around and pressed me against the wall. "I've been waiting hours to get you alone," he growled against my skin. It tickled, sending a wave of goosebumps down my spine.

His lips burned against my skin, kissing my neck until I was hot and bothered. All my thoughts turned dirty as my pussy pulsed below.

"You smell so good. Do you bathe in roses?"

I giggled. "No. I'm not even wearing perfume."

"Well, don't stop doing whatever you're doing. You smell delicious."

With that, he showered me with more kisses, my skin alight with tingles as joy washed over me. I wanted Rick so badly, I wanted to be naked with him, to writhe together as sweaty bodies, and then to hold each other afterwards.

He started to undo the buttons on my blouse, exposing my bra and the boobs that were spilling out of the cups. He pulled one out, instantly sucking on my nipple as if it was his lifeline. My back arched, willing him to take more of me.

Fire burned between my legs, begging to be touched and sucked on like my nipples. I wanted Rick to do it all, to _touch_ it all. That was all I could think of, he was scrambling my thoughts until I was nothing but sensations.

"Fuck, I love your tits."

My eyes flew open as I looked down at Rick ravishing me. His eyes were closed too as he enjoyed the moment.

I needed to stop it.

He didn't see me as anything other than a sex toy. He'd pulled me out of an event just to get naked with me. Again. It was stupid of me to think he really saw me as a viable wife.

"Stop, Rick. We can't do this." I pushed him away and tucked my breasts back into my bra. I redid the buttons while he stood, watching. The hunger in his eyes quickly turning to confusion.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"We can't do this anymore."

"You already said that, what's wrong?"

I took a deep breath as I stepped away from the wall and smoothed my hair. "You still only think of me this way. I'm your fuck buddy... that's all."

"That's not true," he shot back after a beat, like he had to think about it first. It confirmed everything I suspected.

He was never going to consider me wife material. He would always think of me as some fun while he went through the boring process of finding someone to spend the rest of his life with.

I would _never_ be his princess.

"I need to leave," I said with a stupid quiver in my voice. I had wanted to sound so much braver than I did. It was just so difficult when I could see the hurt in his beautiful eyes.

"Is that what you really want?" he asked, to which I nodded. Stepping back, Rick gestured to the door. "I won't keep you here against your will."

I took one last look at him before leaving the room. From there, I headed straight for the palace gates, hoping they were open. Tears stung my eyes when I realized this would probably be my last time on the palace grounds.

There would be no further invitations. After today's event and once all the individual dates were done, the number of women would be cut again. I would put all my money on not being on the next invitation list.

Thankfully, the gates were open and I charged straight through them. There were no taxis waiting so I kept walking until I could catch the train back to the hotel.

Aunt Helen was waiting for me, as she always was. She knew something was up as soon as I was through the door. "What happened?"

I hesitated before committing to my plan. "I'm out of the competition. We can go home today. I'm not going to be the next princess of Illium."

Her jaw dropped open. "Oh, I'm so sorry, honey. Are you very hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. I'm looking forward to going home and leaving all this craziness behind me."

"We can make the evening train if we hurry," Helen said, already heading for her own suitcase.

She knew not to ask any more questions until I was in a better mood so we packed in silence. I needed to be out of there, away from everything that was driving me insane. Rick was going to dump me so it was much better that I got out first.

At least I could leave with some dignity.

We caught the evening train with ten minutes to spare. We were going home.

# Chapter 13

## Richard

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

Four women. That's all that were left. I'd made the decision and it was easy. The individual dates we'd had were very telling. I finally got to see through the ladies' facades and see the real them. Or, at least, a glimpse of the real them.

The next round of invitations were sent out that morning, calling the women to the palace individually again. We were having a combined meeting with my mother, Anna, me, and the ladies. I didn't envy them having to meet with all of us at one time. It was quite a bit of pressure.

A maid knocked on my open door and waited to come in. I gave her the nod and she rushed in, handing me an unopened envelope. "This was returned, Your Majesty."

"What do you mean returned?"

"The hotel said she was no longer a guest there."

I took the envelope and dismissed her, the maid was only the bearer of bad news, she would know no more. I stared at the name so neatly written on the front: _Miss Melody Parker_.

I reached for the phone and dialed the hotel's number. When answered, I requested her details and was told the same thing as the maid had said. Melody Parker was no longer staying there. She'd checked out yesterday and there were no further details.

Anger started to rise within me. Melody was still under the request of the palace to stay in the city. She was not permitted to leave yet. If she'd really gone, it was an act she could be arrested for.

But it wasn't just the way she flouted the rules that made me angry. Nobody had ever said no to me before. Nobody had ever rejected a chance to be with me. I could have any woman I wanted and she chooses to leave with no explanation.

That woman drove me insane. She was so unpredictable, so reckless, and so hot there was no way to get her out of my head. There was no way she should have just disappeared.

I threw the invitation on the desk and stomped out of the room. The sting was firmly felt from Melody's rejection and I needed to share the affront with someone else.

Anna was in her office, as expected, she was rarely anywhere else. "Melody has left the hotel, her invitation was returned just now."

"What?"

"That was my reaction."

"But we haven't released her from her duties. She's still under the official request from the palace."

"I know." It was good to know I wasn't the only one that felt like I had received a slap to the face. Anna took her job _very_ seriously, she felt everything I did.

"Should I have her arrested?" Anna asked, still in shock. None of the other women from the very beginning left without notice. It was a situation we didn't have a precedence for.

I slumped in the seat across from the desk. "I don't want to force her to be here. Clearly she had decided to withdraw from consideration. She just didn't bloody well tell anyone before she left."

"I'm sorry, Richard. I know you thought highly of Melody."

I had to stop myself from letting my heart bleed in front of her. I could have let it all tumble out and reveal how deep my feelings for Melody ran. But I was a royal and we didn't do that. We bottled up our feelings and kept them to ourselves. As long as we could smile for the cameras, it didn't matter how we really felt.

"I guess we need to focus on the last three, then," I replied. "At least the rest of them haven't disappeared in the night."

"That's the spirit," Anna said.

We discussed the remainder of the women but my heart wasn't in it. All I could think about was Melody and where the hell she was right now. She could have been anywhere in the country.

She was probably on her way home, but it didn't really matter. She had made her thoughts on me very clear, she wanted nothing more to do with me. What was the point of pursuing it? Just so I could get rejected in person?

"The first meeting is in one hour," Anna reminded me. "We are starting with Violet, of course. I'm sure she will go very well with your mother."

"I expect she will," I replied.

Violet _did_ do well, of course. So far she had excelled in every meeting and challenge we had set for her. The other women passed too, but they weren't exceptional. There was a clear winner in all aspects.

I disappeared afterwards, needing some time alone. There was little more we could do with the women now, it was time to make a decision. Both Anna and my mother would be hassling me any minute now for the magic name so they could start to make more plans.

Wedding plans.

They had been discussing them for months, getting everything ready for when I picked a bride. All they needed was the name so they could print the invitations and make the formal announcement.

Once I muttered a name, everything would be a whirlwind afterwards. I would barely get to know my bride before we were married. We would be too caught up in official duties to actually speak.

I dreaded it.

I really did.

I tried to imagine any of the three women standing beside me for those moments. I tried to picture what they would be like, how they would handle the engagements we would be required to fulfil in such a short period of time.

All three might have been adequate. They would smile and they would curtsy. They would say the polite things when asked and they would go along with all the plans made around her.

But would I enjoy it? Would I be able to look over at them and be invigorated and excited by their presence? I guessed it didn't matter at the end of the day. If it were in the country's best interest, then that was all that mattered.

Plus, my parents wouldn't have to worry any more. My father would focus on his health and rest assured that my succession was cemented. My mother could spend her time with her husband in his final days and they could enjoy simply being together.

All around, it was for the best. Out of the three, I would choose Violet. That was who Anna and my mother would choose. Everybody loved her so I would have to learn to also. Maybe it would come with time, maybe we could be friends within our marriage. I wouldn't be the first member of this family to marry for convenience. Just because my parents married for love, it didn't mean I would get the same opportunity.

Having made that decision, I didn't feel as light as I thought I would. I had imagined it would take away the pit in my stomach but it hadn't. I still felt like shit and needed to blow off some steam.

Normally I would have snuck out and found a woman or two to take to my secret apartment. This time, that wouldn't work. If I were photographed, or if the women talked, it would look terrible with my engagement announcement in the next few days.

I sat in the living room of my wing and stared out the window. I needed to do something because I couldn't keep still. Running away to the country house wouldn't help either, I would be needed for the announcements that needed to be released.

But staying in the palace for one more minute was going to drive me crazy. Someone knocked on the door and I dreaded having to speak with anyone right now. Still, I answered it.

My mother stood at my door. "Can I talk to you for a while?"

"Of course." I let her in and we sat on the couch together. My mother never visited me in my room and I dreaded what she wanted to discuss. I prayed my father's health hadn't deteriorated any further. "What would you like to talk about?"

"Your wife."

"I'm deciding, Mother. I'm really trying to work it out, I promise you."

She smiled kindly. "I'm not here to hurry you along. I'm here to talk about how you should make the decision." She paused and I knew better than to prompt her to continue. "You need to listen to your heart and let it tell you which of the lovely women here is the right one for you. As soon as you let your head get involved it will muck everything up for you."

"But I need to think logically," I countered. "I need to do what's right for the country, for this family. I can't just run off and pick a bride because of some feeling I have."

"That's exactly what you should do. Darling, I know you, and I know your instincts are very accurate. You won't make the wrong decision."

But that was the problem. There was no clear way for me to know what the _right_ decision was. I couldn't make a mistake, this decision was for life. The heavy burden was still there, still gnawing away at me even though I thought I'd already decided.

Mother went to stand, squeezing my hands in the process. "You already know who she is. Your heart would have told you the moment you met her. Just listen and let it speak."

I wanted to tell her that I couldn't hear anything my heart had to say to me but I remained silent. My mother's intentions were kind, but they didn't stop the churning storm in my stomach and head.

At least I no longer felt restless. I didn't have the energy anymore to go out and get into trouble. Instead, I took a long, hot shower and went to bed.
* * * * *

I awoke at five a.m. My eyes shot open and refused to close again. Today was the day Anna and my mother would be expecting an answer. As I laid in bed, I tried to get excited about muttering Violet's name. I imagined our wedding night and every day after and really tried to look forward to it.

But the fact of the matter was that I couldn't. The rest of my life would be adequate. I would have an agreeable wife, we would have boring little children, and then look forward to death at an old age.

Adequate.

I felt old just picturing it. There didn't seem a reason to get out of bed at all. If that was my life, how could I be excited about any of it? I always knew I was born to give my life to my country, but wasn't there a part that should belong to me too?

There was no way I could go through with it. My heart was talking to me and it wasn't saying to choose Violet. She was a nice girl, but my head liked her much more than my heart.

My heart knew only one woman.

I hurried out of bed, knowing exactly what I needed to do. Showering and dressing took too long now I knew who I wanted. It felt like I couldn't wait another moment to speak with her. I needed to make sure things were okay between us before I spoke with Anna and my mother.

The problem was I didn't know where she was at the moment. Melody was still missing from the hotel so I could only assume she had gone home. I didn't have her address, but I assumed Anna would. She must have needed it for the initial invitations that went out to thousands of girls across the country.

Anna wasn't due to commence work for another couple of hours so I let myself into her office. There was no need for locks within the palace, nobody was allowed secrets from everybody else.

Her filing cabinet was my best bet. I rifled through the paperwork she kept until I found a full file on Melody Parker. It was neatly labelled, I wouldn't have expected anything else from Anna.

I skimmed past all the personal details, including size measurements, family history, school exam results, to reach the address. I scribbled it on a piece of paper and hurried out of there.

The kitchen was next. I may have been on a mission, but I needed fuel as well. I grabbed a bacon and egg burger from the cook and kept going.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" the cook asked cheekily.

I flashed her a smile. "Secret wife business. Don't tell anyone you saw me. It's our little secret."

"Be gone then and I'll keep my lips closed."

Taking the burger into my expensive and pristine car would normally be something I wouldn't do. However, Melody lived as far away from the palace as I could get. Not one minute could be spared before I saw her again. Getting to her trumped a potential stain to my leather seats.

Juggling my breakfast and the gear shift, I sped out of the palace before anyone could stop me. I had a lot of driving time to think but I still couldn't decide what I was going to tell Melody when I saw her.

She had left me, rejected me already. What could I possibly say to her that would make her change her mind? I needed her to stand beside me. In all those scenarios I had imagined for my future, I needed her with me or I would not be able to carry them out. I would not be a good king without her as my queen.

That was the crux of it.

I wanted her more than I'd ever wanted anything before. She had been wrong when she said I only wanted to use her for sex. That was the least of my intentions. I wanted to have sex with her because I felt more attracted to her than any other woman I'd ever met. Somehow, she was so very different from all others in a way that I never thought possible.

My mother was right. The moment I met Melody, I knew she was the one for me. My head might not have been able to process that at the time, but it could now. I was finally listening to how I truly felt.

Convincing Melody of that was going to be the hardest of all.

# Chapter 14

## Melody

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

Coming home was difficult. I knew it would be. I'd thought about my decision long and hard on the train ride. There had been plenty of time to think and it had been more torture than relaxing.

"Are you okay, honey?" Mom asked as she sat on my bed. We'd arrived in the middle of the night and didn't want to wake anybody when we got home. Mom had wanted to hear the whole story the moment I woke up.

I sat up and gave her a hug. "Of course I'm okay. I never wanted to marry the prince anyway. He was an arrogant pain in the butt."

"It must have been an adventure."

"It was." I nodded, not realizing my lips had quirked up into a smile with the memory. Going to the palace had been an experience, that was for sure. But it was time to get back to reality. "I think I'm going to go into work today. It's important I get back to my normal routine."

"If that's what you want. Just as long as you're really okay?"

"Of course."

Mom stood and gave me one last look before leaving me so I could get ready. If there was going to be anyone able to see through my façade, it would be her. She always knew when I was lying, even as a kid.

One of the things I worried about was being arrested. I wasn't allowed to leave the city like I did. I went against the palace request and that was an illegal act. I wouldn't be able to hide anywhere in the country without them being able to find me.

But would they try?

Rick would have chosen one of the other women, even if I was there. If I was no longer taking up the palace's time, surely that would only be a good thing in their eyes? It wasn't like Rick would be missing me or anything. He now had nothing standing in the way of him choosing Violet and announcing their engagement.

I grimaced thinking about it. Seeing their smiling faces splashed across the media wasn't going to be a pleasant experience. While the rest of the country celebrated, I would be wondering about what could have been. But he was never going to choose me anyway so it was a stupid idea to hold onto. I needed to let it go – something that was a lot easier said than done.

Whatever was going to happen, I still hoped the palace wouldn't put the police onto me. I didn't need to sit in a jail cell because I didn't want to hang around and find out that I wouldn't be a princess. That would be the ultimate humiliation. I would be someone's bitch in no time. They would call me 'princess' just to rub it in.

I got dressed slowly. It wasn't only the fatigue that was making it seem like I was wading through quicksand, but I pushed it to the back of my mind. The competition was over for me, I'd removed myself from it before Rick could do it himself. I got out first, it was _my_ decision.

And that's the way I liked it.

It still didn't change the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, though. Working was going to be a good distraction. It would take my mind off of things and remind me of how my life was supposed to be.

I had breakfast and fielded dozens more questions from my family before I could escape to the café I'd worked in for three years. It was owned by my cousin and was a family affair. There were always extra shifts to pick up and every hand was made use of.

When I stepped in the door, everyone stopped. My cousin Dami shrieked. "Princess Melody! You're back!" The entire café stopped to stare at me.

I picked up an apron and put it on, buying myself some extra moments before I had to reply. "Hi, Dami. I'm not a princess, just plain old Melody." I slipped into the kitchen as the rest of the staff followed me.

They gathered around until I had nowhere to run. "You have to tell us everything. What happened? What was the palace like? Did you meet the king?"

I plastered on the great big smile I knew I would be needing and let it cover everything I was really feeling inside. "The palace was beautiful and massive. I didn't meet the king, but I did have lunch with the queen and she was lovely."

"What about the playboy prince? What was _he_ like?" It was so quiet it was like everybody had stopped breathing while they listened for the much-anticipated answer.

"He was okay, but nothing special. Good looking up close but that was about all he had going for him," I replied flippantly. "The food was the best part of the whole thing. I'm going to miss that the most."

Dami crossed her arms over her overflowing chest. "And what's my cooking, chopped liver?"

"Nobody is as good as you."

"You better believe it."

She made me laugh and hopefully that would start the end of my melancholy. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like everybody was going to let me get off that lightly.

"So what did you do there?" Rhiannon asked. Everyone else nodded eagerly.

"Well, the first night I went to a ball. They gave me this huge dress to wear and it was like a fairytale." Except I had felt like I was Cinderella, not one of the princesses. "Then there was a high tea, a garden party, lunch with the queen, interviews with staff of the palace, and a whole bunch of casual get-togethers where the prince could get to know us better."

They gasped and asked a million more questions. As I spoke, I realized I enjoyed talking about my time at the palace. Without the pressure of being in competition, I could appreciate the experience more. It had been a great time, I was just too stressed to notice how it really made me feel.

Plus, I would be able to tell the story of my time as a potential princess for the rest of my life. Maybe one day I would be able to say it without feeling the sadness that came with it too.

I regaled them with tales until customers demanded attention back in the café. We all split up and got back to work. I cleaned the place from top to bottom, enjoying the manual labor since it occupied my thoughts just enough that my mind couldn't drift off into unwanted places.

Being home again, it was time to get my life back on track. My first priority was finding a job. A real one. I hadn't lied to the queen when I said I wanted to help people. Some kind of humanitarian work was my first preference. To do that, I was probably going to need to go overseas and volunteer in third world countries to gain experience. Then I could work my way up the ladder to a paid position.

It wasn't going to be easy, but nothing worth doing ever was. I was determined to help people so I would do whatever I could to make sure that happened.

A job was going to be the top of my list. After that, it would be finding a new place to live. I couldn't live with my parents for too long. After being away at college for four years, it was difficult adjusting to the rules of the household again.

Then, maybe after I'd sorted all that out, I'd start dating again. Perhaps by then Rick would just be a mere shadow of a memory in my consciousness. I looked forward to that day because then I wouldn't have the sick feeling in my stomach anymore.

Rick was going to be very happy with Violet. She would be overwhelmed when he finally picked her. She might even do the fair maiden trick and faint into his arms. I could picture them together, but it wasn't an image that I wanted to really think of.

I had made the right decision by leaving. Violet was going to be a great princess. She would make a great queen too when the time came – hopefully a long way into the future. The country would love her too, they would splash her across magazines and newspapers until we were all sick of the sight of her.

I would probably be the only one in the country that didn't love her to death. Me, and the other girls in the competition, perhaps. Maybe I was the only petty one. But nobody really wanted to see their competitor win, did they? Hopefully that didn't make me a bad person.

Questions kept popping into my mind. How many days would they wait to make the announcement? A day? A week? I imagined they would want to do it pretty quickly so they could proceed with wedding plans out in the open. Even the palace couldn't keep a secret that big for very long.

The whole thing made me feel sick to my stomach. But I had done the right thing. I wasn't going to hang around the palace for rejection. That wasn't me and it never would be.

Getting back into the swing of work felt good. I had those that I loved around me and they weren't my competition. It was amazing how simple life could be when love wasn't getting in the way.

I cleaned until it started to get busy, then it was time to help take orders in the front. Thankfully, nobody but my family knew why I had been absent for so long so nobody else asked me about what happened in the capital. I could merge back into my old life like nothing happened.

I was making sandwiches when there was noise from the front of the café. Someone had probably knocked something over so I didn't worry about it too much. One of the other waitresses could clean it up while they were close.

The noise continued and then everything fell into an exaggerated silence. Funny enough, it was the lack of noise that made me worry more than the noise had. At least you knew what was happening when you could _hear_ it.

My curiosity and concern got the best of me. I wiped my hands on my apron and popped my head around the door into the main area.

Everyone was still there, plenty of customers and staff alike. They were all frozen, however, staring at the one man standing in the middle of the café like he didn't belong there.

Rick.

Out of everything I had imagined that could have been going on in the café, seeing the next King of Illium there was not one of them. In fact, it was so far away from what I was expecting that my jaw dropped open too.

His gaze swept the room, searching for my face in amongst all the others. I couldn't think, my thoughts stopped just as quickly as my body had. He shouldn't have been there, he belonged at the palace not in the small town I'd grown up in since birth.

He finally found me, recognition relaxing the features of his face. He didn't hesitate in hurrying for me, all eyes following his every move. "Melody. Your mother said I'd find you here."

Great, he'd spoken with my mother. The day just kept getting better and better. Perhaps he was here to arrest me, making sure that I paid for flouting his rules. He had to be somewhat angry about what I'd done.

The exit was still behind me. I still had the opportunity to turn and run in the opposite direction of him. I had the advantage of knowing this place like the back of my hand, he would never find me if I fled.

When he stood in front of me, everybody found their feet again. My family all moved closer, trying to overhear the conversation that was about to take place. They were all about to witness my humiliation. If Rick really wanted to punish me, he could just tell me that he never considered me one of the true contenders. All he had to do was open his mouth and let the words flow out.

My heart hammered against my ribs, telling me to run instead of fight. If I really thought that would get rid of him, I may done just that. But Rick had come a long way and he would make sure to tell me what he came to.

He opened his mouth.

# Chapter 15

## Richard

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

I didn't feel this exposed and nervous, even in front of a media scrum. There had to be fifty people in the café, each of them crowded around and staring at me. I was used to garnering attention, but this place was too cramped for this.

Plus, what I had to say to Melody was not something I wanted an audience for. Not when it was too important and not when any of them could film the display.

I cleared my throat, hoping my voice wouldn't come out like a young boy's. "Is there somewhere we can talk privately?"

My words seemed to jolt Melody back to the moment. She had been as stiff as a zombie ever since I stepped into the café. She looked at me carefully, as if weighing her options. Surely she wouldn't want to speak with me with such an audience? She knew better than that.

She finally nodded and took a step backward. I followed her through the kitchen and out a back door. It opened onto a small street, barely wide enough for cars to pass through.

Melody stopped, so I guessed this was the place she had chosen to talk. At least there were no other people around. It had the semblance of privacy which was the best I could hope for.

"You left," I stated bluntly. I wasn't there to weave poetry, I was there to get answers. There was a big difference between the two.

Melody looked everywhere before her gaze returned to me. "Yes, I did. I knew what your decision was going to be so I took myself out of the equation before you could."

"So you think you know me that well."

"I know your type. I've told you that before."

There were few people in this world that could fire me up as much as Melody Parker. She was as frustrating as she was beautiful. "You presume too much."

We stared at one another for a long time, trying to anticipate what the other would say next. It was Melody that broke first. "Why are you here, Rick? Why come all this way to scold me for leaving? I did you a favor. You were free to choose the woman you really wanted to, the one that was perfect for you."

"And who do you think that was?"

"Violet, of course. Everyone loves her, she was the right choice for the country."

She really didn't see it. She didn't see the way that I wanted her so badly. She was going to make me spell it out for her, lay my heart on the ground so she was free to stomp on it.

"Violet is a nice young woman," I replied.

"So when is your engagement going to be announced? I'd like to know so I can stay home and turn off my television that day."

"Hopefully it will be announced tomorrow."

She nodded as if answering a question inside her head and stared at the ground. She shuffled from foot to foot, making me nervous just watching her.

Melody looked at me again with a very fake smile twisting her lips. "Congratulations. I'm sure you'll be very happy together."

"I'm sure we will be."

"And you thought driving for twelve hours just to tell me in person that you didn't want me was a good idea? Was it worth it to see the look on my face?"

I was really upsetting her, and that wasn't my intention by any means. She wasn't understanding what I was saying. Clearly I was going to have to be more direct.

"Melody, my choice isn't Violet. Or any of the other girls," I started. "From the first moment I met you, there was never any competition. From that moment onwards it was you and only you. I went through the motions for Anna and my mother but there was never any doubt in my mind who I wanted to be with. You, Melody, I hope to announce my engagement to _you_ tomorrow."

I let that sink in as she continued to stare at me with those beautiful eyes in surprised splendor. It was my turn to hold my breath and hope for something that I wanted so terribly bad. I longed to kiss her, hold her, ravish her. I wanted it all.

And I wanted it for the rest of our lives.

To be honest, I'd never wanted anything so badly before. I was a prince, I was given everything I could think to ask for. The possibility of something that I couldn't have was a horrible thought. I wanted Melody and I couldn't leave without her promise to marry me.

"You need to do it properly," she finally said. Her expression was giving nothing away, not allaying my fears in any way.

For a moment, I was confused. Then reality hit. She was right, I hadn't done it properly. I bent down on one knee, wishing I had a ring to give to her so I followed traditions.

"Melody, I unashamedly love you. It would make me so happy to have you by my side until the day death parts us. I want to give you everything and I promise I will spend my life making you happy. Will you please do me the honor of becoming my sexy wife?" I smiled and it was all I could do now. My eyes locked with hers as I looking up at her.

She made me wait, thinking about it. It was a lot to ask, and I think that my position as prince was actually working against me for once in my life. She wasn't only taking me as a husband, she was accepting a life of servitude to the country. That was a big catch that came with the engagement.

I silently willed her to say something. If she was going to refuse me, then I wanted her to get it over and done with. I'd have a twelve-hour journey home in order to cry about it.

"Yes," she said. One word to change everything.

I jumped up and wrapped her in my arms, finally able to have that physical connection that I wanted so badly. She fit perfectly in my embrace, the place where she belonged.

Applause and cheers erupted around us. I let go of my fiancé to look in their direction. All the people from the café were crammed into the street behind me. I had no idea how long they had been standing there. News of our engagement would be leaked shortly, I knew it.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty," one of the woman called out with a cheeky look on her face. I liked these people, they weren't fake like those that crowded us at the palace.

My arm went around Melody's shoulders. "I'm just relieved she said yes. I hope you'll all keep this a secret for a little while? At least until we make the official announcement?"

"Of course." The same woman did a mock curtsey. Clearly I wasn't going to get the same respect here that I normally would in the capital.

Melody wriggled out of my hold and approached the woman. She took off her apron and gave it to her. "I don't think I'll be able to work here anymore, Dami."

"Girl, you better not. You go and be the best damn princess there ever was. But don't forget about us."

"I could never do that."

They embraced for a moment before my gorgeous fiancé returned to me. She grabbed the scruff of my shirt and pulled me into a kiss. She told me exactly what was on her mind with that single kiss. It was as dirty as fuck and I was on the exact same wavelength.

"Come home with me," she whispered in my ear. To everyone else she said, "We won't leave town without saying goodbye."

We were able to leave then, but we had to receive a hug from each of those gathered there to witness the best thing that had ever happened to me. I still couldn't believe Melody thought I could have chosen anyone else besides her. To me, there had never even been another option since the day we met.

Never.

She was the only one for me.

I drove Melody to her home, the only other place I had visited in the town so far. She called out when we went inside but there was no reply. We were alone, finally. Her clothes weren't going to last much longer on her body.

Melody grabbed my hand and took me upstairs. I almost tripped over the steps as I hurried to keep up with her. If I knew where we were going, I would have swooped her up in my arms to fasten the process.

"This is my room," she said as she pulled me inside. There was only a single, unmade bed in the room. The décor was still that of a young teenager, contrasting with the woman I knew.

"It's very... pink."

"We're not here for decoration discussions," she said before pulling me over to the bed. She pushed me down with such force that I bounced.

This woman was extraordinary.

# Chapter 16

## Melody

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

He was mine. Prince Richard Somersby III was going to be my husband and I was going to be his wife. There was nothing sexier in this world.

Straddling him, I wished that we were naked already so I could take him inside as quickly as I could. His cock was already hard and ready to go, proving he was every bit the man I thought he was.

I untucked his shirt from his trousers and started on the buttons, resisting the urge to just rip them off. When I had his chest naked, my hands found his skin and ran over the hardest of his muscles. He had to work out on a regular basis to get this kind of buff.

But his chest wasn't his best feature, he only got better with less clothes on. I unzipped his pants and saw the bulge in his underwear for the first time. I rubbed his cock through the fabric, enjoying the way it grew harder under my touch.

Rick had propped himself up enough that he could see what I was doing. He'd given me the best fingerings I'd ever had not that long ago. It was now time to return the favor and show him what my hands could do.

I tugged his cock out of his underwear and held the shaft in my hands firmly. The tip was shiny with moisture, giving me enough lube to run my fingers up and down his length. His lips smirked at me, not only enjoying the sensation of what I was doing to him, but the view of how I handled him as well. If that was the case, I'd give him something to look at.

I leaned down and licked my tongue over the head of his cock. The saltiness of him filled my mouth, making me want more of him. This time, I swirled my tongue all around the tip before taking it deeper. I sucked on the head, giving pressure and then letting it go again. My pussy was drenched from the motions, urging me on so I could get to the part where he would fill me.

Knowing he was my future husband and we would have a lifetime to play like this made everything that much sweeter. We wouldn't have to rush, we could try everything we ever wanted to over our lifetime.

"Hmmm, fuck that's good, Melody."

Making him groan was only the start of my job. I took his cock into my mouth as far as it would go, knocking on the back of my throat in the process. I sucked and licked until his hips started bucking. He wanted more, creeping closer to the impending orgasm than I wanted him to get. He was going to come inside me, whether he knew that yet or not.

I pulled backwards with my lips still tight around his shaft until he popped out of my mouth. His beautiful cock was so hard and big and oh so temptingly close still. If I didn't want him inside me so badly I might have taken another taste, but I simply couldn't wait any longer. My pussy was drenched and begging to be filled.

"You're a tease, Miss Parker," Rick breathed, a smirk on his face. His lips might have been playful, but his eyes burned with reckless intent. He was about to have some fun with me.

Gripping my arms, he pulled me upwards and I stood by the bed. Rick moved to stand also, the last of his clothes falling away.

"You are way too overdressed for this occasion," he growled and a shiver ran down my spine.

He started on my top, pulling it over my head and discarding it onto the floor. My skirt was next, the simple design making it easy for him to push it over my hips where it dropped to the floor.

Rick didn't waste a second as he unclasped my bra and threw it away. My panties were just as quick to disappear and I was left naked.

Even though we'd been fooling around for the past few weeks, we'd never seen each other completely naked before. It felt incredibly intimate sharing this moment together finally. He wasn't a prince and I wasn't a café worker. We were just ourselves, with nothing to hide.

Rick slowed his pace, kissing my neck and pulling me against him. His bare skin burned on me, warming me from the inside out. I closed my eyes and got lost in his kisses, the goosebumps forming on my arms, and the pulsing heat his touch brought to me down below.

"God, you're beautiful. I have to have you, Melody. I can't take this one slow."

My eyes flicked open to meet his. "Then don't."

He didn't need any more encouragement. Rick pulled me over to the bed and lowered me down, our lips never leaving each other the whole time. When I was finally lying down, he pulled away from me.

With his welcome weight on top of me, he pinned me down so he could do whatever he wanted with me. I wrapped my legs around him, linking our feet together so we moved as one.

His rock hard cock was quickly positioned at my entrance. Rick couldn't wait any longer and I was completely wet for him. There was no need to be gentle when I was so ready.

He continued to kiss my neck while he pushed into me. His dick filled me, stretching my walls so he could bury himself deeply within. I needed him. Last time we'd had sex he hadn't given all of himself to me. This time, I could tell he was.

Once he had filled me completely, he started thrusting. I felt him pull out of me before pushing back in, a gentle moan escaped from his mouth as he enjoyed the sensation. I'd warmed him up with the blow job so he wasn't going to last too long before he needed to come.

Rick snaked a hand between us and started stroking my clit as he thrust. His fingers were as insistent as his cock, owning me in every way. He had the right to, now that I was his fiancé. I would gladly let him own me from this day forward. I was his completely, and he was mine.

With the combined thrusts and his fingers working my clit into a frenzy, I wasn't going to last much longer either. The orgasm was building in my belly and I couldn't do anything to make it last any longer.

"Come, Melody. I want to see you come," Rick said. He stared directly into my eyes while tugging at my clit in a definitive declaration that I was to obey his order. I was powerless to stop my body from exploding.

The instant joy sung through my body and covered all my skin in tingles. I was barely conscious of what he was doing but I heard him swear before he made one last thrust that filled me with his cum as he climaxed.

Our bodies writhed together as we enjoyed the exquisite sensation of our combined happiness. I felt as light as a cloud, letting my body enjoy these moments and not think about anything else. It was a wonderful sensation of just being present and lost all at the same time.

Rick placed the rest of his weight onto me while I wrapped my arms around him more tightly. His cock was still buried in me, connecting us together like nothing else on Earth could.

I enjoyed the quiet moments with him while we came back to ourselves. I loved how close we were, how our hearts beat faster than they normally would, how we breathed the same air together. It was incredibly beautiful and so much better than a quick fuck in the back of a limo.

The two of us laid together for a long time, probably longer than we should have. We didn't get out of bed until there was some movement downstairs, telling me my family was home for the day. I had some great news for them and catching us in bed together wasn't the way I wanted to tell them.

"If they ask, you were helping me pack," I whispered to Rick as we went downstairs. He laughed but grew serious as we rounded the corner and almost ran into my mother.

We gave her the news of our engagement together. She took it well, considering her only daughter was about to leave for the capital and probably not return for a long time. Thankfully, she could visit me whenever she wanted to. And we could still phone one another. I wasn't going to be gone for good.

Rick needed to get back to the palace so he really did help me to pack after we all had dinner together. I wasn't sure what to take or what I'd need. The palace probably had everything but I needed it to feel like my home too. I ended up taking most of my clothes and the pillow from my bed. There was a lot of luggage, but it didn't matter. There would be plenty of room at the palace.

Saying goodbye to my mother was difficult but at least I knew it wasn't forever. She would come to the wedding and I would involve her in the preparations as much as I could. As much as I was allowed.

We left close to midnight. "I didn't tell anyone I was leaving," Rick confessed as we set off. "Hopefully nobody will notice that I was gone."

"Can't you leave whenever you want to? It's a palace, not a prison."

"I didn't tell anyone that you had returned home."

Oh.

I got it now.

If he told them he was leaving, he would have to tell them it was because of me. He didn't want anyone else to know I'd broken the law and left. He was protecting me, even when he didn't know what I'd say to him when he arrived.

"Thank you," I said. I already felt an overwhelming love for him and now a new rush swarmed me. I was so lucky to be marrying the man I felt so much for. Walking away from him had been the hardest thing I'd ever had to do. Now, I would only run to him.

"So we're getting married, huh?" he said with a huge smile on his face. The town I'd grown up in sped by outside, streetlights shooting over us like stars.

"It looks that way."

"Thank you for saying yes. I don't think I've said that to you yet."

"You didn't need to, you showed me back there in the bedroom."

"There's plenty more of that coming your way, baby." He growled at me. I hoped it was a promise because I could handle that every single day for the rest of my life. Even several times a day if we could find the time.

Whatever the future held for us, I was certain it would contain many exciting things. This time in the car alone would probably be one of the last moments of peace we would get for a very long time. I'd received a glimpse into palace life during the competition but I wasn't naïve enough to think I knew everything.

We talked for a long time as Rick drove. He told me stories of his childhood and I shared mine too. We really got to know one another on a whole new level, one that only made us even closer.

I couldn't keep my eyes open in the early hours of the morning. Rick urged me to get some sleep but I was worried about him. I didn't want him falling asleep at the wheel because I wasn't awake to keep him occupied.

"I'll be fine, I'll put the radio on. It will keep me company. You'll need your energy when we get back to the palace," he assured me.

"Wake me if you need me."

"I will."

The moment I closed my eyes, I was lost in sleep. I was so tired I didn't even dream.
* * * * *

When I opened my eyes again, it was daylight and we were just driving into the city. Rick had driven all night to get us there.

"I'd like to tell people about us before we do anything else," Rick said as he parked his vehicle amongst at least a dozen other luxury cars. "Are you up for it?"

I plastered on a smile and wished I had a toothbrush handy. "Of course. Whatever you need me to do, I will do it without question."

"Don't tempt me like that, babe. You know my mind isn't going to go anywhere clean."

He kissed my forehead and he climbed out of the vehicle. Rick had shadows underneath his eyes, betraying his fatigue. The poor man had to be exhausted and yearning for bed.

He held my hand as we entered the palace. There were less guards around than all the other times I'd been there. Perhaps they weren't expecting any outside guests and didn't need them.

There were so many rooms we passed through, I didn't think I'd ever be able to remember them all. If I was going to be living there, getting lost would surely become a big part of my life.

Rick tugged me through until we finally reached some people. The queen was eating lunch in a small dining room, the sun streaming in and filling the room with yellow warmth.

"Where's Anna?" Rick asked after a quick greeting. Just as he mentioned her name, Anna entered the room carrying a plate of food.

"I'm right here," she said, sitting.

Our small audience of two was apparently everyone Rick was looking for. "I have found my wife. Thankfully, she has agreed to marry me."

The queen and Anna both looked from him to me and back again. They did this a few more times before the queen spoke. "Oh, Ricky, I'm so happy for you." She stood and gave him a hug before moving onto me. As she pulled me close, she whispered in my ear, "I always knew it would be you. I'm very happy."

My eyes started to sting with tears unexpectedly. I hadn't realized the queen felt that way toward me. I thought the whole palace would have preferred someone more like Violet.

"Thank you," I replied quietly.

She returned to her seat. Anna didn't rush to congratulate us, she said the word but there was no feeling behind it. She didn't like me, it was blatantly obvious.

"You have to join us for lunch," the queen said. "I'm sure you're starving." She gave Rick a knowing look, had she figured out he had gone to get me back? I got the feeling the queen saw and knew much more than people gave her credit for.

We had lunch and I tried to remember that these people were going to be my family now. The great Queen of Illium would be my mother-in-law. She would be the grandmother to my children. Anna, well, she would probably have some role in the palace and I would see her regularly. The palace would be my home, I had to find a way to be comfortable here.

The queen excused herself once we'd eaten and Rick followed her out to have a quick word. That left me alone with Anna.

Now was my chance. "I want you to know that I really love Richard. I'm not with him for any other reason."

"I didn't say you were," she replied frostily.

"But you don't like me."

She gave me the fakest smile I'd ever seen. And that was saying something considering the women in the competition I'd just been through. "I think there were better candidates for Richard's wife."

"That stuff I told you, it was a lie. I wanted you to not like me so you'd throw me out of the competition."

"And that is supposed to make me like you?"

"No, but can we just wipe the slate clean, please?"

"My memory isn't that short," she said before standing and taking her plate into the kitchen. So much for that conversation going well. Anna would be someone I had to look out for in the palace. She could cause trouble where there was none.

Rick returned. "Mother says we must speak about the announcement immediately. Then we are free for the rest of the day."

I smiled again and longed for a shower. It seemed a long way away at that moment. Rick led me through endless rooms once more and we ended up somewhere I could finally recognize.

Unfortunately, it was Anna's office. She was already typing on her computer when we joined her. I hated that small room.

"We shouldn't waste any time," she started, all business. "I will inform the other women today that they may return home. Unless I should keep them in the city for a few days?"

Rick replied immediately. "No, send them home. Give them a gift to make sure we are grateful for their time and participation."

"Okay. I will prepare the engagement announcement and we will slot it to be released in two days' time. Then there will be the engagement ball, media involvement, and official photographs. Once they are done, we will commence the wedding preparations. I hope you are ready for a lot of hard work, Melody."

"I am," I replied.

"Good, because you can't put a foot wrong from here on out. We need to make the country fall in love with you, otherwise you will cause irreparable damage to the crown."

"The people will love her," Rick said.

"I hope so," Anna replied.

She reeled off another plethora of things that needed to be done in the upcoming weeks and months. The whole thing made my head spin. Maybe I'd made a big mistake in accepting Rick's proposal. Maybe I was the wrong girl for the job. I was certain Violet would have taken it all much, much better than I was.

It seemed like I wouldn't have time to even see Rick – or sleep – over the next few months. Anna was scheduling out all my time. If her aim was to freak me out, then she was definitely succeeding.

"I think we can talk more about this later," Rick said, stopping Anna in her wake. "For now, let's wait for the announcement and then we'll get to work. I'm sure we can allow Melody a few days to settle into the palace."

"Yes, of course, Your Majesty," Anna replied graciously. She sure knew how to play him. I _definitely_ needed to watch her closely.

Rick stood and I followed his lead. "I'm going to show Melody to her room and then we will not be disturbed for the rest of the day. Please let the staff know that we will be resting."

"Certainly, Your Majesty."

He took my hand and we left the office. The sound of Anna typing followed us out, telling me she was already getting to work. I got the feeling there wouldn't be much about the wedding that I would be able to have a say in. Anna and the queen would probably want to plan it all out themselves.

But, then again, I had always dreamed of planning my wedding. I wasn't going to let them make all the decisions. It was my wedding too and I planned on only having one so I needed it to be right.

I would take on Anna and make sure she knew I wasn't somebody she could push around. It was going to be a challenge, but I would do it.

For Rick.

For us.

"Are you okay with everything?" Rick asked once we were alone and heading toward his quarters. "I know it's a lot to take in."

"I didn't realize everything was so formal."

"We have traditions to uphold, the public expects so much from us. If we didn't have a certain way of doing things, it would be chaos."

"I'll get used to it."

Rick stopped, forcing me to do the same. He tugged on my hand so I turned to face him. "If it's too much—"

"I'll handle it."

"Melody, you need to talk to me."

His tired eyes were sad with concern. I didn't want him worrying about me. A princess needed to be strong and I would learn to be. I would be the royalty the public expected of me.

It was just a learning process.

One I would master.

Eventually.

I clasped his hands between mine own, warming them. "It's overwhelming, I'll admit that. But I've been in overwhelming situations before and handled it. I can do this, I promise."

"I know you can, it's not that. I want you to be _happy_. That's at the top of my priority list."

"I am happy. I have you."

It only took a moment for that to sink in. His lips quirked up into a smile that I kissed lovingly. He pulled me into a hug. "You make me unbelievably happy. I will always be here for you, make sure you talk with me about anything on your mind. Promise me that."

"I promise."

He was satisfied enough to continue on and eventually we ended up in his bedroom. Rick started peeling off his clothes as he headed for the bed. He looked dead on his feet, the poor man.

I stood by the door, unsure what to do.

Rick was naked by the time he reached the bed. _Gloriously_ naked, making me forget about my fatigue and think all kinds of naughty thoughts.

"How about we rest here," he said, climbing into bed. I had to stop looking at his cock before he noticed. "Then, when we're not so tired, I'll show you to your room. Protocol says we can't live together until we're married. But I can't have you staying anywhere else, so separate rooms will have to do. I'll show you yours later."

I rushed over to the bed, stripped down to my panties, and climbed in next to him. "That sounds fine to me."

He pulled me against him, kissing the nape of my neck. "I'm already looking forward to sneaking into your room every night to have my way with you."

"You'd take my virtue like that?" I teased.

"Every fucking night," he whispered back.

Thank goodness I was facing away from him, otherwise my new fiancé would have seen the ridiculous smile on my face that I couldn't remove.

# Chapter 17

## Richard

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Waking up with Melody in my arms was truly a dream come true. I'd wanted her, craved her, _yearned_ for her every day since the ball. Now she was mine and I would put a ring on her finger to prove it.

I slowly repositioned her head on the pillow, taking it from my arm gently so she wouldn't wake up. It was early evening so we didn't have to be anywhere, she could enjoy the sleep.

Her naked form in the bed tried to lure me back between the sheets. Waking her up with my cock was an option I tried really hard not to think about. There would be plenty more opportunities for that, we would have the rest of our lives to fuck away the days.

I took a shower and dressed while Melody continued dreaming. My parents' quarters were on the other side of the palace and I hurried over with a sense of excitement and dread in the pit of my stomach. Every time I saw my father, I hated to see what his disease had done to him since my last visit.

"Congratulations," my father croaked. It took most of his energy. The wedding was going to have to be very soon, we didn't have time for a long build up.

"Thank you, Father."

"Your mother tells me she is quite the woman. I said she would have to be if she agreed to take you on."

"I'll bring her up soon so you can meet her."

"Please do."

My mother joined us. "What can we do for you, Son?"

"I need an engagement ring. I was hoping Grandmother's would be available?" It was a lot to ask, the ring was worth ten million dollars. But it would look so much better on Melody's hand than in the vault. She wouldn't lose it.

"Are you certain that's the one?"

"Yes. The sapphire is as exquisite as she is."

Mother smiled and tenderly patted my arm. "Go ahead. You know where it is."

The vault was my next stop. I spoke with my parents for a while more before heading off. The vault was next to the display vault where the crown jewels were stored. It was much smaller, but protected the highest valued gems we had.

I found Grandmother's ring and held it up to the light. It still sparkled, ready to blind anyone that looked at it for too long. All I hoped was that Melody liked it. If she didn't, I would buy her a brand new one. Anything she wanted, she would have.

Melody was awake when I rejoined her in the bedroom. She had put on a shirt of mine, her shoulder bare as the collar fell away. She was absolutely fuckable looking like that. I had reign in my thoughts and remember my purpose.

"I have something for you," I said, holding the ring behind my back.

She pushed a stray hair behind her ear. There was nothing this woman could do that didn't make her look sexier by the second. "Can you give it to me naked?" she asked slyly.

"I could, but we should probably wait." I went to her and pulled her to her feet. Then, I dropped down on one knee. Showing her the ring, I waited for a reaction. "Will you marry me?"

Her eyes bulged as she looked at the ring. It was the reaction I was hoping for. "Oh my god. It's beautiful."

"It was my grandmother's. I'd really like for you to have it."

She started nodding and that was enough for me. I slipped it onto her finger and stood up to take her in my arms.

"It's gorgeous. I'm never taking it off."

"That's what I want. You're mine and now everyone will know it."

It was easy to push her back onto the bed. It was even easier to rip off her clothes and make love to her. Sex with Melody felt different with us engaged. She gave herself to me completely, allowing me to possess her in a way no other woman had.

I owned her, she was mine. Just as I now belonged to her. If we never left the bedroom again, it would be too soon. I wanted to fuck Melody every minute of every day and I would make sure I had a good go at doing that.

We were unavailable for the rest of the evening and night, plus the next day. However, the following morning we had no choice but to accept our fate.

I stood at the door to the balcony, my fiancé's hand in mind as I mentally prepared myself to step outside. There were thousands of people assembled in the large courtyard outside. They were all waiting for a big announcement, but clueless as to what it was.

Anna stood at the side of the door. "Are you ready?"

I nodded for all of us and the procession commenced. The king and queen spoke first, followed by myself. Melody remained where she was for the time being.

My father spoke into the microphone. He had to really work to remain steady and standing. We only needed a few minutes and then he could rest behind the scenes where the rest of the kingdom wouldn't be able to see his illness.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming today. I won't beat around the bush because the news is too exciting to hold in. I would like to announce the engagement of my son, Prince Richard III to Miss Melody Parker."

Right on cue, Melody stepped onto the balcony and walked to my side. I held her hand and leaned in for the obligatory kiss.

The crowd below erupted.

We waved and I took over the microphone, thanking the crowd and talking of my excitement. It was all formalities but my words were true. This was only the start of our journey, but it felt good standing there with Melody at my side.

We were going to do it. We would reign in this kingdom together. My sexy princess at my side. She would be perfect in public, and a dirty tiger in the bedroom. Just what I always wanted.

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Special Thanks

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First off, I'd like to thank you for reading! I truly hope you enjoyed this story and I look forward to hearing any feedback you have on it by way of review, email, or on my website.

Special thanks goes out to everyone who has been in contact with me about my previous stories. I wouldn't have continued writing if it wasn't for the awesome feedback/reviews from you! :)

About The Author

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If you're interested in short erotica, check out Leila's other pen name, Kenzie Haven!
