“Allen, Rebecca, I wish you’d listen to me.” God I could use a drink. Why did I suggest I not drink in solidarity before we got pregnant. Drake ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
Rebecca’s sapphire eyes flashed with anger. “Listen to you? Like I listened to you when you said we had to name our child Liam’s heir because we owed him? Haven’t you given up enough for him? Done enough for him? Will I or our child be first in your eyes? Or will you always put him first out of some twisted sense of duty?”
“That’s not fair, you and our child will always come first!”
Liam stopped in the doorway. They are fighting already, perfect. Soon she’ll be coming to me for support.
“Really? Were you thinking about us when you agreed without talking to me?”
“We’ve been over this Allen! I’m sorry I didn’t discuss it with you first, I should have.”
“What if he says the baby has to grow up at the palace? Would you just blindly agree?”
“Liam would never ask that. But of course I would say no!”
“Okay.” Rebecca sighed. “You need to stop feeling guilty. You didn’t steal me from him.”
“I know I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “I’m just so frustrated.” She blinked back tears. “I know it takes time, but I don’t understand why it’s not happening.”
Drake took her hands. “It will happen. And when it does you will be an excellent mother.”
“I just wish it would happen already,”
Liam cleared his throat from the doorway, announcing his presence.
Drake and Rebecca turned in surprise. “Hey Li, we weren’t expecting to see you today.” Drake awkwardly greeted Liam with a forced smile as he joined him and Rebecca in the solarium. How much did he hear?
“I was passing by on my way home from business in the neighboring duchy and thought I’d see my favorite couple and see how you are doing.” He looks well, doesn’t seem to have lost any weight, no hair loss, maybe I’m not using enough… “I brought you another bottle of your new favorite.” He held up the bottle of whiskey.
“Oh.” Drake swallowed. Crap all his gifts. “I haven’t been drinking.” He grabbed Rebecca’s hand over the table. “In solidarity, since she can’t drink just Incase.”
“As I told you Drake, I don’t care if you have a drink or too.”
Well that explains it. “Well since your wife doesn’t seem to mind, perhaps you can join me in a nightcap? One drink a night never hurt you.” I’ll just have to up the dose.
“He’d love to.” Rebecca vacated her seat, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Night. I love you.” She headed towards the door. “Goodnight Liam, try to convince him to loosen up.”
Liam forced a smile as he felt a tinge in his heart. “I’ll see what I can do. Goodnight Rebecca.” My love, queen of my heart and soon my rightful queen. “So should I pour us one?”
Drake hesitated, watching his wife’s retreating form. I really need one tonight. “You know what, you’re right, what harm will one drink do?”
“Excellent.” Yes drink, be merry, leave me your grieving wife to consol. “So how have you two been doing?” He asked setting down Drake’s whiskey, sitting across from him.
Drake arched his brow. “Since when do you drink scotch neat?”
Liam smiled as he brought the glass to his lips. “I don’t mind it now and then.” And I needed to be able to tell the drinks apart. Wouldn’t want to get the wrong one.
Drake nodded as he sipped his whiskey, relishing in the smooth burn in his throat. “It’s been okay, I just worry the stress is getting to her. She’s so tired and irritable, but every month the test is negative.” He shook his head. “I just feel like we’re letting you down.”
Liam sat his glass on the table. “You’re doing no such thing. Sometimes these things take time. Is the doctor worried?”
“No, not yet. She said the same thing as you.” He nervously ran a hand through his chestnut locks. “I just thought it’d happen by now.”
“It will happen Drake, when it’s meant to.” And it’ll be my rightful heir when it does.
“You’re right Li, thanks. Now enough of the baby stuff.”
*
Liam grinned to himself as he navigated the corridors to his royal chambers. One drink turned into more than half the bottle, for Drake. They don’t suspect a thing. Soon she will know she chose the wrong man. He felt his mind wander, taking him back to the day he first felt his heart crack, when he first realized he would do anything to regain her heart.
“Marry me.” Liam’s words hung heavy in the air, his smile wide with hope and joy.
Rebecca looked down at Liam, blue eyes shining with unshed tears. Liam smiled up at her, moved by her emotions. “I—I think I love someone else.”
Liam’s jaw dropped, his heart sinking to the pit of his stomach. But what about? The ring slipped from his grasp, falling into the grass. Where did we go wrong? “Who?” His voice cracking as his kingly demeanor slipped.
Rebecca shook her head, her golden blonde hair shimmering like gold in the moonlight, any other time it would feel like a beautiful sign, a good omen. Today it felt like it was a cruel joke played on him by the gods. “It doesn’t matter.”
Liam carefully stood from the grass, his mother’s ring momentarily forgotten. Last time we were here she was talking about love at first sight and soulmates. All that mattered in that moment was what he lost and if there was anything he could do to prevent it. “It must be recent if I’m just hearing about it now.” His voice took on a biting edge. “I just want to know what happened since Paris when we placed our lock on the bridge. Since Shanghai when we went to the pond. I need to know what I did wrong to lose you now when we can finally be together.”
“Liam please. Don’t do this.” Her voice cracked, tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks.
His mind raced. He needed to know who took her away from him. Who has she been close with? “Maxwell?”
“Liam.” She pleaded.
She’s been close with Hana since the start… “Hana?”
“Liam, please stop.” She sobbed.
Only one name left. Please not him. Anyone but the man I’ve always considered a brother. “Drake?” Her head dropped forward, he felt his heart shatter in his chest. His jaw tensed and his hand curled into a fist. “Does he feel the same?” If he doesn’t we may still have a chance.
“Yes.” Her voice but a whisper, nearly lost in the wind.
Liam nodded, trying to pull himself back together. How could he do this to me? This night was supposed to be one full of joy and somehow it turned to one full of turmoil worse than the night he’d had to choose Madeline. “Did you ever mean it?”
She looked up, tearfilled sapphire blue locking on heartbroken chestnut brown. “Mean what?”
“What you said, that you loved me.” Why can’t I just drop it? Because I need to know. Was she simply playing me for a fool or did she mean it when she said we were fated?
“Of course.” She took a breath. “Maybe part of me still does, but you didn’t choose me when it mattered most.”
Liam looked down, trying to bury his anger and sadness, pulling back on his kingly facade. “Okay.” He nodded. “I would still like to name you Duchess.” Drake doesn’t want this life, he’ll back off. And this way you will see who you’re better suited for. If I keep you close I can regain your love, and once again possess your heart. “I know you would do so much good for the duchy I chose for you.” He paused. Act supportive. “Both you and Drake would both do so much good for them. I would hate for them to lose out simply because you fell out of love with me.”
“Liam…” She sighed shaking her hair, the glittering gold strands flying in the breeze. “I didn’t, you just didn’t fight hard enough for me.”
“Liam.” Her sharp voice cracked through the halls like a whip, breaking him from his thoughts, sending him spiraling back to the present.
“Olivia.” He turned giving her a tired smile. “I didn’t realize you were returning from Lythikos, I haven’t seen you in awhile.”
Olivia laughed. “Yes well, we need to talk and you’ve been ignoring my messages so I thought I’d come and see you in person.” Her tone tinged with agitation.
“Can it wait until morning?”
“It could, however you’ve worn down my patience.”
Liam sighed, eyes quickly darting in the direction of his royal chambers. “Let’s head to my study.” There’s only one woman I want to invite back there.
Olivia rolled her emerald eyes. “Fine.” Her heels clicked loudly on the polished marble floors, the sharp and shrill sound echoing through the halls of the silent palace.
Liam unlocked the door pushing it open. “After you.”
Olivia entered, crossing the room, taking a seat on the couch. “We need to talk.”
“So you said. What is this about Liv?”
“Sit.” Her tone strong and commanding.
Liam arched his brow, grabbing one of the chairs at his desk flipping it around. He sat with his hands folded in his lap.
“You need an heir.”
Liam chuckled. Where is she going with this? “I already have one, or will soon.” As soon as Rebecca sees she chose the weaker man. “I named Drake and Rebecca’s child, remember?”
“I remember.” She drummed her perfectly manicured French tips on her thigh. “I don’t understand why you put so much pressure on them when you had other options.”
“What options? I’m a single king without any prospects for a queen.” I would have a queen if Drake hadn’t stolen her from me!
Olivia’s features clouded briefly. “Me.” She straightened her back. “I could give you an heir by blood. You know I’d never say no to you.”
“Liv, I appreciate the offer but I won’t have a political marriage.” I didn’t expect you to want one after what your parents did.
“I said give you an heir, not marry me Liam. I’m being pragmatic about it. I know you don’t love me, and I can’t marry until I figure out how to get out of that damn agreement; but you need an heir and I’m willing to help.” She smiled. “Think about it, a child of Rhys and Nevrakis blood, no one would dare cross them.”
Liam fought to keep his kingly stoicism in place as the anger heated in his veins. There is only one woman I want to sire my heir. “You seem to be forgetting about one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Legitimacy. A child of my blood would have to be proved legitimate. Since you can’t marry and I have no intentions of a political marriage, any child we would have would be unable to ascend the throne.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it!” Her voice hardened as anger consumed her. “You know that’s an old rule that never gets enforced any longer just like your bullshit ‘I’m allowed to appoint a newborn of noble lineage’ excuse. You and I both know that rule hasn’t been used in over a hundred years and that you could appoint anyone of any age.” She stood up abruptly, in that moment she reminded him of a raging fire ready to engulf anything in its wake. “I don’t know why you insist on following that archaic law, or why you need to have her child as your heir. You are making it impossible to happen, they are under too much pressure and stress. It’s been months.” Any kindness on her face was gone, anger and hate taking its place. “I was simply making a suggestion to make it easier, give you a backup plan as you would.” She stormed to the door, wrenching the door open, the flurry of red silk only reminding him more of flames. “If you didn’t want Nevrakis blood on the throne, there were kinder ways to say it.” The slamming of the door vibrated around the room.
Olivia, please don’t become a problem, I would hate for you to become collateral damage.
