Summary: While Riley spends the day showing Drake around the city, Liam asks Damien for help in tracking down Tariq’s killer.
Paris, France
Liam laid awake in his private car on the train, unable to sleep. He glanced at the clock; it was nearly midnight. Everyone would be asleep, most likely, except possibly Drake.
He sat up in bed, turning on the lamp. Spending some time with Drake after a long day of endless meetings actually sounded nice.
After slipping on some jeans and a sweater, he stepped out into the night, heading for the hotel with the pool room that Drake had liked so well. It seemed a safe bet that he would be spending his last night in Paris enjoying it one last time. If not, Liam could always enjoy a game by himself.
He noticed Bastien tailing him as soon as he started to walk away from the train, and slowed to walk beside him. “Sorry to disturb you,” he said, “I just needed to get out for some fresh air.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Bastien assured him. “I’m happy to keep an eye on you.”
They walked in comfortable silence to the hotel, where Bastien lingered in the lobby while Liam proceeded to the private pool room. The staff merely waved as he approached, letting him go where he pleased.
When he opened the door to the room, he stopped dead in his tracks.
Drake was there. Shirt off, leaning back against the pool table. Riley, dressed only in her underwear, was pressed against him, kissing him passionately as his hands wandered over her body and pulled her closer. Liam stifled a surprised gasp, instead pulling the door shut as silently as he could before walking briskly back to the train.
New York City, two weeks later
Liam crawled back onto his bed, gently kissing Riley’s sleeping face. She stirred slightly but did not wake.
“Wake up, my love,” he sang to her softly, running his fingers through her hair. She groaned and rolled over before finally opening her eyes and smiling up at him.
“Good morning, handsome.”
He stroked her cheek and leaned down to kiss her lips softly, lingering there for a long moment. “Good morning,” he whispered as he finally pulled away.
Riley sat up in the bed, stretching and yawning dramatically. Blushing, she smoothed her hair down with her hands. “I’m used to being a little more put-together for you.”
Liam chuckled softly. “I like you like this.” He captured her lips again, lying her back against the pillows as he crawled on top of her, sliding a hand under his own t-shirt that she wore to explore the soft skin beneath. She moaned against his mouth, her body arching up against him.
A sharp knock at the door startled them both out of the kiss. Liam glanced at his watch. “And that will be Bastien letting me know I have to run to another exciting all-day trade negotiation.”
Riley groaned, wrapping her legs around his waist to keep him close. “Don’t,” she pleaded.
He pried her legs off of him, reluctantly standing to leave. “I have to. But you can stay here as long as you need to.”
She grabbed her phone off the table, checking the time. “If you insist. Looks like I’ve got a few hours of free time before I’m meeting Drake.”
Liam tried to hide his wince. “You have plans with Drake today?”
She scrolled through her phone idly as she answered. “Yeah, he had some errands and I said I’d show him around my old neighborhood a bit. Should be fun.” She looked up at him, frowning. “Is that OK? Is it…you know…safe?”
He tapped his foot, considering. “You should be fine, but tell him what’s going on, OK? He can help keep an eye out for anything suspicious. And try to stick to areas with lots of people, where there would be too many witnesses for anyone to make a move against you.”
“That all sounds a little scary.”
He leaned down to her once more, kissing her gently. “It is, but I don’t want you to be cooped up here like a prisoner, either. Do what you think is best.”
She wrapped her fingers around the base of his neck, pulling him in closer as she kissed him deeper, her tongue gently grazing his before pulling apart to catch her breath.
“I really do have to go now,” he mumbled against her lips.
“Good-bye, then. Please be safe.”
He squeezed her hand before letting it go. “I will.”
Damien was just washing his dishes from dinner when Liam showed up at his door.
“Thank you for letting me stop by again,” he said bashfully. “I brought you something.”
Damien took the simple paper bag from his hands and opened it to find an elegant-looking bottle of amber-coloured rum. “This looks…very fancy.”
Liam grinned, leaning casually against the wall. “Well, Riley may have been right about you not having anything good. But I think you’ll enjoy this.”
They grabbed some glasses and gathered around the coffee table, sipping at their drinks. Damien swirled his glass a little before taking a small sip. “Oh, that’s…wow, that’s actually really good.”
Liam sampled it thoughtfully. “Mmm…vanilla and coconut and…pineapple? No, mango. Perfect level of sweetness and just a little rough around the edges…why are you looking at me like that?”
“No reason, Your Majesty. Please continue.”
Liam rolled his eyes. “Fine, what does it taste like to you?”
Damien took another sip, considering it for a moment. “It tastes like rum. Which I enjoy. So…thank you, again.”
“You’re welcome. But…”
“…You didn’t just come here to give me a gift.”
He exhaled hard, setting down his glass. “No, I didn’t. I was hoping to hire you, actually.”
Damien set his glass down next to Liam’s and leaned in. “I’m yours. I already returned my client’s deposit and informed them I would be unable to complete the surveillance job. I want to help you and Riley.”
Liam couldn’t help but smile. “Well that was…much easier than I’d planned for. But should we talk about what the job actually entails?”
“Seems like a good course of action. One moment.” Damien retrieved a handheld audio recorder from a junk drawer before plunking back down into his chair. “If we’re going to keep drinking, it’ll probably be best to have a record I can refer to.”
“If we’re going to keep drinking, I might not want a record to refer to,” Liam quipped, but he didn’t object as Damien set up the recorder. “What do you want me to tell you?”
“Start with everything you uncovered about the initial plot to embarrass Riley and Tariq, please.”
Liam laid out everything they’d learned up to that point as Damien scribbled down names in a notebook: Constantine. Bastien. Penelope. In another column, Olivia. In another, Madeleine. Liam frowned at the growing list, mostly made up of people he trusted, but gave as much information as he could.
“OK, OK, this is helpful. I think I’m getting the picture. Now…who stood to benefit from Madeleine on the throne? Who would have wanted her there the most?”
He considered for a moment, tapping a finger idly against his freshly refilled glass. “Well, there’s Madeleine herself, obviously. Her family stood to benefit from the boost in status and influence, and to recover from the embarrassment of my brother’s broken engagement with her.”
“Hold up…Madeleine was engaged to your brother?”
Liam rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Is that important? They were betrothed for years, but he abdicated his title and broke off the engagement. That’s how I ended up the Crown Prince despite being the second son.”
“Hmmm.” Damien jotted down some more notes. “It’s probably not relevant but…that must have been quite a surprise for you.”
An awkward silence fell between them as Liam took a long drink of rum. “Yes, it was…a difficult time, but ultimately, I can’t complain about becoming king. I think I always knew the responsibility would fall largely to me, even if it were Leo on the throne. He never had much interest in ruling Cordonia.”
Damien nodded, focusing his attention back on Liam rather than his notes. “OK. So Madeleine’s family – who are the players there?”
“There’s my step-mother, Regina, for starters. Madeleine’s mother is her first cousin, and made no secret of her preference. However, she also seemed perfectly ready to support Riley once she realized that was going to be my choice. She didn’t seem motivated to interfere.”
“OK – that’s good to know. Who else?”
Liam sighed. “There are her parents. Duchess Adelaide is her mother. She’s a bit of a wild card but I don’t believe she’s a violent person, and she seems rather fond of Riley as well. Madeleine’s father is Duke Karlington. I don’t know him as well as Adelaide as he tends to avoid court. But he is a very serious and proud man.”
Damien scribbled furiously, frowning. “How serious? How proud?”
Liam frowned in return. “If you’re asking if he’s capable of murder, I just don’t know. I obviously would hope not, but I can’t personally vouch for the man. To be frank…” He glanced at the audio recorder, looking nervous. “He’s quite…unpleasant.”
Damien smiled softly and turned off the recorder. “You can tell me how you really feel, Liam. I won’t share this recording with anyone, but I understand your caution.”
With the recording stopped, Liam visibly relaxed. “OK. He’s an insufferable snob. But if he’s cruel or violent, I’m not aware of it. His image is very carefully maintained.
Damien nodded. “So…he must have hated having his daughter publicly embarrassed by your brother’s broken engagement.”
“Yes…I’m sure he did. All this is entirely irrelevant to Riley and Tariq, though.”
“Hmmm.” Damien relaxed into his chair, staring up at the ceiling. He was feeling buzzed and a little sleepy, but pieces were coming together. “Unless he had reason to believe that Tariq was going to release a statement that might cause you to cancel your engagement, embarrassing Madeleine a second time.”
Liam copied his posture, staring up at the ceiling, running his hands anxiously over his own face. “Well…shit.”
He couldn’t help it; Damien burst out in giggles, doubling over with laughs. “Oh my god,” he croaked, “I’m so sorry, we’re discussing a murder, I just…”
“…Drank way too much rum?” Liam offered, smiling.
“…I just have the king of Cordonia drinking and swearing in my apartment.”
Liam laughed, warm and deep, appreciating the absurdity. “Did you not think I knew any curse words?”
“You’re just…surprising, is all.” Damien immediately blushed at his own comment, caught off guard by his affection for this client that had intimidated the hell out of him an hour earlier.
As his off-the-record questioning went on, they continued drinking and laughing together, Damien learning all the Cordonian courtly gossip that Liam had to offer in the hopes of narrowing down any possible suspects. Eventually Liam was simply pouring out his own heart, opening up as he’d never done before.
“Can I ask you something?” Damien blurted out in the middle of one story about Liam’s childhood.
“Of course,” Liam nodded. “Go ahead.”
“What happened to your mother? Everything I found was rather vague on the matter.”
Something dark crossed Liam’s face before he pulled together his usual careful composure. “She was assassinated by poison when I was a child.”
Damien swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. “Seriously?”
Liam threw back the remainder of his drink. “Seriously.”
“Fuck. No wonder you’re worried about Riley’s safety. And your own.”
His face fell, all his usual confidence gone. Suddenly he looked alarmingly young, like a beautiful child with the weight of the world on his shoulders. “I never stop worrying about my family’s safety. And Riley…she’s supposed to be part of my family. Supposed to…” He trailed off, biting his lip.
“Shit, Liam, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…”
“Can I tell you something, please? Without you judging Riley too harshly?” Damien nodded, his brow furrowed with concern. “I saw something…weeks ago, back in Paris.”
“What did you see?” Damien picked up his pen, but set it down again as Liam held up a hand in protest.
“I saw Riley rather…intimately involved with my best friend. It looked…they looked…” He couldn’t finish the sentence, his face screwed up to keep from crying.
“That’s…I’m sorry man, that’s awful. Are you two exclusive? I mean, you’re engaged to Madeleine…”
He shook his head, dabbing at the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief. “She knows I’ve never had any…romance with Madeleine. I suppose I just assumed she would be faithful to me. Especially after the Tariq incident…”
“Right…she wasn’t involved with Tariq, but those photos could just as easily have been with…”
“…Drake.” Liam’s voice shook as he said his name.
Damien studied the man in front of him silently. So perfectly put together in his bespoke black suit, his flawless glossy black hair. He was an imposing figure, despite only being a little broader and taller than Damien himself. That charismatic star power that Riley had always possessed was tenfold in Liam, his very presence dominating the room – a kind of natural power, as if he’d truly been designated king by god himself, as his ancestors would have believed. Seeing him in tears, exhausted and heartbroken, was jarring.
With a deep breath, he reached out and laid his hand over Liam’s. He looked up at him, clearly surprised by the affection, his expression shifting from pain to curiosity. “Hey,” Damien said softly, “we’re going to figure this out, OK?”
Liam nodded, flipping his palm to squeeze Damien’s hand. “Of course. I hope you’ll excuse…” he trailed off, biting his lip, fighting for composure. “Excuse this small…um…” words failed him, and he looked at Damien apologetically, with so, so much sadness in his eyes.
Something inside Damien snapped at that sweet, sad gaze. Without releasing his hand he moved to sit next to Liam on the couch, wrapping his other arm around his shoulders, leaning in close…
His lips were hardly an inch from Liam’s when he suddenly pulled back, snapping out of whatever influence he’d come under. “Jesus, I’m sorry, I can’t believe I…”
Liam silenced him by grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him into a fierce, desperate kiss. They broke away only when they were both out of breath, panting as their foreheads pressed together. “Please don’t apologize,” Liam breathed.
His cheeks were still streaked with hot tears. Damien gently wiped one away with his thumb, trailing it down across the corner of his mouth to the chiseled edge of his jaw. Liam’s eyes fluttered shut and he nuzzled against Damien’s hand, a moan escaping his lips at the soft touch. He looked so beautiful that Damien’s breath hitched and faltered. “We can stop…”
“I don’t want to.” And then Liam was pushing him backwards onto the couch, hovering over him, his hands tugging his shirt free of his pants and then running from his abdomen to his shoulders, leaving no square inch of skin unexplored as his mouth worked slowly over his, a tender and unhurried kiss that ignited a deep fire within his chest.
Damien gripped at Liam’s hips, pulling him down roughly against him. Some part of him knew this was madness, but Liam was irresistible. He couldn’t imagine why someone like him would be interested in him even for a one night stand, but he wasn’t about to argue when Liam’s hand was sneaking underneath his waistband, teasing…
“Bed,” Damien croaked. “Now.”
Liam grinned at him, the pain and vulnerability gone from his handsome face. “Yes, sir.” he responded with a wink, standing up and helping Damien to his feet. He followed Liam to bed, shaking his head in amusement. It was 50/50 odds; either he’d be the kind of man who was eager to relinquish his usual position of power in bed, or the kind of man who…
“Get on your knees,” Liam commanded once they were both in the bedroom.
That answers that, then.
Damien sunk to his knees obediently, heart pounding in his chest as he unfastened Liam’s belt and slacks, pulling them down to the ground so that he could step out of them. He watched in awe as he removed the rest of his clothes, standing before him in nothing but simple black briefs that couldn’t quite contain his straining erection. His body looked like something that should be carved of marble and displayed in a museum. Perfect…he’s perfect.
He leaned forward and kissed along the waistband of his underwear, his hands running up and down the backs of his toned thighs. Liam let out a small gasp, his hips instinctively pushing forward as his eyes rolled up to the ceiling. “Please,” he begged, his voice cracking his desire.
Nipping at the tender skin of his abdomen with his teeth, Damien slowly dragged Liam’s briefs down to the floor, adding them to the pile of discarded clothing. He hastily pulled off his own shirt before pulling himself back to standing, looking Liam in the eye.
“You’re used to getting what you want,” he stated plainly, staring him down.
Liam surprised him by laughing. “And I’m supposed to believe you go around looking like that,” he swept his hand from Damien’s waist up to his face, “and don’t get whatever you want?”
“Maybe what I want isn’t so easy to come by,” Damien growled, wrapping one arm around Liam’s waist to pull his body against his own. Their lips came together again, harder this time, Liam’s tongue exploring his mouth now, tasting of expensive rum that was delicious and exquisite with the perfect level of sweetness and only made better by being a little rough around the edges…
“Fuck me,” Damien pleaded, surprised by the shameless words coming out of his own mouth, unbidden.
“Yes,” Liam groaned, tackling him onto the bed. He kissed him once more – desperate, possessive. He hastily finished undressing him before pausing and sitting back on his knees.
“Are you OK?” Damien asked, propping himself up on his elbows.
“Yes, I just…I’ve never…not with a man…”
“Oh.” Damien ran a hand over his face, trying to slow his breathing and his racing heart. “It’s not so different, just…here.” He grabbed a small tube of lube and a condom out of his bedside table, tossing it to Liam. “Just be gentle. Or…you know. Not.” He couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he rolled back onto the bed, burying his face in the pillows as he waited for Liam to make his move.
A long moment later he felt long, skilled fingers gently stroking at his entrance, barely easing inside. He closed his eyes and sighed, relaxing into the touch. Slowly a slippery finger slipped inside him and his mind wandered at the sensation…how long has it been? too long…as he willed himself to relax further.
Despite his inexperience, Liam needed no coaching. He was gentle and attentive, naturally reading Damien’s reactions and knowing exactly how far he could push him to make him squirm with pleasure without any pain. He pulled his hips up off the bed, leaning over to kiss his neck as he rolled on the condom and positioned himself at his warm, wet entrance. They moaned together as he pushed inside, agonizingly slow, stopping only when he was buried completely inside. “Oh god,” he groaned, “that feels…Damien…”
Damien thrust his hips against Liam, taking pride in leaving him speechless, setting a firm and steady pace. He felt a strong hand tangle in his hair, gently but firmly pulling his head back before leaning down to kiss his neck again, harder this time, Liam’s teeth nipping at his throat and then his ear before he straightened himself back up, taking control of the pace and slamming harder into him.
All sense of control over the situation evaporated as Damien’s mouth started spilling loud cries and moans that seemed to come from some deep and hidden place within him. “You like that?” Liam asked, his voice breathy and sexy in a way that sent a shudder down Damien’s spine, but he couldn’t form the words to answer, his attention focused only on the feeling of Liam deep inside him, setting all his nerves on edge.
Abruptly he pulled out, and Damien let out a strangled cry at the loss of him. “Y-you didn’t…” he stammered.
“You first,” Liam asserted as he flipped him onto his back and sank down between his legs, his tongue tracing slow circles around his dripping cock.
“Oh, shit, it’s not going to take…” his words dissolved into moans once more as Liam took his whole length into his mouth, undeterred by his own clumsy gagging. Almost immediately his entire body quaked with his orgasm, gasping in surprise as Liam stayed put, unflinching, sucking back every drop. He met his gaze for a moment before squeezing his eyes shut, too overwhelmed to hold eye contact. He whimpered into the pillow as Liam slid back up his body, kissing along his jaw until he landed once more at his lips, leaving soft, lazy kisses there.
“Hey there,” Liam whispered with a smile as Damien finally managed to regain his senses and meet his eyes. “How did I do?”
“You’re incredible,” he answered, pulling his head down to his chest and hugging it there. “Sorry I…I just need a minute and then I can take care of you.”
“Take your time.” Liam kissed his still-heaving chest, circling a finger lazily against his firm stomach. “I’m in no hurry for this to end.”
Riley and Drake walked along the river at the spot she’d told him was the most romantic in the city, hand in hand.
“What does this mean for you and Liam?” Drake asked, his eyes downcast. Riley sighed.
“I don’t know. I don’t know if there’s any hope of us being together for real now.”
Drake stopped walking, taking both her hands in his. “Is that still what you want?”
“I don’t…” she trailed off, noticing a dark figure approaching them. “Hey, we should go.”
Drake glanced around, concerned. “Is everything OK?”
Her eyes were still glued to the mysterious figure, trying to make out his face, but he was still too far away and…was he wearing a mask? She was a glint of steel in the moonlight as he pulled something out of his coat.
“Run!”