Summary: The tour starts to weigh on Allie and Liam.
Note: Not canon.
The nightly dreams Liam has about her are sweet torture. She’s so vivid, seeming close enough to touch…and then he wakes alone, finding himself reaching to the empty side of the bed. He’s grateful for Madeleine’s cool indifference to his relationship with Allie, but every time Allie sneaks to his room, he can tell how much everything is wearing her down.
When she comes to him one night a few weeks into the tour, she hesitates when he kisses her, pushing him away gently. Liam runs his hands into her hair, tilting her head up so she’ll look at him. She looks utterly miserable and exhausted, and he feels terrible.
“What’s wrong, my love?” he whispers.
She lets out a half-hearted laugh. “Everything. We still don’t know who’s behind this. I sneak to you at night, hoping we don’t get caught. Face it, Liam. This isn’t going to get resolved, not anytime soon. And I can’t be your mistress.”
“You’re not,” he reassures her, his voice desperate. “I love you, Allie. You’re not my mistress, or the other woman. You’re the woman I love, the woman I intend to marry.”
His stomach drops when she pulls away from him and he sees the tears brimming in her eyes. “But I am the other woman. I can’t do this anymore, Liam.”
She takes a deep breath. “When the tour is done, I’m going home.”
“No,” he bursts out.
He reaches for her as she starts crying, but she steps back, and he swears he can feel his heart shattering.
“I’m sorry,” she sobs quietly. “But I can’t be with you like this, and I can’t watch you marry someone else. Good night, Liam.”
She walks out, closing his door softly behind her. All thoughts of being discreet fly out the window as he wrenches his door open, intending to stop her, beg her, do something, but she’s already halfway down the hall. Liam sighs heavily.
~~~~~~~~~~
Almost every night after that, Liam considers sneaking to Allie’s room, but he knows he can’t. The tour is nearly at an end, and there’s been very little progress made in finding the traitor. Madeleine is in a supremely good mood, essentially ignoring Liam except when they’re in the public eye, assuming she’s won. He feels defeated when he calls Leo one night.
“What would happen if I abdicate?” Liam asks. He’s sitting on the edge of his bed in near darkness, swirling a nearly empty glass of scotch. Leo is silent on the other end of the line.
“Would you do that?” he finally asks.
“I don’t know. I can’t marry her, Leo. I want Allie,” Liam says miserably.
Leo sighs. “Liam. I’m not the best one to ask for advice on this. You know what you want, even if you won’t say it out loud. But don’t do anything rash quite yet, alright?”
Liam feels a small glimmer of hope. “What are you saying?”
“Just wait before you do anything, Liam. And talk to Bertrand in the morning.”
“But-”
“I have to go. Talk to Bertrand,” Leo says firmly, then hangs up.
Liam swallows down the rest of the scotch, then slowly undresses, tossing his phone on to the nightstand and laying back in the bed. He dozes in and out of sleep, jerking awake at 1:30 when he hears a soft knock on his door.
He opens the door cautiously, almost flinging it open when he sees Allie on the other side. He reaches for her, relieved when she comes to him easily and quietly closes the door behind her.
“Allie,” he breathes.
She bites her lip, looking suddenly nervous as she shifts her weight.
“The tour’s almost over,” she says quietly. “And I…I want you.” She drags her eyes up to his. “One last time.”
Liam frowns. “Don’t say that. It’s not the last time.”
He sees her blink back tears rapidly. “I wish it wasn’t,” she whispers.
Allie shakes her head, clearing her throat. “I said I wouldn’t cry,” she murmurs.
He’s about to tell her it’s okay if she cries, that he’s cried over her more times than he can count, when she pushes her robe over her shoulders, and he feels like he’s forgotten how to breathe.
“Oh god,” he whispers.
She’s dressed in a white negligee, the lacy material barely brushing the tops of her thighs, following the curve of her hips and the swell of her breasts.
His hands rove over the satiny fabric before he can stop himself. “Allie,” he groans.
She sighs and then sucks in a breath as he cups her breasts and runs his thumbs over her nipples, then lifts the hem of the negligee over her thighs and glides his fingertips over her hip bones. She’s bare underneath the material, and he feels himself harden.
“Fuck,” he moans. “Please don’t tell me this is a dream.”
“It’s not,” she breathes in his ear. He jumps as she sucks lightly on his neck, her hands wandering down to his boxes and cupping him through the fabric.
He grunts and bucks into her hand. They’re being reckless, he knows, but right now, with their future so uncertain and the woman he loves touching him, he can’t bring himself to care.
Liam brings his mouth to hers, kissing her gently at first, then deeper and more insistently as she traces a finger over the edge of his boxers and pushes them down.
Allie drops to her knees before him, locking her eyes on his, then takes him into her mouth. Liam bucks into her before he can stop himself, the warm heat engulfing him.
His fingers tangle in her hair as he watches her. “Oh, yes,” he whispers as she swirls her tongue around him, sucking gently.
She speeds up gradually, her fingers digging into his thighs, scraping her teeth lightly over him. As fantastic as this feels, if this is really their last time together (though he refuses to let himself believe that), he wants to be inside her when he comes. Liam groans and pulls her head back.
“Not like this, baby,” he whispers, and she lets out a near silent moan.
“Say that again,” she pleads, sliding up against him.
“I want to taste you, baby,” he murmurs, and he can feel her exhale against him. He slides his hands under her thighs and lifts her up. Her legs wrap around him, her mouth hot against his neck.
“You like being called baby?” Liam asks, laying her down in his bed and crawling over her.
“Only when you say it,” she gasps as he runs his hand between her legs.
“God, you’re wet, Allie.”
It makes him flush, knowing he turns her on like this. How can this possibly be their last time? He can’t, won’t, let it be.
He slides two fingers into her, watching as her eyes close briefly, then open again, burning into his in the moonlit room. He pumps his fingers gently in and out, curling them inside her just slightly, building her up. She’s so responsive to him, moaning his name, writhing against his hand.
“Don’t stop,” she groans when he pulls his hand away.
He moves up to kiss her. “Never,” he promises, their hands tangling together and pulling the negligee over her head.
Her skin is warm underneath his lips as he bites at her shoulders, nuzzles between her breasts and sucks her nipples. Liam delights in the way she squirms when he kisses across her rib cage and stomach. He kisses below her belly button, resting his hands on her hips as he moves lower and hears her breathing pick up in anticipation. “Liam,” she whispers, running a hand through his hair.
He presses his mouth to her center, parting her folds with his tongue, and she jolts and gasps against him when he slides his tongue into her. Liam brings his hand down, circling his thumb around her clit while he works her with his mouth. He can tell when she’s close, the way her breaths come in short gasps and her hands grip his hair tightly.
As much as he wants to hear her scream his name, his room isn’t exactly isolated. So when he hears her inhale sharply, he moves up quickly, pressing his mouth to hers and swallowing her scream as she comes. She sinks into the pillow, kissing him lazily as she comes down
He exhales sharply as Allie reaches between them and runs her hand up and down his length. He shifts down, easing into her, watching as her eyes flutter closed and she sighs his name.
“Oh,” Allie moans as he moves slowly against her, wanting to make this last.
She opens her eyes, cupping his face in her hands and then sliding them into his hair. Her legs wrap around him as she presses up into him, the room nearly silent but for their breathy moans and sighs. Allie pulls his head down to her after a minute, whispering for him to roll over.
Liam groans in anticipation as he rolls onto his back and Allie straddles him. She leans down, kissing him once, twice, then lowers herself onto him.
“Oh fuck, you feel fantastic,” he groans as she rocks against him, her hands digging into his chest.
Liam stares up at her, her slightly parted lips, her mussed hair, the flush on her cheeks he can just barely see in the faint moonlight. He runs his hands up her sides as she starts moving faster against him. She’s close, he can tell, and he’s not going to last much longer either.
Liam pulls her down against his chest, his hands settling at her hips as they move together, their breathing becoming harsh and her moans louder. He thrusts up into her, grinding her hips down into his as he comes, kissing her hard to keep from crying out her name.
“Liam,” she gasps quietly, collapsing against him.
Her breath is warm and rapid against his bare skin, and he can feel his heart thundering in his chest as they lay together for several moments, his hand tangling in her hair, her fingers tickling through the dark hair across his chest. She pushes herself upright eventually, leaning down to kiss him. There are tears in her eyes, and it crushes him.
“What if I abdicate?” he blurts out before he can stop himself.
Allie frowns. “What are you talking about?”
“I want you. I love you. I told you I’d do anything to keep you safe, and I meant it. I could abdicate, and we wouldn’t have to-”
Her fingers, gentle across his lips, quiet him. “You can’t abdicate,” she says quietly, sliding off of him and wrapping the sheet around herself, sitting next to him in the bed.
“You told me when I met you how important your country and your duty are. And they still are, Liam.” Allie takes a shaky breath, a lone tear tracing down her cheek.
“I know you, Liam,” she whispers. “You would come to resent me if you abdicated.”
“I wouldn’t-” he starts to protest.
“Maybe not tomorrow,” she murmurs, looking down at him. “Maybe not a year from now, or five years from now, but eventually.”
“I could never resent you or regret you,” he pleads with her, sitting up and taking her hand in his. “I just want to love you.”
Allie is silent, but he can see the tears start rolling in earnest down her face. “Don’t give up, my love,” he whispers. “We’re not out of time yet.”
“But we are. The tour is almost over. We still don’t know who’s behind all of this. You’ll be married soon, and I…I’ll be going home.”
She slips out of bed, tugging her negligee and robe back on.
He climbs out of bed after her, pulling her into his chest. “I love you, Allie.”
Allie lets out one strangled sob, then whispers, “I know”, and slips out his door.
He stands there for what feels like hours, eventually sinking into the carpet, staring off at nothing, until the sun starts peeking in through the drapes, and he drags himself up to get dressed.
~~~~~~~~~~
He feels like a zombie at breakfast as he smiles and shakes hands with an endless line of people. He looks for Bertrand and Allie, but neither of them are anywhere in sight.
“What is wrong with you?” Madeleine hisses, smiling pleasantly at one of the dukes that walks by.
“Nothing. I didn’t sleep well,” he mutters.
Bertrand and Allie don’t enter the room until everyone is seated to eat, and he doesn’t have a chance to speak to either of them. Allie won’t look at him, looks as miserable as he’s assuming he does. Bertrand only glances at him once when everyone is nearly done eating, giving Liam a barely perceptible nod and half-smile. Liam feels a faint fluttering in his chest.
Bertrand rises and whispers something to Ana De Luca when everyone is done eating, then returns to stand with Allie and Maxwell near the side of the room. Liam is vaguely aware of several pings from cell phones going off as he and Madeleine begin to circulate the room to say their goodbyes.
He’s next aware of several gasps and whispers, the chatter rising in the room as people turn to stare at them, a sense of déjà vu washing over him. Liam catches Bertrand’s eye, a look of self-satisfaction on his face.
Madeleine rolls her eyes in irritation as she pulls her phone out. “What in the…” Liam watches in slow fascination as Madeleine stares at her phone, an ugly look crossing her face, before she glares in Bertrand and Allie’s direction. Liam glances over Madeleine’s shoulder, the headline of the news story on her screen not making sense at first.
ROYAL TRAITOR REVEALED it screams in bold letters. Liam recognizes the face on the screen. He recognizes Madeleine’s face right next to it, the smaller headline of Countess in on Scheme over her smiling face. It doesn’t really click until security guards approach them, Madeleine’s voice a plea and then a demanding shriek in his ear. He doesn’t even comprehend what she’s saying, doesn’t care.
He searches for Allie, her face shocked and confused as she finally looks up and meets his eye. Bastien approaches him immediately, Liam almost not registering he’s even there as he attempts to push his way through the crowd.
“We need to get you out of here, Your Majesty,” Bastien says urgently.
“Allie-”
“For your safety, and hers, she cannot come with us now,” Bastien says.
Liam wants to argue, but he knows Bastien is right. As much as he wants to sweep Allie up and take her away from here, she’s still in danger of retaliation. So he meets her eye again, hoping he can convey with a look everything he wishes he could say, before Bastien escorts him out.
~~~~~~~~~~
Barely an hour passes when they arrive back at the royal palace before the press starts clamoring for an interview, a comment, something to put in the morning paper. Liam makes a vague blanket statement about how upsetting this is, how he hopes it’s a misunderstanding, how of course if it’s true then Madeleine will no longer be eligible to be Queen.
He asks Bastien to locate Allie, pacing back and forth in his room as he waits. When it’s dark, and he’s resigned himself to the fact that he won’t see Allie tonight, he strips out of his clothes and sinks into bed.
He’s nearly asleep when there’s a quiet knock on his door, and he feels his heart pounding as he almost jumps out of bed and rushes over to open it.
Allie stands before him, and he pulls her into his room, drinking in the sight of her greedily, her dark wavy hair, the blue-gray of her eyes, the gentle curve of her body under her jeans and t-shirt. Liam crushes her to him.
“Oh, Allie,” he whispers.
She pulls back just slightly. Her face is almost unreadable, but he can see the faint hint of a smile on her lips.
“Bastien said you were looking for me,” she murmurs.
“I was. I am. I-” he fumbles for the words. “Forgive me. It’s been an interesting day.”
Allie laughs quietly against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes,” she agrees, then asks, “What now?”
“Marry me,” he blurts out, and her eyebrows raise. “I mean, we can’t announce it right away. But once I make an official statement, and the traitor is apprehended,” he says in a rush.
“After that…after that, I want my next announcement to be that I’m marrying you. If you’ll have me.”
“Of course I’ll have you,” she whispers, burrowing into his chest.
She smiles as he lifts her up, wrapping her legs around his waist until he sets her down on his bed. “I love you,” he whispers.
“Liam,” she sighs, shivering as he runs his lips over her neck. “I love you too.”
“Wait,” he says suddenly, fumbling in the small safe next to his wardrobe.
She watches him curiously, her eyes widening as he comes back over with a ring box. “I’ve had this for a while,” he confesses. “I’ve known for a long time I wanted to marry you, Allison Elizabeth Keswick.”
She smiles at the use of her full name, then swallows hard as tears spring to her eyes as he slides the ring onto her finger.
“Marry me?” he whispers against her mouth.
“Yes.”
That one simple word has never made him so happy.