A tale as old as time... He ran a finger along her burning cheek, his eyes on her lips as he watched them part. "If you're found like this with me, there'll be no discussion about it. You'll definitely be stuck with me then. Are you really, really sure, princess?" Two brothers, vying for the attention of the same woman... "I do see you Zoey, whether you're at an art class or just wandering around taking in the sights. I see everything you do. That's the problem." He rounded the corner and bent down on one knee, pulling the robe over her shoulders. "Lately, all I see is you." Can one heart truly belong to two men? She's engaged. So is he. And according to the headlines, so are the mouths of their betrotheds. How far will he go for revenge? Lady Zoey is the daughter of Duke Arden, only she's never met the man. So what right does he have to marry her off to some pompous, playboy prince? Prince Aaron Condor is in love with Lady Emily Maine. But when King Henry and Duke Arden decide to mend fences, Aaron ends up engaged to newcomer Zoey. Duke James Beaumont returns to Caines after being exiled five years ago. He's only back to propose to his childhood sweetheart, Emily Maine. 3 months later, Aaron and Emily are caught together in a compromising liplock. James wants revenge. Zoey wants someone to tell her it's okay to give her fiance a second chance. When the jilted lovers meet on the streets of Caines and he proposes to her, Zoey learns that that person is not James Beaumont. She meets with James again anyway and accidentally ends up married to him. It was all a drunken mistake, but that doesn't make The King's Guard hunting them any less real. One small-town girl turned noblewoman, an entitled heiress and two best friends who just can't stop getting mixed up with the same women.
2018, December 2nd
Zoey hailed from the small town Rosa.
Now as anyone from Rosa would tell you, the only thing more mundane than Rosa was its people. Quaint, little suburbs. One book store. One coffee shop. One everything really. Inevitably ensuring that everyone knew each other. Rosa was what the set of a suburban utopia would look like.
That's what Zoey liked about the place though. Everything flowed like clockwork. Nothing ever changed. Bookish, nerdy Zoey liked her predictable life just fine.
How could she have known the simple act of opening the mailbox would so drastically change all that?
Everything was different after Zoey sat down to sort through the mail that day. The world seemed to be turned on its head, broken as though in the pieces that it came together during the time of creation and somehow even as it spun on, it seemed to spin differently.
Zoey Ranger, with her pretty face and messy curls hidden often behind a book, was raised like most young women in Terres Somnia, a mere commoner. Having always considered herself average in every way, she had been something more than shocked to find that after all, she was not.
That she was the granddaughter of an earl who lived abroad was not news to Zoey. However, save for the cheque that came in the mail every month, that connection was something of a distant one. As such, Zoey never felt the weight of it.
So when the news of Duke Arden being her father reached Zoey via mail, it was fair to say the young woman had many questions.
Up until now Natalie, Zoey's mother, had always avoided the topic of her father. But not today. Today she would have to have the conversation that she had been running from for 23 years. Today Natalie would have to sit down with Zoey and tell her the whole of it.
As it turned out, Natalie was once involved with a duke. When word got out and the matter turned turned to scandal, Natalie was exiled from her family despite the abrupt ending of the relationship.
It was by then too late, however, as the dalliance had left Natalie with child. Natalie's father took pity on her and her circumstances, but as his pride would not allow his now pregnant daughter back into his house, a compromise was reached. Natalie was sent to live in small town, Rosa, where no one would know of her connection to the House of Ranger. In exchange, she was given a comfortable living allowance with which to raise her child.
Never in her wildest dreams, no matter how fiercely they fought, did Natalie Ranger think her father would cut her off. So when Zoey, shocked and angry as she was, revealed that Duke George Arden had sent for her and promised a handsome sum if he could only meet with her, Natalie jumped at the opportunity.
Zoey, headstrong and fuming, jumped at the opportunity too. It meant being away from her mother, whom she was unlikely to want to see for a while, and telling off her father, whom she imagined with a big belly and pretentious moustache. Some time away sounded like exactly what she needed.
When Bart came for her a few days later, Zoey found herself at a loss for words as soon as her bags left the ground. The drive up to Caines happened in an old yellow mustang in mint condition, with Zoey asking little of her driver and him offering even less.
As the scenery turned from houses to huge buildings to empty stretches of road, she stared blankly out the window, trying desperately to sort through what was happening.
By the end of the 16 hour drive, she had concluded only two things. One was that they needed money and two, that this perfect stranger whom she had only known about for a day, who had already earned at least half of all the anger she could muster, was willing to give it to her. Suddenly all of the questions went away, but for two. Could she really give him what he wanted in exchange for said money? Was she ready to meet the father who abandoned her and her mother?
It was dark when they got to the huge, imposing mansion. Even in the dark, however, it was impossible to miss the armed men stationed at every corner as she was shown to a room. Bart told her to be up by five, after which her promptly shut the door on her. The room was as big as the entire upstairs combined of the two story house that Zoey had lived in nearly all of her life.
Much like what little of the house she could make out rest, the furnishings were loud and arrogant and the way the room came together made Zoey feel, perhaps for the first time in her life, the depth of her loneliness. There were no friends to call, no mom to comfort her and no way to know that she even really existed in the world. Zoey threw herself onto the bed and stared at the ceiling until the darkest hour of the night, too numb to cry, wondering how she'd allowed herself to become so alone.
At exactly 5 AM the next day, a string of women streamed into the room, all talking over each other, practically carrying Zoey to the dressing table like a doll. That morning was an icy, cold day, which was bound to bring snow.
Zoey let the words pass right by her as the women talked. Every now and then they'd say something about The King's Fancy. Stylists and hairdressers and Zoey knew not what else had started bustling around her, pulling at her hair and sticking brushes in her face.
Zoey meant to tell them to stop, but no words came out of her mouth. Still feeling drained and exhausted from all the surprises of yesterday, Zoey eventually gave up and let her mind wander.
She did so miss being in a lecture hall, filled with perfect strangers, who wanted nothing from her but that she be quiet so that they might all attend to their lecture in peace. Yes, she missed her boring, predictable life. Already she felt so far from it. Like this was always her life and that had somehow been the dream, but that was absurd, of course.
She was only here to pick up a cheque, tell the duke off and hope never to see him again. As the denial she knew, deep down, she was in was starting to give way, Zoey stared at the mirror before her as she seemed to disappear entirely, bit by bit, right before her very eyes.
Don't think of it. She could barely believe herself to be sitting upright in this chair. Do not think about it. Do not wonder how he looks. Just stop thinking altogether. She knew it was him the moment he entered her room. The duke did not have a round belly. He was a tall man, not as tall as Bart, but still a giant of a man with a dignified air and a handsome face.
The years had been kind to him. He walked well. Zoey hated how he seemed to do everything well. She drew breath and braced herself as everyone in the room bowed. The duke, however, only glanced disinterestedly at the hired help, came to stand behind Zoey and held her gaze in the mirror a second longer than she could bear and then marched off to await his party in the car.
Zoey exhaled and so did everyone else. Her mind, wherever it had been, was suddenly back in that room and focused again.
"My lady should not be alarmed by His Grace," said the woman sticking pins into Zoey's hair. "Been that way since the day I got here."
Zoey tried to turn, but the woman steered her forward again.
"Almost done, My Lady," she said patiently.
"Yes, we'll make sure you are a vision for the prince," hummed one of the other women, as she painted Zoey's nails.
"Excuse me?" Zoey asked, confused.
The hairstylist gave the manicurist a look and she promptly quieted down. Now Zoey was really curious. Where exactly were they going? She had not been given any information at all.
The King's Fancy was perhaps the most important day on the calendar in Caines. This brunch had become the event of the year.
On this day, business deals were made and rumours that would turn into scandals were spread. But this year, The King's Fancy was more than that. On this day, King Henry and his cousin, Duke George Arden had to meet. This was no mere meal this year. This year, The King's Fancy would change the very nation.
"Come on then," said a restrained, subdued Bart.
Zoey looked to the right of her and there he was, even more dashing than yesterday when he had come to pick her up. Bart, her brand new half brother, all 6'6" of him standing tall in his tux. He was arguably the tallest person Zoey had ever known, not that she knew any young men, so to speak. Those brilliant, subdued dark blue eyes put you at ease and on alert all at once.
His athletic build combined with his stature could not but overwhelm and though she knew he was only 19, he hardly looked it. Hardly sounded it as he took call after call on the drive to Caines.
All she had to worry about at his age was getting into her hometown university, The University of Rosa. She could hardly believe that this man, somewhat standoffish but ultimately perfectly put together, was the son of a father she knew next to nothing about. Her thoughts turned to her hometown, Rosa and her mother whom she had left behind. Her mother, who despite herself, cared for Zoey immensely. Present circumstances notwithstanding, Zoey thought how her mother's presence just then might have been comforting.
Bart gave her a half smile that seemed to make his stern eyes soften, but for a moment, as she took the hand he offered her.
An enigmatic photographer who is desperate to connect may have met his match. She's a beautiful savant and his favorite person to be around. The problem? His one chance at true love just so happens to be a mafia princess. *** After seven years as Scott's best friend, Stacy drops the bombshell that she is returning to Chicago for an arranged marriage. Only then does Scott finally realize he is in love with her. He begs her to stay, not knowing her fiance is Luca Cattaneo, a future don. The situation gets out of control, ending in a passionate kiss captured on live TV. Fearing for Scott's safety after their kiss goes live, Stacy uses the dead man's switch she has spent seven years creating to stand up to her father, Don Angelo. He just so happens to be the most powerful don in America, but she refuses to marry Luca anyway. When it looks like Scott and Stacy are fighting a losing battle against two powerful dons, she begs him to let her go. Time and again, he keeps chasing her anyway. As love blooms between these best friends, can Stacy outrun her past for a chance at a future with Scott? Or will her criminal past ruin them? Sometimes love comes softly... sometimes it means being willing to risk life and limb just to stay together.
She has a secret. He doesn't care. All that interests him is bedding the woman he can't quite figure out. But what happens when taking her to bed once isn't enough? Supermodel Britney O'Prey isn't interested in the legend of Cupid's Cove. Visitors of the island swear that no guest leaves untouched by Cupid's arrow. But all Britney wants is to be left alone. Her aloofness attracts billionaire Will Hunter's attention, to the point that he can think of nothing but bedding her. But what happens when once isn't enough? What if he's not so content to let her keep her secrets after all?
THIS IS BOOK TWO. BOOK ONE, THE GIRL WHO LOVED TWO PRINCES, IS ALSO ON MOBOREADER❤️ Aria Maine is a new queen. She comes to Caines in search of a king consort. With three suitors landing right in her lap, boy oh boy, (oh boy) how does a girl choose? Princess Caroline (CC) Condor is about to marry Lord Bartholomew Arden, a man she's loved since she was eight. But when a mysterious woman from Bart's past shows up, will their love be strong enough to weather the storm? Prince Aaron Condor is committed to keeping the gorgeous Queen Aria Maine from his sister's unusually charmed fiance. No one plays the game better than him. The Casanova of Caines is in for a rude awakening though. He might not remember their past, but she sure as hell does. And she's not about to give up her grudge for the likes of him. After bringing an end to the war between Warlanda and Sartis Est, Prince Troy Pierce finds himself in the middle of a power struggle with his older brother, King Dean Pierce. Troy proposes to Aria in an attempt to unite their nations. It's all well and good to want to charm her, but can he stop being distracted by his former fiancee, Caroline? Lord Bartholomew (Bart) Arden is just trying to do right by his belated friend's sister. He wants to be there for Aria during these trying times, but she's not making it easy for him. Aria has always been something of a flirt, but he's not single anymore. Caught between two feisty women, can he make it to the altar?
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..." But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
A sudden twist of fate connected Helena to a prominent and influential person. To onlookers, she appeared as a naive bimbo. In truth, she was a top-tier specialist, shrouded in layers of hidden identities. Charlie declared, “She’s quite delicate and easily hurt. Cross her, and you’re crossing me.” The elite families, outwitted by Helena's prowess, kept these truths from him. Helena eventually broke free from Charlie, sending him on a frenzied worldwide hunt. To him, she was a bird with dazzling wings, and his goal was to help her reach new heights.
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."