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?
2017, June 4th
Another insufferable ball. And the excuse for it? It was his birthday.
Lord Bartholomew Arden would rather be sitting in his room preparing for midterms than be here with his parents and all of these pretentious people. Duke Arden took Bart around the room, drilling into his head the name of every nobleman and noblewoman in attendance and their current dealings with the Arden House. As though Bart weren't already aware of them all. He would have given many things to not have to endure this night.
Grievances aside, there was one thing Bart looked forward to about tonight. He would get to see her. At least he hoped he would. Things between their families were still very unstable and he hadn't seen her since the last time she came home. Mind you, there was no guarantee he would see her tonight. She had elected to spend this year at a prestigious boarding school abroad, intending to shun her father's wishes for her by attending fashion school next year. He didn't know if his birthday was reason enough to bring her home right before midterms.
Relief washed over Bart as his mother approached with a friend in tow.
Look who I found," she said in greeting, shutting down Duke Arden's potential deal, the nobleman they were talking to excusing himself.
"Ethan Maine."
Bart held out his hand, a ghost of a smile on his face.
"Hey Barry," Ethan grinned, picked up his somewhat larger friend and crushed his arms around his ribs.
Duke Arden scowled at his wife, whose voice he still had not learned to find bearable even after being married to her for 20 years.
"You just have the best timing, don't you?" Duke Arden hissed.
"Play nice, dear. It's Bart's birthday," she said, holding out her hand to him.
Duke Arden watched his too serious son's face soften for the first time in days and took his wife's hand.
"I know," he said begrudgingly as they walked off.
"Don't hurt yourself now," Bart said arrogantly as Ethan set him down.
Ethan held onto his lower back. He wasn't a freaking giant like Bart, but being the captain of an army necessitated that he look after himself so Ethan's own routine was rather rigorous. Still, no one could keep up with this guy. Ethan had never seen anything like it. Didn't matter what it was, Bart seemed to do it better and more efficiently than the rest of them. Bart kept telling Ethan that he'd probably just been slacking off since he got to Terres Somnia, which was likely true. Ethan was sure combat training would be a bitch to get back into when he went home in a few weeks.
"Shit Barry, you must have gained 20 pounds since the last time I saw you three months ago, all of it pure muscle too. Look at you, you're a fucking beast!"
"Mind your language, Your Highness," Bart chided. "How was the visit back home?"
"Oh, you know how it is. King's on my case about coming back full time. Same old," Ethan said, shrugging the serious stuff off as usual. "I brought someone with me this time that I want you to meet," he continued, changing the subject. "Better do it quickly too, I bet the chicks are lining up to check you out."
Ethan put his hand on Bart's bicep. Bart slapped it away. He wouldn't know if they were and it didn't matter anyway. They would never be her.
"This isn't UC, you dweeb. And you're here representing your country. Act accordingly," Bart whispered, himself straightening up.
Ethan was about to respond when they walked in and Bart's deep blue eyes glazed over. Bart folded his arms and zeroed in on her. She was a 6'1" goddess with long, silky, chestnut brown hair pulled back behind her. Her piercing, blue-green eyes and beautiful fair skin. Everything about her seemed to alert you that she'd arrived even before her party was announced. The dress, the shoes, the tiara on her head. Her stance, every elegant step she took. Ethan had seen enough of them to know when a princess walked into the room. She was definitely a princess.
As soon as she heard the announcer say, "Presenting their majesties King Henry, Queen Mary and their highnesses, Princess Caroline and Prince Aaron" she was looking too. Until her eyes found Bart's. When she found him, she broke out into a dazzling smile. Bart, in true Bart fashion, only continued to stare blankly, making no effort to show pleasure or displeasure. But Ethan was becoming familiar with reading his new best friend.
"That's her then. Your girl," said Ethan, watching Bart intently.
"She's not my anything," Bart returned sharply, turning his back on her.
"Someone should maybe tell her that then. She's coming for you, dude," Ethan said, watching her make her way through the crowd.
Every few seconds, she threw a glance back up to where they were standing on the second floor.
Bart struggled against his rapidly beating heart, telling him to turn back around. To go out and meet her, to give himself a dance with her as a birthday gift. A dance was hardly a proposal. A dance was okay. But Bart was an Arden and Ardens made decisions with their heads. So instead, he pulled Ethan towards him, so that his back was now to her too.
"That bad, huh? Hey I get it. She certainly is a bombshell," Ethan grinned, throwing another glance at her over his shoulder.
"Stop looking at her," Bart growled.
Ethan snickered, raising his hands in the air in surrender.
"It's not me you should be worried about."
Caroline (CC) Condor was about halfway through clearing the lower level of the Arden House's grand ballroom, steadily making her way to the stairs. He came out of nowhere. Was in front of her before she knew it. She tried to sidestep him, the way she had every man who had tried to ask her to dance up until now, but this one was not to be turned away. This man was a prince.
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?
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.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
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."
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"