Risking the Crown
Violet Paige
Head Over Heels Press
Copyright © 2017 by Violet Paige
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
Author’s Note
1. Dominic
2. Kenley
3. Dominic
4. Kenley
5. Dominic
6. Kenley
7. Dominic
8. Kenley
9. Dominic
10. Kenley
11. Dominic
12. Kenley
13. Dominic
14. Kenley
15. Dominic
16. Kenley
17. Dominic
18. Kenley
19. Dominic
20. Kenley
21. Dominic
22. Kenley
23. Dominic
24. Kenley
25. Dominic
26. Kenley
27. Dominic
28. Kenley
29. Dominic
30. Kenley
31. Dominic
32. Kenley
33. Dominic
34. Kenley
35. Dominic
36. Kenley
37. Dominic
Epilogue
Don’t Tell
1. Kaitlyn
2. Cole
3. Kaitlyn
4. Kaitlyn
5. Kaitlyn
6. Cole
7. Kaitlyn
8. Cole
9. Kaitlyn
10. Kaitlyn
11. Cole
12. Kaitlyn
13. Cole
14. Kaitlyn
15. Kaitlyn
16. Kaitlyn
17. Kaitlyn
18. Cole
19. Kaitlyn
20. Cole
21. Kaitlyn
22. Kaitlyn
23. Kaitlyn
24. Kaitlyn
25. Cole
26. Kaitlyn
27. Cole
28. Kaitlyn
29. Cole
30. Kaitlyn
31. Cole
32. Kaitlyn
33. Cole
34. Kaitlyn
Don’t Lie
1. Kaitlyn
2. Cole
3. Kaitlyn
4. Kaitlyn
5. Cole
6. Kaitlyn
7. Kaitlyn
8. Cole
9. Kaitlyn
10. Kaitlyn
11. Cole
12. Kaitlyn
13. Kaitlyn
14. Cole
15. Kaitlyn
16. Kaitlyn
17. Cole
18. Kaitlyn
19. Kaitlyn
20. Kaitlyn
21. Cole
22. Kaitlyn
23. Cole
24. Kaitlyn
25. Kaitlyn
26. Kaitlyn
27. Kaitlyn
28. Cole
29. Kaitlyn
Dirty Play
1. Wes
2. Lennon
3. Wes
4. Lennon
5. Wes
6. Lennon
7. Wes
8. Lennon
9. Wes
10. Lennon
11. Wes
12. Lennon
13. Wes
14. Lennon
15. Wes
16. Lennon
17. Wes
18. Lennon
19. Wes
20. Lennon
21. Wes
22. Lennon
23. Wes
24. Lennon
25. Wes
26. Lennon
27. Wes
Epilogue
Dirty Game
Prologue
1. Blake
2. Sierra
3. Sierra
4. Blake
5. Sierra
6. Blake
7. Sierra
8. Blake
9. Sierra
10. Blake
11. Sierra
12. Blake
13. Sierra
14. Blake
15. Sierra
16. Blake
17. Sierra
18. Blake
19. Sierra
20. Blake
21. Sierra
22. Blake
23. Sierra
24. Sierra
25. Blake
26. Sierra
27. Blake
28. Sierra
29. Blake
30. Sierra
31. Blake
32. Sierra
33. Blake
34. Sierra
35. Blake
36. Sierra
37. Sierra
38. Blake
39. Sierra
Epilogue
Naughty Notes
Alpha Athletes Complete Set
Plunge
I. Plunge
1. Blaine
2. Ava
3. Blaine
4. Ava
5. Blaine
6. Ava
7. Blaine
8. Ava
9. Blaine
10. Ava
11. Blaine
12. Ava
13. Blaine
14. Ava
15. Blaine
16. Ava
17. Blaine
18. Ava
19. Blaine
Naughty Notes
Book Two
Keeper
1. Lachlan
2. Aspen
3. Lachlan
4. Aspen
5. Lachlan
6. Aspen
7. Lachlan
8. Aspen
9. Lachlan
10. Aspen
11. Lachlan
12. Aspen
13. Lachlan
14. Aspen
15. Lachlan
16. Aspen
17. Lachlan
18. Aspen
19. Lachlan
20. Aspen
21. Lachlan
Naughty Notes
Book Three
Penetrate
1. Pierce
2. Sierra
3. Pierce
4. Sierra
5. Pierce
6. Sierra
7. Pierce
8. Sierra
9. Pierce
10. Sierra
11. Pierce
12. Sierra
13. Pierce
14. Sierra
15. Pierce
16. Sierra
17. Sierra
Naughty Notes
Resist
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Epilogue
Naughty Notes
Author’s Note
No
te from the author:
This book contains a fictional portrayal of a character recovering from alcohol abuse. The story takes a very “light” approach, but is in no way meant to belittle or downplay the serious struggles families face when confronted with alcoholism. Please be aware that if this topic is a trigger for you, it is mentioned frequently in the book. The character depiction is only a means to guide the storyline.
1
Dominic
“It was a pleasure, sir.”
I grimaced, strolling past the last administrator I’d have to deal with in this place. He held the door. I didn’t respond. I just wanted out.
I threw my hand toward the sky to block the sun. Fuck. Why was it this bright outside? I pressed the sunglasses on my face.
“Your highness.” Kurtis nodded as I walked toward the long black car parked behind the building. It was nice to have a familiar face from the palace, even if it was only my chauffeur.
“Thank you.”
He was like an iron statue next to the car. I spotted two men from my security detail on either side of vehicle.
I ducked inside, relieved when the door closed behind me and I could sit in the cool shadows. The two guards climbed into the front.
I looked at the building as we pulled away. White marble. Ornately carved statues. Fountains every twenty steps. It was hell dressed up in fancy architecture.
No one knew inside those guarded walls Galona’s prince had been forced to face his demons.
Demons I had chosen to live with. Demons I embraced. Demons I greeted every morning when I opened my eyes. Only, no one else wanted them lurking in the palace. They didn’t like that I carried the demons with me, willingly inviting them to join in. My brother sure as hell didn’t.
But this place. I huffed. I had to give it to them. They had accomplished something no other center had done before. I’d completed the program. It was the first time I had made it a full month. I tacked on an extra few weeks for good measure. That surprised even me.
I patted the inside pocket of my jacket. It was still there—the letter.
I pressed the speaker. “Where is Kenley?” I asked the driver.
She should have been waiting for me. I expected to see her on the sidewalk or inside the car at least.
“Your highness?” the driver responded.
I sighed. “My royal manager. Kenley DuBois. Did the palace fly her in from Freychon this morning? Where is she?”
I realized she might be waiting at the royal jet, but still this was unusual. Kenley was always within reach. And she never missed an opportunity to orchestrate my activity. She should be here with a full itinerary that clocked every second of my day. It wouldn’t be the first time she would have to spin one of my scandals.
“I’m sorry, sir. I had instructions to escort you to the airport. That is all. We should be there in fifteen minutes. Do you need anything before we arrive, sir? Should I stop?”
“No. That’s all.”
I turned the speaker off. Kurtis didn’t know anything. I was irritated Kenley wasn’t here to answer my questions. It was pointless to ask the driver where my sister was. Isabel should have been here too. They all had waited for this day.
Wasn’t this what they wanted? My sobriety.
Wasn’t this my re-entry into royal life? The shameful brother redeemed and saved after fifty days.
That’s all it took for salvation in the crown’s eyes. Fifty fucking days.
I twisted the cap off a bottle of water and began to chug.
After a few swallows, something Dr. Garcia had said in one of our sessions seemed glaringly obvious. Recovery is a lonely journey.
She was fucking right. After fifty days, I could admit that much. I frowned.
There were a lot of reasons I needed to atone. What was the other thing she said? Oh yeah, the rough Spanish translation: recovery was a long hike upward, not a walk down the street.
How many of those clever sayings did she have stockpiled for people like me?
Other addicts.
I never thought I’d be able to say it, but that’s what I was—an addict. My drug of choice was bourbon. Occasionally gin. I mixed it with women regularly.
The women didn’t care. I was second in line to the throne. It didn’t matter to them if I smelled like expensive booze, as long as my cock worked and they had the chance to moan my name when I made them come harder than they ever had. That’s all they wanted—to fuck His Royal Highness.
But the day I showed up drunk to a children’s library wing dedication was the final straw for the crown. My brother had ignored my addiction for too long. He had conveniently assigned morning events, banking on me being sober.
He pushed Kenley to manage all my habits, thinking she was going to stop me from taking a drink or a woman to my bed.
However the morning at the library changed the course of everything. I was finally able to drown out all his hope that day. He saw what an all-night bender looked like, and signed the royal order to send me to rehab. My brother, the king, took one look at me and admitted he had no choices left. I had backed him and the crown into a corner, something he despised.
I created a royal scandal. I mocked the family. Embarrassed my brothers and sister.
Rehab was my only path to redemption. I was off the rails by that point. Even I knew I needed help.
The letter crinkled next to my chest. Only, my family didn’t know what motivated me. Why this time I took it seriously. Why I put up a fight, but didn’t wage a war when they forced me into the car. I wanted to be stone-cold sober for once.
“We’re here, your highness.” Kurtis beeped in.
“Thank you.”
He pulled the car on the tarmac and parked in front of the jet. The Sauvage family crest glinted in the sun.
I took a deep breath. The door opened and I walked into the sun. Only this time I didn’t shield myself. There was only one way this would work. I had to prove I could walk in the light.
2
Kenley
“Are you sure the cabin is clear of all alcohol?” I asked the flight attendant.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ve checked three times, including the butler’s pantry.”
I should feel relieved, but I wasn’t.
“Absolutely sure?” I pressed. “You’ve looked in all the compartments?”
She eyed me. I didn’t care if I annoyed her. What she thought didn’t matter. Dominic would be here any minute. He was what mattered. The prince was my only concern.
The royal hostess scurried to prepare hot tea. I had flown with Liddy before. She was unusually opinionated for someone on the flight crew. I would have a conversation with her once we landed in Freychon.