walkerdrakewalker

[walkerdrakewalker]

Do You Love Me? A Bad Romance One-Shot

Series: Bad Romance Continues

Original Series: Bad Romance

Fandom: The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir

Pairings for this chapter: Carson (M!OC) x Max, Riley x Max, Liam x Riley, Riley x Drake, Liam x Max. Focus on Liam x Max.

Rating: Mature

Warnings for this chapter:  None, maybe the slightest whiff of lemon scenting.

Word Count: 2,956

A/N: I wanted to explore the side of polyamory that requires some work and emotional labor. The part where you have to take responsibility for yourself and work on things like jealousy and possessiveness. This would take place fairly early in the timeline, I'm thinking, a year or so in. Maybe less.

Since it focuses on MM relationships, I'm tagging @choicesprompts Pride event.

My other stuff: Master List.

Riley Brooks Rys was a little tipsy, but it didn’t matter.

Cordonia had just signed a sweeping peace treaty with the newly formed Mediterranean Pact after weeks of negotiations. The official ceremony was over. Nothing was left to do except enjoy themselves at this exclusive, invitation only after party.

She found Max sitting at a small, round table in a corner near the back deep in conversation with a man she could only describe as a Greek God. The man was leaning across the table with a seductive smile. Max was blushing.

She sauntered up and draped herself across Max, whispering in his ear, “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh!” He jumped, then shivered a little at her surprise appearance. “This is Carson Belvidere, the Marquess of Montnapoli.”

She inclined her head toward him as she took a chair from the table behind them and sat down next to Max. “Lord Montnapoli. Nice to make your acquaintance.”

“Carson, this is—”

The Marquis stood quickly, interrupting his companion with a deep bow. “I know who she is. It’s my honor, Your Majesty.”

“No need for all that,” she waved her hand dismissively in the air, “But thank you. You’re very charming.” She looked back at Max with a twinkle in her eye. “And handsome.”

Max nodded with a grin as the red on his face deepened.

A smile spread across Carson’s face at the compliment. “Why, thank you, Your Majesty. You’re pretty stunning yourself.”

“Please. Just call me Riley. Any friend of Max’s is a friend of mine.”

“Is that so?” Carson watched her face, searching for clues about the exact nature of their relationship.

“That is so.” She ran a hand up Max’s arm as she held eye contact with blond haired blue eyed adonis sitting across from her.

“I can see you’re close.”

“Very close.” She leaned toward Carson while keeping her hand on Max and lowered her voice. “Would you like to find out how close?”

Carson lifted his drink to his lips as he responded carefully. “No offense, Your Majesty, I’m sure you’re amazing in every conceivable way, but I don’t swing that way.”

“Charming and diplomatic, I see.” Her eyes tracked across Max’s face, correctly reading his every emotion. She leaned over, putting her lips right at his ear. “So I assume you’ll be going solo this evening? Should I tell Liam not to expect you in our bed tonight?”

Max went beet red, his eyes jerking up to see if Carson could hear her. He couldn’t. “I…I’m not sure.”

Carson watched the exchange with interest. “I’m going to refill my drink and let you two talk. Anyone need anything?”

They both shook their heads no.

The moment he was out of hearing range, Riley asked, “You’re clearly attracted to him. What’s the problem?”

“Ah… I just haven’t been with another man since Liam and I became a thing, and I’m not sure what the rules are.”

Riley’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Liam knows you’re polyamorous, right?”

“Yes.”

“Has there ever been a discussion about exclusivity?”

“No, but I don’t want to do anything to mess it all up, and you know how he can be.”

“Hmmm.” She plucked the cherry out of the remains of Max’s amaretto sour and popped it into her mouth. “Maybe you should talk to him.”

“Maybe.”

The moment Carson returned to the table, Riley jumped up with a grin. “Well, you boys have fun tonight. I’ll get out of your way.”

Carson deposited a second drink in front of Max. “I got you one, anyway.”

“Ah, thanks.” Max glanced up at the man who was now standing next to him rather than sitting across from him. The proximity was anxiety producing, but not in a bad way.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah…I….” Max decided to just blurt it out and get the elephant out of the room. “Look, Carson. I like you and I am absolutely attracted to you, but I’m in a… ah… situationship—”

“Is it exclusive?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Max, I like you too, but it doesn’t have to be serious.” He moved closer. Too close. He smirked at the flush that rushed across the other man’s face. Running a hand down the side of his face, he told him, “I would be more than happy to make you blush like that all night long and then return you to your…. Situationship.”

Carson strongly suspected he knew exactly what, or rather who, that situationship was with. He couldn’t blame Max. While women weren’t his cup of tea, he couldn’t deny that the king was right up his alley.

Liam Rys was handsome, intelligent, funny, and sexy as hell. He wasn’t sure what their arrangement was, but it wasn’t exactly a secret that Max practically lived in the royal suite. And then there had been the day that Liam had caught the two of them flirting and lost his mind.

Not that Carson could blame him. Max was a prize. Both the king and the queen seemed to recognize that.

Max glanced up and licked his lips nervously. “Noted.”

“Okay. Well, when you get your situationship straightened out, let me know.”

Across the grand ballroom, the king of Cordonia was brooding over his scotch and complaining to his best friend. “That guy is all over him. Again. Do you think Max is interested?”

Drake raised his eyebrows as he pulled his drink closer to him. “Does it matter?”

“Why wouldn’t it matter? Of course it matters!”

“Don’t you sleep with other people occasionally?”

“Yes, but—”

They were interrupted as Riley appeared at Liam’s side. “What are we talking about?”

Drake answered. “Liam is brooding over Max.”

“I’m not brooding!”

Riley looked him up and down as she took the seat next to him. “You’re brooding. Now tell me why.”

“I’m not—”

Once again, Drake answered for him. “Max is over there flirting with that Carson guy.”

“I know! I was just over there.”

“We saw,” Liam fixed her with a piercing stare. “What were they talking about?”

“Oh, Carson is totally hitting on Max!” A tinkling giggle escaped her.

“How can you laugh about this?” Liam demanded.

“What?” Riley lifted a shoulder. “He’s just having fun. Tell me you don’t think that guy is a threat to what we have with Max.”

“Maybe not to what you have with Max,” Liam grumbled, watching the liquid in his tumbler as he swirled it.

Riley made eye contact with Drake, who shrugged and shook his head. Returning her attention to her husband, she asked, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, your relationship with him is solid. But we both know if he was over there flirting with another woman, you’d be having a very different reaction.”

“Maybe. I’d like to think I’ve grown as a person, Liam. I thought we all had. Do you really think my connection to Max is stronger than yours?”

“Let’s face it, Riley, if he had to choose, he’d choose you and we all know it.”

Drake scoffed loudly as he leaned across the bar and signaled for another drink. “Looks who’s talking. Pot, meet kettle.”

Liam turned to him indignantly, “What do you mean by that?”

“If you had to choose, wouldn’t you choose her too?”

“I love Max just as much as I love Riley, and you know that.”

Conversation stopped as the bartender deposited a tumbler of whiskey in front of Drake, then quickly retreated.

Drake took a long sip as he contemplated his next words. Setting the glass down on the bar, he leveled a serious gaze at his best friend. “Maybe… or maybe you just don’t like being alone.”

Liam blinked. “What?”

“Do you love him like you love her, or is he just a placeholder?”

“I don’t know what you’re insinuating, but—”

“I’m insinuating that Max is your fallback position. Whenever Riley is with me, off on a long weekend with Rashad, or spending a night with Siobhan, you have Max. You aren’t used to having to grapple with feelings of jealousy or loneliness. You don’t have to confront any of that in yourself; therefore, you never have to work on any of it. Max is your crutch to avoid doing any emotional labor.”

Liam’s confusion and anger faltered a little as a half shocked, half amused smile made its way to his lips. “Did you just use the term emotional labor correctly?”

“He did.” Riley nudged Drake in the side with her elbow, beaming with pride. “Good job, Babe.”

The guardsman’s cheeks pinkened at the praise. “Thanks.”

Liam rolled his eyes as he threw back the last of his bourbon. Slamming his glass down on the bar, he turned back to Drake and insisted, “I don’t have any emotional labor to do. Max and I use Riley’s absences to spend one on one time with each other, that’s all.”

“Right.” Drake scoffed. “But that’s kind of my point. I think you’re using Max during those absences to avoid focusing on yourself. You’re never alone.”

“Not true, I go on extended trips without either of them all the time.”

“Oh, you mean like the time in Italy when Riley had to drop everything and rush to your side?”

“It was a long trip!”

“Or the time Max had to rearrange his entire schedule to accompany you to Sri Lanka?”

“I just thought he would enjoy seeing the peacocks in their native environment. I didn’t force him to—”

“What about the time you got so lonely in New York that you gave Nick the opportunity to snap that photo that nearly caused a hellacious scandal, and I had to go clean up the mess?”

“Oh, come on! That was not my fault and you know it!”

Drake raised an eyebrow as he lifted his glass to his lips. “And the time you tried to get Hana to go with you to Shanghai?”

“I mean, it is her home—”

“You two barely tolerate each other.”

Liam’s jaw clenched. “What’s your point?”

Drake shrugged. “You don’t do well alone. That’s all I’m saying.”

“And you do? I seem to remember you leaving all of us and running away to fucking Texas. Remember that?”

“I do. And I was alone, so I had to do a lot of soul searching. That didn’t end when I came back.”

“What do you mean?”

“When Riley is with one of you, I have no one but myself. Have you ever tried just being alone? Working on yourself? Having some platonic friends, or maybe a hobby?”

“I have lots of hobbies!”

“Name one hobby that you do because you love it. Not because it fits with your royal duties or lets you spend time with a partner.”

“Ballroom dancing!”

“I’m not saying you don’t like it, or you aren’t good at it, but you only started doing it because Riley wanted to.”

“Max and I go to all the pea fowl conventions—”

“Yeah, because Max loves it. You don’t care about birds.”

“Are you saying I don’t have a personality of my own?”

“That’s not what I’m saying. But you do tend to over focus on everyone else.”

“I am responsible for an entire country. I have to think about—”

“I know. But you put everyone else first in your personal life as well. ……. I think you’re just afraid to find out who Liam is without all the responsibilities.”

Riley cut in, “He’s not wrong.”

Liam turned to her with a look of betrayal. “You too?”

“I love you. Remember when we met?”

His face lit up. “How could I forget? Best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Yes, well, if you’ll remember, one of the things that drew you to me was the fact that you felt you could be your real self around me. Remember that?”

“Yes. And?”

“And I knew way back then that you put everyone ahead of yourself. Which is why I try so hard to take care of you.”

“I don’t just love you because you take care of me, although Leo does refer to you as my emotional support wife.”

“Your brother is hilarious, but Drake’s point is that you very rarely focus on yourself. So I’ll reiterate his question. Do you actually feel threatened by Carson, or are you bothered by the idea that there might be times when both Max and I are unavailable and you’ll be alone?”

Liam stared down into his glass. “Shit.”

An hour later, Liam was waiting when Max entered their private chambers.

“I got your text.” Max glanced around the room. “Where’s Riley?”

“She’s with Drake. I wanted to speak to you privately.”

Max was immediately on high alert. “Why? Is something wrong?”

“No. Well, maybe. I don’t know.”

Max’s voice filled with concern, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Massaging his temples, Liam asked, “Max, do you manage my emotions?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, do you go out of your way to make sure you’re here for me when Riley isn’t around?”

Max weighed his words carefully. “I do make myself available when I know Riley isn’t going to be around, but it’s not just for you. I also miss her, and I enjoy my one on one time with you.”

“Stop hedging and answer my question. Do you go out of your way to rearrange your schedule because you’re afraid I’m going to spiral out if you don’t?”

“I don’t think you’re going to spiral out, Li. You just get…. Tense when she’s gone.”

“I—” It was true. Somewhere along the way, she had become his equilibrium. She calmed him just by being nearby. She anticipated his needs. While she infuriated and frustrated him more than any woman he’d ever known, she also excited him, soothed him, and challenged him like no other woman ever had.

In the same vein, Max had a way of knowing just what to say or do to bring him back to baseline when anxiety or anger threatened to take him under.

He heaved a great sigh as he stomped across the room to the drink cart. “God damn it! I don’t want to be an obligation!”

“You’re not!” Max protested. “Should I list all the things you do for us on a daily basis? Not to mention the whole ass country. You give and give and give. I want to be there for you when you need it because I love you.”

Liam’s left hand held a fresh glass while the other hovered over the cut crystal decanter. With another sigh, he set the glass back down. More alcohol was never the answer. He turned back to his lover while he pulled his tie off. “Maybe Drake is right, and I just don’t like being alone.”

“No one likes being alone.”

“You’re likely right. But being alone is still an important skill to master.”

“Okay…”

Liam sat down to remove his shoes. “What do you do when I’m not around? Like last month, when I was in Taiwan on a diplomatic mission and Riley spent a weekend away with Rashad. What did you do?”

 “I binge watched some shows I was behind on, updated my latest manuscript, did some clothes shopping, and went out with some friends to karaoke.”

“Was one of those friends Carson?” Liam’s tone was suddenly more intense.

Max’s tone was cautious. “If it were, would that be a problem?”

Liam struggled to answer. It wasn’t like he himself didn’t indulge in casual hookups when the mood struck. But what if Max’s feelings for Carson weren’t casual?

Max was in love with Riley, but that didn’t threaten him because he was also in love with her. The three of them were a throuple. A solid one, he thought. He hoped.

His shoulders fell with a sigh. “It’s fear.” He admitted. “I’m afraid you’ll develop feelings for him and fall out of love with me.”

“That’s not possible!”

Liam wanted to believe that. Intellectually, he knew he shouldn’t worry. Riley loved Drake, and that wasn’t a problem. Whatever her relationship with Rashad was, it didn’t impede her feelings for him. Plus, Max had always been polyamorous for as long as he’d known him. Max, in fact, was the person who had helped him understand his own poly leanings.

Max swiftly crossed the room and knelt in front of the other man. “I have never loved another man the way I love you. I am attracted to Carson, and I like him. I want to explore that connection, but I won’t if it’s going to damage our relationship, because nothing and no one means more to me than being with you.”

And that was the reassurance he needed. Relief surged through his body and soul. “Can I ask just one favor?”

“What’s that?”

“Do your exploring with Carson when I’m out of the country.”

Max’s face broke out in a grin. “That’s fair.”

“Is it?” Liam returned his grin with a begrudging one of his own. “I feel like Riley would say it’s controlling.”

“Probably. But it’s light years ahead of the controlling, overly jealous, possessive guy you were when we first started. Besides,” Max scooted closer, still on his knees, putting himself between Liam’s legs as he stared up at him. “I like it when you control me.”

A shiver ran down Liam’s spine as heat crawled through his chest. He sank his hand into Max’s hair and tugged him closer.

He was going to start working on himself a little more. Maybe start fencing again. Strengthen a few of his platonic friendships.

But not tonight. Tonight, he had Max all to himself, and he wasn’t wasting a moment of it.

[walkerdrakewalker]

Do You Love Me? A Bad Romance One-Shot

Series: Bad Romance Continues

Original Series: Bad Romance

Fandom: The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir

Pairings for this chapter: Carson (M!OC) x Max, Riley x Max, Liam x Riley, Riley x Drake, Liam x Max. Focus on Liam x Max.

Rating: Mature

Warnings for this chapter:  None, maybe the slightest whiff of lemon scenting.

Word Count: 2,956

A/N: I wanted to explore the side of polyamory that requires some work and emotional labor. The part where you have to take responsibility for yourself and work on things like jealousy and possessiveness. This would take place fairly early in the timeline, I'm thinking, a year or so in. Maybe less.

Since it focuses on MM relationships, I'm tagging @choicesprompts Pride event.

My other stuff: Master List.

Riley Brooks Rys was a little tipsy, but it didn’t matter.

Cordonia had just signed a sweeping peace treaty with the newly formed Mediterranean Pact after weeks of negotiations. The official ceremony was over. Nothing was left to do except enjoy themselves at this exclusive, invitation only after party.

She found Max sitting at a small, round table in a corner near the back deep in conversation with a man she could only describe as a Greek God. The man was leaning across the table with a seductive smile. Max was blushing.

She sauntered up and draped herself across Max, whispering in his ear, “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh!” He jumped, then shivered a little at her surprise appearance. “This is Carson Belvidere, the Marquess of Montnapoli.”

She inclined her head toward him as she took a chair from the table behind them and sat down next to Max. “Lord Montnapoli. Nice to make your acquaintance.”

“Carson, this is—”

The Marquis stood quickly, interrupting his companion with a deep bow. “I know who she is. It’s my honor, Your Majesty.”

“No need for all that,” she waved her hand dismissively in the air, “But thank you. You’re very charming.” She looked back at Max with a twinkle in her eye. “And handsome.”

Max nodded with a grin as the red on his face deepened.

A smile spread across Carson’s face at the compliment. “Why, thank you, Your Majesty. You’re pretty stunning yourself.”

“Please. Just call me Riley. Any friend of Max’s is a friend of mine.”

“Is that so?” Carson watched her face, searching for clues about the exact nature of their relationship.

“That is so.” She ran a hand up Max’s arm as she held eye contact with blond haired blue eyed adonis sitting across from her.

“I can see you’re close.”

“Very close.” She leaned toward Carson while keeping her hand on Max and lowered her voice. “Would you like to find out how close?”

Carson lifted his drink to his lips as he responded carefully. “No offense, Your Majesty, I’m sure you’re amazing in every conceivable way, but I don’t swing that way.”

“Charming and diplomatic, I see.” Her eyes tracked across Max’s face, correctly reading his every emotion. She leaned over, putting her lips right at his ear. “So I assume you’ll be going solo this evening? Should I tell Liam not to expect you in our bed tonight?”

Max went beet red, his eyes jerking up to see if Carson could hear her. He couldn’t. “I…I’m not sure.”

Carson watched the exchange with interest. “I’m going to refill my drink and let you two talk. Anyone need anything?”

They both shook their heads no.

The moment he was out of hearing range, Riley asked, “You’re clearly attracted to him. What’s the problem?”

“Ah… I just haven’t been with another man since Liam and I became a thing, and I’m not sure what the rules are.”

Riley’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Liam knows you’re polyamorous, right?”

“Yes.”

“Has there ever been a discussion about exclusivity?”

“No, but I don’t want to do anything to mess it all up, and you know how he can be.”

“Hmmm.” She plucked the cherry out of the remains of Max’s amaretto sour and popped it into her mouth. “Maybe you should talk to him.”

“Maybe.”

The moment Carson returned to the table, Riley jumped up with a grin. “Well, you boys have fun tonight. I’ll get out of your way.”

Carson deposited a second drink in front of Max. “I got you one, anyway.”

“Ah, thanks.” Max glanced up at the man who was now standing next to him rather than sitting across from him. The proximity was anxiety producing, but not in a bad way.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah…I….” Max decided to just blurt it out and get the elephant out of the room. “Look, Carson. I like you and I am absolutely attracted to you, but I’m in a… ah… situationship—”

“Is it exclusive?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Max, I like you too, but it doesn’t have to be serious.” He moved closer. Too close. He smirked at the flush that rushed across the other man’s face. Running a hand down the side of his face, he told him, “I would be more than happy to make you blush like that all night long and then return you to your…. Situationship.”

Carson strongly suspected he knew exactly what, or rather who, that situationship was with. He couldn’t blame Max. While women weren’t his cup of tea, he couldn’t deny that the king was right up his alley.

Liam Rys was handsome, intelligent, funny, and sexy as hell. He wasn’t sure what their arrangement was, but it wasn’t exactly a secret that Max practically lived in the royal suite. And then there had been the day that Liam had caught the two of them flirting and lost his mind.

Not that Carson could blame him. Max was a prize. Both the king and the queen seemed to recognize that.

Max glanced up and licked his lips nervously. “Noted.”

“Okay. Well, when you get your situationship straightened out, let me know.”

Across the grand ballroom, the king of Cordonia was brooding over his scotch and complaining to his best friend. “That guy is all over him. Again. Do you think Max is interested?”

Drake raised his eyebrows as he pulled his drink closer to him. “Does it matter?”

“Why wouldn’t it matter? Of course it matters!”

“Don’t you sleep with other people occasionally?”

“Yes, but—”

They were interrupted as Riley appeared at Liam’s side. “What are we talking about?”

Drake answered. “Liam is brooding over Max.”

“I’m not brooding!”

Riley looked him up and down as she took the seat next to him. “You’re brooding. Now tell me why.”

“I’m not—”

Once again, Drake answered for him. “Max is over there flirting with that Carson guy.”

“I know! I was just over there.”

“We saw,” Liam fixed her with a piercing stare. “What were they talking about?”

“Oh, Carson is totally hitting on Max!” A tinkling giggle escaped her.

“How can you laugh about this?” Liam demanded.

“What?” Riley lifted a shoulder. “He’s just having fun. Tell me you don’t think that guy is a threat to what we have with Max.”

“Maybe not to what you have with Max,” Liam grumbled, watching the liquid in his tumbler as he swirled it.

Riley made eye contact with Drake, who shrugged and shook his head. Returning her attention to her husband, she asked, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, your relationship with him is solid. But we both know if he was over there flirting with another woman, you’d be having a very different reaction.”

“Maybe. I’d like to think I’ve grown as a person, Liam. I thought we all had. Do you really think my connection to Max is stronger than yours?”

“Let’s face it, Riley, if he had to choose, he’d choose you and we all know it.”

Drake scoffed loudly as he leaned across the bar and signaled for another drink. “Looks who’s talking. Pot, meet kettle.”

Liam turned to him indignantly, “What do you mean by that?”

“If you had to choose, wouldn’t you choose her too?”

“I love Max just as much as I love Riley, and you know that.”

Conversation stopped as the bartender deposited a tumbler of whiskey in front of Drake, then quickly retreated.

Drake took a long sip as he contemplated his next words. Setting the glass down on the bar, he leveled a serious gaze at his best friend. “Maybe… or maybe you just don’t like being alone.”

Liam blinked. “What?”

“Do you love him like you love her, or is he just a placeholder?”

“I don’t know what you’re insinuating, but—”

“I’m insinuating that Max is your fallback position. Whenever Riley is with me, off on a long weekend with Rashad, or spending a night with Siobhan, you have Max. You aren’t used to having to grapple with feelings of jealousy or loneliness. You don’t have to confront any of that in yourself; therefore, you never have to work on any of it. Max is your crutch to avoid doing any emotional labor.”

Liam’s confusion and anger faltered a little as a half shocked, half amused smile made its way to his lips. “Did you just use the term emotional labor correctly?”

“He did.” Riley nudged Drake in the side with her elbow, beaming with pride. “Good job, Babe.”

The guardsman’s cheeks pinkened at the praise. “Thanks.”

Liam rolled his eyes as he threw back the last of his bourbon. Slamming his glass down on the bar, he turned back to Drake and insisted, “I don’t have any emotional labor to do. Max and I use Riley’s absences to spend one on one time with each other, that’s all.”

“Right.” Drake scoffed. “But that’s kind of my point. I think you’re using Max during those absences to avoid focusing on yourself. You’re never alone.”

“Not true, I go on extended trips without either of them all the time.”

“Oh, you mean like the time in Italy when Riley had to drop everything and rush to your side?”

“It was a long trip!”

“Or the time Max had to rearrange his entire schedule to accompany you to Sri Lanka?”

“I just thought he would enjoy seeing the peacocks in their native environment. I didn’t force him to—”

“What about the time you got so lonely in New York that you gave Nick the opportunity to snap that photo that nearly caused a hellacious scandal, and I had to go clean up the mess?”

“Oh, come on! That was not my fault and you know it!”

Drake raised an eyebrow as he lifted his glass to his lips. “And the time you tried to get Hana to go with you to Shanghai?”

“I mean, it is her home—”

“You two barely tolerate each other.”

Liam’s jaw clenched. “What’s your point?”

Drake shrugged. “You don’t do well alone. That’s all I’m saying.”

“And you do? I seem to remember you leaving all of us and running away to fucking Texas. Remember that?”

“I do. And I was alone, so I had to do a lot of soul searching. That didn’t end when I came back.”

“What do you mean?”

“When Riley is with one of you, I have no one but myself. Have you ever tried just being alone? Working on yourself? Having some platonic friends, or maybe a hobby?”

“I have lots of hobbies!”

“Name one hobby that you do because you love it. Not because it fits with your royal duties or lets you spend time with a partner.”

“Ballroom dancing!”

“I’m not saying you don’t like it, or you aren’t good at it, but you only started doing it because Riley wanted to.”

“Max and I go to all the pea fowl conventions—”

“Yeah, because Max loves it. You don’t care about birds.”

“Are you saying I don’t have a personality of my own?”

“That’s not what I’m saying. But you do tend to over focus on everyone else.”

“I am responsible for an entire country. I have to think about—”

“I know. But you put everyone else first in your personal life as well. ……. I think you’re just afraid to find out who Liam is without all the responsibilities.”

Riley cut in, “He’s not wrong.”

Liam turned to her with a look of betrayal. “You too?”

“I love you. Remember when we met?”

His face lit up. “How could I forget? Best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Yes, well, if you’ll remember, one of the things that drew you to me was the fact that you felt you could be your real self around me. Remember that?”

“Yes. And?”

“And I knew way back then that you put everyone ahead of yourself. Which is why I try so hard to take care of you.”

“I don’t just love you because you take care of me, although Leo does refer to you as my emotional support wife.”

“Your brother is hilarious, but Drake’s point is that you very rarely focus on yourself. So I’ll reiterate his question. Do you actually feel threatened by Carson, or are you bothered by the idea that there might be times when both Max and I are unavailable and you’ll be alone?”

Liam stared down into his glass. “Shit.”

An hour later, Liam was waiting when Max entered their private chambers.

“I got your text.” Max glanced around the room. “Where’s Riley?”

“She’s with Drake. I wanted to speak to you privately.”

Max was immediately on high alert. “Why? Is something wrong?”

“No. Well, maybe. I don’t know.”

Max’s voice filled with concern, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Massaging his temples, Liam asked, “Max, do you manage my emotions?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, do you go out of your way to make sure you’re here for me when Riley isn’t around?”

Max weighed his words carefully. “I do make myself available when I know Riley isn’t going to be around, but it’s not just for you. I also miss her, and I enjoy my one on one time with you.”

“Stop hedging and answer my question. Do you go out of your way to rearrange your schedule because you’re afraid I’m going to spiral out if you don’t?”

“I don’t think you’re going to spiral out, Li. You just get…. Tense when she’s gone.”

“I—” It was true. Somewhere along the way, she had become his equilibrium. She calmed him just by being nearby. She anticipated his needs. While she infuriated and frustrated him more than any woman he’d ever known, she also excited him, soothed him, and challenged him like no other woman ever had.

In the same vein, Max had a way of knowing just what to say or do to bring him back to baseline when anxiety or anger threatened to take him under.

He heaved a great sigh as he stomped across the room to the drink cart. “God damn it! I don’t want to be an obligation!”

“You’re not!” Max protested. “Should I list all the things you do for us on a daily basis? Not to mention the whole ass country. You give and give and give. I want to be there for you when you need it because I love you.”

Liam’s left hand held a fresh glass while the other hovered over the cut crystal decanter. With another sigh, he set the glass back down. More alcohol was never the answer. He turned back to his lover while he pulled his tie off. “Maybe Drake is right, and I just don’t like being alone.”

“No one likes being alone.”

“You’re likely right. But being alone is still an important skill to master.”

“Okay…”

Liam sat down to remove his shoes. “What do you do when I’m not around? Like last month, when I was in Taiwan on a diplomatic mission and Riley spent a weekend away with Rashad. What did you do?”

 “I binge watched some shows I was behind on, updated my latest manuscript, did some clothes shopping, and went out with some friends to karaoke.”

“Was one of those friends Carson?” Liam’s tone was suddenly more intense.

Max’s tone was cautious. “If it were, would that be a problem?”

Liam struggled to answer. It wasn’t like he himself didn’t indulge in casual hookups when the mood struck. But what if Max’s feelings for Carson weren’t casual?

Max was in love with Riley, but that didn’t threaten him because he was also in love with her. The three of them were a throuple. A solid one, he thought. He hoped.

His shoulders fell with a sigh. “It’s fear.” He admitted. “I’m afraid you’ll develop feelings for him and fall out of love with me.”

“That’s not possible!”

Liam wanted to believe that. Intellectually, he knew he shouldn’t worry. Riley loved Drake, and that wasn’t a problem. Whatever her relationship with Rashad was, it didn’t impede her feelings for him. Plus, Max had always been polyamorous for as long as he’d known him. Max, in fact, was the person who had helped him understand his own poly leanings.

Max swiftly crossed the room and knelt in front of the other man. “I have never loved another man the way I love you. I am attracted to Carson, and I like him. I want to explore that connection, but I won’t if it’s going to damage our relationship, because nothing and no one means more to me than being with you.”

And that was the reassurance he needed. Relief surged through his body and soul. “Can I ask just one favor?”

“What’s that?”

“Do your exploring with Carson when I’m out of the country.”

Max’s face broke out in a grin. “That’s fair.”

“Is it?” Liam returned his grin with a begrudging one of his own. “I feel like Riley would say it’s controlling.”

“Probably. But it’s light years ahead of the controlling, overly jealous, possessive guy you were when we first started. Besides,” Max scooted closer, still on his knees, putting himself between Liam’s legs as he stared up at him. “I like it when you control me.”

A shiver ran down Liam’s spine as heat crawled through his chest. He sank his hand into Max’s hair and tugged him closer.

He was going to start working on himself a little more. Maybe start fencing again. Strengthen a few of his platonic friendships.

But not tonight. Tonight, he had Max all to himself, and he wasn’t wasting a moment of it.

[walkerdrakewalker]

Boys Will Be Boys

Brothers-in-Arms Series - Chapter 2

Choices Books: The Royal Romance, pre-book 1 (cross-over with Choices, Crimes of Passion, pre-book 1)  

Pairing: None  

Characters: Liam Rys, Drake Walker, Maxwell Beaumont, Leo Rys, Olivia Nevrakis, Eleanor Rys, Trystan Thorne  

Rating: Teen  

Warning: swearing, alcohol/drug use

Category: angst/fluff, alternate universe  

Words: 1200, not Beta’d, please excuse all errors  

Brothers-in-Arms Masterlist

A/N: My submission for #choices bejeweled, June monthly challenge 2025

Summary: Liam, Drake, Maxwell, Leo, and Trystan are at the Royal Mountain Retreat in the Blackspine Mountains of Cordonia. The firepit is crackling, s'mores are toasting , and ... the discussion turns to ???

Trystan snorted like he’d just heard the dumbest thing in royal history. “Wait, you didn’t even kiss her?” 

“No, Sherlock.” 

Trystan looked at him like he’d just confessed to a crime. “Are you broken?” 

Leo sighed dramatically, running his fingers through hair. “It just didn’t feel right.” 

“What does that even mean? Did she have spinach in her teeth? Were you under surveillance by your dead relative?” 

Leo groaned. “I mean emotionally, you emotionally stunted goat. I actually want to get to know her first.” 

Trystan blinked. “Since when do you feel things?” 

Leo glanced at Liam and the middle-school brigade (aka Liam, Drake, and Maxwell), who were busy arguing over whether dragons or space pirates would win in a fight. 

“Let’s move this convo. I can’t have my twelve-year-old brother psychoanalyzing me again.” 

They walked quickly to the lake, not forgetting their beers, and flopped onto a bench. 

Trystan: “So, spill. You like her, but you didn’t kiss her because... you have morals now?” 

Leo: “I just want it to mean something. She’s not like the girls who throw themselves at every bloody event.” 

Trystan smirked. “Let me guess. It’s because of Madeleine.” 

Leo punched him—not hard - but with enough force to make a statement. 

“Ow! Dude! I need that arm for fencing and styling my hair!” 

Leo grinned. “Would you prefer a push into the lake? It’s about six degrees Celsius in there.” 

Trystan massaged his arm, still offended. “You Cordonians are violent.” 

Leo wiggled his eyebrows. “Okay, enough about me. Spill it—who’s your secret admirer?” 

Trystan sighed dramatically. “Her name’s Julianna. We’ve been friends for years, but lately… she’s gotten… interesting.” 

Leo looked amused. “Like, ‘I suddenly noticed she’s 'hot’ interesting, or ‘she no longer chews with her mouth open’ interesting?” 

Trystan laughed. “Both. She’s shy, which is weirdly adorable. Like a kitten that punches you in the heart.” 

Leo smirked. “That doesn’t sound like your type. You usually like the loud, terrifying ones.” 

“I know! But I want to take care of her, you know? Like... be the guy who shows her how to have fun.” 

Leo gave a smug grin. “Oh, I bet you want to show her lots of fun.” 

Trystan punched him back. “Don’t make me drown you, Romeo.” 

Leo: “So? Is it happening? Are you two gonna ride off into the hormonal sunset?” 

Trystan: “Maybe. Depends on what she wants. I’ve waited this long. I can wait a little longer.” 

Leo: “Patience. How royal of you.” 

They headed back to the firepit, where Liam, Drake, and Maxwell were still deep in their existential debate. 

Leo: “You guys ready to head to the cottage? It’s past your royal bedtimes.” 

Liam, brushing dirt off his pants and stood up, “Yeah. I gotta prep for tomorrow.” 

As Liam walked off, Maxwell leaned in to Drake. “Hey, Li never answered your question.” 

“Yeah, and now he’s gone, and I still don’t know what happened to the crown!” Drake looked agitated. 

Maxwell grinned wickedly. “Dude. You seriously don’t remember?” 

Drake looked like he was already regretting his life choices. “No. Should I?” 

Maxwell burst into laughter, trying to suppress it and failing spectacularly. He collapsed onto the ground in a heap of giggles. 

Drake groaned. “Why do you always do this? Can’t you just tell me what happened?” 

Maxwell tried to look innocent. “What? You mean now?” 

“Yes, now!” 

Maxwell shrugged. “Nah. It’s more fun this way.” 

Drake stomped off. “I hate you.” 

“Love you too, buddy!” Maxwell called after him, still giggling.

Inside the Cottage – Later That Night

The royal mountain cottage was rustic-chic mixed with royal finery —stone fireplace crackling, oversized velvet couches, and expensive portraits and accessories.

Leo flopped dramatically onto a couch, nearly knocking over a tray of imported herbal teas. Trystan settled into the armchair with a grunt and a handful of shortbread cookies, which he had clearly stolen from a diplomatic gift basket. 

“I’m serious,” Leo said suddenly, turning to him with a look that was one part scheming and two parts big-brother mischief. “Next time we’re in Paris… I’m going to make a man out of Liam.” 

Trystan choked on his cookie. “What?!” he coughed. “What does that even mean? You’re not sending him to the Foreign Legion!” 

Leo grinned. “No! I mean, like… take him out. Show him the world. Teach him the arts of charm, confidence, maybe get him a nice haircut that doesn’t look like it was done with a medieval sword.” 

Trystan raised an eyebrow. “So… your plan is to drag a twelve-year-old around Paris and sprinkle him with cologne until women swoon?” 

Leo shrugged. “Exactly.” 

“Leo, you do realize Paris is full of croissants and chaos. Liam’s idea of a good time is still building Lego castles and quoting Star Wars.” 

“Which is exactly why he needs me. Paris will change him.” 

“Into what? A pretentious art critic with a beret and a heartbreak playlist?” 

Leo leaned back smugly. “Into a gentleman. A Casanova. A future king who knows how to hold a wine glass and a conversation.” 

Trystan shook his head, laughing. “You’re unbelievable.” 

Leo wagged a finger. “Unbelievably effective.” 

"Wait ... wait ... a future king? Trystan looks at Leo.

Just then, a loud thud echoed from upstairs, followed by Maxwell’s voice yelling, “Drake! I swear if you farted in my room again, I will smother you with a decorative pillow!” 

Trystan looked toward the ceiling. “Yeah. Definitely ready for Paris.” 

Leo grinned. “Not those two, just my Prince Mini-Me.” 

☆●☆●☆●☆●☆●☆●☆●☆●☆●☆●☆●☆●☆●☆●☆

☆ @choicesficwriterscreations

☆ @choicesmonthlychallenge

☆ @choicescommunityevents

● my perma-tags: @beau1811 @bascmve01 @twinkleallnight @dutifullynuttywitch @lovingchoices14 @alj4890 @busywoman @bardic-tales @kingliam2019 @malblk21 @delmissesryanandcassi @selina012 @differenttyphoonwerewolf

●Brothers-in-Arms @walkerdrakewalker

[walkerdrakewalker]

PRIDE EVENT

Hello world!! I know I haven't been around much, and it's already four days into June, but today my brain just went.... we need a pride event! So here it is.

This event will run for the rest of June, and, since we started late, I'm going to run it through the first week of July.

The Rules:

Open to all choices and Romance Club fandoms. All forms of creative expression are accepted: Fics, artwork, edits, text fics, etc. Writers from other fandoms are welcome to take and use these prompts as they wish, but I will only be reblogging Choices and RC stories.

Deadline is July 5th, 2025, 11:59 CST.

To ensure you get reblogged and added to the master list, make sure to do the following:

Tag @choicesprompts

hashtag #choicesprompts and #pride2025

Don't forget to tell us which prompt you're using!

Prompts don't have to be done in order or used on any particular day. Pick and choose as you like, and submit whenever. You may combine prompts. You may have more than one submission per prompt if you like.

Prompts are for your convenience but not required. Any queer or poly themed story is eligible.

THROWBACKS ARE WELCOMED AND APPRECIATED!!! Just add #throwback to the tags.

That's it! Go forth, create and be great!

The Prompts:

I’m coming out

First Pride event.

Introducing partner to family.

First love

Gay awakening

Trying to subtly find out if your crush is gay.

My big, fat, gay wedding

A day in the life

Enemies to lovers

I’ve never been happier to be queer

[walkerdrakewalker]

😂😂

Turning the Page Series

Chapter #17 

Soirée de Célibataire

(Bachelor Party Evening) 

Book: Choices The Royal Romance, The Royal Heir AU 

Series Premise: As Riley Brooks journeys through life as a single parent in New York City. An epiphany strikes as she contemplates the future for herself and her two-year-old son. 

Turning the Page Series Masterlist 

Pairing: Liam Rys x F! MC Riley Brooks 

All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except William Brooks (Rys) and Matteo Magro, who both belong to this series. 

Category: On-going series, contains angst/fluff/depression. Cross-over fic with Choices, Perfect Match and Choices, Crimes of Passion. 

Rating: M – Warnings – Series will have crude language, weapons, NSFW material – not Beta’d - please excuse all errors. 

Words: 2300

Summary: Leo’s plans are underway for his brother's bachelor party – Operation ‘Farewell to single life’ for Liam in a speakeasy in Monterisso. Joining the evening, Trystan Thorne, King of Drakovia, brings a surprise gift for the groom and his Cordonian friends. 

A/N: My submission for, #Choicesmonthlychallenge MAY mayhem2025 event. Prompts: guilty pleasure, two characters wake up handcuffed together, with no memory of the night before. 

Monterisso

Leo slid into the seat next to Liam, the lively hum of the speakeasy already filling the air. "So, I hate to be the responsible one here, but I think we need to establish some ground rules for tonight," he began, his voice deliberately casual. 

Drake rolled his eyes with a scoff. "Rules? Really? We're grown adults, Leo, not teenagers running amok at prom." 

Bertrand, ever the pragmatist, gave a solemn nod. "Actually, Leo might have a point. The last thing we need is to see tomorrow's headlines plastered with scandalous photos of the groom's party." 

Maxwell raised a brow, his expression both amused and incredulous. "Gentlemen, the night has barely begun, and already we've got the buzzkill brigade prepping us for disaster. I shudder to think where the fun will come from at this rate." 

Leo grinned, leaning back in his chair with an air of conspiratorial confidence. "Relax, Max. I’ve got that covered. The bartenders are on standby, ready to keep the drinks flowing—and maybe stir up some mischief. Trust me, the party is just warming up." 

Liam shook his head, unable to suppress a laugh at his brother’s antics. "Just promise me one thing, Leo—no wild escapades that might result in handcuffs or public embarrassment. I’d rather my wedding proceed without any unnecessary drama." 

“Noted,” Leo smirked, clinking his glass against Liam’s. “Though I make no promises if you start singing again, little brother." 

“That was one time,” Liam muttered. 

Drake chuckled. “Yeah, and it was a legendary rendition of ‘Livin’ on a Prayer.’” 

Before Liam could fire back, the speakeasy doors opened with a dramatic creak, and all heads turned. Trystan Thorne, ever the showman, stood tall in his dark velvet coat, a devilish grin on his face. Behind him, two attendants wheeled in a large, cloth-draped crate on a trolley. 

“Oh, hell,” Maxwell whispered, eyes wide. “Is that a tiger?” 

“Better,” Trystan declared, walking toward them with theatrical flair. “A wedding gift... fit for kings.” 

The group collectively leaned in as Trystan whipped the cloth off with a flourish. Inside the glass case, encased in velvet and gold filigree, were six custom bottles of aged Drakovian Firewine—rare, potent, and strictly prohibited for export. Even Leo blinked in surprise. 

“You’re smuggling contraband to a royal bachelor party?” Bertrand asked, somewhere between horrified and impressed. 

“I’m a king,” Trystan replied smoothly. “I do not smuggle. I gift.��� 

Liam laughed, genuine and deep. “This is incredible. Thank you, Trystan.” 

“Just don’t drink it all tonight,” Trystan warned. “Firewine has... consequences.” 

Maxwell leaned toward Drake. “What kind of consequences?” 

“Trystan consequences,” Drake said, grabbing one of the bottles with a shrug. “Best not to ask.” 

As the night wore on, laughter echoed against the stone walls. The firewine flowed, the jazz turned to swing, and the speakeasy transformed into a whirlwind of toasts, roasts, and dancing. A magician wandered through the crowd doing card tricks; a sultry chanteuse took the stage; and Leo, despite his own rules, successfully coaxed Liam onto a tabletop for a spirited duet. 

This was more than just a farewell to single life. It was a celebration of brotherhood, mischief, and memory. And in the heart of Monterisso, where secrets were kept like good liquor, the night was only just beginning. 

The lights had dimmed further, casting a moody, golden hue across the speakeasy as the chanteuse took her place at the microphone. She wore a sapphire silk gown that shimmered with every movement, and her voice—low, sultry, and smooth as velvet—melted into the warm chords of the upright piano behind her. 

Liam, comfortably two glasses of firewine deep and halfway through a third, was swaying lightly in his seat. The warmth of the drink pulsed pleasantly through his chest. His tie was loosened, his cheeks flushed, and his usual kingly composure had softened into something carefree and alive. 

As the woman began a jazzy rendition of “At Last,” Liam tapped his glass in time with the beat. When she made eye contact with him during the second verse, she gave a sly smile—and motioned for him to join her on stage. 

The table erupted with cheers. 

“Oh no,” Liam said, already halfway to standing. 

“Oh yes,” Leo grinned, clapping. “Give the people what they want, Your Majesty.” 

“You’re not married yet!” Drake added with a laugh, raising his glass. 

Trystan smirked, swirling his firewine. “Careful, Liam. She might steal your heart before Riley can make you an honest man.” 

But Liam wasn’t listening anymore. Emboldened by the firewine—and perhaps the unspoken magic of the night—he stepped up onto the small stage, offering the chanteuse a charming bow. 

The pianist, catching on instantly, shifted into the opening bars of “Come Fly with Me.” 

Liam took the mic, his voice slightly husky from the drink but still rich and melodic. The crowd whooped in encouragement as he sang the first verse, his arm extended toward the singer with playful showmanship. 

She responded at once, circling him slowly, her voice weaving around his in perfect harmony.  

“Don’t encourage him!” Bertrand snapped, though his phone was still suspiciously pointed at the stage. 

At the final chorus, Liam extended his hand, and she took it. With a spin and a dip, he closed the number with a wink to the crowd. 

Thunderous applause followed. 

Back at the table, Bertrand raised his eyebrows. “He’s clearly had too much.” 

“I’m actually impressed,” Maxwell said, eyes wide. “He hit that falsetto. He hit that falsetto.” 

Leo laughed, slapping the table. “Riley is going to love this story.” 

As Liam made his way back to the table, the woman blew him a kiss, which he caught with a grin before nearly tripping over a step. Drake reached out to steady him. 

“You good, Sinatra?” he grinned. 

“Never better,” Liam said, breathless and flushed. “That was… oddly exhilarating.” 

Leo handed him another glass. “To the groom,” he said. “May your marriage have as much harmony as that duet.” 

Liam lifted his glass, his heart full. “To Riley. And to all of you. For making this night unforgettable.” 

The night rolled on—but for Liam, that stage moment lingered. Not because of the song or the spotlight, but because of the rare, fleeting sense of freedom it gave him. 

And deep down, he could not wait to tell Riley every detail. 

Liam collapsed back into his seat, cheeks still warm from the applause and the firewine, heart thudding from the impromptu duet. He reached for his drink—only to pause, brow furrowing. 

“Where the hell are Leo and Trystan?” 

The others glanced around. 

“They were just here…” Bertrand began, turning in his chair. 

Maxwell leaned sideways to peer past the bar. “Wait, didn’t Trystan leave right after Liam got on stage?” 

“And Leo?” Drake asked, his voice tinged with suspicion. “He was sitting right there ten minutes ago.” 

Liam narrowed his eyes at the now-empty glasses and the untouched bottle of firewine that Trystan had been guarding. “They ditched us.” 

“Correction,” Drake said, picking up Leo’s phone from the seat he left behind. “They snuck out.” 

Maxwell’s eyes lit up. “Bet they got into something wild.” 

Bertrand sighed. “Please don’t let this be another ‘riding a Vespa through a convent courtyard’ situation.” 

Liam chuckled but couldn’t shake the feeling that something was…off. 

The Next Morning – Somewhere in Monterisso 

Leo groaned. 

His head pounded like a drum corps had set up camp behind his eyes. He shifted slightly—and immediately froze. 

Clink. 

Metal. 

His wrist… was stuck? 

“What the—Trystan?!” 

From beside him, a similarly groggy groan: “Why are my arms numb… why do I taste glitter?” 

Leo turned his head—and blinked. Trystan was lying beside him on the cold marble floor of what looked like a wine cellar. Both men were shirtless, surrounded by scattered poker chips, empty wine bottles, a feather boa, and—most notably—handcuffed together at the wrist. 

They stared at each other. 

“What the hell happened last night?” Leo asked, voice hoarse. 

Trystan squinted at the dim ceiling. “I remember… the firewine. The redhead with the snake tattoo. And then… was there a goat? Or was that the jazz singer?” 

Leo looked down. “These aren’t even my pants.” 

Trystan lifted his free hand and picked a single rhinestone out of his hair. “Is that... a lipstick stain on your ear?” 

A door creaked open above them. Footsteps descended the narrow staircase. They both turned to look—blinking against the light. 

It was a Drakovian royal guard. He took one look at them and sighed deeply, holding up a phone. 

“Your Majesty,” he said in a tired voice, “we’ve been trying to reach you. You missed your security detail. The owner of this villa would very much like you to leave.” 

Leo sat up, wincing. “Villa?” 

Trystan gestured vaguely around. “This isn’t the speakeasy?” 

“No, sir. You broke into Count Girianno’s private wine estate and challenged two wedding planners to a ‘duel of decadence.’” 

Leo gave a long, slow blink. “...Did we win?” 

The guard hesitated. “Technically, yes.” 

Trystan leaned back against the wall, smirking despite the hangover. “Well, at least we’re consistent.” 

Leo groaned again, yanking lightly at the handcuffs. “Get the key. And get us coffee. And maybe a priest.” 

As the guard trudged away, Trystan glanced at Leo. 

“So… want to do it again next week?” 

Leo didn’t even look at him. “Not if we live through today.” 

Cordonia – Royal Palace, Morning After the Bachelor Party 

The sunlight filtered through the tall windows of the king’s breakfast room, casting a golden glow over the elegant spread of croissants, fresh fruit, and steaming coffee. Liam sat at the long table, still in his robe, with one arm draped around his bride-to-be, Riley, and the other waiting to help his son, William, cut up his pancakes. 

William beamed. “Daddy, I put syrup on the strawberries!” 

“You did?” Liam grinned, ruffling his son’s already-messy hair. “You’re a chef.” 

William nodded seriously, holding up a forkful of syrup-coated strawberries. “They taste yummy. You should try it, Daddy.” 

Riley leaned forward, her laughter carrying a melodic warmth. “Looks like you have some competition in the kitchen, Liam. We might have a budding Michelin-starred chef on our hands.” 

“Daddy, I can teach you!” William offered generously before turning back to his pancakes with the laser focus of a young artist at work. 

Liam’s wink sparkled with amusement. “Should I be nervous? William might steal my culinary crown before his fifth birthday.” 

Riley rested her cheek against her hand, her eyes filled with adoration. “He’s just like you, Liam—chaotic charm and all.” 

Before Liam could craft a response, Bastien’s composed nod and discreet voice interrupted. 

“My apologies for the interruption, Your Majesty, Lady Riley, but there’s… been a situation.” 

“A situation?” Riley asked, her voice tinged with curiosity. 

Bastien’s jaw tightened as he hesitated, clearly picking his words with care. “It involves Prince Leo… and King Trystan.” 

Liam exhaled slowly, pressing his lips into a thin line. “Let me guess. They didn’t take a vow of monk-like behavior after I left the bachelor party?” 

Riley raised an amused brow. “Please tell me you’re joking.” 

Bastien didn’t flinch, his tone as dry as ever. “I would prefer that. Unfortunately, the matter is slightly more… complicated.” 

“Complicated how?” Liam asked, leaning back in his chair with a practiced calm that did little to hide the flicker of irritation in his eyes. 

“They’re currently detained.” 

Riley blinked. “Detained? As in… arrested?” 

William paused mid-bite, wide-eyed. “Daddy, did Uncle Leo fight bad guys?” 

Bastien cleared his throat again. “Not precisely, young sir.” 

Liam sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Alright, Bastien. Start from the beginning. And please tell me this isn’t as ridiculous as I think it’s going to be.” 

“They apparently… challenged two local wedding planners to something called a ‘duel of decadence.’ There were empty firewine bottles, a feather boa, several packets of glitter, and—reportedly—a rented goat involved at one point.” 

Riley gasped, wide-eyed. “A goat?!” 

“Yes, my lady,” the captain said, with a nod to the toddler. “A small one.” 

Riley bit her lip to keep from laughing, covering her mouth with her napkin. 

“They’re on their way back to the palace.  

Liam closed his eyes, trying to summon patience. “And are they… okay?” 

Riley leaned in, whispering through her laughter. “So… that’s the ‘responsible’ brother who wanted to lay down rules last night?” 

Liam gave her a look. “Don’t start.” 

my perma tag list: @beau1811 @bascmve01 @twinkleallnight @dutifullynuttywitch @lovingchoices14 @alj4890 @busywoman @bardic-tales @kingliam2019 @malblk21 @delmissesryanandcassi @selina012 @differenttyphoonwerewolf

Liam & Riley: @ladylamrian @snoopdogcone @jared2612 @queenwalton @rafasgirl23415 @walkerdrakewalker @loreofyore @fadingreveries

@choicesficwriterscreations

@choicesmonthlychallenge

[walkerdrakewalker]

the update was great!!

spy drake is so cooolll

Unbreak My Heart - Chapter 15 posted on AO3 (link below)

Chapter 15 - I Won’t Let Go (links to AO3)

Chapter Summary: Drake uses his position to look into which Lady of the court set up the "prank" that brought Tariq to Riley's room that fateful night in Applewood. After going through security tape, he puts together any possible clues that could identify the woman while also shockingly finding proof of a cover-up that confirms his suspicions about the involvement of those at the top. Riley and Drake continue their effort to be friends while their true feelings bubble beneath the service. Riley makes some strides to move away from living in denial, inching toward admitting how much she wants Drake around.

Chapter Warnings: Language

A/N: I’ve been gone from this fandom and my writing for a LONG time (my last chapter was posted 9/2022 🫣). I have no idea if anyone that was reading my AU is still around (so I won’t be tagging my old tag list) and I totally understand if no one’s reading. Life got in the way of my writing and I’ve missed it and need the creative outlet. So, it may be slow and infrequent and therefore deter some people from reading but if I write, I’ll still post just because I kinda need it for me right now. Hope everyone is well.

[walkerdrakewalker]

i mean its a good thing theyre both doing the same thing?😭

Picture Perfect

Series: None, this is a one-shot and you can find those here.

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Drake x Riley

Rating: Mature

Warnings for this chapter: there's a tiny bit of lemon scenting. Also, they will be mean to each other. Curse words of course.

Word Count: 2,107

My other stuff: Master List.

The Duke and Duchess of Valtoria climbed out of the back of the limousine, the Duke wrapping his arms protectively around his wife’s waist. He angled his body between her and the crowd, as he always did.

Riley smiled and waved to the crowd as they made their way down the red carpet toward the charity gala. Drake smiled at her. The only attention he spared for the crowd was to survey it for threats.

This was not lost on the press. The rulers of Valtoria were beloved by their people. Partially because they both used to be commoners and everyone loved a good rags to riches story, but also because of the genuine love and affection they showed each other.

It was rare, after all, in this day and age to see such a high profile couple so obviously in love, so dedicated to each other. It was inspiring, and there had been a proliferation of articles about their once in a lifetime kind of love.

Every Cordonian woman dreamed of finding a man who looked at her the way Drake looked at Riley.

In interviews, they each gave all the credit for their personal successes to the other.

She laughed at all his jokes.

He opened doors for her, pulled out chairs and led her around the dance floor, staring down at her like she was the only woman in the world.

She straightened his tie for him and reached across the table to wipe crumbs from the corner of his mouth.

Yes, everyone agreed that they were the perfect couple. Perfectly in love.

Which was exactly what their carefully curated public image was supposed to convey.

Behind closed doors, the story was a little different.

Later that night, the limo pulled down the drive at the Valtorian estate and rolled to a stop in front of the manor.

The Duke exited first and reached back for his wife’s hand.

She took his hand and climbed out behind him, giving him a grateful smile then thanking their driver.

The couple made their way to the entryway as the limo drove away. He pulled the door open for her.

The duchess glanced back as she entered her home to ensure the car was out of sight, then she whirled on her husband, the well-rehearsed smile replaced by a mask of fury. “Did you get her number?”

He blinked. “Whose?”

“The fucking waitress you couldn’t keep your eyes off of all night! She sure found all your stupid jokes funny. Spoiler alert, you’re not funny.”

His jaw ticked. “Frankly, I’m surprised you noticed who I was speaking to at all, considering how much time you spent fawning all over Liam.”

“Oh, give it a fucking rest already. If I wanted Liam, I would have married Liam! I could have!”

“Yes, I know! You never miss an opportunity to throw it in my face.”

Her eyes scanned the foyer as they traversed it to ensure there were no servants within hearing. Couldn’t have their little tiff on the front page of tomorrow’s Cordonian Star, marring their image. A perfect picture with a broken frame, that’s what they were. “You what your problem is?”

“No,” he rolled his eyes. “But I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

“You’re just pissed that I don’t need you anymore. I’m not some clueless waitress that needs your help. Is that your obsession with waitresses, Drake, huh? You need clueless women so you feel more powerful?”

“Jesus Christ. I was just making conversation! You left me alone at the table half the night! What was I supposed to do?”

“You’re supposed to not embarrass me, that’s what! Considering what I gave up to be with you, the least you could do is afford me some fucking respect!” She gathered her dress in her hands as she stormed up the stairs toward their shared bedroom.

She should make him move into another room. God knows there were plenty of them.

“Oh, yeah, what did you give up to be with me?” He already knew the answer, but now he was ready for a fight. She had a lot of gall to be pissed at him when he had to watch her flirt with his best friend all night.

“I turned down a literal king to be with you!”

“Oh, here we go with this shit again!” He bounded up the stairs behind her. “Don’t put that on me, Riley, you made your own choices!”

“I gave up everything to be with you!” She pushed into the bedroom and threw herself onto a chaise lounge to pull her ridiculously high heels off.

“What the fuck did you give up, Riley, huh? You still got every damn thing Liam promised you. A duchy, money, power. What exactly did you give up? Tell me that!”

“I could have been queen!”

“Queen,” he scoffed. “You didn’t want to be queen. That involves work. You got all the fame and fortune without having to do the actual work!”

“I work!”

“Yeah? Really? Doing what?”

“I run a duchy in case you haven’t noticed you fucking prick!”

“Max runs the duchy for you.”

“He’s my assistant!” She tossed the shoes to the floor and stood up to turn her back to him.

“Assistant my ass,” he fumed as he pulled her zipper down for her. “He does all the work! Remember the one budget meeting you went to? Remember when you were trying to prepare for it? You didn’t even know the difference between a fixed expense and a variable expense, I had to tell you. You would have nothing if it weren’t for the people around you. You’d still be waiting tables in New York.”

She jerked away from him and reached up to remove her earrings. “You’re one to talk. You’ve been riding Liam’s coattails your entire fucking life!”

Drake glared at her as he shrugged out of his jacket and clawed at his tie. “Oh, is that what I’ve been doing?”

“Yes, Drake, it is. If it weren’t for Liam, you wouldn’t have anything, including me!” The sentence was punctuated by the clatter of her seventy thousand dollar sapphire earrings clattering to the table top where she flung them.

His fingers froze with his shirt only halfway unbuttoned. He turned toward her incredulously and flung his arms out. “You think I wanted any of this? Liam did all this for you, not me!”

“You didn’t exactly drag your feet moving into Valtoria, did you? You sure let him make you a duke fast enough.”

His mouth fell open. “I did that for you and you know it!”

The laws and traditions in Cordonia made it much easier for the aristocracy to marry each other than to marry outside of it.

It was the entire reason Liam had made her duchess in the first place. Back when he thought he still had a chance to make her his queen.

Riley turned her back to him again as she let her dress fall to the ground and pulled on an old t-shirt. “Don’t act like you did it for me. You never loved me, you just wanted to stick it to Liam, remember?”

His brows furrowed in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“Isn’t that what you told me that day you said it felt good to win against him for once?”

The words hit him like a gut punch. He took a step toward her and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Yeah, no, that’s not what I—”

She shrugged out from under his touch and headed for the master bath. “It’s what you said.”

“Riley—” He sighed with a shake of his head as he finished undressing and changed into a pair of grey sweatpants and a Cordonia University t-shirt.

When Riley returned from the bathroom, face scrubbed clean and hair taken down, she found Drake standing at the drink cart pouring himself a generous helping of Macallan. He shook his head when he saw her and launched right back into the argument. “I became a fucking duke for you and you know how I feel about the damn aristocracy and all their bullshit!”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ve got it so rough.” She rolled her eyes and flicked her hand dismissively in the air. “Sitting here in my estate, drinking three hundred thousand dollar bottles of scotch and smoking imported cigars while my staff does your laundry and cooks your meals.”

He threw his head back and laughed. That laugh made her want to punch him in his smug face… with a baseball bat. “What?”

“Do you think I need you for any of that? I’ve got news for you, sweetheart, I moved out of a literal palace to come live here, and this whiskey is swill compared to the stuff they stock! Cheers!” He held the glass out to her with a mocking smile, then threw the drink back.

It went down smooth. He was pleased with himself for winning the argument until he saw the expression on her face.

Riley had had enough. She pulled open a dresser drawer and started throwing clothes onto the bed. “Get out.”

“What?”

“I said get out! Move into the room across the hall. You’re not sleeping in here ever again.” She stormed to the closet and pulled his luggage out, dragging the largest one to the bed.

Disbelief rooted him to the spot for a bare second, then fury exploded through his chest. He moved to take the suitcase from her. “Fuck that and fuck you! I’ll just move into my cabin!”

“Good!”

“Great!”

“I can call a butler to help you pack.”

“Don’t need one. Unlike you, I still know how to do shit for myself.”

“Whatever. Fucking asshole.”

She retreated to her favorite wingback chair with a glass of wine as he haphazardly grabbed items from the closet, the dresser, and the bathroom, not bothering to check if he’d gotten it all.

It wasn’t until he was dragging four suitcases to the door that panic started to set in.

When was the last time he’d been to the cabin? Was it dusty? Was the heat working? Was there food in the kitchen?

He could go to the palace, but then he’d have to explain to Liam why he was there, and that was the last thing he wanted to do. He was sure that Liam was just waiting for a crack in their relationship.

He could go stay with his sister, but then Max would ask him a million questions and probably head straight to Valtoria to comfort her.

Riley might not be aware of the raging crush Max had on her, but Drake was. No, he couldn’t go to Ramsford.

Would she file for divorce? Who would she hire? Most likely Rashad. That mother fucker was definitely interested.

Shit!

He couldn’t take it back now, though. He had some pride left.

He had just kicked the last suitcase out the door and into the hallway when he heard her voice.

“Drake, wait!”

Oh, thank God!

She cracked first. Now he could stay without having to admit that he wanted to.

He turned back to find her standing within arm's reach. He grabbed her arm and yanked her to him. His lips crashed down on hers. He kicked the door shut behind him, suitcases abandoned in the hallway.

She pulled back to murmur, “Drake, I’m so—”

“Shut up,” he breathed, as he swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed.

An hour later, they lay in the bed naked, sweaty, satiated. His back was streaked with blood from her scratch marks. Bruises bloomed like a necklace around her neck and along the top of her breasts. Her teeth marks stood out, red and angry, on his chest and shoulders.

His voice was rough with emotion as he pulled her body close to his. “I love you, Riley. I wasn’t flirting with that waitress.”

He had been, but it was just to boost his ego a little. It meant nothing.

“I know. I’m sorry. I wasn’t flirting with Liam either. I love you too.”

She had been, but it was hard not to. He was so attentive and charming. It meant nothing.

He pretended to believe her.

She pretended to believe him.

It was easier than facing their issues and insecurities.

She scooted closer to him, sighing as his arms tightened around her.

He had definitely been flirting with the waitress, but she pushed that out of her mind as she snuggled against him.

That was a problem for another day.

[walkerdrakewalker]

this just reminded me how sad i was when i read this😭

i absolutely cannot bear sad endings lol

but this definitely makes me feel better knowing they are together now

The Highway Man: Aftermath

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Series: The Highwayman by @karahalloway

Parings: Drake x Harper (OC)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Death

Word Count: 1,200

A/N: At the beginning of 2024 @choicesprompts hosted a song rewrite challenge and @karahalloway knocked it out of the park with her submission. It was too good because it left me emotionally traumatized. SPOILER ALERT: if you haven't heard the song, just know that the lovers both die. I begged her to at least let Drake extract some vengeance first, but alas, I was told "That's not how the song goes" 🤣😭

So after she emotionally traumatized me, I asked if she would mind me writing a little follow up with the characters that were left.

She graciously consented. I drug my feet for nearly a year but yesterday I randomly sat down and produced this. I sent it to her for approval first. I was worried about doing proper credit to the story and the characters. I am so deeply touched and honored that she liked it so much.

I still have ideas about Harper's father going after the captain of the guard that instigated all this. So there might be another follow up one day.

I'm linking the original three-shot that inspired this:

The Highwayman /The Highwayman Part 2 /The Highwayman Part 3

The town crier walked in front of the wagon, ringing his bell and repeating, “The Highway Man is dead. He was served the King’s justice. Let this be a lesson to all who would defy the rule of law. We do not tolerate brigands or thieves in Cordonia.”

Crowds gathered around the roadside to gape and gawk at the body in the wagon. Shocked whispers rippled through the crowd.

“It’s really him!”

“The Highway Man…”

“Midnight Jack.”

“It’s him, the Raven Rider!”

“No, it can’t be.”

“Met him once on a deserted road, it’s him a’right.”

“The Highway Man is dead. Ye Gods!”

When they were done parading his body through the streets, the wagon returned to the gallows where three men had been publicly executed days earlier. The bodies still hung from the gibbet, swaying in the late afternoon wind.

“What do we do with the body?” The greencoat driving the wagon asked.

The sentry that took charge of the horses answered him. “Leave it in the wagon. Make sure it’s propped up so people can see. We’ll bury them all in the execution cemetery in two days time. Those are our orders.”

“Good,” the soldier huffed as he climbed down from the driver’s box. Jerking his head towards the gallows, he opined, “Those are starting to smell.”

The crowd slowly dispersed as the sun sank behind the horizon.

Late into the night when it was full dark and the streets were empty, when the lanterns and candles were put out and the town was fast asleep, a lone figure melted out of the darkness and pulled the body from the wagon. Working quickly and noiselessly, the figure strapped the body to one horse, then clambered onto the other and disappeared into the night.

Dawn’s light revealed an empty wagon where, the night before, a body had been.

Rumors quickly flew through the countryside that the Highway Man had risen from the dead and was seeking vengeance.

*****

Robert Gale stood in the shade of a great oak that sat in the backyard of the house he’d raised his daughter in and several hundred meters from The Crown and The Flame, the tavern that had provided for him and his family for the last thirty years.

He had no family left now and no one to provide for.

He stared down into the grave at the body he had just placed there and then wiped the sweat from his brow. He had to stop to catch his breath.

He was an old man now, not as hale and hearty as he used to be, and this was the second grave he’d dug in a week.

He’d known the raven rider was dead even before the greencoats started gloating about it all over the countryside.

A riderless horse had limped into stables, its leg injured, but not broken. Bullet wounds in its chest, but none fatal. A horse as dark as midnight. A horse that the stable boy Emile had identified as belonging to Midnight Jack.

“So, you knew? Everyone knew but me?” He’d demanded.

His anger had evaporated as Emile recoiled in fear. “I’m sorry, sir, but he swore me to silence and threatened my life if I told!”

“It was fear for your life that kept your lips closed then?”

Emile faltered. “I… liked him, sir. He was kind to me.”

Robert’s eyes narrowed, “Which was it then? Fear or loyalty?”

The stableboy gulped with wide eyes. “Both. And Harper…. She begged me not to tell.”

The old man softened. “Tell me what you knew about him and my daughter. Please.”

That had been two nights ago. He’d saddled his horse and ridden to the county seat, knowing the body would be there. It was standard practice to display hunted criminals to the public, to discourage others.

He might not agree with the life this man had led, but it had been clear that he and Harper loved each other. They had created a child together, and the three of them deserved to have eternal rest together.

He had just thrown the last shovelful of dirt onto the grave when he became aware of a figure approaching. He watched quietly as the man made his way to the makeshift graveyard under the great oak.

Guilt and regret were etched on every feature of Theo’s face.

The old man leaned heavily on the shovel with a sigh. “You know, I always thought of you as a son. Never had one of my own. I truly thought that someday you and Harper might—well, it doesn’t matter now, does it?”

Theo’s eyes darted from Robert to the two graves as his head shook from side to side. “That could still happen, perhaps, if she can find it in her heart to forgive me.”

“Non, son.” He gestured to the grave on the right. “There she lies, in the ground. She won’t be marrying anyone.”

Remorse, shame, and grief washed over the younger man. He dropped to his knees and buried his face in his hands. Sobs wracked his body. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I never wanted Harper to get hurt! I thought I was protecting her from him!”

Roberts' eyes fluttered closed briefly as he remembered all the times he’d tried to push them together. “Why didn’t you come to me?”

“What?” Theo stopped sobbing and looked up.

“I’m her father. It’s my tavern. If you were so concerned, why didn’t you just come to me?”

“I….” he had no good answer because the truth was that he had wanted his competition to pay. Anger, jealousy, and insecurity had eaten away at him when he’d realized Harper loved another. And when he’d realized who… well, there was no way he could compete with a literal legend, so he’d done the only thing he could think of to remove him permanently.

The older man nodded in understanding. “You were angry at her. For loving him.” He pointed to the grave on the left.

Confusion washed across Theo’s face as his eyes tracked to the second grave. “Who’s that?”

“That’s the Raven Rider.”

Anger and disbelief coursed through him as he jumped to his feet. “Why did you bury him next to her? He's the reason she's dead!”

“Is that what you believe, son?”

“Yes! That’s the truth! If it wasn’t for him, she’d still be alive!”

“If it wasn’t for you, they’d all three be alive.” There was a tightness in Robert's voice that Theo had never heard before.

Confusion and curiosity overrode the first stirring of fear in his chest. “Three?”

“Yes. She was carrying my grandchild in her belly.”

“So, he defiled her as well as endangered her!”

“That’s enough!” he roared. “You will not speak of my daughter in that manner! She loved him, and he loved her, and you betrayed this family.”

The grieving father pulled a pistol from his waistband and raised it in the air.

Theo’s eyes widened as he finally realized the danger he was in. “Wait! Please! I never meant for Harper to get hurt! Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?”

“No.” He pulled the trigger.

[walkerdrakewalker]

i am so sorry for your loss, more love and power to you.

i pray that everyone in your family stays healthy❤️ please take care of your health.

so glad writing is giving your peace again🥰 keep writing whatever your heart desires. i will always try to be there to read it whenever you post❤️ Whether its once in a week or month, please keep me on the tag list where i am. all the very best for your other projects.🫂

Personal Update April 2025

Hey guys. It’s been so long since I’ve done a true update. I haven’t posted much at all in 2025 and there are a lot of reasons for that.

Tag list clean up is coming next, just FYI.

I’m not sure what, exactly, was the final straw that pushed me away from Tumblr. Drama, declining readership, real life demands. Probably a bit of all of the above.

September 2024 my sister was dx with terminal cancer. November 2024 a convicted felon took the White House. I have people I love that are part of vulnerable communities, and that’s all I want to say about that here.

I had a rough time, emotionally, for the last six months or so. Add in my own dx with a chronic illness, my kids overwhelming volleyball schedule, rescuing a puppy, etc. I was honestly just exhausted. My entire family has been sick (and I mean, out of it, can’t sit up for days sick) four times since Thanksgiving.

I lost my sister last month. The state I live in is trying to make it illegal for people I love to exist.

And wow, that sounds like a litany of poor me. It’s not. It’s simply what the last six, nearly seven, months have been like. That’s over half a year. When I look at it like that… no wonder I’ve been MIA in a lot of areas of my life.

The good news is that my neurodivergent brain just decided, for whatever reason, to unvapor lock.

My birthday was two days ago, and it was a good one. Despite the last six months, I had fun. I smiled. I laughed. I relaxed. There was ice cream and singing from friends. A campfire and s’mores at home. My husband cooked my favorite steak tacos.

I don’t know. I just feel like I received permission to start living again. To feel joy again.

Earlier this week, I randomly completed a 1200 word one shot and have over 2000 words on another (completely unrelated to the first). And so many ideas, I can’t reign them in. Just like old times lol.

It feels good. Writing feels… joyous to me.

That’s not saying I will ever return to posting two to three chapters a week again. I have other writing projects going on that will never be posted here. In a lot of ways, I have outgrown Tumblr. But TRR will always have a special place in my heart.

So even as I refocus my writing energy on original fiction, I imagine that the one shots and the open ended series I have created will continue to intrude upon my consciousness and demand to be written. And they shall be.

I'm not leaving. I intend to post more than I have been in the last six months, but not as much I was posting two years ago.

I am so close to finishing both Law’s End and Savage Love, I can taste it.

My asks are currently closed because I have a backlog of asks already. I make no promises about any of those. That said, my inbox is always open if you just want to say hi.

Tagging under the cut.

@walkerdrakewalker @kingliam2019 @twinkleallnight  @secretaryunpaid

@karahalloway, @harleybeaumont @alj4890 @aussiegurl1234 @nestledonthaveone

@lovingchoices14  @bascmve01

 @tessa-liam @queen-arabella-of-cordonia

@emersyn-in-cordonia @indiacater @mattiematt1234

@twinkle-320 @tinkie1973

@differenttyphoonwerewolf  @jared2612  @belencha77 @gabesmommie1130

@irishgrl2022 @queenmiarys

@kristinamae093 @sillydg @bebepac

@3pawandme @dcbbw  @amandablink

@phoenixrising0308 @lunaseasblog  

@hollygirl1269 @mainstreetreader @ohmyeightpastlives  

@gardeningourmet @21-wishes @73geenalove @jennieausten

@princessleac1  @kachrisberry @tornbetween2loves @fangirling12566  @pinklipsandmasonjars @savannahdix

[walkerdrakewalker]

even i never thought I'd see the day riley would sacrifice her career for anyone😭 so glad she finally accepted her feelings for both of them!! hope the day she says i love you to them comes soon🥰

great update!!

Savage Love Chapter 39: We Have a Plan

Series: Savage Love

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Liam, Riley x Drake

Rating: R         

Warnings: Mature themes

Word Count: 3,094

My other stuff: Master List.

Naked, and still struggling to catch my breath, I glanced up at the man I’d just agreed to marry.

Liam stared down at me with such utter devotion in his gaze that it sent butterflies exploding through me.

It also terrified me.

There had been no romantic proposal or declaration of undying love.

I had agreed to marry him to keep him alive. Our discussion about how that would work and what it would look like had been interrupted by a vigorous bout of lovemaking when the electricity that always snapped between us exploded, the potent mix of physical passion and intense emotion as we danced around the topic of my unspoken feelings for him cumulating in the physical expression of everything that I could not bring myself to express verbally.

Not yet.

I needed to ensure his survival first.

“Move into my room.”

“I don’t know if that’s the best idea…”

“Why not? You spend almost every other night in here, anyway.”

“That’s true, but…”

The knowledge that the rest of those nights were spent with Drake hung in the air between us.

He rolled off me and sat up, swinging his legs off the edge of the bed. “I’m not asking you to end your relationship with Drake. Just so we’re clear.”

“No?”

He turned his head back to make direct eye contact as he answered. “No.”

I found nothing but sincerity in his determined gaze. “Even after we’re married?”

“Even after.”

“Really?” I raised my eyebrows skeptically.

“Really.” He fixed me with a determined gaze. “We have a thing here called a Cordonian Arrangement. It’s an official codicil to the marriage contract that allows for an open relationship with no negative consequences to either party in the event of a divorce.”

“And you’d agree to that?”

“Of course, I would. I want you to be happy. I want Drake to be happy. I want to be happy. This seems like the best way to accomplish all of those goals.”

I stared at him for several heartbeats as I took that in. Then I nodded. “All right.”

The weight of the crown dropped away from his expression as that boyish grin I first saw in New York appeared. “Alright, you’ll move in with me?”

“I’ll consider it,” I told him as I got up and started collecting my clothes.

“Do you really have to rush off? We could order some food and—”

“I think you know that I have to go talk to Drake now. He can’t find out about our plan from anyone else.”

“Yes, I understand.” He ran a hand along his jawline with a sigh. “Listen. I know this isn’t a traditional love story. I know you’re only marrying me to keep me safe.”

I turned to eye him suspiciously because I could hear the “but” in his voice. “But?”

He rewarded me with that smile that could light the entire country. “But you do love me, or you would leave safeguarding my life to the King’s Guard.”

I felt dismay sweep through me. “Liam, this isn’t some fairy tale where love conquers all.”

“Isn’t it?” He stood and took my hand. “All I’m saying is that it’s okay if you don’t say it out loud. I love you and I’ll say it enough for both of us.”

“Liam…” He deserved to have someone tell him they loved him. He deserved to be told how amazing he was. He deserved all the romance and the fairy tale ending.

“It’s okay, Riley, I get it. Catch the bad guys first. Romance later. Go. I have things I need to be doing, anyway. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

I didn’t have to go far. Drake’s room was just down the hall from Liam’s. He opened the door, surprise and happiness lighting his features when he saw me. “Riley! Come in!”

I walked into the room and straight into his arms. He wrapped me in a tight embrace and buried his nose in my hair. “Damn, I missed you.”

“It’s only been two days,” I laughed.

“That’s two days too many.” His arms tightened around me before dropping away. “Now, tell me about Hidar.”

“I’ll tell you everything, but first I want to know how you’re handling the news about having a sister you never knew existed.”

“I….” he looked lost, an expression I’d never seen on his face before. With a great sigh, he raked a hand through his hair and shook his head. “It’s a lot. I mean… do I tell my mom? Does she already know? I have no idea how I’m supposed to approach this.”

“Hey.” I took his hand in mine. “You don’t have to figure it out alone, okay?”

“Thank you.” He squeezed my palm. “Having you on my side means a lot to me.”

I returned the squeeze with a smile. “Always.” I realized with sudden clarity that I meant that. I wanted to be there for him as much as I wanted to be there for Liam. My determination to leave after wrapping the case up had been slowly dwindling, day by day, without me even noticing.

He looked like he wanted to say something more, but after a brief hesitation, he released my hand and gestured to the couch. “Please, have a seat and tell me how the mission went.”

We exchanged details of our respective missions. Drake ended his story by expressing frustration with Nick. “It’s like he didn’t even care that Rico got away!”

“Well, he accomplished his goal, and that’s all that matters to him.”

Drake looked at me in astonishment. “He loved you, Riley. Maybe still does. How can he not care about the threat to your life?”

“I’m not sure he loved me as much as he loved the idea of having a wife and a family. He projected a lot of shit onto me that was never actually about me.”

Drake nodded. “Yeah, I got that from my conversation with him.”

“Oh?” The corners of my lips quirked up. “You discussed me with him?”

“No!” His eyes widened in panic for a second, and then he blew out a loud breath. “Okay, yeah, I did.”

“It’s okay,” I laughed. “I would have done the same thing in your place.”

He brightened at that confession. “Yeah?”

I bumped him with my shoulder. “Yeah.”              

He was silent for a long moment as he pinched the skin between his thumb and index finger on his left hand with his right hand, a gesture I’d come to associate with nervousness on his part.

“What is it?” I prompted.

“It’s just that there’s only a few days left in the social season and—”

“Yes, I wanted to talk to you about that.” I interrupted him. If he were about to make some declaration of love or beg me to stay, I needed to stop him. It was now a moot point. “I’m not leaving at the end of the social season.”

I don’t think he could have looked more surprised if an alien had just landed on the front lawn. It took him a few seconds to collect himself. His gaze pierced me to my very soul. “I’m not complaining about you hanging around longer, but why? What’s changed?”

“The mission has expanded.”

“In what way?”

“I think we can take the whole thing down. And it’s imperative that we do.”

“Why is that?”

“You have to realize by now that even if we take down the local faction, Liam will still be in danger. Via Imperii leadership wants Cordonia’s coffers.”

“We’ll up our border security. Make it harder for them to get a foothold here again—”

“We have to take down the whole thing. It’s the only way to keep Liam safe.”

“Okay….” He studied me carefully, trying to figure out where this was going. “I’m not disagreeing, but unless I’m missing something, we don’t have what we need to take the whole thing down and he’s going to be in danger from the local faction the moment he chooses anyone other than Madeleine at the selection ceremony. So that’s the biggest, most immediate threat. Taking them down will keep him safe for now and give us time to figure out how to counteract any future threats.”

“I have a plan for that. I know how to keep him safe from the local faction and buy us time to take down the whole thing.”

“How?”

“Simple. I’m going to marry him.”

“What?” Shock flashed across his face, followed by anger as he jumped up from his seat and thundered, “The fucking hell you are!”

I followed him to my feet. I locked my jaw and thrust my chin out defiantly as I tried to make him understand. “Drake. Listen. He has to pick a wife in less than a week! He won’t choose Madeleine. If he picks anyone other than her or me, they’re going to kill him!”

“They’re going to try—”

I arched an eyebrow at him. “And you’re okay with that?”

“Of course not! But—”

“But nothing! If we don’t take down the whole thing, then all we’re doing is postponing it. The Via Imperii will eventually regain a foothold in Cordonia. If he marries me, it buys us the time we need to take the entire thing down. It’s the only way to keep him safe and you know it.”

“We could—” he paused, his expression making it obvious that he was spinning through scenarios in his head. “Or maybe….. If we…. Okay, what if…. fuck!”

Bingo. The moment he realized I was right.

He stared at me with desperation in his eyes. “There has to be another way!”

“There’s not.” I knew it. He knew it.

His shoulders slumped in defeat. “What does this mean for us?”

“Nothing,” I assured him as I stepped closer and took his hands in mine. “I’m marrying him to keep him safe. He’s already agreed to a Cordonian Arrangement.”

The desperation in his eyes was replaced with a sliver of hope. “So, does this mean that you’re staying at court after the case wraps up?”

“What?”

“Surely you know that the moment your picture is plastered in newspapers all over the world as the future Queen of Cordonia, your career in the GIA is over. Have you thought about that?”

“Of course I’ve thought about it! It’s all I’ve thought about since I opened my big mouth and blurted it out!”

“You can take it back....”

“I can’t... and I don’t think I want to.”

“Do you…. Love him?”

I could tell how hard it was for him to ask that question, and I knew that the question he really wanted to ask wasn’t if I loved Liam, but if I loved him.

It was time for me to stop being a coward and face my feelings.

I reached up and touched his face as I answered. “This is a complicated situation. I have feelings for both of you that I never saw coming. Liam seems genuinely okay with me having a relationship with both of you. How do you feel about that?”

Of all the reactions I had expected at this moment, amusement wasn’t one of them.

He grinned at me with nothing but happiness shining from his eyes. “Did you just admit to having feelings for me?”

A sound that was half laugh and half scoff escaped me. “That’s what you got out of that?”

He grabbed me around the waist and tugged me closer. “That’s the important part!”

Then he was kissing me and every question I had was answered, every doubt erased.

“Mm-hm,” I murmured as I leaned into him.

We both moved our bodies closer to the other. His hands caressed my face and shoulders. His fingers traced down my back as mine threaded through his hair. He released my lips so he could nip and lick along my collarbone. I arched my body into him in encouragement.

His phone chimed, and he froze. “Shit!” He rested his forehead against mine as he expressed a few colorful opinions about the interruption and the character of his commanding officer.

“It’s okay, I have a couple of phone calls to make anyway,” I told him as I struggled to disentangle myself from him. “We can continue this later.”

“Continuing this is the only thing on my priority list,” He assured me as he returned the text.

“Don’t let your boss hear you say that!”

“I don’t give a damn who hears it!” He returned his phone to his pocket and lunged at me for one last kiss before hurrying out the door to a meeting that I had made him late for.

Alone in his room, I decided there was no time like the present. I took a deep breath as I punched in the familiar phone number.

My boss wasn’t as understanding as Drake had been. “I understand your concerns, Agent Brooks, but the social season ends in four days! We have everything we need to take down the Cordonian branch right now.”

“I need just a little more time and we can take down the whole thing! Isn’t that what we’re all about? Taking down the bad guys?”

“Of course. But once the social season is over, you’ll have no more reason to remain in Cordonia. You’ll have no cover.”

“Oh, I will.”

“I’m listening.”

I filled her in on my plan. She was less than thrilled with my ideas, to put it mildly. “Absolutely not!”

“If you’ll calm down—”

“Don’t tell me to calm down! I’m telling you no! You cannot marry him for the love of God!”

“Why not?”

“You know why not! Right now, the social season is just local news. An engagement will be bigger news, and an actual royal wedding will be broadcast across the globe! You’ll be compromised! Your face will be splashed on newspapers everywhere! You’ll be worthless as an agent!”

“That’s not true—”

“It is true! You’ll be too recognizable to work undercover.”

“Are you saying you’d fire me?”

“I’m saying, at the very least, we’d have to pull you from fieldwork. We can’t, and we won’t, send a compromised agent into the field. Not only would it compromise you, but it would also endanger every agent working with you and you know it! We won’t allow that, and neither will any other agency. You do this, and your career is over, at least as a field agent.”

“It’s the only way to keep him safe and infiltrate Via Imperii leadership.”

“Brooks, I mean it, do not do this!”

“I’m doing it. So, tell the team to stand down. Please! If you take down the local branch, my cover is blown. I’m marrying him, regardless. You may as well take the win I’m offering you. I can deliver the entire organization. Give me another week.”

Barton was silent for so long that I thought the connection had been lost. Defeat and a note of awe were in her voice when she finally answered. “Fine. One more week. I never thought I’d see the day Riley Brooks leveraged her career over a man.”

“It’s the only way to keep him safe long enough to get what I need to take down the Via Imperii.”

“Right.” I could hear the smirk in her voice from across the Atlantic. “That’s your only concern.”

I chose to let that go and thanked her for giving me another week. It should be all I needed. It had to be all I needed because Rico was still out there somewhere and the moment the engagement was announced, there was nothing stopping him from leaking my actual job to the press. We needed to be ready to breach within hours of the announcement. Preferably before.

Fortunately, my impending engagement to Liam also gave me the bargaining chip I needed to infiltrate the highest level of the Via Imperii.

I lifted the phone that was still in my hand and dialed Sigrid’s direct line. She sounded both annoyed and impressed. “How did you get my private number?”

“Did you forget who my aunt is?”

“What do you want?”

“I wanted to let you know that though it won’t be official until the selection ceremony, Liam has gotten down on one knee and proposed to me.” I crossed my legs as I spoke, getting into character. I let the entitlement drip off my words. “You should see the diamond. It’s exquisite!”

That piqued her interest. “Forget the diamond, have you seen the marriage contract?”

“I’m holding it in my hands right now.” I lied.

“How much access does it give you to the finances?”

“Plenty.”

“How much influence does it give you over policy decisions?”

“Liam is still the monarch with final decision making power on everything. But don’t worry, I can sway his decisions in the correct direction.”

“You’re very confident in yourself.”

“I am.”

“I hope it’s well founded confidence.”

“It is. But as you know, Liam is very devoted to the people of Cordonia, so swaying him to see our side of things is going to take a little effort. I’m up for the job, but I need to know what I’m getting out of it.”

I could hear the suspicion dripping like venom from her words. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…” I paused for dramatic effect. “If you want access to Cordonia’s bottomless coffers, I need something in return.”

“You’re already a member in good standing. What more do you want?”

“This is a lot of money we’re talking about. I want some input into how it’s spent. I think that’s reasonable.”

“You want a leadership position.” I heard the surprise in her tone, tinged with a hint of awe.

She had underestimated me.

“I do.”

“And what makes you think I’m in a position to make that happen?”

“Come on, Sigrid, there’s no way that a woman as driven and intelligent as you isn’t in the upper echelons of this thing. Do you really expect me to believe that you’re bowing down to someone like Eirik Midsommar?”

There was a long pause as she considered how much to trust me. I had appealed to her ego, and it worked “Fine. I’ll set everything up. Be here in two days, with the signed and notarized marriage contract in your hands, and we’ll talk.”

“Great. See you in two days.”

She hung up on me without saying goodbye. I didn’t care. Everything was falling perfectly into place.

[walkerdrakewalker]

ofcourse it was her idea🤣🤣

The Big Mistake

Series: Mistake of a Lifetime

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Leo, Riley x Hana

Word Count: 1,104

Rating: MA

Warnings for this chapter: alludes to sex, probably some cursing

A/N: Ya’ll haven’t had anything new from me in a while, so I decided to take this out of my WIP folder (where it’s been sitting, completed, for quite some time now) and offer it up. I make no promises about when this will be continued, as I have so much going on right now in real life. But, here it is. Happy Sunday.

My other stuff: Master List.

Riley blinked her eyes against the glare of light slipping through the floor to ceiling curtains she was facing. Her eyes darted from the elegant brocade curtains to the plush carpeting on the floor. She sat upright in confusion.

This was not her hotel room.

Her room was on the first floor of a nondescript budget friendly hotel she had booked online.

Judging by the plush furnishings and the high quality art on the walls, she was in a five star hotel. Through the curtains, she caught a glimpse of the city. The view was pretty good, so she must be on the top floor.

A muffled groan and rustling of sheets caught her attention. She turned her head to discover the reason for her confusion. Stretched out next to her in the double king sized bed was a shirtless man with tousled blond hair and rippling muscles. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to remember his name.

It started with an L. Lee… Leon or Louie or something like that.

His blue eyes blinked open as she tried to ease out of the bed without waking him. “Hey, where you going?”

“You caught me. I was just going to slip out quietly and avoid the awkward morning after small talk.”

“Okay. But at least let me buy you breakfast first. I’m not a complete cad.”

It was tempting. Free food, hot guy. Morning sex wouldn’t be the end of the world. “Okay, just let me text my girlfriend so she knows I wasn’t kidnapped last night.”

“Hana, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, how’d you—” She froze as she caught sight of her left hand. Lifting it in the air, she examined the diamond ring that sparkled and glinted on her ring finger. “Um… what did we do last night, exactly?”

“The usual,” he smirked, “Got drunk, danced a lot, there was sex. Lots of it if memory serves.”

“Is that all?”

“Why? What else—” He sat straight up in the bed as one particular memory shoved its way to the forefront of his consciousness. “Shit!”

She turned toward him and thrust the ring in his face. “Please tell me this is a novelty ring!”

“I can’t tell you that because I’m pretty sure it’s not.”

Her head shook vigorously from side to side. “No, no, no, no, this can’t be happening! We did not get married!”

“Well…”

“How was there a jewelry store open in the middle of the night?”

“I know a guy—"

She flung the covers back and bolted out of the bed, scooping her clothes off the floor. “No, there’s no way we got married! Don’t you need your birth certificate for that? Don’t you have to get a marriage license first?”

“Generally, yes. But there’s a reason that wouldn’t be an issue for me.” He got up and rummaged around the room. Once he found what he was looking for, he presented it to her.

She clutched last night’s dress to her body with one hand while she took the paper from him with the other. She stared down at it in horror. It was a marriage certificate all right. Riley Brooks and Leo Rys, joined in holy matrimony. Her hands started to shake. “No, no, no, this isn’t happening!”

“I mean…. Would being married to me be the worst thing that—”

She glared at him. “I don’t even know you!”

“Well, okay.” He put his hands up in the air. “But we seemed pretty close last night.”

“This isn’t funny! Hana is going to kill me! I mean fucking murder me!” Riley and Hana were in an open relationship, but she was pretty sure that marrying a total stranger would be a deal breaker.

“It’s okay,” he assured her. “I can fix it.”

“How?”

“Just…. Get dressed. We have to go to the palace.”

“The palace?” She blinked at him as her sleep and alcohol laden brain tried to make sense of what he was saying. “Why?”

“My father can just grant an annulment.”

“Your father?”

“Yes, my father! The king. Remember, I told you last night—”

Her eyes widened as she sucked in a shocked gasp. “You were serious about that?”

“Yes. You thought I was lying?”

“Of course, I thought you were lying! Men will say any kind of shit to get a woman into bed!”

“So, you thought I was lying but you still slept with me?”

“I thought you were doing it ironically! It was such an obvious lie that no one would believe it, so you were saying it as a joke. You know, poking fun at ridiculous pickup lines. I thought it was funny and charming you fucking prick!”

“Hey now,” He held both hands up in front of him in the universal symbol of surrender. “It’s not my fault that I was honest with you and you chose not to believe me. Maybe you have some trust issues you should work on.”

“Of course, I have trust issues. Men do asinine shit like trick women they just met into marriage!”

“Oh, men do that, do they? This happens to you all the time? How many strange men have you married?”

“Fuck you.”

“You already did that. But I’m not averse to round two.”

“Oh, there is no way I’m sleeping with you again!”

Leo shrugged. “Your loss.”

She opened her mouth to say something rude when a memory from the night before broke through.

“…it’s an arranged marriage. I don’t see any way out of it, short of just…running away…”

“What if you married someone else?” she blurted out.

“What?” He laughed.

“I mean… you can’t marry her if you’re already married to someone else, right?”

“Right.”

She closed her eyes in mortification. The marriage had been her idea.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Concern laced his voice.

She was taken aback by how quickly he’d gone from cocky and flippant to kind and solicitous.

“Nothing… just…” she thrust her dirty clothes toward him. “Do you have a T-shirt and some sweats or something I can borrow? I can’t put these back on.”

“I… yeah, ok, go take a shower and I’ll make sure you have something that fits when you get out. And I’ll order breakfast.”

“I don’t think we have time to—”

“Come on. You have to eat.”

“Fine. Whatever.” She huffed as she slammed into the bathroom. Glaring at herself in the mirror, she tried to quell the panic rising in her throat. How the hell was she going to explain this to Hana?

Their epic summer abroad had just taken a disastrous turn.

[walkerdrakewalker]

Turning the Page

Chapter 17 - 'Save the Date' snippet & art commission

Liam and Riley are back home in Cordonia to attend to the preparations for their upcoming Royal wedding.

.... and nothing, and/or noone will interfere with their plans and desires to make up for lost time. .. Coming soon.

Thank you to the talented artbyainna, for bringing my ideas 'to life', once again, with this beautiful and stunning artwork of Liam and Riley. ❤️❤️❤️

@choicesficwriterscreations @bascmve01 @busywoman @kristinamae093 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @kingliam2019 @alj4890 @emkay512 @twinkleallnight @malblk21 @tinkie1973 @queenmiarys @emersyn-in-cordonia @dutifullynuttywitch @charlotteg234 @lovingchoices14 @jared2612 @walkerdrakewalker @fadingreveries @mockingjay19 @queenwalton @umccall71 @rafasgirl23415 @illusteph @ladylamrian @cadybear420 @snoopdogcone @loreofyore @lumachoo @jerzwriter @gmsrrn98 @missameliep

[walkerdrakewalker]

"Valentine Moments"

Brothers-in-Arms Series- Chapter 1

Choices Books: The Royal Romance, pre-book 1 (cross-over with Choices, Crimes of Passion, Bk 1)

Pairing: None

Characters: Liam Rys, Drake Walker, Maxwell Beaumont, Leo Rys, Olivia Nevrakis, Eleanor Rys, Trystan Thorne

Rating: Teen

Category: angst/fluff, alternate universe

Words: 913, not Beta’d, please excuse all errors

A/N: Submission for CFWC Valentine’s Day 2025- prompt: Friendship, friends pretending to be a couple on Valentine’s Day

A/N2: Submission for Feb Choices Monthly Challenge- Seven Deadly Sins, Prompt: Envy, Wrath, Greed

Summary: Liam, Drake, Maxwell, Olivia, Leo, and Trystan go down memory lane to reminisce about their first Valentines.

Maxwell (9 years old): Hey! It wasn't all bad. We made some pretty great memories.

Drake (10 years old): That's one memory I'd be happy to forget...

Liam (9 years old): Indeed. Though, I must say, the most memorable part was seeing your faces when you saw who I'd brought.

Leo (17 year old): Wait... don't tell me you were on a date?

Drake: We weren't--! I mean, that is--

Liam: You'd have to ask them. I'll say no more.

Maxwell: It wasn't a date. It was a double date!

Drake: Ugh...

Maxwell: Come on, Drake. It wasn't that bad.

Drake: Tell that to my aching stomach.

Olivia (8 year old): Hey, Drake. You look a little queasy. Do you need some anti-nausea pills?

Drake: Ha! No, thank you, Olivia.

Olivia: Your loss. Anyway, did I hear someone mention a Valentin's date?

Maxwell: Yep, we were just reminiscing about our first one.

Olivia: Hm. Well, if you ask me, that was the best Valentin's date I'd ever been on. Olivia moved over to sit beside Liam.

Trystan 17 year old): That's high praise coming from you, Liv.

Olivia: Hey, it's the truth. I had a lot of fun that night. She looked at Liam and smiled demurely. Liam, trying to remain stoic, said nothing and looked over at Drake.

Liam: Well, I'm glad we were able to provide such entertainment for you.

Drake: I wouldn't go that far.

Leo: Ah, come on, Drake. We were just telling stories. Lighten up a little.

Maxwell: That's the spirit! Hey, remember when Drake pretended to be sick so he could sneak off with Olivia?

Drake: Uh-huh.

Olivia: Yes, I do. She laughed

Liam: Haha, yes, I remember that. It was a valiant effort, Drake.

Olivia: Oh, it was a little more than that.

Drake: ...

Olivia: At the end of the day, it was nice to spend time with you... even if you did have to fake food poisoning.

Drake: Right.

Leo: That was the night, Liam and I both realized you had a thing for Olivia.

Trystan: Is that right?

Olivia: Hah! Don't act so surprised.

Drake: Yeah. That was the real reason I agreed to be your wingman that night, Li

Maxwell: Aw, you were looking out for Liam!

Liam: Yes, I'm touched.

Olivia: What about me, hm? Wasn't anyone looking out for me?

Maxwell: We figured you could handle yourself.

Olivia: Hah. Well, that's true.

Leo: Besides, if Drake had gone after you, and then you two started dating... I wouldn't have stood a chance.

Olivia: Well, then you have nothing to worry about. Because it was never going to happen.

Drake: Well, I guess some things are just meant to be. But hey, Olivia, you were always the one who had it all figured out. And Li, you know I've always got your back, even if it means faking a little food poisoning.

Liam: And that's why you're the best, Drake. Cheers to old stories and even better friends.

Maxwell: Hear, hear! Now, who's up for another round of drinks?

As Maxwell, Liam, Drake and Olivia went inside the palace, Trystan sidled up to Leo with a grin.

Trystan: You didn't mention your first date Leo. That hot blond in Greece?!

Leo: Heh, nothing to tell. I took her to a fancy restaurant, we had a few glasses of wine. It was boring.

Trystan: And...?

Leo: And what?

Trystan: Where did you go after dinner?

Leo: I dropped her off, and I went home.

Trystan: (laughing) Oh, my God, Leo. You can't be serious.

Leo: why is this funny?

Trystan: (chuckles), That wasn't a date.

Leo: Of course it was. We went to dinner. She was s nice girl. She wasn't Madeleine.

@choicesmonthlychallenge @choicesficwriterscreations @choicescommunityevents

[walkerdrakewalker]

65 Poly Asks Part Six

Time for part six of these asks for polycules. I'm doing them in ten-question increments. Since there are 65 asks, the last set will only have five answers.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

I’m answering for my Bad Romance gang, obviously.

Do the mono-poly relationships have different boundaries than the poly-poly-poly-poly-etc. relationships? Sort of. Basically, no. Riley has told Drake that she’s open to him exploring with other people. He does not want to. However, she does get more jealous of any perceived attention Drake gets or gives to other women precisely because she knows he is monogamous. Liam being physically attracted to someone else isn’t a threat to their relationship, but Drake being might be. The main boundary difference is that Riley is not likely to even flirt with an outsider around Drake, because it tweaks his insecurities. They have more of a don’t ask don’t tell dynamic around anything Riley does when not with him. This does not include Liam and Max, as they all live together, but Drake has dealt with his insecurities around them.

How well do the metamours get along? Do they even know each other? Drake lives with Riley and Liam and Max. He was best friends with Liam before either met Riley. He knew Max and tolerated him. His relationship with Max has developed into a real friendship now. Rashad is outside the quad that are nesting partners, but he gets along well with everyone but Drake. Rashad and Drake’s issues are largely because they have different outlooks on life and neither understands Riley’s affection for the other. Riley knows about Rashad’s prolific dating life and may know many of them superficially as they run in the same social circles.

Do any of the metamours dislike each other? How does that impact their shared partner(s)? Yes. Drake and Rashad. They maintain a cool politeness when forced to interact. It only affects Riley in as much as it annoys her when they snipe at each other.

Do any of the metamours hang out when their shared partner(s) aren’t around? Yes. Once the first baby came along, Drake started hanging out a lot more with Max while they collaborated on child care so Riley and Liam could get some rest. Plus Max just bulldozed his way into a relationship by insisting they were best friend and trying to mother Drake, which Drake grumbles about but secretly has come to appreciate. Drake and Liam have always hung out together.

Do any of the metamours have specific dynamics and/or boundaries with each other? Why? Yes. While Riley and Liam dabble in some light dom/sub dynamics with each of them being a switch, Riley and Max have a full-fledged Domme/Sub dynamic complete with him being collared by her. Why? Because he is into that and others aren’t. Max also enjoys being topped by Liam, but as the three of them are a fully functioning throuple, a boundary had to be put in place that when all three play together, Max obeys Riley, as it’s hard for a sub to obey two masters. As Liam and Riley are officially married, being collared by her in a collaring ceremony has a deeply emotional significance to Max, making him feel like a full partner in her life, not secondary to Liam.

How do the members feel about marriage? Do they live in a society that recognizes polyamorous marriage at all? If marriage isn’t an option, what about legal protections? So far it is not legal, but since this is a fictional county which Liam runs, I have toyed with the idea of making it so. Riley never cared about marriage, didn’t really believe in it, but she is deeply committed to those she loves and Liam was required to be married to ascend the throne, so she married him. Drake didn’t care about being married, but did struggle with Riley marrying someone else as his half American heritage made him more conservative in outlook about such things. There was a several chapter arc where he struggled to overcome this, even leaving for awhile but eventually coming back and making it work.

What do any monogamous members think about their polyamorous partner potentially marrying someone else (either in addition to or instead of them)? As stated above, Drake spiraled out about it. She almost lost him, but they eventually worked through it.

How does the polycule celebrate anniversaries? Each individually and also, Liam, Riley and Max have a mutual anniversary of the date they officially became a throuple.

How does the polycule celebrate birthdays? There is always some type of celebration, even for Drake, who absolutely doesn’t want one.

If one of the members gets sick, who takes care of them? Is there a rotation of caretakers lining up, or designated partner(s)? Ooooh, good question and one I have not explored! In general, Max is the caretaker. He works from home when possible and does the bulk of the child care while the other nesting partners are at work, so he would be the obvious one to caretake a sick member. If Max gets sick, it would be whoever could get away from work easiest that particular day.

[walkerdrakewalker]

65 Poly Asks Part Six

Time for part six of these asks for polycules. I'm doing them in ten-question increments. Since there are 65 asks, the last set will only have five answers.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

I’m answering for my Bad Romance gang, obviously.

Do the mono-poly relationships have different boundaries than the poly-poly-poly-poly-etc. relationships? Sort of. Basically, no. Riley has told Drake that she’s open to him exploring with other people. He does not want to. However, she does get more jealous of any perceived attention Drake gets or gives to other women precisely because she knows he is monogamous. Liam being physically attracted to someone else isn’t a threat to their relationship, but Drake being might be. The main boundary difference is that Riley is not likely to even flirt with an outsider around Drake, because it tweaks his insecurities. They have more of a don’t ask don’t tell dynamic around anything Riley does when not with him. This does not include Liam and Max, as they all live together, but Drake has dealt with his insecurities around them.

How well do the metamours get along? Do they even know each other? Drake lives with Riley and Liam and Max. He was best friends with Liam before either met Riley. He knew Max and tolerated him. His relationship with Max has developed into a real friendship now. Rashad is outside the quad that are nesting partners, but he gets along well with everyone but Drake. Rashad and Drake’s issues are largely because they have different outlooks on life and neither understands Riley’s affection for the other. Riley knows about Rashad’s prolific dating life and may know many of them superficially as they run in the same social circles.

Do any of the metamours dislike each other? How does that impact their shared partner(s)? Yes. Drake and Rashad. They maintain a cool politeness when forced to interact. It only affects Riley in as much as it annoys her when they snipe at each other.

Do any of the metamours hang out when their shared partner(s) aren’t around? Yes. Once the first baby came along, Drake started hanging out a lot more with Max while they collaborated on child care so Riley and Liam could get some rest. Plus Max just bulldozed his way into a relationship by insisting they were best friend and trying to mother Drake, which Drake grumbles about but secretly has come to appreciate. Drake and Liam have always hung out together.

Do any of the metamours have specific dynamics and/or boundaries with each other? Why? Yes. While Riley and Liam dabble in some light dom/sub dynamics with each of them being a switch, Riley and Max have a full-fledged Domme/Sub dynamic complete with him being collared by her. Why? Because he is into that and others aren’t. Max also enjoys being topped by Liam, but as the three of them are a fully functioning throuple, a boundary had to be put in place that when all three play together, Max obeys Riley, as it’s hard for a sub to obey two masters. As Liam and Riley are officially married, being collared by her in a collaring ceremony has a deeply emotional significance to Max, making him feel like a full partner in her life, not secondary to Liam.

How do the members feel about marriage? Do they live in a society that recognizes polyamorous marriage at all? If marriage isn’t an option, what about legal protections? So far it is not legal, but since this is a fictional county which Liam runs, I have toyed with the idea of making it so. Riley never cared about marriage, didn’t really believe in it, but she is deeply committed to those she loves and Liam was required to be married to ascend the throne, so she married him. Drake didn’t care about being married, but did struggle with Riley marrying someone else as his half American heritage made him more conservative in outlook about such things. There was a several chapter arc where he struggled to overcome this, even leaving for awhile but eventually coming back and making it work.

What do any monogamous members think about their polyamorous partner potentially marrying someone else (either in addition to or instead of them)? As stated above, Drake spiraled out about it. She almost lost him, but they eventually worked through it.

How does the polycule celebrate anniversaries? Each individually and also, Liam, Riley and Max have a mutual anniversary of the date they officially became a throuple.

How does the polycule celebrate birthdays? There is always some type of celebration, even for Drake, who absolutely doesn’t want one.

If one of the members gets sick, who takes care of them? Is there a rotation of caretakers lining up, or designated partner(s)? Ooooh, good question and one I have not explored! In general, Max is the caretaker. He works from home when possible and does the bulk of the child care while the other nesting partners are at work, so he would be the obvious one to caretake a sick member. If Max gets sick, it would be whoever could get away from work easiest that particular day.

[walkerdrakewalker]

excited for all!!

WIP Folder Game Answers

These are the requests from the WIP Folder game I posted here

Requested by @walkerdrakewalker:

DREO

Multiple people have asked for a Dreo follow up. I haven’t gotten far with it, but it’s going to be set at Savanna and Max’s wedding. Here’s the beginning:

“Are you ready?” Leo watched Drake struggle with his tie. Shaking his head with a smile, he stepped over to help. “You’re never going go get the hang of formal attire, are you?”

“God, I hope not.” Drake huffed.

Savage Love

This will be chapter 39 of Savage Love

Naked, and still struggling to catch my breath, I glanced up at the man I’d just agreed to marry.

Liam stared down at me with such utter devotion in his gaze that it sent butterflies exploding through me.

It also terrified me.

There had been no romantic proposal or declaration of undying love.

I had agreed to marry him to keep him alive. Our discussion about how that would work and what it would look like had been interrupted by a vigorous bout of love making when the electricity that always snapped between us exploded, the potent mix of physical passion and intense emotion as we danced around the topic of my unspoken feelings for him cumulating in the physical expression of everything that I could not bring myself to express verbally.

Not yet.

I needed to ensure his survival first.

Requested by @harleybeaumont:

Kuck Kink Drake

I had this idea after I wrote My Lonely Valentine for last years Valentine’s Day prompt event. So it’s set in my The Agreement universe.

Here’s the snippet:

He buried his nose in her neck and inhaled deeply. Her scent, mixed with Liam’s and combined with the undeniable smell of sex was a heady combination.

“I should go shower first.” She extracted herself from his embrace and stood up.

His hand shot out to grab her by the wrist and pull her back. There was a new intensity burning in his eyes and he growled, “No, don’t.”

Domwell

Ok, this so far is a blank page. I’m thinking they meet when party boy Maxwell is visiting NYC and goes to the club Dominic works at.

Requested by @tessa-liam:

Delilah and Drake

This idea was requested by @aussiegurl1234 for her Drake and Delilah. She wants a scene that is similar to this one between my demon/vampire/human hybrid Riley and Elf/Human Liam in Dark Elf (a series kicked off by your request by the way lol)

This would be set after Delilah is turned obviously, which is something she hasn’t gotten to in her writing yet. So far it’s just an idea/request. I haven’t started writing it.

Dark Elf

Lady Hana Lee had been chosen because her mother’s Cordonian heritage ensured she’d answer the summons but her status as a foreign national would throw red tape in the way of any investigation into her disappearance, but the main reason she had been chosen was her unique heritage.

Hana herself had debated on accepting the invitation.

The Dark Kingdom

“Sire? The horses refuse to cross the partition. They can smell the evil!”

“It’s alright,” Maxwell told the captain of the royal guard as he dismounted. “They can’t climb up this slope anyway. We’ll proceed on foot.”

“Yes, Sire!” The captain turned back to yell orders at his men as Maxwell paced back and forth, his head tilted back to survey the cliff face he planned to scale.

All accounts pointed to the almost vanished but still faintly visible trail that led through the underbrush, across piles of broken rock fragments at the bottom of the mountain as the place the dogs had lost her trail.

He glanced from the incline to his men. “You’ll have to leave your armor behind. Strap your swords to your back and start climbing.” There was no way men in heavy armor would make it up the sheer cliff face.

“But sire…. We’ll be at a disadvantage without—”

“I know.” The young prince gritted his teeth. He didn’t like the thought of leading men to certain death, but there was no way he was letting the Esseri get away with this treachery.

The King’s Mistress 2

Duchess Riley Brooks was viewed with both envy and contempt by Cordonian high society.

Madeleine might have the crown, but Everyone knew where the real power lay. If you wanted the king’s ear, it wasn’t his wife you had to convince. It was his mistress.

The country’s newest duchess was a direct line to an introduction or an audience with the king.

[walkerdrakewalker]

awww❤️

i missed drake<33

Best of My Love: A Victim of Love One-Shot

Series: Victim of Love

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Drake x Riley. Drake x Hana mentioned.

Word Count: 958

Rating: G, fluff

Warnings for this chapter: none

Written for the @choicesficwriterscreations Valentine's event.

My other stuff: Master List.

The bell jingled as he strode through the door. The sweet floral scent of begonias and petunias washed over him as he made his way to the counter.

The young woman behind the counter smiled politely. “Hello, sir. Are you here to order flowers for Valentine’s Day?”

He grinned broadly. “Yes! I was looking for something with roses and lavender.”

The bell jingled again and a voice from his past spoke. “Well, as I live and breathe if it isn’t Drake Walker!”

“Fuck!” He swore softly under his breath. Turning around, he pasted a polite smile on his face. “Shayla. How have you been?”

“I’ve been good, sugar!” She invaded his personal space and grabbed him in a tight hug. “How about you?”

Drake leaned forward so that only his upper body was engaged in the hug, patting her on the back lightly. He quickly disengaged and stepped back. “Never better. Got married last year.” He held up his left hand to show off the gold band glinting on his ring finger.

“Anyone I know?”

He shook his head. “Met her in Cordonia.”

“Cordonia?” She said it like it was something disgusting.

“Yes.”

“Is that why we haven’t seen you around the rodeo circuit lately? The little wifey made you quit?” The curvaceous brunette smirked. “Those city girls just don’t get it.”

“She didn’t make me quit. I don’t know if you know this or not, but I’m a grown ass man capable of making my own choices and decisions.”

“And you chose to stop bull riding?”

“Yes. Why do you say it like it’s hard to believe or something?”

“Because I know you, Drake. You’re stupidly good at it. You’re a local legend. Why would you give that up?”

“Because I no longer want to risk my life.”

She scoffed with a shake of her head. “But you were so good!”

“I was also careless, reckless, and foolhardy.”

“I liked that about you.”

“So, you liked the part of me that had a death wish. Noted.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. You loved it.”

“No. I loved the rush it gave me. But I love my family more. Riley gave me something to live for, and now I’m going to be a father. I won’t do anything to jeopardize my ability to be here for them.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re having a baby?”

“Yes.” He stood noticeably taller when he said it, pride coloring the simple utterance.

She shook her head with a frown as she moved around the counter and tied on an apron. “Never thought I’d see the day Drake Walker gave up women and bulls.”

“That was my past. Riley and the baby are my future.”

“All right, all right, don’t get your knickers in a bunch.” Turning back toward him, she studied his face for a moment, and then her expression softened. “Well, I’ll be damned. You’re really in love!”

His brow furrowed in annoyance. “Why do you seem so shocked by that?”

She burst out laughing. “Because I didn’t think you were capable of it.”

“Oh.” He shifted awkwardly, unsure how to respond to that.

“Oh, don’t make it weird! You’ve changed, Drake. Grown. That’s a good thing.”

He let out a relieved breath. “So, stop giving me a hard time about it.”

“I wasn’t.” She peered at him a moment longer with squinted eyes. “Did you think I was jealous?”

He went beet red as he mumbled, “Maybe.”

“Oh, Christ!” She laughed as she held her hand up in the air. “You’re not the only one that moved on.”

He examined the midsized diamond sparkling on her ring finger as his face broke out in a smile. “Congratulations! And sorry if I was being a conceited jerk. Anyone I know?”

“Shane Mahony,” she told him with a self satisfied grin.

“Skeeter?”

“The one and only.”

“He’s a good guy. I’m happy for you both.”

“Thanks. We should get together sometimes. His number’s still the same. So is mine. Give us a call. Okay, I’m going to clock in. Shelia here will get that order rung up for you.”

“Right.”

He’d order something for Hana online. The last thing he needed was for the whole town to think he was cheating on his wife.

Liam and Hana were in Cordonia while he and Riley were at the ranch so they wouldn’t be spending Valentine’s Day together.

He had no idea how to explain their relationship to others without making it sound like their marriage was open. When people thought that they often tried hitting on one of the four of them.

Their relationship was not open, it just had more than two people in it and that was hard for a lot of folks to understand. Especially hard core conservatives in the Bible Belt.

He quickly made and paid for his selection, waved goodbye to Shayla, and headed back to his truck.

He still needed to make reservations for dinner and a hotel room for Valentine’s Day. But the main surprise was lying on the back seat of his Quad Cab Ford F250.

He glanced in the rearview mirror at the drawing tube. He couldn’t wait to get home and show Riley the plans he’d had drawn up for their new home.

Splitting their time between Cordonia and America, they had been content to use his old room at the ranch, but with a baby on the way, he wanted their own space. In Cordonia they had Valtoria. Now they would have something of their own in Texas too.

He turned off the pavement onto a county two lane, turned the radio up, and started belting out lyrics as he accelerated toward home with sheer joy in his heart.