Royally Mine: 22 All-New Bad Boy Romance Novellas

by Susan Stoker

  He strode into the room, calling in French. A peevish voice answered from the bedroom.

  “You smell… funny.” Maya sniffed the air.

  “You think?” Mags put her hands on her hips. Her neat blonde bun was a ratty mess. Strands of hair floated around, snarled, like a halo of hay. “I’ve had a hell of a day.” She looked Maya up and down. “Later on, I’m going to need to hear this story, though.” She gestured her head back toward the room where Henri had disappeared.

  The two brothers were now arguing in Syldavian, both voices rising fast.

  “I thought you said ixnay on inderella-cay.” Mags narrowed her eyes and touched the gown. “This is gorgeous.”

  Maya blushed. “Henri was worried about his brother, so he asked me come with him tonight. To talk to you.”

  “What, did he think I was doing something malicious to his precious baby bro?”

  “Yeah, I sort of think he did, at least at first.”

  “Well, it’s more like baby bro is the one being malicious.” Mags grimaced. “At least he finally settled down and didn’t freak the fuck out if I acted like I wanted to answer the door. Jacques, can I introduce you to someone?”

  A bodyguard stepped forward, the same one who had laughed earlier, when they’d first met Henri. “Jacques, this is my best friend Maya, the one I’ve been talking about all day. Maya, this is Jacques.” Her voice softened. “He’s been amazing today. So creative. And it took the two of us and all of our best ideas to keep that one”—she pointed at the bedroom—“sane.”

  “What is going on?” Maya bit her lip. “He forbade you to open the door?”

  “Well, I mean, I guess I could have answered it. It’s just—Erik was not doing so well, and we were so focused on keeping him stable. And Jacques is supposed to obey orders from Erik. I didn’t even realize how much time had gone by!”

  Jacques put a hand on Mags’ shoulder, then took it away quickly. His olive complexion was similar to Henri’s, but his eyes were a startling blue. Looking at him straight on, Maya could see that his muscular build was quite… nice. And that smile! How come she hadn’t noticed how cute he was before? Maybe because of that jacket and beret. And maybe because she only had eyes for Henri. She flushed.

  “Your friend is the only one, for some reason, that Erik will listen to today.” Jacques’ voice held an apology. His accent has the same exotic blend as Henri’s. “Did you sign?” His expressive eyebrows shot up, and he mimicked scribbling with a pen.

  “The non-disclosure? Yes. Yes, I did. You, too?” She looked at Mags.

  “Jacques made me sign it first thing when I got into the car with Erik.” Mags flushed.

  Voices rose to a pitch in the bedroom, and Henri came out, fuming. “Merde!”

  He stopped and took a breath before he came up to the group. “So Jacques gave you the form? May I see?”

  Jacques pointed to a clipboard on a side table. Henri took it and snapped a photo, and his face seemed to relax tenfold. “Thank fuck.”

  “You guys are very, uh, generous with those NDAs,” said Maya. She cleared her throat and looked at Mags. “You get an NDA!”

  Mags giggled. “And you get an NDA!”

  They both threw their arms into the air. “Everyone gets an NDA!”

  Then they fell into each other’s arms, laughing hysterically.

  Henri scowled. “I don’t understand the joke.”

  Maya stopped laughing and cleared her throat. “Surely you’ve heard of Oprah.”

  “Yes.” He still didn’t smile.

  “It’s like on her show. She gives away stuff. Well, she used to. It’s a meme now.”

  “I’ve not seen her show.” He rubbed his eyes. “So what, exactly, were you doing with my brother?” Henri’s voice was not exactly threatening, but neither was it friendly.

  Mags startled to bristle, but Jacques stepped closer to Mags, and put a hand on her arm. “This woman stayed all day to help Erik sober up. She calmed him when I could not. He refused to let me even take his blood pressure until she asked him. He would not drink water unless she asked. Erik is very irrational right now, refusing to let anyone in. She deserves your gratitude.”

  Mags shot Jacques a rather adoring look, in Maya’s opinion. Then she cleared her throat and wiped back stray strands of hair from her face. “I didn’t plan to be here all day. But for some reason, your brother grabbed my leg and screamed if I tried to leave. Like, literally screamed and screamed, like a howler monkey. So. Loud. His blood pressure went up, so Jacques and I,” she flushed, looked at Jacques, “thought it was better to just, you know, let him hold on until we could get a doctor here. But the only doctor he agreed to see is in the Bahamas.”

  Mags sighed. “Then he decided I was his nanny Tinka. And made me hold his hand. And he vomited again. And again. It wasn’t fun. I’m about ready to call 911. I don’t care what you made me sign.” Her face was fierce. “I can’t in good conscience walk out of here not knowing he’s getting help.”

  Jacques nodded. “He’s the same as he's been this whole week, Henri. I cannot control him, nor can I suggest anything. When I do, he threatens to fire me. He says my skills as an EMT are all he needs, and doctors are nonsense. He needs rehab within the next day. I cannot continue to work for him if he does not receive help.” He frowned, his expression sober.

  Henri’s face fell. “It is far more serious than I thought,” he said, clenching his fists. “Merde.” He paced. “If I could just convince him to get on the plane, I can have him at the best clinic in the world within hours. Fuck. But he keeps postponing it. And you’re right. We can’t keep waiting.” He shook his head. “We will have to have him committed here.”

  They all turned as Erik stumbled out of the room, a comforter around his shoulders like a shawl. “I can make my own decisions, thank you very much.” His eyes, bloodshot and bleary, scanned the group. “Henri, Va te faire foutre.”

  Henri’s voice was tense. “Do you understand what is happening? Because you refuse the private clinic in Switzerland, we are going to have to send you to an American hospital against your will. Do you even know what that would do to your reputation? The media? Any chance you have of getting custody of your children or a reunion with Euphalie?” He threw his hands up and swore. “Do you even care?”

  Erik blinked and shrank into himself. “Of course I care about Andrea and Benji. I love them more than anyone. And I’ve never stopped loving Euphalie.”

  “Then for God’s sake, get the help!”

  “Fine.” Erik swallowed hard and swayed. “I will go to Switzerland, to your fucking clinic. We can leave now, on the plane. Right now. Let’s go.”

  “Thank the lord.”

  “But only if she goes.” Erik pointed a shaky finger at Mags. “I need her. She saved me today. She is my angel.”

  Mags rolled her eyes. “There is not a chan—”

  “Of course she’ll accompany you,” soothed Henri, shooting Mags and Maya a fierce look.

  “Jacques?” Mags voice held a quiver. “Will you come, too?”

  “Of course Jacques will come,” said Erik, his eyes flickering shut. “He’s always by my side. He’s more than a bodyguard. He’s my friend. He, too, is an angel, a beautiful, large angel.”

  Jacques stepped up to support his arm. “Get a decent physician here now, Henri. We need to determine what we should do to help Erik before we get him on a plane.”

  As Henri busied himself with the phone, and Jacques attended to Erik, Maya and Mags stood together, uncertain.

  “Are you seriously going to go with them?” Maya tilted her shoulder. “That’s fucked up, Mags.”

  Her friend shrugged. “What else am I supposed to do?”

  “Well, lots of things. Tell them hell, no.”

  “That’s one thing.”

  “Well, sorry, math isn’t my strong point right now!” Maya raised her voice, then lowered it when Jacques looked over. “What if he dies on the way and they blame you? Put
you in some weird European jail or toss you out the emergency exit?”

  “Shh!” Mags darted a look at Henri. “They wouldn’t.” But her voice held uncertainty.

  “You can’t just take off for another country! What about your passport? What about your job, and packing, and all of that?”

  “I don’t know!” Mags raised her voice too. “But you didn’t see him, Maya. He was really fucked the fuck up. Drooling, hallucinating. I don’t know what he took. He was holding onto me so hard he left marks, look.” She pulled up her skirt and showed Maya the bruises on her thigh.

  “Ugh. That’s like BDSM without the sexy fun times.”

  “Right?” Mags hesitated. “And he scratched Jacques up like a cat. It was crazy.”

  “You’re not the right person to help him, Mags.” Maya touched her arm. “I know they think you should go because their wackjob prince thinks he wants you, but he’s high as a fucking kite. He’s going to self-implode, and you shouldn’t be around for that. Seriously.”

  Mags nodded, but bit her lip as she looked over at Jacques and Erik. “It’s just that I couldn’t walk away when he was in trouble. As soon as I got into the car, I knew. You were right, he was drunk. And he took some pills out of his pocket and drank them down with some Dom Perignon. He said he wanted to talk about the charity, and I believe he really did, Maya. He was excited, talked about funding more surgeries and setting up a larger international effort.”

  Mags winced. “But then the vomiting started. And the leg-grabbing. And he insisted on coming here, to the hotel, and that’s where his driver took him. It’s like…” she whispered, “he’s so powerful, that even though he’s literally talking nonsense, they obey him. It’s like they don’t know how to handle it when he’s ill. It’s so strange. I had no idea what to do!”

  She shuddered. Maya hugged her. “Oh, Mags. You did your best. I’m so sorry.”

  “So he wanted me to walk them up, and I figured, fine. Then he cried and wanted me to hold his hand. Sure, I can do that. Next thing you know, it’s hours and hours later, and then you come knocking at the door.” Mags sniffled into Maya’s hair. “All I wanted was a little fun, you know? And I end up being Nanny Tinka to a psychotic megalomaniac. FML.”

  Maya started to giggle.

  “Maya! Stop! It isn’t funny at all.” But Mags joined in. “Okay, it sort of is, in a really fucked up way.”

  Henri came over, all business. “Mags, I don’t expect you to actually fly to Europe with us, but if you would please accompany him at least as far as the plane, that would be very kind. Please.” His voice cracked. “Nobody is going to kill you or put you in a weird European jail.”

  “You heard that?” Maya turned red.

  “You were not exactly whispering,” said Henri, a note of disapproval in his voice. “Besides, according to you, our army is capable only of attacking with cheese. So the worst that could happen is a fondue.” His eyes met hers, and even through his worry and anxiety, she saw a note of humor there. And that passion, lurking below, as well.

  Mags laughed. “You’re funny. He’s funny.” She poked Maya. “Did you know he’s funny?”

  “Yes. Hilarious.” Maya rolled her eyes and blushed.

  “So, if you will please—Jacques will take you to get your passport and your belongings—”

  “You said only as far as the airport.”

  “You will need it to even pass the gate and approach the plane legally, even for a private jet. So, please.”

  “Fine. Come on, Maya.”

  “What, me?” Maya jumped when Mags pulled her arm.

  “I’m not going without you. If I go, you go. Strength in numbers.”

  “I wasn’t invited to this special party, though.” Maya bit her lip. She knew that the end of her time with Henri was coming, but to have it happen this way—rushed, in a room with his vomity brother and no privacy, crushed her soul a little bit.

  She’d imagined—what? Well, at least a tender kiss, a declaration of… not love, of course, but of you were the best ever, and I will never forget you, and nobody else will ever live up, and blah blah something romantic blah.

  “Please, come.” Henri’s body was tense as he glanced at his brother, and Maya remembered his honestly earlier. He stepped forward and touched her arm. “I would like you to come with us.” His eyes were dark, and she couldn’t read his expression. She hoped that he wanted her there simply for her own company, but felt insecure. If this whole thing with his brother needing Mags as his blanky hadn’t happened, surely he wouldn’t have invited her aboard his private jet?

  She wasn’t sure if she should, but in the end, she simply nodded, and left with Mags to get their things.

  ***

  “So that’s the real doctor,” mused Maya, as a weathered man in his fifties strode up to the staircase with a leather bag. She heard his steps, light on the metal stairs, and then the doctor entered the private jet. He shook hands with Henri, approached Erik and put a hand on his shoulder, and the two men talked for a long time.

  “The other one was shit on the phone,” Mags whispered. “Said to let him sleep it off. Then told Jacques to make Erik take two of the blue pills with the white markings, but didn’t say what they were. That made me really nervous.”

  As the doctor spoke at length, Erik’s body language changed from agitated to relaxed, and finally, he heaved a deep sigh and nodded. The doctor took out a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope, and Mags and Maya turned away, stepping into the curtained off front part of the plane.

  “So. I guess he’s in medical hands now. I’m off the hook.” Mags took a deep breath. “God, that was intense.” She held up her hands. “I’m shaking.”

  Maya took them. “You’re Wonder Fucking Woman, Mags. Seriously.”

  Mags shook her head, but smiled. “What does Carrie always say? Don’t walk away if someone needs help. Maybe you’re the only thing between them and despair.”

  “Well, I hope the entire country of Syldavia is grateful to you. They should make you an honorary citizen. Give you a key!”

  “I’d settle for a shower.” Mags wrinkled her nose. “I’m gross, Maya.”

  “I also need a shower.” But hers was for a very different reason, and she flushed and bit her lip.

  “Why do I get the feeling that your evening was way, way better than mine?” Mags narrowed her eyes. “Did you sleep with him?”

  “There was absolutely zero sleeping involved,” promised Maya, then gave a short burst of laughter and grabbed her friend. “I did! I totally did! And it was so goddamn amazing, I can’t even believe it!” She wanted to jump up and down. “It was incredible. He’s incredible. I can’t even. Oh my God.” Her voice trailed off into a dreamy smile as images flashed through her brain. His face, eyes burning into hers. His abs. His cry of passion at the moment of bliss.

  “And you told me not to go crazy for a prince!” Mags hit Maya’s arm. “Slut.”

  “Yeah, whatever. I’d do it again, too.” Her smile faded. “But, I guess I won’t. They need to leave right now, so…” Even as she spoke, Maya felt a twinge of disappointment in her core.

  “Is it time for the two of us to power our way down this jetway and get back home?” Mags asked.

  Maya took a breath. “Probably is.”

  Of course she knew better than to expect anything more from Henri. Their night together had been spectacular, but he was a prince, and she was a regular girl from another country. It was ridiculous to think he’d—what? Ask her for a date?

  How would that go? “Hello, it’s Henri. I’m in Syldavia. Want to come over for dinner? My mother in Bonn and my rich fancy friends think it’s really awesome that I’m dating a dirty commoner. They won’t hate you at all. Don’t worry about a thing. Oh, you don’t speak seven languages and have a prep school education? You’re not from old wealth? No problem!” Yeah, no. That wasn’t going to happen.

  To Maya’s surprise, Mags looked sad, too. “I’d like to say goodbye
to Jacques.” She looked down and twisted her fingers together. “He was really sweet to me today. He helped clean vomit off of me, and we had great teamwork to help Erik.”

  “That does sound very helpful.” Maya nodded.

  Mags’ eyes lit up. “He told me about his family. Did you know he has parents in Syldavia but has dual citizenship with the USA? Isn’t that cool?” She smiled. “He’s a trained EMT! He wants to go to nursing school after he finishes his contract with the royal family.”

  “That’s awesome.” Maya nodded. “Yeah, you should definitely say goodbye. Then we can leave together.”

  But as soon as the two of them pushed back the curtain to enter the lavish main compartment, Erik started to cry. “Tinka!” he shouted, lurching forward and grabbing at Mags. “Tinka, I need you.” He started to sob, then his face became red.

  Mags squeaked and jumped back. “Not again!” She whispered, her voice anxious, “Jacques?”

  Jacques stepped in between them, somehow deflecting Erik and settling him back in his seat.

  The doctor spoke in an undertone. “He’s actually been trying to detox on his own, and he’s experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms. The meds he took were supposed to help him on the withdrawal, but they made him nauseated. He’s stable, and I cleared him to fly, but he needs treatment as soon as possible so he can do the withdrawal appropriately. Is there any way you can just fly with us? Once I get him to the hospital, we can treat him with the appropriate medications, but not on board. It would help settle his mind.”

  “I don’t want to be Tinka anymore.” Mags wiped her eyes.

  Jacques crossed his arms. “She said she doesn’t want to do it. He nearly injured her before.” His voice was strong; not loud, but firm. “Nobody will make her do anything.”

  “It’s a request,” the doctor said. “Nobody will force you to do anything. It’s just that if your presence calms him, it would help. Of course, I understand it’s an imposition.” He cleared his throat.

  “I’ll pay you,” Henri added suddenly. “Fifty thousand dollars, up front. All you have to do is fly to Switzerland with us. We’ll accommodate you overnight and fly you back when you want. Just please help my brother.”