Royal S.O.B. (A Bad Boy Romance)

by Kaitlyn Kevette

  With all the trepidation of a man about to wed, he pulled the tip of the ribbon. The rolled sheet opened up, still curving at the ends.

  Kenrick straightened it and read it patiently. It was a long Letters Patent that invoked all the covenants since the time of the Magna Carta, and was purported to be under the Seal of God – since all kings were considered representatives of the Almighty.

  He set the order aside and sat thinking. In spite of himself, he sighed.

  Instinctively, he thought of Addie. It had been more than two months since they had met – in fact, ever since that eventful session in the Royal Gallery. The mere thought of it filled him with a weird kind of sickness.

  What beastly behavior was that, from him? He had thrown her asunder like a banana peel. By any yardstick, this was not the way to treat her, who was a royal like him and also his stepsister. He felt ashamed yet again, nodding his head in disgust.

  He wanted her bad, but he could not bring himself to accost her after that disaster. How would she be reacting to his work, Kenrick wondered. It was true that he had begun his charity to – among other things – please her and win her over. But now it had outgrown his narrow view for it, and acquired a life of its own. It had its own vision, and it had matured beyond his wildest imagination.

  He opened the drawer and drew forth the note Addie had sent him, after the news broke out that he was constructing a home for the destitute.

  Dear Prince Kenrick,

  Many congratulations on your wonderful initiative of building a home for the homeless.

  This is a landmark step – hopefully the first of many to come from you.

  Kind regards,

  Princess Adelaide

  There was no bitterness in that letter. No malice whatsoever. It was as if the disaster between them had never happened. She was a specialist in that department, anyway – to pretend as if things never transpired. She always let bygones be bygones. Another great quality in her, he surmised.

  Kenrick had not replied to this note, more out of embarrassment than anything else. But the window was open for him: He could send her a reply and attempt to renew their relationship. It was a possibility. But he had to hurry up. The later that reply went, the more awkward it would appear.

  But what to write? How to respond?

  He had no clue.

  *****

  Addie was pleasantly surprised to receive a note from Kenrick. Her own message had gone a week earlier, and no reply had come thus. Maybe this was it.

  Dear Addie,

  I'm skipping the royal salutations – it sounded odd, and I've wasted enough stationery rewriting that bit.

  I write to thank you for your wishes, but above and beyond that, I thank you for having shown me the way – quite unwittingly, perhaps.

  I've been inspired by your conduct and your approach towards the less fortunate. Your charity was the last straw – it was a warning to me that I better do something purposeful with my life, or else.

  Today I'm glad that I heeded to that pressure, and that I followed in your footsteps. It was a blessing that came my tortured way.

  If I had not, it would have definitely ended in my destruction.

  My submission is: If you bear me no malice for the unfortunate events that have occurred between us, I would love to meet you and renew our friendship once more.

  In gratitude, and in hope,

  Kenrick

  She sat there in silence for well over fifteen minutes. Then she went back and read it once again. And again.

  The sea change in the man was apparent in every word on that page. Addie knew that he would have taken great care to craft that message, and every word resonated with the positivity of his recent transformation.

  She knew that not one word in that letter was fake. She was convinced of its sincerity; she could almost hear the heart that was beating behind it.

  Addie smiled to herself.

  *****

  It was a beautiful sunny morning.

  There were clusters of clouds, northbound, racing as if in a hurry. Birds were flying in formation, but unlike the clouds, they were in no haste whatsoever. A butterfly, which came up floating from the greenery below, flitted around. A gentle breeze was blowing, caressing the two people seated on the terrace.

  Kenrick had invited Addie for breakfast. And she had accepted the invitation. There they were, having breakfast on the terrace of the prince's chambers – in truth, having less of breakfast and more of conversation.

  The two of them were like long-lost friends, happily chattering away, laughing intermittently, giving each other high-fives; asking, answering, and having a bite in between all of this.

  In the meantime, Addie had grown to realize that there was so much more to Kenrick than mind-blowing orgasms. Maybe he was the one for her... maybe the Almighty had ordained it that way.

  And Kenrick, too, understood that the two of them had several common interests, and could indulge in a lot more than earth-shattering sex.

  Addie now saw Kenrick as not just a fat wallet – which he was, till recently, along with his fat cock. She was now certain that he also had a heart of gold.

  And Kenrick could finally comprehend the positive influence Addie had on him. If she could inspire him so much from a distance, what kind of spell would she cast up close?

  And he was going to be king soon… That changed all equations for them.

  From Prince Kenrick to King Kenrick was a huge distance. There could be no more clandestine meetings, not even open rendezvous like this one. His world would soon be ruled by covenants, appointments, Letters Patent – and international politics. Kenrick would be this figurehead whose life was run by others in the palace, people in the national government, and higher-ups in governments of world countries. Privacy would be a forgotten word.

  "Great, Kenrick," said Addie, by way of farewell.

  "Thank you for having me over. I really had a good time."

  "Me too, Addie," Kenrick replied.

  "I only wish breakfasts were longer, without interruptions like brunches or lunches."

  Addie laughed. This was surely not the Kenrick of the old; when did they ever have a conversation like this, a civilized exchange of communication? He was only ever sex, sex, sex. The old Kenrick was merely that, a sex machine. But this one?

  This Kenrick had grown, both in stature and as a man. This Kenrick was a worthy royal personage, on whose shoulders could rest huge responsibilities. This Kenrick was someone Addie was proud of, a real macho personality, and would truly make a good leader.

  My country is in safe hands, said Addie to herself.

  *****

  The coronation was just three days away.

  Guests had started arriving from all over the country: Dukes and duchesses, earls and countesses, gentlemen and ladies, royals by birth, royals by relation, the works.

  Preparations were in full swing at the palace. The media was getting ready for this historic event. And there was a general surge of anticipation, a wave of excitement, among the common folk. They were about to get a new king, after all, and if the current disposition of the heir apparent was anything to go by, they were bound to celebrate long after the coronation was over.

  Kenrick was in a state of panic. Not because he was going to be crowned as the king in less than a week, but because he had not met Addie again yet. And he wanted to meet her at least once more as just Kenrick – not as the king.

  And he had things to discuss. Or it would be too late.

  There was no time for notes, so he decided to just give her a call.

  "Kenrick! What a surprise!" Addie's excitement was palpable.

  "Hi Addie, can I talk?"

  Rather unusual of Kenrick, but she now came to terms with it.

  "Yes, please go ahead."

  *****

  The next morning, amidst all the hullabaloo, they were having breakfast again, on the same sun-drenched, windswept terrace at Kenrick's manor.

  It w
as identical to the morning a few days ago, except that the animated conversations were missing. Both Addie and Kenrick were subdued; in fact, they were not talking much. Nor were they eating much, and it seemed both were lost in their own little worlds.

  Both of them knew that this would be their last meeting in peace. Perhaps that explained the silence.

  "There's lots I need to tell you, Addie," said Kenrick, at long last.

  He was aware of time ticking, the seconds slipping away. After breakfast, he had a string of appointments, meetings with secretaries to government, followed by dinner with the prime minister, all in preparation of him becoming the king.

  "And there's lots I need to tell you, too, Kenrick," said Addie, looking up at him.

  "Okay, ladies first," replied Kenrick, glint in his eye.

  "No, king-in-waiting first," retorted Addie.

  "Okay," conceded Kenrick, thinking of the time they were losing in banter.

  He did not – could not – say anything for some time.

  "Well?" came from Addie.

  Kenrick let out a deep breath.

  "Okay, here goes." It seemed he was steeling his resolve to say this.

  Kenrick got down on one knee, much to Addie's awe, and took her gently by the hand.

  "Adelaide Isabella Royce, will you be my queen?"

  A flock of pigeons came and landed on the terrace, at a little distance from where they were sitting. The sun shone, the wind blew. Seconds ticked by.

  Addie was flummoxed. She knew he had a thing for her, but that it was full-blown love, she was unaware of. And a request of this kind, coming from Kenrick, was the last thing she expected.

  "Well, it won't be easy," she said at long last, gathering her wits about her.

  "You'll again have to go on your knees in front of everyone and propose to me formally – in the coronation hall, right after you are crowned king, so that I can be assured you are being genuine."

  Kenrick laughed and laughed. This wicked sense of humor, at a time of seriousness like this – he liked it very much.

  "Agreed," he said, still laughing.

  "But I never thought this would be easy – asking you, I mean."

  Addie smiled. It looked like she was waiting for her turn.

  "Now," said Kenrick.

  "What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

  "Yup," said Addie, in true Addie fashion.

  She took a long, deep breath.

  Kenrick waited.

  This could be big, he thought.

  "Well, I'm happy to announce that I'm more than eight weeks pregnant!"

  "What!" came from Kenrick.

  But it was not a question, merely an expression of surprise.

  "You... never told me!" was all he could say.

  "Well, you never gave me the chance to," Addie came back quickly.

  "That's… fabulous news!" said Kenrick, still coming to terms with this piece of unexpected fortune.

  Again, they were silent. Each were digesting what the other had said, thinking of what it meant, and what the implications were.

  "There's only one thing, though."

  It was Addie who spoke.

  "And it's a rather big thing."

  Kenrick looked up, with questioning eyes.

  "You and I are stepsiblings."

  That sentence reached Kenrick's ears. He had been thinking of the same issue, and now Addie's concern had confirmed that it would, indeed, be a scandal.

  "It would be a scandal," Addie continued, second-guessing him.

  "And I'm certain I don't need to tell you what royal scandals are all about. Or the kind of havoc that results."

  "Yes." Kenrick was in deep thought mode.

  "And this in a new king."

  She always hit the nail on the head.

  "The media will have an alternate celebration, coming closely on the heels of your coronation."

  Kenrick did not say anything. It was all true, it was all valid. But they – Addie and he – had their own lives to live. They had equal right to their lives; so what if they happened to be royals?

  And then there was the baby.

  "But then there's the baby," Addie echoed his thoughts.

  "What's the baby's fault to be denied its rights?"

  "No, we must do right with the baby, come what may," agreed Kenrick, determination dominant in his voice.

  Both were silent again, Addie secretly thrilled at the things Kenrick had just said. This man had changed, and how!

  Here was the perfect man, the complete man, the man who deserved to be her husband. She sent a silent prayer of thanks to the gods above.

  "Well," said Kenrick, at last.

  "Let's take this one step at a time. Let the coronation get over, and then we'll worry about how to move our lives forward."

  Addie smiled. That seemed fair enough.

  "Addie," said Kenrick, emotion deep in his voice.

  "I don't want you to worry on this score. I know it's tricky, but we'll find a way around it."

  "Thank you, Kenrick," Addie replied, moved.

  "I know if you're with me, by my side, then what worry do I have?"

  Kenrick placed his hand on hers. She looked up at him. Their eyes met, their eyes locked. There was a lot in those four eyes, a lot that was being told and listened, a lot of promise of good times ahead.

  "Addie," said Kenrick reassuringly.

  "We already rule the world, so why lose sleep over what the world thinks?"

  Addie placed her other hand over Kenrick's.

  They held each other's hands.

  She felt a life stirring inside her.

  That moment, it had to be divine. And their eyes, still locked onto each other, looked forward to a million such moments in the future.

  Somewhere in the distance, birds were flying in formation, high up in the sky.

  It was a beautiful day.

  And a beautiful life.

  Epilogue

  Addie and Kenrick were married six weeks after his father, the former king, had passed. By that point, there was no longer concern over their union being deemed a scandal, as the two were technically no longer stepsiblings by marriage. Eyebrows were still raised, of course, over the seemingly expedited love affair that had come about between the prince – now king – and former princess. But grief had a way of drawing a person closer to a friendly, familiar face – of this the public knew. And Addie was that face.

  It was a beautiful ceremony, and the new Queen Adelaide was more beautiful still. No one was the wiser that Addie was carrying a secret inside, as it was still too early for her to be showing. That baby, her secret, their secret – it made the big wedding day even more remarkable. Standing beside the man she loved, their 'love' between them. It wasn't just the start of a new life, it was the start of a family.

  When the public got wind that the queen was expecting – she had gotten pregnant very fast, the two were that in love – it was the joy of the land. No one dared questioned the math on Addie's due date; the king's father had just passed, after all, it wouldn't have been kind. And the media had other things to buzz about in the meantime: Boy or girl? Traditional name or unique? And where did Queen Adelaide get her maternity style?

  Reynold Patrick 'Phantom' Royce was born eight pounds, seven ounces, to an overjoyed Addie and Kenrick. It was hard to tell who was happier over this latest royal addition, the king and queen or the nation.

  Reynold may have been royalty, but he would not grow up spoiled like his father, Kenrick, once was. His blood was blue, certainly, but he had Addie's, too.

  And she would keep the two most important men in her life in balance, forevermore.

  Did you enjoy the book? If so, please consider leaving a review on Amazon! Your feedback is invaluable to me.

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