by Karina Halle
She stares at Estelle for a good minute. No confusion, no reaction at all.
And then…
A tear appears at the corner of her eye.
I swallow hard and look over my shoulder at Stella, knowing her mother has never given any kind of emotional reaction in this state.
But Stella is beaming, her hands covering her mouth in shock, gasping with joy.
I look back at her mother.
The tear is rolling down Liva’s face.
She’s smiling at Estelle.
Stella
Monaco
One Year Later
The champagne cork whizzes through the air in a perfect arc, reminding me of a shooting star, reminding me of my beautiful little Estelle.
Then it nearly takes out Viktor, the Prince of Sweden, causing him to duck at the last minute before it bounces off a palm tree and then lands in someone’s soup.
Everyone laughs. The champagne is poured into my glass, into Orlando’s glass and then Prince Pierre, my father-in-law as of now, raises his glass in a toast from his table.
"Here's to my dear son Orlando and his beautiful bride, Stella," he says warmly, alternating between looking at us and looking at the huge crowd like a moderator. That's the thing about royal weddings, they aren't small intimate affairs and since this is the first big wedding they've seen since Pierre and Penelope got married, it seems like every single royal, politician, celebrity, diplomat and aristocrat had been invited. And in a small but prosperous country such as Monaco, it feels like every citizen happens to be one of those important people listed above.
"Here, here," the wedding guests cheer, while someone lets out an overly loud wolf whistle. Oh, that was just Prince Magnus of Norway, who seems to be really into the festivities. He's one of Aksel's friends and he's a real piece of work (in the best way). He's here with his wife, Princess Ella, and their children. Beside him is Prince Viktor and his wife Princess Maggie (that's what the press calls her, anyway. Her mother-in-law, the Queen of Sweden, insists that it's Princess Margaret but at no time has Maggie ever tried to correct the press. So Maggie it is).
They have children too, as well as Maggie's younger siblings, who all joined the family when she married.
They're at the children's table at the back of the reception, along with Clara, Freja and of course, Anya. Agnes is there too, the only adult supervising, and keeping a close watch on Estelle who (thankfully) seems to be sleeping through everything. Other than Estelle, though, they're a rowdy bunch, perhaps even rowdier than Magnus and Viktor, all hopped up on sugar and boredom. Weddings are boring to me too and this wedding in particular was looooong. I should be used to that, my first wedding was the same and Aksel's was no different, but even though it was my own wedding, I couldn't wait to get all of this over with and get to the "I do" part.
That's really the only part that matters.
That's the only part that really feels real.
That I'm now officially Orlando's wife and he's my husband, my prince, and nothing else in the world matters. Not this wedding, not the semantics, just that we're together.
But most of this wedding is for the parents—or maybe all weddings are? And my new in-laws are having a grand time showing off. I'm pretty sure this wedding will go down in history as either the country's biggest or the most expensive. But if I've learned anything in the last year of Estelle being born is that this is one country that truly spares no expense.
Of course, now that Orlando is getting more serious about fulfilling his role as leader one day, he's beginning to notice some things about the country he'd like to change. Already Monaco has a lot of investments into clean energy, but he says that isn't enough. He also wants to follow in Matilde's footsteps and start doing more charity work. His first project was something simple yet meaningful to him—opening up a neuter and spay program in Cyprus. All the stray cats and dogs there are given medication and food and the organization has done a lot so far as to controlling the population and providing proper homes. Sir Mokey's Program (that's actually the official name and the mascot is a cartoon tabby with a crown) may seem like a small change to make and in another country entirely, but it's just a stepping stone for him.
Orlando has often said that he didn't feel any purpose in his life until he learned I was pregnant with Estelle and that purpose has only grown for him over time. Now, with me at his side, he says he wants to do all he can to change the world in all the ways he's able to.
Love changed him.
It sure changed me.
"Speech!" Magnus yells from the crowd.
"Watch yourself," Aksel says to him disapprovingly.
"Hey, who invited the Viking?" Orlando says with a laugh.
Aksel and Aurora are seated at the head table with us, right beside me. On the other side of Orlando is Francis and Matilde.
Francis actually has a date here.
So does Matilde.
They’re seated together somewhere near the back and it’s hard to see them buried among all the royals and famous people. Matilde’s date is a shy guy from her charity organization. He seems like a nice person but they haven’t been dating that long.
Francis, however, has been seeing this dude, a photographer, for the last six months and I think it might be something serious. Francis seems to think so anyway. He only came out about two months ago but to everyone’s surprise, the press hasn’t been that bad or intrusive. I guess all the rumors that had been spread about him were more or less true anyway, and people took it at face value. He’s happy though and that’s all that matters. Even his parents were understanding. I think it helped that Orlando and I already had Estelle, so the pressure for Francis to marry and have kids, AKA future heirs, was off anyway.
I do know that the reason Francis found the courage to come out publicly is because a few months earlier, Zoya had done the same.
Zoya and Emily are now married. They had a secret ceremony that we attended in Copenhagen of all places. The city is known for being a popular destination for same-sex marriages because of how liberal we are and Zoya thought it was fitting.
Shortly after that, she announced her marriage to the world.
There was backlash.
A lot of it.
But Zoya knew it was coming and had time to prepare. She withdrew from the Russian Tennis Federation before they even had a chance to kick her out (and because they ended up publicly distancing themselves from her, it’s obvious she wouldn’t have lasted long). She worked on getting a new coach, pushed aside any Olympic dreams and instead focused on winning her Grand Slams. She may have lost every single one of her Russian sponsors but her sportswear line has only grown in value. People from all over the world buy it to support her, much in the same way Nike has attracted consumers with liberal values.
She’s doing good. She said she still talks with her parents too, and though she said their relationship is strained now, the love she shares with Emily was worth the sacrifice.
As sometimes love is.
Actual, as love always is.
“You look beautiful,” Orlando says as he whispers in my ear. “Did I tell you that tonight?”
I laugh into my champagne, the bubbles tickling my nose. “You have told me that. Many times. But you know I never tire of your compliments.”
“That’s funny,” he says with a wry expression, “because I very clearly remember a time where my compliments seemed to annoy you.”
“That’s because they were crude,” I remind him. “You were trying to get a rise out of me. As usual.”
“As crude as they were, they were still complimentary.” He leans in closer, his breath tickling my neck, his lips on my ear. “Like if I told you I can’t wait to rip this dress off you later and taste your sweet, wet cunt, you’d take that as a compliment, right?”
My cheeks immediately go red. The whole entire wedding is staring at us right now, or at least staring at Pierre as he’s now going on and on about the country or the wed
ding or who knows what, and yet they have no idea the things Orlando is saying to me.
“Go on,” I tell him, my voice getting throaty. And yes, I am already wet. The man—my husband—he just does it for me. Every time.
“I’m not sure what else there is to say,” he murmurs, kissing behind my ear. “It’s more that I need to show you. Right here, under the table.”
I tense up and pull back to give him a warning look. “Don’t you dare,” I whisper. Sexual innuendo is one thing but I’m not going to have him fingerbang me under the table in front of every single guest and every single camera.
“Are you sure?” he asks playfully, his hand going down under the table and resting on my knee. “Because I think you’re just being demure for the fun of it.”
“Orlando, if you try anything, I will…”
“Speech!” Now it’s Aurora yelling it, right in my ear. I think she knows what was about to go down. “Speeeech. Stelllllllllaaaaaaaaaa.”
Oh boy.
The Queen of Denmark might be drunk. This is that Seinfeld episode all over again.
I smack Orlando’s hand under the table and then I get up, smoothing down my dress. I give Aurora a complacent smile and look out to the crowd.
“In a night of speeches, I don’t want to bore you.”
“Too late!” Magnus yells. I think half the crowd laughs, the other half looks horrified.
I go on, making a mental note to keep the mic way from Magnus. “But I do want to say one thing and that is thank you. Thank you for accepting me into your hearts and into your countries. Thank you for being so open and supportive, not only with me but with the people I love. Thank you for showing us compassion and respect. Thank you for coming here and sitting through boring speeches.”
Everyone laughs, because it’s true.
I look to Orlando, at his beautiful face, those clear blue eyes that are brimming with so much love for me, I know my heart is spilling over.
“And thank you to my husband, to my prince. Thank you for coming into my life at the right time, the time I needed you the most. Thank you for the most wonderful gift of Estelle. And thank you for making me realize that I too am deserving of happiness and a happy ending. That used to be all I ever wished for.”
I once wished it upon a star.
THE END
Thank you all so much for reading The Royal Rogue!
Reviews of this book and others are much appreciated and make my author world go around! If you loved it, I would appreciate a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever you like to review. THANK YOU!
If you’re wanting to check out any of my other romances, I have too many to list, but here are some of my favourites (and all are available on Kindle Unlimited):
Start here, with my Nordic Royals series (all standalone!)
- THE SWEDISH PRINCE
(The Prince of Sweden falls for an American girl - spin on Roman Holiday)
- THE WILD HEIR
(The bad boy Prince of Norway has to marry a good girl princess in a marriage of convenience)
- A NORDIC KING
(The widowed King of Denmark falls for his much younger nanny)
And if you like age gaps and forbidden romance, try:
- BEFORE I EVER MET YOU ( young single mom falls for her father’s best friend)
- LOVE IN ENGLISH (the ultimate forbidden romance with the sexiest Spanish soccer star ever)
Like best friends to lovers?
- BAD AT LOVE (a quirky friends-to-lovers romance)
- THE PACT (two best friends agree to marry each other by the time they’re thirty)
Hot sexy Canadians? Start with Wild Card…
- THE NORTH RIDGE SERIES (A trilogy about three rugged mountain men from Canada with very dangerous and thrilling jobs and the women who love them)
-> If you want to connect with me, you can always find me on Instagram (where I post travel photos, fashion, teasers, etc, IG IS MY LIFE and the easiest place to find me online)
-> or in my Facebook Group (we’re a fun bunch and would love to have you join)
-> Otherwise, feel free to signup for my mailing list (it comes once a month) and Bookbub alerts!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
About the Author
Karina Halle, a former travel writer and music journalist, is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of The Pact, A Nordic King, and Sins & Needles, as well as fifty other wild and romantic reads. She, her husband, and their adopted pit bull live in a rain forest on an island off British Columbia, where they operate a B&B that’s perfect for writers’ retreats. In the winter, you can often find them in California or on their beloved island of Kauai, soaking up as much sun (and getting as much inspiration) as possible. For more information, visit www.authorkarinahalle.com/books.
Also by Karina Halle
Contemporary Romances
Love, in English
Love, in Spanish
Where Sea Meets Sky (from Atria Books)
Racing the Sun (from Atria Books)
The Pact
The Offer
The Play
Winter Wishes
The Lie
The Debt
Smut
Heat Wave
Before I Ever Met You
After All
Rocked Up
Wild Card (North Ridge #1)
Maverick (North Ridge #2)
Hot Shot (North Ridge #3)
Bad at Love
The Swedish Prince
The Wild Heir
A Nordic King
Nothing Personal
My Life in Shambles
Discretion
Disarm
Disavow
The Royal Rogue
Romantic Suspense Novels by Karina Halle
Sins and Needles (The Artists Trilogy #1)
On Every Street (An Artists Trilogy Novella #0.5)
Shooting Scars (The Artists Trilogy #2)
Bold Tricks (The Artists Trilogy #3)
Dirty Angels (Dirty Angels #1)
Dirty Deeds (Dirty Angels #2)
Dirty Promises (Dirty Angels #3)
Black Hearts (Sins Duet #1)
Dirty Souls (Sins Duet #2)
Horror Romance
Darkhouse (EIT #1)
Red Fox (EIT #2)
The Benson (EIT #2.5)
Dead Sky Morning (EIT #3)
Lying Season (EIT #4)
On Demon Wings (EIT #5)
Old Blood (EIT #5.5)
The Dex-Files (EIT #5.7)
Into the Hollow (EIT #6)
And With Madness Comes the Light (EIT #6.5)
Come Alive (EIT #7)
Ashes to Ashes (EIT #8)
Dust to Dust (EIT #9)
The Devil’s Duology
Donners of the Dead
Veiled