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Loosening My Tie
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Billionaire Alpha He's Gone
SophiaMy lips were swollen and hot from Luke kissing me. I wanted him to bring me over to the couch to make love to me, but with his mother’s phone call, I knew those plans were gone for good.My chest tightened as Luke picked up the phone and put his mother on speaker. That little gesture meant a lot to me. He trusted me with personal family business, and I could have kissed him for it if it were an appropriate time.“Hello, Mother?” Luke said into the phone.There was a long pause, and then a sharp inhale mixed with what sounded like a sob.My hand clamped over my mouth and tears welled in my eyes. Luke’s eyes didn’t move from the phone as his mother spoke.“Luke,” she said. “Your father passed away a few minutes ago.”Luke’s chest heaved with the effort of breathing. It was a good thing that my legs were still around him. If he passed out or something, then I could at least try to prevent him from smacking his head on the marble tile.“What happened?” he asked.“It was peaceful,”
Billionaire Alpha Shifting Through Emotions
SophiaWe sat there for some time in silence. Luke’s head appeared to get heavier in my lap, and I thought he had fallen asleep. When I leaned over to check on him, he spoke.“He was a good man,” Luke said.“He was,” I said.A smile touched his lips as his eyes fluttered open. “When I first moved to the palace, I was so scared. At the orphanage, we were crammed into small rooms. All of us were on top of each other all the time. Father gave me a room big enough to fit more than half of the orphanage building inside. It was too much for me, so Father would allow me to sleep in his room.”“That’s nice.”He chuckled. “Mother didn’t appreciate it because, apparently, I was quite the restless sleeper. But sleeping in their room helped. Eventually, I felt bad for taking up their days and nights and made my way back to my room. But Father always gave me the time and space that I needed, even when I didn’t know I needed it.”“Sounds like he cared for you a great deal,” I said.“He did,” Luke s
Billionaire Alpha Unrest
LukeWith each trip back home, a myriad of emotions tended to flow through me. When I traveled back the first time with Sophia, I was anxious to introduce her to my family and get my mother off my back about hooking me up with whatever woman she had chosen. On the previous trip back, I felt dread for Father’s illness.As I held Sophia’s hand during takeoff for another trip to Qatar, I wasn’t sure what to feel. I had unloaded all my feelings for Father after hearing the news from Mother. They had been locked away for years in the back of my mind, especially when Father started pushing me to replace him as king. In my annoyance, I’d forgotten everything that Father had done for me over the years.Under his rough exterior, he’d always been the one that I could count on during my many tough transitions in life.Remembering our last conversation, I wished I could have said more. His words held much more weight to them than I had initially thought. Did he know he wouldn’t make it past the w
Billionaire Alpha Sorrow
LukeMother sighed heavily and leaned against her pillows. She stared at the ceiling.The conversation between Father and me reminded me of the next conversation I had with Mother. If she had been the one who died, I would have felt terrible about the things I’d said to her. Watching Father pass so quickly, I realized how short life was.“I’m sorry for what I said to you the last time I was here,” I said.She waved a dismissive hand. “I don’t want to talk about her.”I gritted my teeth. Even in the face of losing her husband, she still held onto her hatred for Sophia. Or maybe she had given up. Either way, this was no time to argue. We had work to do, and neither Mother nor Abir seemed to be willing to put in that work.“I know you’re in mourning,” I said. The customs of our country gave widows much time to mourn the loss of their husbands. But Mother was also a queen and not one to sit down and let life take over when there was work to be done. “We have much to do to prepare for the
Billionaire Alpha Arrangements
SophiaThe next morning, there was more movement in the palace than I’d ever seen before. Servants rushed around, completing their tasks, while I was utterly lost and I had no idea what to do with my hands, never mind my body.Luke explained that everything was taken care of, but I still felt as if I should be doing something.Early that morning, two servants came into the room carrying several different options for the funeral. They all looked the same to me as they were black and heavy on the fabric. I chose the lightest one that covered every inch of me, other than my hands and the neck up. It came with an accompanying headscarf. I didn’t try that on, not wanting to embarrass myself if I arranged it incorrectly. Luke would help me later on if necessary.Luke kept me at his side the entire day, enough that I felt like an accessory more than his girlfriend. I wondered if he was protecting me from his Mother or if I was his main support system. Either way, I didn’t mind.Guests arrive
Billionaire Alpha Becoming Queen
SophiaWhile they didn’t get the answer they were looking for, everyone who approached us was friendly toward me. They acknowledged my presence, much to Gia’s disappointment. I felt her heated stare from across the room more times than I could count. While I appreciated the kindness toward me, I wondered if it was just them being polite or if they thought I would be their future queen.I had to immediately shake away that thought. I didn’t want to be with Luke just to become his queen. I wasn’t sure if I wanted the position at all. Erol’s funeral was not the time to consider it. Luke wanted his space when it came to the throne, and I would comply, if not for my own selfish reasons as well. When it came to any future between Luke and me, I knew it involved a crown on one or both of our heads.When there was a little break in the crowd coming to speak with us, Luke pulled me aside. We stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the other side of the room, opposite from Gia and Abir. I wasn
Billionaire Alpha Ready to Be King
LukeFor the last hour of the banquet, I wanted nothing more than for it to end so I could go up to my room with Sophia. While it would have been nice to make love with her, after the full day of activities, I was mentally and physically exhausted. I had attended numerous banquets at the palace throughout my life, but obviously, this one was different. Typically, I was able to enjoy myself. I never shirked my responsibilities, but most of the time, Father was the center of attention. Everyone wanted to talk to a king more than a prince.With Father gone, I got a glimpse of what being king would be like. It wasn’t hard, but it was exhausting. I figured it would get better over time. Sophia made it a little easier.If I were to take the throne, I wanted her with me. I knew that now, more than ever. She spoke eloquently to our guests, and with her charm and wit, she could handle an intelligent conversation, rather than being the silent partner that Mother tended to be when she was with F
Billionaire Alpha Stronger Than You Think
LukeI knew she meant to ask if there were any more funeral events, but I wanted to be honest with her about what was going to happen. I didn’t want to blindside her after the council decided. This was the last chance for us if she wanted to be by my side for the rest of our lives.“There will be a council meeting tomorrow,” I said.“Tomorrow?” she asked. “A little soon?”“Not really,” I said. “We will mourn for a while, but business needs to be handled by the next heir. And that heir is to be chosen the day after a ruler is buried.”Sophia was silent for the rest of the walk over to my room. I really didn’t want to have this conversation when both of us were dead on our feet, but if not now, when? I had to put my cards on the table, no matter how much I didn’t want to.When we reached my chambers, I helped Sophia out of her dress. I couldn’t help my hands from roaming around her body. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and peered up at me. Without any words between us, we knew
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