NATASHA I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have the heart to say it to Elsida so, I did what every bastard does, I kept my mouth shut and wallowed in my despair.I was trying to come to terms with the fact that Julien is supposedly my half-brother. That’s some messed up shit.After I read that bit of my mom’s journal, it took two hours of sitting blankly in the living room before I was able to gather the willpower to organize her things and hide the journal far away, where no one could find it.However, I think keeping my mouth shut is the biggest mistake I’ve made because now, I’m sitting in the same room as my smiling sister who looks ethereal in her wedding robe and sits patiently as the makeup artist accentuates her face.“Nat, are you okay? Don’t tell me you stayed up all night watching Gossip Girl?” Elsida asks, arching an eyebrow at me.I lift my face from the newspaper in my hand and rise to my feet with my heart thudding rapidly against my rib cage.“I’m fine El, my bad, I shouldn
JULIENMy head spins with countless thoughts as I slide my phone back into my pocket and my heart threatens to burst out of my rib cage.What the fuck was going on? Dylan eyes me warily and my Dad rises from his sitting position.“Son, is everything okay?”“We need to leave,” I rasp, not sparing them or the confused priest another glance as I rush out of the church.We arrive at the Dalton house and I barely knock on the door before I pull it open.“What’s going on? Elsida, where are you, are you good?” I mumble incoherently before I take note of the still silence that encompasses the room.My eyes collide with Elsida’s and my breath dissipates.The tears that coat her cheeks make my heart break and I take a step forward to her.“El are you?”“Julien, “ Natasha chides as she reaches out with an arm to stop me.“You shouldn’t,” she whispers.ELSIDA I cannot breathe.Julien is standing less than five feet apart from me but I cannot summon the courage to meet his eyes.We share a sibli
THREE YEARS LATER JULIEN“Babe, look at that statue, ugh, Spain is so pretty!” Claudia muttered as she clutched a firm hand on her baby bump.“Mhmm, it is,” I murmured distractedly.I cannot believe it.For the first time in three years, I’m back in Spain and I’m going to see her. It’s not like a day goes by where my thoughts don’t flicker over her but seeing her in person? Gut-wrenching.I know it is the most idiotic thing to be thinking about another woman when I’m married and my wife is five months pregnant.It’s not as though I chose to marry her, it was out of a business obligation my father believed would be rewarding for our Empire.I didn’t have much of a choice, investors were starting to speculate about my disastrous relationship, and setting down seemed to appease them.Well as for the baby on the way… It was a stressful day and I made a simple mistake.I slept with Claudia, and now she has everything she’s ever wanted.I’m going to be a Father in four months.I still fi
ELSIDAHe hadn’t changed, not even a bit.Save for the rough stubble gracing his defined jaw, there was nothing uncharacteristic about him.“I must admit Princess Elsida, I was anticipating a welcoming collaboration with your nouvelle brand but now I’m not quite sure if it is a match for my empire.”Ahh, there was the ever-bright personality. I school my face into a practiced calm and give him my most formal smile.“Mr. Benoit, I’m sure we can formally discuss this, surely there is a way we can come to a compromise?”I had no clue what we were trying to compromise for. Julien was just being difficult and he knew it.He knew what my custom prints could do for their fashion line or else, he wouldn’t have traveled to Spain for this.He arches an amused brow at my calm facade, a stark contrast to the treacherous beating of my heart.“Well then, since you’ve finally graced me with your presence, I suppose one conversation wouldn’t hurt.” He takes a seat opposite and crosses his legs, hi
ELSIDA “They said what?” Natasha asks, spitting her tea onto the grass.I give her a warning glare. “Nat, what have I told you about overreacting?”She ignores my jab and continues to look at me like I’ve grown a second head. “Yes Natasha, the King and Queen Requested that Julien and his wife come to the ball this evening and Julien plans to stay in Spain to oversee the project.”“Hmmm,” Natasha murmurs while taking a sip of her tea.I quirk an eyebrow. “Spit it.”She sighs, “And you’re okay with this? They may be oblivious to how Things ended with you and Julien but I’m not, and neither is Dad. Hell Elsida, even Adrian doesn’t know that-“ she says the last part as a whisper and I glare at her.“You shouldn’t mention such around here,” I murmur, risking a glance at the maids who pay us no mind.I know better, they gossip in this palace. One way or another whatever they hear could end up in the ears of someone very important.I cannot for the life of me risk that.Nat casts me an apol
ELSIDA I couldn’t take my eyes off him and I hoped it wasn’t painfully obvious to onlookers.What would they say?Princess Elsida has eyes for someone who isn’t the Prince?Good grudges, I didn’t understand why Julien had to be here.Adrian’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I gave him a bright smile as my gaze returned to him.“May I have this dance Princessa?”“Of course,” I murmur, my voice low.Julien’s eyes remain on mine the whole time Adrian and I waltz in the center of the ballroom and I finally manage to force my eyes away from his daunting green hues.God, this was so wrong.From my periphery, I spot him walking to whom I assume is his wife; Claudia.He hands her a golden goblet and presses his lips to her cheek.Claudia’s pale face turns crimson and I force a swallow.“You look beautiful tonight Princessa,” Adrian whispers in my ear.“Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.” I give him a half smile.He swirls me around and in a fluid motion, pulls me toward him.
ELSIDA I was so stupid. Utterly stupid.My mouth opened and closed like a fish and I couldn’t for the life of me mutter the two-letter word that would put an end to this traitorous yet cloud-nine feeling spiraling inside of me.I let out a moan and my head slipped back as Julien’s fingers skimmed my folds.“Is that a yes El?”“Please don’t stop,” I rasped.“Good girl, ugh El, you’re so tight. I missed this,” Julien’s voice was like a caress against my ears and I felt a shudder course through my bones.God I missed this too. I missed his hands, and how they made me feel, I didn’t want it to stop but it was so wrong yet it felt so right, so damning.“Use your words El, where do you want me?” He rasped.“Everywhere,” I moaned.“Ahh El,” his laughter made my legs clench on instinct.“You’ll have to be more specific about that love.”I didn’t pay heed to his words as I guided his hands deeper into me, his groan made my insides turn to putty as his fingers plunged into me filling me with
ELSIDA “How could you be so stupid Elsida?” Nat bellows at me once Julien slips away and I adjust my dress.My heart ricochets wildly in my chest. Not just from the way she looks at me as though I made the worst mistake, Julien’s fingers claimed me and the thought cannot seem to rid my senses.“Nat, you’re screaming,” I rasp as I move away from her.Tough luck for me because, her hand grips mine firmly, rooting me to the spot.I let out a heavy sigh and my gaze glides over to hers. Whatever she sees in my eyes makes her face soften instantly and I look away.“El, you know this is wrong he’s my-““You don’t have to remind me, Nat,” I snap, not sure where the anger is coming from.Her gaze doesn’t waver, “You can’t make stupid decisions like this Elsida, imagine if someone other than me found you both, what would the story have been like?”My fists clench at my sides and my breathing comes out ragged. “I don’t know Nat, I wasn’t thinking I just…”Nat pulls me into her hands and her han