Rain was pelting down so hard, I could barely see where I was going in the dark. The icy raindrops soaked through my lush hair, turning it into a tangled mess. Thunder roared so loud it made my heart pound louder. The wind whipped hard at my pale yellow gown, sending coarse shivers down my spine.
Hugging myself to shield my body from cold, I stopped for a moment and strained my eyes to look at the dense woods. Bursts of blinding lightning illuminated the endless dark skies for just a second. I thought I caught a glimpse of something. Nestled among the trees, it looked like a quaint log cabin. Another flash of lightning, and there it was, a cozy looking wood cabin, flickers of orange glow emanating through its frosted windowpanes.
Ah, a fireplace sounded so good right now. I scurried towards it in desperate hope, the damp earth sucking at my feet.
After hesitating for a moment, I banged on the door.
No answer.
I knocked harder this time. Pressing my rain-smeared face to the glass, I peered into the cozy warmth. Please tell me someone was in there.
With a bang, the cabin door flew open, nearly knocking me over. A tall figure, broad-shouldered and imposing, stood framed against the warm glow. His hard abs tensed beneath his skin as his gaze swept over me, taking in my shivering form, lingering a beat too long on my face. Despite the chilly night air, heat lanced through my body, flooding my cheeks. Something lingered in the depth of those stormy grey eyes I couldn't fathom.
He scooped me up in his arms, his warmth setting my cold shivering body ablaze. Taking my hand into his palm, he gently caressed my fingertips with his lips, sending tingles all over my skin. A nagging voice in my head, a vestige of reason, told me this was wrong. But it was quickly drowned out by the primal thrumming in my veins. Hunger, raw and untamed, flickered in his eyes as his hands explored my body, tearing up every bit of fabric that was in the way.
I stiffened in his hold, my breath catching in my throat when he ripped my panties and cupped the cheeks of my butt, seating me naked on the French-style dresser. A very expensive dresser, just like the one I had seen a thousand times at the Campbell mansion, but he was not a Campbell Royal.
Men in the Campbell family were all hot and handsome, but this man was hotter. His touch, wasn't just physical; it was a claiming, sending my mind into a hazy blur.
My fingers, hesitant at first, found their way to the solid wall of his chest, trying to feel his hard pecs before tracing their way down to his pants. A low moan escaped my lips, a strangled sound that mirrored the tightening knot of desire in my stomach. His response was immediate, a searing kiss that stole the air from my lungs.
What was it about him? He just needed to look at me for one brief moment and my nipples were taut and my core was on fire. Knowing full well the effect he had on me, his lips curled into a slow smile as he dropped to his knees between my thighs.
My breath quickened.
My words were a mere whimper.
"W-wait..."
His playful eyes did strange things to my stomach. I could hear the loud pounding of my heart as he reached out, his hand brushing against the curve of my thigh. The air crackled with a tension that had nothing to do with the storm outside.
"Tell me, Penny... Am I the only one losing my mind here?"
Wishing that my legs weren't so visibly shaky, I thrust my fingers into his hair and closed my eyes, pulling his head closer to my wetness. His hungry mouth was immediately on my folds, dragging his tongue over and over and sucking my sensitive bud.
"Aghh!" Tightening my grip on his hair and wrapping my legs around him, I threw my head back, shaking uncontrollably in pleasure. He continued flicking my clit with his tongue while pumping his two fingers slowly into my sopping slit.
"I want you to come for me Penny, again and again. I love you." His eyes were dark as the night for a moment as he said those words. Pleasure seized my body when he quickened the pace of his thrusting fingers and curled them inside me. Cupping his face with my hands, I kissed him hard as my toes curled from a wave of orgasm ripping through me.
"Please, I want the next one when you are inside me." My cheeks flushed right after uttering such words, and I giggled like an idiot, burying my face in the crook of his neck. I wanted to make him feel good. But I didn't know if it was okay to be so brazen about it.
Tugging me closer to him, he rained my face with kisses before reaching for the bulge in the front of his pants. My breathing turned uneven again as I watched him undo his pants and push them down to his knees. Swallowing hard, I grasped onto his shoulders as he rubbed his hardness against my pulsing entrance.
"Fucking hell!" He murmured, massaging his swollen head over my wetness and slapping it against my clit before pushing himself inside me slowly, inch by inch. "You are so ready for me, so soaked, begging to be filled."
His warm mouth was all over my neck, his fingers pinching my aching nipples. I couldn't stop myself from clenching around him as he slammed himself into me roughly. Dragging my nails down his chiseled back, I let out all my suppressed moans, completely lost in ecstasy.
"D-don't stop... it feels so good!"
Grunting, he lifted my hips high into the air and rammed himself into me until my body was trembling with pleasure. A roll of thunder crashed through the night, breaking the magical spell. My eyes snapped open, pulling me back to reality.
Heart pounding, I wiped the beads of sweat off my forehead and glanced at the clock on the wall. Feelings of guilt rushed through my mind as I tried to push away the tingles from the wet dream.
It is not cheating if you have sex with some other man in your dreams, right? I didn't know who he was, or why it felt so good, much, much better than anything I ever experienced. I tried to remember if I had ever seen a face more attractive than his. I just wanted to curl up in his arms so bad.
With my eyes tightly shut, I hoped to go back to the sweet, sweet dream, knowing full well that there wasn't even the slightest possibility of having it come true.
~Penny~The Stable Master's impatient voice echoed through the narrow hallway, shattering the fragile remnants of my sleep. "Penny!! You can't keep the Royals waiting. What is taking you so long?"It was barely dawn, and rain was lashing against the windowpanes. I was still reeling from the dream but there was no time to dwell on it. It was already time to prep the horses for the Prince's guard. I was one of the faceless stable hands in the vast Campbell stables, just like my brother, cousins, and uncle were. Like the stalls I cleaned, my life held a predictable monotony—hay, hooves, and the occasional fleeting memory of a life before it fell apart.My uncle was the Stable Master, a man as sour as the raw week-old milk. Blood meant nothing to him. He'd inherited us, my brother and I, after our parents' tragic train accident during a trip to America. He never missed a chance to remind us, orphans, beholden to his "kindness." Once he sold my parents' properties, life had been the drudge
~Penny~"Let me come back to the point, Penny. Jeez woman, you are so distracting." He made it sound as if I walked in here naked. "You will need to live in Mountbatten for a bit. Since you are originally from there, it will be much easier for you to blend in."Easier for what? A part of me ached for the familiar cobblestones of Mountbatten, a world away from this miserable life. But freedom wasn't an option. Not yet. My eighteenth birthday was only a week away. Perhaps I could defy my scowling uncle then and escape with my brother."Pay attention, Penny, will you? The Duke of Mountbatten, Leander Vance Bauer, will be officially coronated on his twenty-fifth birthday. It's only a couple of months from now. He has become a constant growing pain. To make things worse, his people love him too much. His political accession was done years ago but Mountbatten will formally and fully accept him on the day of his coronation."How did this have anything to do with me? I could barely remember
~Leo~The steam clung to me like a second skin as I stepped out of the bathroom, the luxury of a long, hot bath finally chasing away the past two months' relentless grind. As I walked from the parlor room to the closet, the smell of freshly baked bread and fried eggs infiltrated my senses.Where the hell was my coffee? I needed to fire my incompetent chambermaid right away. After checking the mail she left for me on the dresser, I ran my fingers through my damp hair a few times. Mr. Gilbert, my dresser and personal advisor, should be here soon. Tossing the towel aside, I reached for a crisp white shirt. An unwanted moan resonated through the bedroom. Sprawled across my four-poster bed was my sister's friend, with her lustful gaze brushing over my naked body with no modesty.What the fuck was she still doing here?I wanted her gone before I got out of the bathroom. She was a good fuck, but I was done with her."Get out!""Leo, you treat me like I am some poor filthy wench.""I don't s
~Penny~On the morning of my eighteenth birthday, I set out to Mountbatten with a heavy heart and a mind full of uncertainties and fears. The train chugged towards my hometown for about six hours now but I couldn't sleep a wink. An edgy, frantic energy filled my mind all week.Spying. The very word made my stomach churn. There were so many lies involved, so much at stake if I failed.Lawrence Campbell had mentioned that the nursemaid who failed him before was dead. He didn't care to elaborate if he killed her or the Duke had her executed. Every position of work at the Duke's castle involved stringent background checks, and yet, Lawrence somehow created some fake records for me to show that I lived in Mountbatten all my life. He even went to the extent of writing letters to the housekeeper and butler on my behalf, fabricating lies upon lies.His grand plan, it seemed, was for me to waltz right up to the Duke himself. But the best he could manage was a dressmaker position for the kitche
~Penny~I woke up in a panic the next morning and lunged for the window.What time was it?Fully expecting the sun to have already crested the mountains, I pulled the curtains apart to look outside.Heavens! What was this? A snowstorm! The gusty wind was sending flurries of rain and snow against the windowpanes.The first day of my mission. A quick bath later, I draped a scarf over my printed silk dress to cover the deeply scooped neckline. Dressing up to look attractive and alluring was a prime requirement to succeed in this 'Seducing the Duke' plan. The Campbell princes paid me a hefty amount of money for the trip and I burned through most of it buying pretty clothes and accessories. Whatever money was left after that, I lost it all somewhere on the train. "First snow of the season, so early this year," Aunt Molly said nonchalantly, pouring herself a steaming cup of tea as I grabbed my purse along with signed copies of my appointment and recommendation letters.No time for pleasant
~Penny~I sucked in a deep breath and slowly turned the door handle. Another silent prayer escaped my lips. So far so good. Stepping inside, I fought the urge to gawk at the breathtaking mountain vista that sprawled through the expansive windows. Luxurious furniture whispered of wealth and privilege, but my mission demanded focus.I approached the ornately framed mirror, its gleaming surface reflecting a nervous intruder. Mail, neatly stacked on the dresser, awaited my inspection. None of them were opened yet. I retrieved a pen and a scrap of paper from my purse and scribbled down the names of the people they were from.Where did he put the opened letters? These were not what I was looking for. I walked over to the wastebasket to take a peek. Empty...Just as I whirled around, my eyes widened and fear ran through my veins as my body collided with the Duke's. The look on his face made every hair on my body stand on end. Despite my clammy palms and sinking stomach, I couldn't help notic
~Penny~The clock was ticking. After that embarrassing exit from the Duke's suite, I didn't find the courage to go anywhere near him again. I was still bruised, breathless, and utterly shaken from the experience. Three days have passed since then while I covered zero ground.Crisp autumn air nipped at the base of my neck as I huddled in Aunt Molly's garden, trying to soak in the last few warm rays as the sun raced to hide behind the mountains. My heart rate spiked up as the mail carrier whistled at the gate."Oh, these are for me! Pardon me." I almost stepped on Aunt Molly's foot while trying to grab the two letters addressed to me. They had Ben's name but in Lawrence Campbell's familiar scrawl. I dreaded opening them, fully knowing the threats and disappointment they would brim with."But Penny," Aunt Molly began, "Why on earth are you here if Ben needs you this terribly? He's too dependent for a young man to be writing to his sister so much, don't you think? Does he need money?"Aun
~Penny~"Looks like Trevor's early." The Duke got off the bed while she caught his arm in a panic."Trevor? You mean your cousin Trevor?" Fear seemed to seize her. "I can't be caught like this! He is the top suitor for me. My mother will have my head!" She jumped off the bed and started hunting for her clothes.I felt more panic than she did. What if she wanted to hide in this same closet until Trevor was gone? God, please stop her. I tried to move to the farthest corner, almost knocking over one of his shoes. Barely managing to catch it before it crashed to the floor, I held onto it mindlessly while straining to hear their conversation. "Your cousin is too clueless to figure that I am interested in him." She explained, frantically smoothening the wrinkles of her silk gown. "Every time he sees me, he just tries to send me away."The Duke, clad only in a pair of breeches, arched an eyebrow. He seemed to be unfazed by her beauty."Like the last time, for instance," she continued explai
~Penny~My eyes fluttered open, trying to adjust to the dimly lit hospital room that smelled like antiseptic and smoke. "Leo? Where's Leo?" My words sounded like a croak. I tried to sit up but the bandages around my chest tightened, spreading a dull ache across."Hello there, good afternoon," a nurse rushed to my side. "You can't move like that. You've been shot." How could I forget the searing heat of the bullet that tore through my chest? But I needed to know if Leo was okay. Was he shot too? Lucian had pointed his gun at Leo once he was done with me. I tried my best to stop him but failed."Is... Is His Grace----""Penny! You are up," Lucy cried out, her head peeking through the curtains before she stepped forward and occupied a chair by the bedside. "I was getting worried about you.""Lucy, thank the heavens! I am so relieved to see you fine and alive. You fell unconscious---""I feel all good now. It was just a minor contusion, either from the fall or the hard blow.""No concuss
~Leo~"A slight detour?" Dad repeated my reply in a murmur as I removed my hat and bowed my head to the envoy. "Your Excellency."The envoy, Sir Llyod, was a tall imposing man with a shock of silver hair and piercing blue eyes. His gaze swept across the room, looking for Lawrence and Lucian. The gripping tension in the room was palpable as I took a seat."I see I'm not the last one to show up," I said, faking my surprise. "The princes are delayed, perhaps?" I exchanged a glance with the King whose face was laced with suspicion.The envoy also turned to the King, his gaze probing, "Any idea what might have happened? We lost fifteen minutes of our meeting time already.""I can only speculate, but His Grace and his father might have a better idea." His voice was almost accusatory.Acting clueless, I waved at the footman. "All I see is tea here. Fetch me a good cup of coffee, please." I tucked a napkin into my collar and got busy eating breakfast."Oh, pardon me, Your Majesty. I assumed y
~Leo~Penny's desperate shot, a near miss, barely grazed Lucian's shirt while Lucian's bullet slammed into her chest. The sight ripped a piece of my soul away as the shot sent her to her gasping to her knees. Even as she dropped to the ground, she mustered the last of her strength to put a bullet in his thigh.Before the echo of the shots faded, I leaped to grip my weapon instantly and unleashed two thunderous shots at Lucian, right between the eyes. Ignoring the spray of blood as his body crumpled to the ground, I ran to Penny's side, sweeping her broken form into my arms."Penny? Baby... please, look at me." This couldn't be happening for real. I pulled her to sit crosswise on my lap and cupped her tear-streaked face. She was gasping for breath. Fuck! I ripped a length of fabric from her gown and attempted to seal the wound with the material. The warm, slick feel of blood stained my trembling fingers through the cloth. "Trevor! Carriage, now!" I yelled, scooping Penny into my arms
~Leo~I was late. By the time I rounded up a reluctant Trevor and some men to cover as much ground as possible, I was too fucking late! Her screams cut through my heart. Lawrence's filthy hands were on her. Tears streamed down her face from the pain of being dragged by her hair. The sight of her stance was so full of pain, it tore apart my soul."No, Leo, wait!" Trevor grabbed my arm as I dismounted my horse, "We can't shoot any of the royals without---"I cut in. I didn't need a voice of reason at the moment. "Who said anything about shooting? That would be too quick of a death." I could feel my pulse as it thudded through my body."We can't hurt them!""I don't fucking care, kill all his guards and take their horses." I peered through the haze of red fury, growling at the motherfucker whose blood was going to be on my hands."Lawrence!" I charged toward him, my hand closed around the concealed weapon I was carrying, ready to shoot his hand if he attempted to reach for his pistol. Th
~Leo~Meeting Penny awakened a feeling I had never known before. Fear. The fear of losing her and living in a world without her. It was an all-consuming feeling that fogged my brain and stopped me from thinking rationally.Lawrence wasn't expecting me or Dad until another two hours. I used this time to look for any clues that could lead me to Penny or her brother. While I was away iceberg hunting, I found out she had a brother. I tasked my men with finding him but they had nothing to report upon my return. Now I knew why. He had fled a few weeks ago. His uncle was too terrified of Lawrence to say a word to me.I gripped his arm, my fingers tightening until he winced in pain. This was the man who had made Penny's life a living hell. He had abused his right to guardianship. I wanted to shake him until his teeth rattled. But he looked like a cornered animal, his defeated eyes the same shade of blue as Penny's. Despite the strong desire to inflict pain, I released his arm."Where's your d
~Leo~"Numbskulls!" I hissed, my fingers clenching the guard's collar. "Did I say she could leave?"I sucked in a breath when something flashed in my mind. The other guard, where was he? When he said earlier if it was okay to meet Alice, did he mean if it was okay for Penny to meet Alice?"Fuck!" A growl ripped from my throat. "Where the hell is Talbot? Did he---""Leo..." My dad's voice cut through my rage. He stepped into the hallway, and Talbot trailed behind him, his downcast gaze fixed on the floor."The gatekeeper found him lying on the Knight's Path trail. He was drugged and pushed off a moving carriage." Dad told me, signaling Talbot to join the other guards."Was it a Campbell carriage?""Yes, but a stolen one. No valet. The driver wasn't in his uniform. Anyway..." Dad was not interested in finding out who took Penny. He waved dismissively, turning away to leave. "I have more pressing things to do, boarding the two o'clock train, for example. I'm going to tear that thickheade
~Penny~My chest tightened to the point I couldn't breathe in terror. Out of all the possible ways it could have played out with Lawrence, this was the worst case scenario. I fled from Leo and Mountbatten to protect my baby, only to lose it within hours. I jeopardized Mabel's safe return, still had no idea if Ben was alive, and even Lucy's life was at risk now.Lucy tried to free me from Lawrence's relentless grip, but he sent her stumbling over onto a large boulder that jutted out from the side of the path. My heart raced as I watched her arms flail over the moss-covered dark rock. Please God, please... I cried, praying desperately to keep her unharmed. Her kindness toward me could cost her life today. She would have never come to Grafton if not for me. As she attempted to stand, one of the guards slapped her hard across the jaw.She pressed her lips together in defiance, glaring at Lawrence. Releasing me from his cruel grasp, he sneered at her. She was unbothered by his intimidating
~Penny~Pain stole my breath. A sob tore through me as I stared at the crimson, sickening stain spreading across my pale dress. I pressed my forehead against the cold sliding glass pane, praying for the sharp, stabbing pain to soften.Lucy's comforting words were a distant hum, unable to reach me through the wall of my pain. My hand instinctively went to my stomach again, resting protectively over the baby bump that would never be. Would it have been a girl or a boy? My breath caught in my throat as I pictured a tiny Leo with eyes as gray as the storm clouds.I stared at the gloomy winter skies as the train chugged away. Weariness settled over me, and I welcomed the sleep. I could do anything to escape the guilt and grief I felt at the moment. The darkness I saw when I shut my eyes was no match to the darkness my heart was overcome with. As I floated between wakefulness and sleep for what seemed like an eternity, the train lurched to a halt."Penny, this is our stop. Wake up," Lucy sa
~Penny~"You are with child, aren't you?" Lucy's voice was sharp as I doubled over the train's wash basin, consumed by nausea.She pressed a cool glass of water into my shaking hands. She then reached out, her fingers hovering near my growling stomach. I recoiled, flinching away from her unwelcome touch and probing gaze."Is it the Duke's? Or perhaps the Prince's?"I wondered how she knew about my supposedly secret affair with Lawrence. "I'm not pregnant." My voice was hoarse. "You said you were seasick the entire way back from that cold godforsaken town. Today, you threw up the minute we stepped out of that buggy. And now, ten minutes into the train ride, you are pale and heaving again. Boy, we have a long way to go.""As I said, I am not... with child, I mean. I just feel overwhelmed. I ran away from the man who swore to protect me, and we pushed an unconscious guard off a moving carriage---""You can't fool me, Penny," she said in a firm voice. "I was a nurse for several years befo