As they tried to escape answering any, her friends, their Triumvirate and her siblings came to their rescue.
Selene, hooking her arm around her own Greek god, grinned. “You people just have to get used to having a very unconventional, unpredictable king and queen. Don’t bother trying to figure them out.”
Aristedes grinned adoringly at his wife and corroborated her words. “There’s no doubt that under Leonid and Kassandra’s rule Zorya will rise to unprecedented prosperity, but it won’t be in any way you people would expect. So just sit back and enjoy their reign.”
Maksim nodded, grinning, too, as he hugged Caliope to his side. “Now you’ll add a new legend to your impressive arsenal, that of The King Who Ran.”
Caliope smiled from ear to ear. “And The Queen Who Brought Him Back.”
Naomi chuckled. “With yours being a femalecentric culture, that gender-reversal twist on Cinderella and Prince Charming is right up your alley.”
Andreas kissed the top of Naomi’s head, clearly loving the wit of his wife’s remark. “One thing is certain. With those two and their twin stars, I assure you, you’ll be forever entertained.”
Aleks chuckled. “Indeed. I have a feeling those two will treat us all to lifelong episodes of an epic Greek and Slavic–in-one drama. I, for one, can’t wait to watch it unfold.”
As everyone laughed, Kassandra’s eldest brother, Dimitri, who’d spent last night’s reception wrapped around Olga, cleared his throat importantly.
“And now I interrupt today’s episode with a news bulletin. A message for you, Leonid, from HRH Princess Olga.”
As everyone turned to Dimitri, all ears, he smirked.
“The lady is telling you, quote, she’ll be your spare heir, until your real ones grow up, but that would be it. You have to get back where you belong, that lofty palace you spent bazillions renovating, put that crown on your head and take the weight of this messed-up kingdom on your endless shoulders. And if you think every time she pinches your ear over some state policy you can flounce away and say you’re not playing, you have another think coming, unquote.”
Dimitri turned his bedeviling gaze to Kassandra. “And she thought you were the reason Leonid was being so uncharacteristically lenient as to approve that policy that made her blast him. But I assured her you’re a shark, and that as soon as you knew he didn’t use his many rows of teeth when he should have, you’ll straighten him, and those teeth, out. And that if she ever needs anything at all done to him, including twisting him into a pretzel, you’re the girl to call.” He winked broadly at her. “She thinks you’ll be her new best friend.”
Leonid again laughed along with everyone, unable to believe what a difference an hour made. A minute. A word. Even a breath from Kassandra turned his world upside down, then right side up again.
And she’d given him everything he’d never dared dream of having, dissipating the darkness of despair and insecurity and guilt forever. She’d given him certainty, stability, permanence. She’d taken him and would keep him, no matter what—scars, fake parts, burdens and obsessions and all.
And he finally knew what happiness felt like. And boundless hope. What he’d been scared to even wish for since he’d lost her that first time.
She’d given him everything. And more.
As everyone’s voices rose in side conversations and questions and proddings, he was unable to go on another second without another kiss.
Everyone hooted and said they should have brought the minister with them and completed the wedding right here.
Whispering to Kassandra, she just nodded delightedly and said, “Anything you want, always.”
He addressed the crowd. “I apologize for the drama I caused, though it seems you all enjoyed the mystery and the exercise. But my queen and bride has decreed we go back and resume the interrupted ceremonies, even if by now they’ll be concluded long after the sun of the new day rises. I hope you’re all game.”
As everyone’s voices rose in approval, he squeezed his little princesses, who were beside themselves with the excitement of the unusual circumstances.
“And now it’s time your papa took you back to your new home, where you will always be the earthbound Zoryan stars that will guide me with their bright light, and the blessing of our kingdom.”
As everyone walked back to the limos, Kassandra, whose tears of joy had been flowing freely, reached for his lips, her voice thick with emotion, sultry with hunger.
“I’ve got news for you, my liege. After all the odds you’ve beaten, how you’ve survived and become far more than you’ve been, how you’ve come back for us, how you love us and how you make our lives far better than any dream, the real blessing is you.”
He hugged the twins tighter, hugged his Kassandra until he felt her under his skin, inside his heart, coursing through his veins and pledged, “And I am all yours totally, irrevocably...and forever.”
* *
If you liked this tale of royalty and romance, pick up these other stories from USA TODAY bestselling author Olivia Gates
TEMPORARILY HIS PRINCESS
CONVENIENTLY HIS PRINCESS
SEDUCING HIS PRINCESS
Available now from Harlequin Desire!
***
And don’t miss the next BILLIONAIRES AND BABIES story, HIS FOREVER FAMILY from Sarah M. Anderson
Available February 2016!
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Trapped with the Tycoon
by Jules Bennett
One
The second her ex’s fingers closed around her arm, Zara Perkins jerked from the firm grasp. “I’m not dancing, I’m working.”
Having Shane Chapman show up at the biggest job she’d ever taken on for the most prestigious family she’d ever worked for was just her luck. She prided herself on her business, on doing everything in her power to make her clients’ parties the event they hired her for. And Shane could ruin it all.
“You’re such a tease,” he mocked, the whiskey on his breath repugnant. “I saw you looking at me.”
Sure, with disdain when she realized he was in attendance. She’d rather walk barefoot over shards of glass than let his arms wrap around her. Zara prayed Shane would go away. This was a new job, a job she desperately needed. The last thing she wanted to do was have to defend a man she had the misfortune of dating a few times.
“Dance with me.”
The low, demanding words sent shivers through her body. Zara knew without turning around who would be behind her...her new employer and rumored-to-be corrupt business mogul Braden O’Shea.
With Shane directly in front of her and Braden behind her, Zara was literally stuck in the exact predicament she didn’t want to be in on her first big night of working for the O’Sheas. But right now, she was bracketed by two powerful men. One she wanted nothing to do with and the other set her heart racing as only a mysterious, intriguing man could do. The few times she’d been in his office had been a bit difficult to concentrate. Braden O’Shea exuded authority, control and sex appeal.
Humiliation flooded her at the idea that Braden had to intervene. She was here in a professional capacity. Having her ex confront her was not exactly showcasing the reputation she’d worked so hard to build, and coming off as anything less than professional could be career suicide.
Shane glared over her shoulder, silently telling Braden precisely what he thought of the interruption, but before Zara could say a word to either man, Braden took hold of her arm and pulled her to the dance area in the ballroom of his lavish, historical home.
Instantly she was plastered against the oldest of the O’Shea siblings...not a difficult position to find herself in, actually. She had often appreciated the visual of his broad, sexy body wrapped in the finest of black suits with black shirt and no tie. But being up close and personal, breathing in what was undoubtedly expensive, masculine cologne that had her eyes fluttering closed as she inhaled, was another level of torture entirely.
The man exuded sex appeal, but he was her new boss, and she needed this job for the prestige and the insanely large paycheck. This was her first official event with this prominent family after being officially hired a few months ago. Screwups...screwing of any kind...was not allowed.
So, no sex thoughts. None. Okay, maybe later when she was alone.
“I really need to be working.”
A little protest was in order, wasn’t it? Even if sliding against Braden felt like some sort of foreplay in itself, she was the events coordinator for this party. Dancing with the host and boss was a major professional no-no, even if they’d always gotten along well with each other before tonight. There’d always been some ridiculous magnetic energy between them that she’d never experienced before but refused to explore.