Bastard Prince

  Bastard Prince

  Nana Malone

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Epilogue

  Sneak Preview of ROYAL TEASE

  Thank You

  Complimentary Download

  Nana Malone Reading List

  About Nana Malone

  1

  Lucas

  Once sentence.

  One lie.

  One soul crushing denial and my life was over. With a whisper, my mother had stolen my family from me. The one place I’d ever belonged.

  “Get out,” I ground out, my fury bubbling just beneath the surface.

  My mother sighed, gnashing down her teeth as if she were grinding down the lies she’d told. “Look, I know maybe I wasn’t the best mother. And the choices and decisions I have made probably weren’t the best ones either. But I can make the right decision today. When I tell you to run, I mean it. It’s too late for me. I’m caught up in this. This is my bed, and I have to lie in it. But you have an opportunity to save yourself, once and for all. I won’t come looking for you again. Don’t let Tony manipulate you into coming back, ever. If you want to save yourself, if you want to save your girl, you have to disappear. Because if he gets so much as a whiff of what’s going on with you and the royals, he’s never going to let you go.” She glanced over at the sleeping Bryna. “For your safety and for hers, I would get out as quickly as possible. And I would put some distance between you and her if you want to save her. Your past is coming for you, and you should be hiding from it.”

  My gaze swept over the woman I’d spent a lot of time trying to protect. For once in my life, she was trying to protect me too. “I don’t want to run anymore.”

  “It’s about survival. That girl in there, you think she deserves what Tony is going to do to her? There’s a reckoning coming. And sooner or later, we’re all going to have to pay for our sins. You think it’s fair to ask her to pay for yours?”

  My mother turned, pausing at the door. “I know you don’t believe me, but I love you. I’ve made some bad choices and I hope you’ll forgive me for them. I want to make up for it now. If you don’t run, your past is going to destroy your future. So save her from yourself before it’s too late.”

  And then she turned to leave. I wanted to be furious with her, to scream at her for leaving me. I wanted to convince her to stay. But, neither of those was an option at the moment. All I could do was watch as she left, wondering if I’d ever see her again. And then I slid my gaze over to Bryna.

  Was my mother right? Did I need to distance myself from Bryna to protect her from the repercussions that were coming for me?

  You already know the answer to that.

  2

  Lucas

  I only wanted to hold her.

  I wanted to say goodbye.

  I wanted to, for a fleeting moment, hold on to the one thing that made me feel good, made me feel right. The one thing that made me feel like I had a place in the world.

  She was the one person I believed when she said she loved me. Because even when Sebastian said it, I didn’t entirely believe him. He already sort of knew the bad things about me. He had a vague idea, but he had only seen it on paper. But Bryna had seen it with her own two eyes. She’d caught me red-handed, and she had still chosen me.

  And you’re going to walk away from her?

  This was the most difficult thing I was probably ever going to do. How in the hell could I walk away from her?

  Maybe you don’t have to.

  As angry as I was at my mother, I believed she was telling the truth. After all, she’d taught me to spot a liar. She’d also taught me to spot vulnerability in people.

  As much as I wanted to pretend that everything could be okay, I knew better. I knew that staying was going to be a problem. Hell, I’d known it last night.

  I knew when I left with her last night that not completing the job meant my life was at risk. I just hadn’t seen it clearly enough to realize that hers was as well. We thought we could get away with being normal. Yeah, good luck with that.

  I slid into the oversized couch behind her, and Bryna rolled over in my arms. “Hi. I thought you were going to let me sleep.”

  I kissed her forehead. “I just wanted to hold you.”

  She snuggled in. Her soft curves pressing into my chest. My dick swelled at her scent, at the thought of being so close to her. As if rebelling against the idea that I had to leave her behind.

  You do have to leave her behind. Say goodbye.

  The kiss was meant to be sweet and soft.

  It was meant to be a goodbye kiss. But then Bryna sighed, arching her back, pressing her body closer to mine.

  Leaving her would strip my soul. There was no way I could walk away from the invitation and from everything I’d been fighting to have.

  I stroked my tongue over hers, coaxing the response I wanted out of her.

  But it wasn’t just me. It was as if some inner recess of her mind understood my desperation, my need, and the pain I was in.

  She pulled back gently and lifted her lashes. Her dark gaze meeting mine, full of questions.

  But then Bryna was sliding her hands up under my t-shirt. The gentle pass of her fingertips played over my muscles, setting small electrical fires under my skin, and I groaned low.

  This will only hurt the both of you. Be strong. “Sleep, remember? I kept you up all night.”

  She shook her head. “I’m suddenly not tired anymore.”

  Stop this. She’ll be hurt. And you will never recover.

  That’s what my rational brain was saying. But the part of me that loved her, the part of me that needed her, that part wasn’t so keen on listening at the moment and ached to slide home again.

  Bryna was everything I wanted and needed. Walking away was going to hurt. And right now, I would do just about anything to avoid that pain.

  When she reached my shoulders, her hands slid over them as she gently kneaded the tense muscles there. I hesitated for a moment. But she leaned forward and kissed my nipple.

  It was like someone flipped a switch. I was lost, and desperation was taking over. This was the last time I was ever going to see her, hold her, and kiss her. This was the last time I would make her fly with my hands, my mouth, my dick, so I had to make it count.

  I reached behind my back and dragged off my T-shirt. We both fumbled with the buttons on my jeans before those went next. I picked her up from the couch and carried her into the nearest bedroom. If this was going to be my last time with her, I wanted to take my time.

  I slid into bed behind her. With a moan, she slid against me. Her sundress had ridden up. As she wiggled against me, massaging my aching cock with the satin covered globes of that heavenly ass, I cursed.

  I hadn’t been this turned on since I was fifteen and I’d seduced Misha Anders. She’d been a little older than me. Seventeen. She’d been a job, but she’d been the first girl I actually really liked.

  But that was still nothing c
ompared to this. I felt like I’d been lit on fire. I would never be the same after this. With a muttered curse, I gently turned her head and slid my lips over hers, thrusting my tongue into her mouth. Bryna wrapped an arm behind my neck, moaning as she slid her tongue over mine.

  “I need you so fucking bad,” I murmured against her lips.

  I slipped my hand under her dress, traveling over her satin soft skin to the edge of her panties. I paused, my hands trembling. “Baby...” my voice was choked. “I love you more than I have ever deserved to love someone.”

  She parted her legs then, rolling over slightly and giving me more access. “You’ve always deserved to love and be loved Lucas. I’m happy you finally get to see that.” Her hips bucked gently against my hand.

  At that point my dick took over thinking for my brain. Almost as if he was saying, “Listen dude, you're gonna fuck this up for us, so you sit here. I’ll take the reins now.”

  My fingers slipped under the elastic and I was met with silken-soft, wet lips. I stroked up then down. She moaned my name and lifted her hips even more, seeking my fingers.

  When I found her clit, I stroked my thumb over it. Gently at first, teasing. Dipping my finger into her liquid center, I dragged it through her slick folds until I found my quarry again. With firm strokes, I circled the sensitive bud. I'd already learned that direct pressure didn’t work, so instead, I teased around it. I knew what she liked.

  Moving my hips in time to my strokes, I nuzzled her hair. God, I loved the feel of it. So thick and soft. The dark color was like ebony on my pillow.

  I tested the soft flesh at my fingertips and she moaned my name.

  “Bryna, I—”

  “Lucas, please. I want you.”

  She trusted me too much. Again. I wanted to tell her not to do that. I’d only hurt her. But I couldn’t form the words. Instead, she moved against me.

  She rolled her hips again and I bit out another curse. “Please…”

  I knew I should stop, knew if I made love to her again, I was the one in danger of getting hurt. I knew if she begged me again, I might never let her go. “I—”

  “Lucas.” She moaned again.

  I stroked her again and felt the flow of juices making her wetter, more ready for me. And I lost what shred of control I had left. Shoving aside the scrap of fabric between her legs, I nestled my cock against her slickness and almost came. The contact with her skin felt like I’d been zapped with a taser.

  Fuck.

  “Lucas, I need—”

  “I know. I need it too.” I shifted her position so I could pull her sundress above her head. When I laid her back down, her breasts were free and her back was bare to me, save the little triangle of satin I was working with. As I continued my stroking, I angled her so that I could continue playing with her breasts. She tried to turn and face me, but I held her firmly in place. “Shhh. Stay still. I’ll make this good, I promise.” As my cock settled back in position, I hissed when the round tip came into contact with her slick heat. Resettling the satin in place, I closed my eyes in bliss. With every movement and arch of her back, she milked me with the globes of her ass.

  “Damn, Bryna, I’ve been dreaming about this since the moment I saw you climb out that window with your dress tucked into your thong.”

  All I could focus on was holding her one more time. Feeling her soft skin against mine. Never mind that I’d pay for the consequences for the rest of my life.

  As I rolled on top of her, she made room for me, even as she hooked her legs around my waist. All I could focus on was the heat surrounding the tip of my cock. I tried to go slow. I really did, but her hands on my ass, urging me on, went counter to my plan.

  “Hurry. I need you.”

  I clenched my teeth against the roaring need and maelstrom of curses. “Damn it, I’m not going to last for more than a minute if we don’t slow down a little.”

  “We can take our time later.”

  Later. There won’t be a later. Make it good for her. Make it good enough to sustain you when the loneliness gets to be too much.

  I slid in to the base of my cock, my breath catching in my chest. Beneath me, she moaned out my name, her hands clenched on my shoulders. I tried to take control of the pace, but all my attempts to slow down were thwarted by the low keening sounds she made and the way she traced her hands over my shoulders and biceps. Worse was the way she met me thrust for thrust. Rolling her hips, eager to meet mine. Then she angled her head up and grazed my nipple with her teeth.

  “Bryna! Shit.” The tingle in the base of my spine was my first warning. The greying of my vision was my other clue. I ground my teeth, desperate to ward off the impending orgasm and wait for her. Wait her out, wait her out. You son of a bitch, wait—

  Her hips bucked, and she threw her head back. As she called out my name on a strangled breath, I could feel the walls of her heat convulse around me.

  Her nails dug into my ass and I drove forward, no longer trying to ward off the release. As the zinging pleasure drove me on with each thrust, she locked gazes with me. In that moment, I started to come and poured myself into her soul. Unable to look away, I knew I would never be able to get her out of my blood. She would own my heart forever.

  Not smart, but like I gave a fuck.

  I was setting myself up for a hard fall and setting her up for pain. I reminded myself of what would happen if I stayed, how ugly things would eventually become. Bryna Tressel had worked her way under my skin.

  There would be no getting over her now.

  3

  Bryna

  What had the hell had just happened?

  Besides the best orgasm of my life? It had felt like a desperate goodbye. Stop. He promised he’s not running. But still I was so afraid to roll over or to reach for him.

  The moment I did though, I knew I was alone. I didn’t feel Lucas’s heat wrapped around me. I’d already grown used to that. The way he tended to either wrap himself completely around me burrito style, or just plain old laid on top of me. Several times in the middle of the night, I’d had to nudge him away so I could breathe. At the same time, I thought it was sweet the way he held on to me as if he was afraid I was going to run away.

  News flash. He is afraid you’re going to run away.

  I attempted to roll over and groaned. Jesus Christ, I was sore. Not just my muscles, but down in the lady parts.

  That last time, he hadn’t been gentle. He had been demanding. Determined. I’d tried to beg off of those last two orgasms. Honestly who in their right mind begged off orgasms? But I’d been so tired, my body sore. I’d insisted I’d had enough.

  And of course, he had grinned that Lucas grin and asked me if I’d really had enough orgasms. And then he’d expertly worked me into a frenzy until I was begging him to give me another orgasm. Then he’d chuckled and said, “I thought you said you’ve had enough?”

  And he’d gone on like that… for hours. But now, I couldn’t move.

  I winced slightly as I pushed myself onto my back. But then I grinned, because as sore as I was, there were parts of me that just felt… delicious. Like I was in the middle of some multi-orgasmic super long stretch. It felt incredible. Yeah, that’s what it should have felt like every time you dated someone.

  I dragged the sheet off the bed and tucked it around me. I was far too lazy to attempt to put some clothes on. I needed to shower, and if I was going to shower, he should join me. We could conserve water.

  “Lucas? You know, you’ve done things to my body I don’t think it was meant to do. I have muscles in my thighs aching that I’ve never even felt before. What did you do to me?” I stepped out into the living room, but he wasn’t there. I frowned as I went to the other bedroom and bathroom.

  Maybe he didn’t want to wake me? But no matter where I looked, there was still no sign of Lucas. Instinct told me to check the closet.

  His clothes were still there. Okay, so it was fine. He hadn’t left. He probably went to get us some food or som
ething.

  Calm down. You are not going to freak out.

  Everything was fine. I was just going to grab a shower, go fetch a drink, start working on my write up for a new artist, and he’d be back in no time.

  It was when I headed back toward the bedroom that I saw the note on the coffee table.

  I froze, my heart hammering against my ribs.

  Those butterflies that used to pull low with anticipation and need came back, but they dragged dread behind them instead, making me want to vomit. Oh God. What the fuck?

  Look at the note before you overreact. I scooped up the little note on the plain stationery.

  Bryna,

  I wish I could explain, but this has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with me. You’ve given me the one thing in my life I never thought I deserved. Given that I’m doing this, I suppose I don’t deserve you. But one day, I hope you can forgive me. I need to keep you safe.

  I’ve left instructions for Marcus and Roone to help you with an apartment. I’ve got the perfect one. I hope you like it. I’ve never known love or acceptance like you gave to me. Thank you.

  I love you more than you know.

  Lucas.

  My stomach dropped. Then the bile rose.

  Oh, God.

  That dread in my belly started to spread and seep throughout my body, eventually weakening me so much that I couldn’t stand anymore. Instead, I collapsed onto my knees and then to my side, and then to my back, clutching the note he’d left me. It was the only piece of him I had left. And then I curled up and sobbed. He was gone. He’d left me.