Fatal Princess by Ella Miles

Beckett

I want to promise her forever. I want to promise her that nothing will tear us apart, and we’ll never again experience pain and loss. I want to promise her the world.

But I can’t even promise her that I’ll still be breathing tomorrow. The Retribution Kings may even come attack and kill me tonight. If not them, then Corsi, Ryker’s men, or dozens of other groups.

She’s in just as much peril. I’ll do everything I can to keep her alive, but there are too many people that want to end the Corsi mafia empire. With her death, there would be no heirs, no one to inherit. The group would descend into chaos and lose all its power.

All I can promise her is now—fucking right now.

She still has doubts about my feelings toward Odette.

She is still upset about letting the others touch her when she thought the worst of me.

If I can wipe away any amount of pain or frustration, I will.

“A bed this time?” Ri asks.

I shake my head with a sly grin.

Her eyebrows raise, and she licks her lips in anticipation.

“Do you trust me?” I ask.

“I gave you my heart. Even when I pretended to take it back, it was always yours. Of course, I trust you.”

I stand up, off her body still pressed against the table, pulling my cock from her. I pause for a second, enjoying the view of her spread naked in front of me—our sweat and fluids glimmer off her smooth skin.

She blushes when I slowly peruse her body. It’s adorable.

I hold out my hand to her.

She takes it with a playful glint in her eyes.

As soon as she’s up, I spin her back flush against my front.

She groans as I stroke down her back.

Then I kick her legs wide and press her front against the table. I grab my phone from my pants on the floor.

She yelps in surprise just like I knew she would as I press my cock between her spread legs and thrust inside her in one stroke.

“Jesus, I love you inside me,” she croaks out.

I grin as I send a one-word text and then toss my phone back on the pile of our clothes. I return my gaze to her ass, focusing all my energy on her.

Thirty seconds later, the first pair of footsteps hit the kitchen floor.

The man pauses, unsure of what to do.

I grab onto Ri’s hair, fisting it in a ponytail and pulling her head up. “Look up, baby.”

She does and finds Ryker standing at the entrance to the hallway. His eyes are wide as he stares from her to me, his mouth agape.

He clears his throat. “I’ll just go—”

“Princess, do you want him to go?” I ask, knowing she needs to decide. She felt guilty for letting them touch her, but she shouldn’t. If she needs to show them how much she’s mine and not theirs, then here’s her chance.

The others join us a second later before she even says a word.

Gage frowns at me, unsure I should be putting on a show.

Hayes grins and crosses his arms as he leans against a doorframe. He knows exactly what this is, and he approves.

Lennox snickers and shakes his head.

“Stay,” Ri gasps.

I wasn’t sure if she was going to want this or not. If I talked to her about it ahead of time, she would have said no. But just like last night, when she needed them to touch her, she needs them to see she’s not theirs today.

She’s not mine either, though. She’s Rialta Corsi—mafia princess and fierce fighter. She doesn’t need any of us, but she chooses us. And right now, she’s choosing me.

I need to make this quick before she loses her nerve, so I thrust hard and fast. Between my quick strokes and the added eyes on her, she’ll come quick. My girl is a bit of an exhibitionist.

I’m a little overprotective, too, though. The only way I could do this is if they could see very little of her best body parts.

I grip her hair harder, knowing she likes it. I sink between her ass cheeks further and further, fucking her so hard that the table shakes.

The guys don’t move. Their eyes are locked on Ri. They’re all better men than me.

Her panting picks up, and I feel her tightening around my cock. She’s so fucking close, and I know exactly what I want the climax to be.

“I love you, Rialta,” I cry out just as she finally releases her orgasm, and I shoot my load inside her.

I may not be able to offer her a marriage, but I can at least offer her a public declaration of my love every chance I get.

“About fucking time,” Hayes says with a slow clap.

I roll my eyes as I pull out of her.

I grab her robe and drape it over her before quickly yanking my pants up.

Ri takes her time pushing off the table and wrapping the robe around her. She’s completely spent.

“Breakfast? Coffee?” I ask her.

Ri walks past me, straight to the kitchen.

I frown, and the others ease closer, unsure of what’s next. Did I piss her off with my little stunt? Is something else wrong?

She can have doubts about my love for her, but I have no doubts about her love for me.

“Ri?” I ask.

Suddenly she spins and runs toward me, a kitchen knife in her hand. I’m so shocked; I don’t even defend myself. The knife comes dangerously close to my heart.

“No more pretending you know what’s best for me,” she says, shaking the knife against my chest.

“I won’t.”

“No more making plans without talking to me first.”

“I promise, except in life or death situations where I don’t have a chance to talk to you.”

She growls.

I laugh, my hand raised in front of me.

She smiles with a shake of her head. She tosses the knife into the sink before kissing me.

I drop my arm as the guys fill the kitchen.

“I don’t know whether to start planning a wedding or a funeral,” Lennox says.

Ri sighs. “Neither. We can’t get married, not when Beckett is technically married to someone else. And Vincent would kill me if I married without his permission. And we’re both too stubborn to die.”

Lennox laughs at that.

Ri hops up on the corner of the counter and grabs a banana. Her robe falls open as she peels it open, revealing her glistening curves.

All eyes go to her naked body and her mouth as she starts slowly eating her banana.

The controlling, protective alpha male in me wants to rip her off the counter, carry her upstairs, and teach her about flaunting her body in front of the others. But I know that’s not going to win me any points with her.

“What?” she asks, acting completely oblivious.

I raise my eyebrow, and my eyes sink into her naked flesh.

She looks down and rolls her eyes at us. “It’s nothing you all haven’t seen before.” And then she goes back to eating her banana without a care in the world.

I half chuckle, half curse under my breath.

Ryker makes another pot of coffee while Hayes pulls out ingredients for pancakes.

Gage opens his laptop at the kitchen table, and Lennox pretends to help Hayes, although he’s useless as a cook.

I walk over to Ri, about to tell her how much I miss her body already. I want us to sneak into the backyard while Hayes finishes up breakfast, but suddenly a large Great Dane comes barreling through the kitchen.

Hayes has a stack of pancakes going, and the beast goes straight for them.

“Loki, no!” Ri yells, but it’s too late.

The beast has snatched the pile and taken off through the house.

Ri winces when all eyes look at her. “That’s Loki. He’s Lucy’s guard dog.”

Lucy walks into the kitchen at that exact moment. “Oh, is that what he’s supposed to be? He’s more like an untrainable snuggle bug.”

Ri rolls her eyes as she pats my shoulder, telling me to move so she can hop off the counter.

“He lets you know if he likes someone or not. For example, we would have never trusted Ryker if it wasn’t for Loki.”

“Oh, so it was Loki who convinced you? And here I thought it was my charm,” Ryker says.

Ri retrieves Loki, and then we are all crowded around the animal, giving him belly rubs. Somehow the beast gets more pieces of pancake for being a ‘good boy.’

“So, who are all of you?” Lucy asks.

“You’ve already met Beckett and Hayes. But this is Lennox and Gage,” Ri says, introducing them to her.

“And you all work for?” Lucy asks suspiciously. She doesn’t trust people easily, it seems, probably a smart trait.

“Me,” I say, putting my arm around Ri’s shoulders.

Lucy’s eyes bug out. “Oh my god!” she squeals. “Are you two?” She looks back and forth between us.

“Did you not hear the racket they were making this morning? Ri’s a screamer. She woke the whole damn house up,” Hayes says.

Ri shoots him a scowl, which just lights him up more.

“No, I’m a deep sleeper, and this house is huge. But really? You’re together? Are you getting married, because I’ve always wanted to be a maid of honor and I love planning weddings and—”

“Luce,” Ri cuts her off with one stern word. Then Ri looks at me with a sadness I wish I could erase.

“Oh, yea, the whole game thing,” Lucy says.

“Among other things,” Ri says with a pause. “We are just happy to admit our love out loud. For now, that’s all we can promise each other.”

I take her hand and give it a squeeze.

Lucy grabs Ri’s other hand. “I want to hear all the yummy details, though. Hay-boy, bring us pancakes when they are finished.”

Ri flashes Hayes an apologetic look as her friend drags her outside to discuss how good I am at fucking her.

“You better hope you are as good of a fucker as you think. It would be pretty pathetic if Ri says she enjoyed us fucking her better,” Hayes says.

I growl. “If you weren’t in charge of food, I’d pummel your ass.”

He laughs and goes back to making pancakes.

“She’s a treat,” Ryker says, staring at Lucy.

“Yea, she’s a pain in the ass, but she’s been Ri’s only friend for a long time. I don’t think we’re getting rid of her,” I say as Loki rubs up against me, begging for ear scratches. I lazily comply.

Ryker looks at me. “I know you love her, and she loves you and all of that, but she’s still my responsibility to keep safe this week.”

“I’ll keep her safe.”

“I know you will, but it sounds like you have a bigger army after you than she does. It might be best to stay apart until you’ve dealt with that.”

I frown, not liking the idea, but it may be true. I look to Gage behind me, the one I trust the most, silently asking him for his thoughts. He just shrugs back at me.

“You can stay around and help protect her, but I’m not going anywhere. Together we can all keep her safe,” I say.

Ryker nods.

“Are you really going to stay in the game, knowing that even if you win, she’ll never want you?” I ask.

“I stay in the game to protect my men. As long as I show interest in Corsi’s daughter and it looks like I still have a chance, he won’t attack them. He’ll think that my plan to take his empire involves the game and nothing more.”

“Do you have a bigger plan?”

“If I do, I won’t be sharing it with you.”

I grin. “Fair enough. But you’re willing to die for your cause?”

Ryker nods. “I am, just like you.”

“Unfortunately, the men I have left to protect are very few. Most of the Retribution Kings want to see me dead.”

“They’ll come around. You’re new blood and will do things differently. Plus, if Odette Monroe is alive—”

“She is,” I confirm.

Ryker’s eyes widen. “Princess was telling the truth. I thought she was hallucinating after a broken heart.”

“Nope.”

“Well, then I take it back. They’ll never forgive you for throwing their princess away, only to fall in love with someone else. Relationships in this world are political. They are about the joining of gangs and organizations—making power moves. They chose you because they wanted something from the Black Empire.”

“They want me to destroy them.”

“Ah,” Ryker says.

“Any reason you can think of that the Retribution Kings would want to end the Black Empire? Kai and Enzo rarely start fights anymore, and they just stick to themselves.”

Ryker thinks for a moment. “Not sure, but my guess is an old grudge. The Retribution Kings don’t let any crime go unpunished no matter how long it’s been. I suspect the only way for you to get back into their good graces is to pay the price for the crime committed against them.”

“That would be with my death.”

“Ouch, they aren’t a forgiving bunch.”

Lennox glares at Ryker.

“No offense, but it’s true,” Ryker says.

Lennox shrugs.

“Then I would suggest you find something they want more than killing you or your family. If you win and marry Ri, you get the Corsi mafia empire. That’s far more valuable than anything your brother and sister-in-law have.”

I nod. “But the only way to do that is to divorce Odette, for which they’ll kill me. And then convince Corsi I’m worthy of it, which will be an uphill battle. Vincent doesn’t think I have anything to offer.”

Ryker laughs. “You’re the leader of the Retribution Kings and have strong connections to the Black Empire. And you just made an alliance with me. I’d say you have plenty to offer.”

“I need to make a phone call,” I say, offering no other explanation as I walk out of the kitchen. I roam through the hallways until I find a private room to make my phone call.

I have my brother’s number memorized. You don’t leave important numbers lying around in your contacts. And you never know when you are going to need to call for help and only have access to someone else’s phone.

I dial and wait and wait and wait.

It goes to voicemail.

Strange, but not completely out of the norm.

I try Kai’s number.

Siren’s.

Zeke’s.

Liesel’s.

Langston’s.

No one picks up.

I send a text to Enzo saying it’s urgent.

Nothing.

I frown.

Are they in the middle of a war? Is that why no one is answering? They are all locked up in a battle and can’t be bothered to answer a text or call?

I run back through the house to find Gage.

“I need eyes on my brother, on his family,” I say.

Gage just nods and goes to work on his computer.

I run my hand through my hair as I pace around the kitchen. My brother and his family are in trouble, and I’ve done nothing to help. In fact, I’ve made things worse by trying to stay away from my destiny. I should be there supporting them, not here, pretending I can be a leader, pretending that I’m enough to be Ri’s partner.

I’m not.

I’m not a good guy.

I’ve fucked up more times than I can count. I’ve hurt my family. I’ve made poor judgments. And they will think Ri is just another mistake.

Ri makes eye contact with me from where she sits outside, listening to Lucy ramble. Ri nods her head every once in a while and smiles at her friend, but her eyes never leave mine. They notice the way my shoulders tense. They notice the veins struggling in my forehead. They notice my pacing.

Ri says something to Lucy, and then Ri is walking toward me. I stop moving, waiting for her to get to me. Only when her arms are wrapped around my body, do I breathe again.

“What’s wrong?” she asks.

“I think my brother and his family are in trouble.”

“Then we have to go help them,” she doesn’t hesitate.

I nod, my head resting on top of hers. I have my own problems, so does she. But it means the world to me that she’d drop everything to help my family.

Gage scowls at his screen.

“What is it?” I ask, still holding Ri tightly in my arm.

“They’re fine, currently on Langston’s private island.”

“What do you mean they’re fine? Are you sure they aren’t being held captive? Are any of them missing?” I run over to stand behind the computer screen.

Gage tapped into their security system. He won’t be able to stay long until Langston or the system kicks him out. I’m surprised he got anything.

But there they are—my entire family. They’re sitting outside, around a fire pit. The adults are all drinking wine. The kids are mostly asleep in their parents’ arms.

I do a quick count. Everyone is accounted for and safe. They don’t look distressed.

And then Enzo looks right at the camera like he knows I’m watching. Like they let me get a glimpse in order to prove a point.

A second later, the feed dies.

I slump back.

Ri catches me.

She’s the only thing keeping me on my feet.

They all knew I was calling, and they didn’t answer.

Was Odette telling the truth? Did they hurt her? Take her?

I swallow hard against the lump in my throat, but it stays lodged.

I’m suffocating; I can’t breathe.

Voices are saying words to me, but I can’t register them.

I fucked up in the past. My mistake almost cost the family everything, but they said they forgave me. They said there was nothing to forgive. But I couldn’t stay. I found Odette. I found a way out. But…

I blink rapidly.

What if they didn’t forgive me?

I’m only Enzo’s half-brother. We’ve only known about each other for a few years. Maybe what I did was unforgivable.

A slap stings across my cheek, and I look down at the feisty woman who inflicted the blow.

“There you are. Talk to me, Beckett. What are you thinking?” she asks, gripping my cheeks and keeping my attention firmly on her.

“I’m thinking that my brother hates me. I have no family,” I say, completely defeated.

I look past her at the other guys watching me.

“Do you think Odette was telling the truth? Her crazy ass story didn’t make a lick of sense,” Lennox says.

I shrug. “Maybe. I don’t know who or what to believe anymore.”

Ryker licks his lips, deep in thought.

“What are you thinking?” I ask him.

His brow furrows. “It’s just…once you become a leader, that becomes the most important thing. It comes before family, before spouses, even children. It definitely comes before half-brothers. It has to. That’s how our world works.

“Enzo has to put his men, his empire, before you. You’re the leader of the Retribution Kings now. It wouldn’t shock me if he sent a letter to them declaring war. If I was him, I wouldn’t take your call. I wouldn’t talk to you unless it was in formal war negotiations.”

“Actually, it’s his wife Kai who is in charge,” I mumble back.

“Then she made the decision. She didn’t have a choice. You picked your side the second you took the crown. Now you’re on opposite sides.”

Fuck, I’m pretty sure Ryker is right.

I won’t be getting any explanations or evidence to prove that Odette’s story is false.

I look at Ri. We are completely fucked.