HAHA! I LOVE this book. Releases next Thursday! Click the cover to pre-order. Enjoy the excerpt. :-) Chapter TwoMaxim pinched the bridge of his nose and growled as he listened to his brother on the other end of the line.
“I can hear you, Maxim. You knew the rules when you moved to DC. Don’t act like this is suddenly unexpected.” Maxim didn’t hide his heavy, disapproving sigh. Yes, he was well aware that when he left his country of Degonia without permission, that the king wouldn’t put up with his rebellion and disobedience for very long. Maxim had relied on his brother’s sympathy for him being a spare heir. And for a couple of years, it had worked. Maxim had the freedom to pursue his passions. Good things always came to an end. Maxim rolled back in his home office chair and slammed his feet on top of his custom-stained red oak desk, shaking his cell, as it sat in its mount on speakerphone. “I didn’t think it would happen this soon, Your Majesty.” “Don’t do that, Maxim. And how could you put it off any longer? Did you forget the duty you have to your family and country?” How could Maxim forget? Duty and honor had been drilled into the brothers since conception. Being the elder, His Royal Highness Novak Tudor Radan Stefan Malenkov ascended to the throne at the unexpected deaths of their parents in a helicopter accident five years before. Since that time, Novak had the arduous task of gaining the public’s respect as their new monarch, although it wasn’t a challenge. Novak had been the dutiful son and heir to the throne. He never got into any trouble, was always diplomatic, met all his royal obligations, and consistently oozed respectability. He rivaled Queen Elizabeth in his staunch display of dignified royalty and preservation of protocol. It had elicited such love from the people. Maxim was the spare. He could delay stepping into the position of a working royal. Fewer charities were willing to have him as their patron. And the expectation was, by birthright, that he’d be wilder, more arrogant, and untamable than his affable and subdued older brother. Slim chance he would inherit the throne. No chance, really, now that his brother’s wife—Jelena—was expecting their first child. If a boy, that child would sit on the throne, pushing Maxim’s seat further and further down the line. Which was fine by him. He never wanted that responsibility. The order of his and Novak’s birth hadn’t been an accident. Except, with the death of their parents, more was being expected of Maxim than he had ever thought possible. In moving to America, he had hoped his brother would forget the arranged marriage his parents had set up between himself and Princess Leonor of Svlinden. And with the money he had earned while here, Maxim planned to leverage it for more freedom. “Did you hear what I said, brother?” Maxim asked in a bored voice. “I have made the list of the world’s richest men.” “Yes, I heard. You’ve surpassed a billion dollars. Congratulations. Would you like me to throw a party for you?” “You should,” Maxim said with bite. “Your country is losing—” “Our country, brother. Don’t forget where you come from.” Maxim balled his hands into fists. “Our country,” he ground out, “is on the brink of financial ruin. While you’ve been worried about my relationship status, I’ve been making money that could actually help. Have you read the plans I sent you for the northern farms? I believe—” “Marrying Leonor doesn’t detract from that goal. Her father has agreed to deliver contracts that would provide much needed funding.” This was also true, although his way didn’t involve having to promise a lifetime of fidelity and servitude. And he questioned the willingness of Velin to give Degonia a thing. Hadn’t he lost his own throne when the people revolted? Velin and Leonor were royals in title only. A status Maxim envied. It wasn’t as if he and Leonor didn’t have anything in common. They were both considered the best-looking royals of their respective countries. He practically worshipped the gym and what it had done for his body, and Leonor was graced with a face and figure that could satisfy any man’s desire. They each had a healthy thirst for money and all the luxuries it could provide. The one difference that lay between them was where Maxim had worked hard for his fortune, of what he could remember about Leonor, she labored at spending as much of hers she could. Why she would agree to marry him eluded Maxim. He was considered a poor royal compared to the other eligibles on the planet. Marrying her would aid in making his country solvent again. Unfortunately, Novak and Maxim’s parents hadn’t chosen Novak’s bride wisely, and her birth country had deposed the monarchy shortly after their marriage. Now it was up to the spare to save the country. How did this happen? He hated responsibility, as did Leonor. On paper, they were well matched. They even had dinner not too long ago when she was on an official visit to the city. She hadn’t mentioned marriage—to her credit—but the expectation hung in the air between them. Maybe she had pushed for the marriage and that’s why his brother was so desperate to have Maxim return after a couple of years. “There is nothing you can say against Leonor,” Novak challenged. “She is everything you’d want in a spouse. Money, beauty, and she’d probably turn a blind eye to your…activities.” The sun’s morning rays lifted slowly, finally reaching Maxim’s eye-line, blinding him. He grunted and sat up straight. “What are you implying?” “Don’t play dumb, brother. Your antics are published in the papers. Your taste in women isn’t a secret. You’d actually do Leonor a disservice in being her husband. She would be seen as the savior, not just with her money, but with her character.” “Yes, I would need someone who has the moral high ground to teach me to behave,” he said dryly. “It’s impossible for me to do that on my own.” “Not without the right stimulation.” “And we’ve come to it, brother. Leonor isn’t the right…stimulant.” Although he remembered she had made a valiant effort one night. He had often wondered how he could’ve stopped himself from eating so tempting a buffet. “Nonsense. What is wrong with her?” Maxim kept his feet on the desk while awkwardly rolling away from the burning rays of the sun. “I…I can’t put a finger on it, but something is definitely wrong.” Was he crazy to want to choose his own bride? Much, much later after he’s had all his fun? No one needed him to sit on a throne. His children—if he ever had any—wouldn’t be required to rule any country. Where was the urgency? “I had an arranged marriage, and it worked out wonderfully.” “That makes you biased,” Maxim said matter-of-factly. “It makes me credible,” Novak shot back. “And more in a position to advise what is best for my little brother.” “Advise or order?” “You know I don’t subscribe to—” “But you’re doing exactly that,” Maxim interrupted. “You are ordering me to return and marry Leonor.” “I’m appealing to your sense of honor and duty,” Novak said quietly, and his tone struck even more of a nerve in Maxim. It also conjured a root of guilt that steadily wove its way around the tendrils of his stomach. Honor and duty. Duty and honor. Was there nothing more to life than those two things? According to his brother, His Royal Highness the King of Degonia, he could also have love. That would be great, if Maxim was looking for that. But he wasn’t. He was looking for freedom. He’d thought he had found it in DC. If anything, that his money would buy it. “Your American experiment must come to an end, Maxim. It is your duty to return home. It will be your honor to marry Leonor and continue to serve your country, your people, and your Crown.” Maxim inhaled stiffly, as though he were in the throne room, in front of his brother. “My experiment has been successful,” he argued weakly. “You can’t deny that. I could send you money—” “It has been successful, and I applaud your efforts. But I need you home, Maxim. The Queen will give birth soon. You will need to take on some of my duties while I attend to her and the baby.” He had anticipated this reason but hadn’t formulated a ready response. There just wasn’t one that made him look less like a jerk if he didn’t help with the slack caused by his brother’s paternity leave—if a king could ever take leave. Money could solve a lot of problems, but he didn’t have enough to clone himself. “Come home, now,” Novak said sternly. “Give me…a week to order my affairs. These projects will bring more money to Degonia.” Novak resigned sigh came through the line. “Three days.” “Done,” Maxim said quickly. “Thank you, brother.” Maxim ended the call with his brother and dropped his head into his hands. This was the last outcome he had predicted, although it was really the only one, if he were honest with himself. No way would his brother ever agree to the second-born son living outside the country for an extended period of time. Perhaps if he were tenth or twentieth in line to the throne, there would be less oversight. But currently, he was first—until the birth of his nephew. Maxim sighed. He stood and stretched his tense muscles. That call hadn’t gone the way he had foolishly hoped. He would return, but he hoped to convince his brother that Leonor and her family’s money wasn’t the only solution to their financial struggles. He had struck it rich with several of his risky investments. If he presented his portfolio and his future investment opportunities, maybe Novak would be persuaded to let his “experiment” continue. His brother wasn’t a risk-taker. And that meant Maxim had an uphill battle ahead. Novak had always disliked Maxim’s crazy ideas and willingness to throw caution to the wind. This time, it seemed Maxim’s luck had truly run out. His duty waited for him at home, and so did Leonor. With a groan, Maxim marched out of his office. Usually at despondent times such as these, he’d warm up his hot tub, invite a friend or two over, some choice ladies, and eat and drink until he’d wasted the day away. Now, he felt like taking action. He walked down the hall of his massive top-story condo in one of DC’s premier residential high-rises. He stepped into his library, his pride and joy. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases complete with sliding ladders. Both he and his brothers read a lot, but where Novak stuck to books and articles on the affairs of the country, Maxim spent a lot of time reading texts on the human condition, including psychology, criminology, and other sciences. He was fascinated with the power of human brain and its ability to shape destiny. Destiny. He’d spent his life molding his. Apparently, in vain. What didn’t hold his interest was anything having to do with love and wishy-washy pseudoscience. Facts and data. He wanted to see the numbers. It was how he made his business decisions, which netted him over a billion dollars. Rarely did he ever go with his gut. Usually, that meant having to sacrifice. And he wasn’t willing to face that kind of pain. When his parents died, with them went any sense of normalcy in their family. His brother was thrust onto the throne, and Maxim’s life had changed as the next in line to wear the crown. He was watched like a hawk, and nearly all of his decisions had been made for him. Not willing to take any chances, his brother quickly married Jelena, and after years of harassment, he finally allowed Maxim some liberty to work overseas. Making money was Maxim’s leverage. Now that was out the expansive windows overlooking the DC skyline. Maxim took in the city he’d grown to love and one that he would now have to leave. What could he do? He heard a gasp and saw one of his cleaning ladies in the opposite corner, her hands covering her mouth. She was watching a television program, the duster in her other hand that hung limp at her side. He couldn’t blame her; he did own a lot of books. “What are you watching?” The maid jumped, her hands going to her heart. “I’m so sorry, Your Highness.” Maxim put up a hand to block his title, but it smacked him in the face. He was born with it; nothing could change that. “Forget about it. What startled you?” He came to her side and eyed three women on the couch. One gray-haired woman looked severe, the host was forgettable, but the one on the right side of the screen caught his attention. She wore a bright yellow, form-hugging dress with lime-green heels. Her curly hair was piled high on her head, but her lips kept his interest. Red. Deep, blood red. Now he knew what it felt like to be a bull…or a vampire. A primal hunger to taste her pouty lips grew in the pit of his belly. “That’s Dr. Pearson.” The maid pointed to his muse. “She just agreed to marry someone—sight unseen—by midnight tonight!” Maxim coughed. “Excuse me?” “She is the DC Love Doctor! She can predict which couples will stay together. People pay her a lot of money to match them. She’s on that television show, uh…Married by Midnight. People agree to marry in one day.” Married in less than twenty-four hours? Interesting. “What’s her success rate?” “One hundred percent!” The maid clapped and smiled. “The other doctor thinks she’s a fraud, but Dr. Pearson never makes a mistake. She says it’s in the science. Her formula for matching people is so good, she’ll match herself.” Science. Data. One hundred percent success rate. An absolute no-brainer. “By midnight? Why midnight for her?” “It’s for the TV show. Isn’t that crazy? The other old doctor was pressuring her.” She made a face at the television. The show had gone to a commercial break. “Calling her service a mail-order-bride scam.” That’s exactly what it sounded like; yet, Maxim was intrigued. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed his manager’s number. If he was compatible with this doctor, then he could marry her tonight. If she needed a letter, he’d write one on his stationary. All girls wanted to marry a prince. Showing up with a new bride meant he couldn’t marry Leonor. This choice, he wouldn’t let anyone else make. And strangely enough, his gut agreed.
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The latest covers for my sweet romance series (Sisters of Springfield) and my billionaire series (Billionaire Boss) are here! Hers to Hold (#4) and Her Ranch Hand Billionaire (#4) will be released in August 2019! Both are available for pre-order everywhere but Amazon (coming soon). Let me know what you think in the comments!
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