His Royal Regret: Royals of Lochland Book 2 Read online

  His Royal Regret

  Royals of Lochland Book 2

  Brittney Mulliner

  Contents

  Also By Brittney Mulliner

  1. Serena

  2. Cian

  3. Serena

  4. Cian

  5. Serena

  6. Cian

  7. Serena

  8. Cian

  9. Serena

  10. Cian

  11. Serena

  12. Cian

  13. Serena

  14. Cian

  15. Serena

  16. Cian

  17. Serena

  18. Cian

  19. Serena

  20. Cian

  21. Serena

  22. Cian

  23. Serena

  24. Cian

  Afterword

  Coming Soon

  About the Author

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Copyright © 2019 Brittney Mulliner

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-13: 978-1698045252

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the author.

  Also By Brittney Mulliner

  ROMANCE

  Utah Fury Hockey

  Puck Drop (Reese and Chloe)

  Match Penalty (Erik and Madeline)

  Line Change (Noah and Colby)

  Attaching Zone (Wyatt and Kendall)

  Buzzer Beater (Colin and Lucy)

  Open Net (Olli and Emma)

  Full Strength (Grant and Addison)

  Drop Pass (Nikolay and Elena)

  Royals of Lochland

  His Royal Request

  His Royal Regret

  Young Adult

  Begin Again Series

  Begin Again

  Live Again

  Love Again (Coming Soon)

  Charmed Series

  Finding My Charming

  Finding My Truth (Coming Soon)

  Standalones

  The Invisibles

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  Brittney’s Reader’s club here

  To those that still believe in fairy tales

  1

  Serena

  The line in front of the bookstore wound its way down the sidewalk and wrapped around the corner of Seventh Street. The sprinkling of men in the line were looking at their phones or staring down the road longingly as if they’d rather be stopped in traffic than where they stood unmoving amongst the excited women and teenage girls. I moved past them to the entrance of Seventh Page. I wasn’t going to wait in line for a book I’d ordered two weeks ago.

  “Do you think he’s here yet?” A young girl, around fourteen, asked the woman next to her.

  “I hope he signs my copy.” An older woman said to another with an impish smile.

  Was there an actor or singer here? The small bookstore often held book signings, but it was usually local authors and there was rarely a line.

  I almost stopped to ask one of them but resisted. I doubted I’d know who it was anyway. I’d lost touch with most of pop culture happenings while in Nepal for the last two years.

  I pulled open the front door to the complaints of those in line.

  “Get in line!”

  “It’s back there.”

  “No cutting!”

  I ignored the calls and entered the empty store heading directly to the register. When the bookstore called to let me know the book had arrived they said they’d have it at the front counter for me, so I could avoid waiting. Well, that didn’t look like it was going to work out for me. No one was around so I stood on my tiptoes and tried to scan the store. I was too short to see over the towering bookshelves so I wandered further in, listening for voices.

  I was in the middle of the store when I came to an open area filled with a dozen rows of chairs facing a podium that hadn’t been there the previous week. So, this was where the big event was taking place.

  I sighed. Still no employees. “Hello?” I called out and moved past the chairs.

  “Sorry Miss. We’re closed until two.” A young man cut through an aisle and approached me.

  I shook my head. “Sorry, I’m just here to pick up a book. I got a call yesterday that it was here.”

  He seemed to relax as his shoulders dropped. “Oh sorry about that. They should have let you know we’d be closed for an event. I’ll grab it for you. What’s your name?”

  “Serena Jones.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  He disappeared and I turned to the display table of new releases. I wasn’t a big fiction reader, so I glanced at the covers but didn’t really take them in.

  “Excuse me?” The annoyed tone caught my attention.

  I turned to the sound of the accented voice and stepped back. A different man, probably a little older than me I’d guess late twenties, with light brown hair and a stern expression was staring at me. His piercing blue eyes were like magnets drawing me in but warning me away at the same time. He was gorgeous yet imposing like he knew he was attractive but was annoyed by it.

  “Yes?”

  “I asked for my coffee thirty minutes ago. How hard is it to get a drink in this town?”

  I looked around and realized he thought I was an employee. “Sorry...”

  “Stop apologizing and get my coffee.”

  I smirked. He was a real winner.

  His face reddened. “Why are you laughing?”

  I shrugged. “Cause you’re going to be waiting a lot longer for your coffee by yelling at me.”

  “You incompetent–”

  “Here’s your book, Ms. Jones. The receipt is inside. Sorry for the mix-up.”

  I smiled at the real employee and accepted my book. “No problem. Thanks for your help.” I moved to step past him, but stopped at his side and glanced over my shoulder. “Might want to get this man his coffee. He’s simply suffering without it.”

  The demanding jerk had the decency to appear apologetic. “I didn’t know.”

  I waved him off. “Don’t worry. I’m sure walking around yelling at people is how you get things done. There’s simply no alternative to how you treat people. Decency seems like a completely foreign concept to you.”

  I kept walking with my head held high. My tolerance for entitled, privileged man-children was down to zero after spending time with orphans in Nepal who had literally nothing and wanted only for the very basic. The children didn’t even cry. They knew their tears and pleas would go unanswered. Living in those circumstances changes a person. I no longer took things like clean water and access to food for granted. I had so much. More than other people could dream of.

  Wasting time and energy being angry at that gorgeous brute wasn’t on my to-do list.

  “Pardon me.”

  I cringed and slowly turned. “What?”

  “I’m sorry for yelling at you and assuming you were an employee.”

  I sized him up, he really was aggravatingly handsome. “It’s fine.”

  I turned but he reached out like he was going to grab me. I stepped back and narrowed my eyes.

  His jaw clenched. “I’m sorry.” He took a breath. “I get...anxious before these events and I get a bit short with people.”

  I nodded as if I understood. I didn’t and I didn’t particularly care to. “Sure.”

  This time he didn’t try to stop me when I turn
ed.

  “You can stay if you’d like.” He called out after I took a few steps.

  I peered over my shoulder. “For what?”

  He seemed affronted. “My reading?”

  Who was this guy? Not only did he think everyone was around to serve him, but we all were supposed to know who he was too?

  “Of your book?”

  “Yes, my book.” He sounded stupefied.

  I glanced down at the book in my hand about the global animal homelessness crisis. “I...um…” Have better things to do.

  “I’ll be discussing renewable energy and how we are working with less developed countries to create their own plans.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Really?” I couldn’t keep the skepticism out of my voice. This guy looked like he would be talking about himself and his skincare regimen, not solving a global problem.

  One of the store employees approached us with an anxious expression. “I’m so sorry to interrupt, sir, but we’re about to let people in. We need you to come to the back.”

  “Will you stay?” His eyes seemed to plead with mine. Why did he care so much that I’d be there?

  “We’ll save a front-row seat for her, sir,” the frazzled employee interrupted. “You need to get to the back.”

  His eyes held mine until I nodded. “I’ll stay for a bit.”

  It seemed like the only way he would leave and I didn’t want to be responsible for the other guy’s anxiety attack.

  “Come on, please.” The employee rushed down the aisle away from us. The imposing and fairly rude man nodded to me then followed after him.

  I wandered to the rows of chairs just as the front doors opened and the line rushed in. Employees were shouting to not run and that there was no need to rush but it fell on deaf ears. The previously silent store was now full of excited chatter and a ridiculous amount of giggling.

  Were they all here to see this guy? Was he a new actor? One that fancied himself an activist?

  I skirted along the edge of the crowd, searching for an empty seat when the nervous employee from before approached. “I have a seat up front for you, miss.”

  “Thanks.” I didn't want to sit that close, especially since I was planning on leaving after a few minutes, but I didn't want to upset the man in front of me any more than necessary. He looked liked he was at the end of his rope.

  “Here you go.” He waved to a chair in the center with a printed note that said ‘reserved’. He took off in another direction leaving me alone to sit amidst the rabid fans.

  I studied the area, avoiding the eyes of the women and teens that seemed annoyed by my presence. Tall banners stood on either side of the podium. Those hadn’t been there a few minutes before. The one on the left had the cover of his book “Renewable Energy, Achieved” while the one on the right read “Best-Selling Author Prince Cian, Crown Prince of Lochland”.

  I sat there stunned then peeked around again at the crowd. They weren’t here for a famous author or actor. They were here to see a prince. A real-life prince!

  Cian, like Kee-an. I’d learned that name as a teenager when I first set eyes on the prince. He was a total heartthrob. At least he was until he went to university and the media left him alone.

  “He’s so handsome.”

  “I can’t believe we got in.”

  “Did you see the pictures of him at the royal wedding?”

  “He’s hot!”

  The voices melted together as my vision tunneled and my breathing quickened. I’d met a prince of Lochland? The oldest? Cian?

  I hadn’t seen pictures of him since his high school or college days, years ago. I’d been a bit busy and they didn’t keep tabloids on hand in the countries I’d been volunteering in.

  I’d been so rude! Though in my defense, he deserved it. I noticed the smattering of men dressed in dark suits. Security.

  Had he asked me to stay so they could take me away and punish me for disrespecting their prince? I could imagine security tackling me to the ground and shackling me with handcuffs made from—hopefully—recycled plastic.

  An employee approached the podium and began speaking but I couldn’t hear what she was saying over the cheers and screams. Cian stepped forward directly in front of me, still all brooding and serious. His eyes met mine for a split second before he opened his mouth to start, but the screams only intensified.

  He closed his mouth and tried three more times before employees stepped forward to hush the crowd.

  Finally, it was quiet enough for him to begin. “Thank you all for being here.” Cheers ensued for over a minute. He gave a tight smile while waiting for the room to quiet again. “I’m so glad to see so many interested in renewable energy.”

  He smiled and I found myself relaxing a bit. He had a sense of humor. I never would have guessed.

  “LochEnergy has been working hard on finding a solution to the energy and oil crisis facing all of us, and after years of research and trial and error we’ve found a solution that not only works for our country but others around the world. We’ve implemented test sites and they’ve yielded success so we’re ready to move forward…”

  I zoned out as he got into the nitty-gritty details of what LochEnergy had been doing, and read a selection. I thought he’d been kidding earlier about the topic of his book. I’d assumed he was an actor releasing his autobiography at twenty-something.

  No, he was the real deal. He was obviously intelligent, well-spoken, and knew how to handle a crowd.

  Well, of course. He was a prince.

  I still couldn’t believe I didn't recognize him. Probably because he was missing his signature smile he flashed his younger years. The man in front of me hadn’t smiled yet. He kept his expression neutral while he spoke, but when he’d spoken to me earlier, he seemed...tired. Jaded.

  What had happened to him between then and now?

  The surge of sympathy I felt confused me. I didn’t know him and I doubted there was much as a prince he longed for.

  Still, there was pain behind his eyes.

  When he was done, his security escorted him to the back of the store and the employee that introduced him came to the podium again. “We’d like to invite those of you who have purchased the prince’s book to the sitting area of the store where he has so kindly agreed to sign your copy.”

  I took that as my chance to escape and fought against the crowd to the front doors. It seemed like I was the only one not rushing at the chance to meet Cian.

  Once I was outside, and back in the normal world, I took a deep breath and shook my head. That was one of the weirdest experiences of my life.

  I checked my phone and cringed. I was going to be late for my shift, and I doubted anyone would believe me if I said why. I sent a quick text to my manager and jogged up the street to my car while pushing the prince out of my mind. I channeled my focus on the babies that needed me.

  2

  Cian

  I survived the two hours of signing, barely. I’d signaled to Lewis, my assistant, several times but he told me there were only a few more, forcing me to sign every last person’s book. The girl whom I’d been rude to, Ms. Jones, hadn't come through the line. Not that I expected her to. She wasn’t here for me. Unlike the smiling women that tarried at the table longer than necessary, she didn’t seem interested in seeing me again.

  I slid the slips of paper and business cards with various strangers’ numbers into the trash can under the table and stood, stretching. “That was excruciating.”

  Lewis smirked. “But you hid it so well, sir.”

  I glared at him. I knew I wasn’t able to hide my emotions, but I found long ago people didn’t seem to care. No reason to fake it if they didn’t notice.

  “Is the driver ready?”

  “Yes, he’s parked out front, but you need to hurry to blend in with the rest of the crowd.” I took the duffle bag he held out and dropped it to the ground. I shrugged out of my suit coat, handing it to him, then unbuttoned my white shirt. I could still
hear voices in the store, so there were some people hanging around. I needed to hurry if I wanted to pretend to be with them. I ducked down and unzipped the bag to pull out the t-shirt and hoodie. I slipped them on before stepping out of my leather Oxfords and pulling on some running shoes. Lewis held out a hat, and I pulled it on low over my eyes.

  We’d done this so often it had become routine. He pulled on my suit coat and sunglasses. Luckily, he was about the same build and had the same hair color as me. He’d been my decoy since our university days. If there were photographs taken or if a crowd formed, he stepped up and got confused for me all the time. At least as my assistant he got paid for it.

  “Ready?” He asked and I nodded. “I’m heading back to the hotel. I gave your driver your friend David’s address so you shouldn’t have any problems. If you end up being followed, let me know.”

  “Thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  I headed to the front of the store, carrying a shopping bag like I was another customer and walked out the door with a group of giggling women.

  “Did you see his smile?”

  “He’s so handsome.”

  “I wish I got to take a picture with him.”

  I cringed at their words, hoping they wouldn't notice me and hurried to the waiting silver SUV. I slid into the passenger seat and sighed as we pulled away from the curb.