Chapter 8

Normally, it took years to plan a coronation. Other than a royal wedding, it was the most important, practically sacred, event in the history of the country. But neither Philippe nor I were going to wait a fucking year to start our lives with the women we loved.

And the longer it took to make Céline queen, the more time the Beauchenes had to contest the decision. They would never win, but until it was settled, the passing of the title would remain on hold.

In an amazing stroke of luck, Philippe had been scheduled to be crowned king this year, and the date just happened to be a few weeks after we solved the issue with the line of succession. So everything for the coronation was already in place.

At first, I'd been excited to tell Dani everything. But then I thought about surprising her. Coming home and informing her that she was now engaged to a regular guy…well, for the most part. I wasn't in line to be king, but I was still a prince, as well as holding several other titles.

If she hadn't told me about the baby by then, I was no longer going to pretend I didn't know. Even if it meant showing all my cards. Besides, I couldn"t imagine Dani was completely unaware of the depth of my obsession with her.

"Sign here," the attorney said, drawing me out of my thoughts. He pointed at yet another document, and I quickly scribbled my name on the bottom. I barely paid attention, which would have seemed crazy to anyone else since I was signing away my claim to the throne. But I hadn't been able to reach Dani or Loni since yesterday morning when Janice went off duty.

I'd called Jonah, and he'd promised to look into it, but I hadn't heard from him so far.

The coronation was at ten in the morning, and the second it was over, I would be on a plane back to New York. When I found my princess, I was going to spank her pretty little ass until she couldn't sit down for a week.

"That's everything," the attorney droned as he gathered up all of the paperwork. The man was a stick-in-the-mud, but he'd been invaluable in helping us to make the necessary changes ironclad and irreversible.

"I can't believe it," Céline breathed as she stared up at Timothée, her husband, who stood beside her with his arm around her waist. "Am I crazy to think I can do this?"

He pulled her in closer and kissed the side of her head. "You are everything a queen should be, my love."

"And you won't be doing it alone, little sister," Philippe told her with a gentle smile. "Mom and Dad will be here to guide you, and if you need Tristan or me, we're just a phone call away."

She nodded and swiped at a few tears as she beamed at all of us. "Okay, let"s get this show on the road."

Both Philippe and I hugged our sister and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You look beautiful. And the country is lucky to have you as their monarch," I told her softly.

She smiled brightly and took a deep breath, then turned and waited for her attendants to place a sparkling diamond diadem on her head, then attach the velvet mantle, edged with lace and delicate stitching done by one of the past queens. It was fifteen feet long and required four women to carry it behind her to the altar.

Finally, she ran her hands down the bodice and skirt of her white silk dress, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles. "Okay. Let's do this thing."

I chuckled as I followed her from the dressing room and out into the hall. Michel was leaning back on the wall opposite the door, and when I emerged, he immediately stood. His posture was tense, and I frowned at the scowl on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Dani. She's here."

"What?" I shouted, drawing everyone's attention. I looked at my sister and brother, sputtering, "I-she-Dani—"

"Go!" Céline urged. "It"ll be at least an hour before they finish with all the stuff and you need to take your place."

"But—"

My sister cut me off with a laugh. "It's not as if they can go on without me, and I won't do this without my brothers at my side." Then she winked, and a rush of love for my family swept through me.

"You are a kick-ass sister, you know that?"

"I'm glad you've finally realized it."

My thoughts filled with Dani again, and turning back to Michel, I rasped, "Where is she?"

"The security office. They obviously didn't know who she was and almost had her arrested. Luckily, I was on their radio frequency and heard her name."

"Shit!" I took off through the halls of the great cathedral, making my way to the security office in the basement. When I burst through the door, every guard jumped to their feet and bowed their heads. "Your highness," they greeted.

I didn't care about them, and I rushed by, stalking back to the cells.

Dani sat on a bench with her head hanging low, her beautiful blond tresses creating a curtain, hiding her face from my view. Her hands were clasped in her lap, and I wanted to wring the neck of every one of the security people who'd obviously frightened her.

"Princesse," I croaked, my throat suddenly dry as the Sahara.

Her head whipped up, and tears filled her eyes, trickling down her cheeks as she jumped to her feet and rushed over to me.

"I'm so sorry. I should have told you I was coming, but I was nervous and wanted to surprise you. But it was stupid. Loni told me it was a bad idea, but I basically blackmailed her into coming with me since I knew you'd be pissed if I made the trip alone. I'm sorry I've been—"

"Dani. Take a breath, princesse," I soothed, taking one of her hands through the bars. It was cold, and I vowed to put the assholes who worked here in front of a firing squad. I twisted my head to the side and glared at the guard standing in the shadows, trying to fade into the scenery. Smart. He clearly knew I was fighting with my murderous instincts. But it wouldn't work.

"Keys," I barked. He rushed forward, and the metal jingled on the ring as he searched for the right one. I growled menacingly, and he jumped, his face losing all color. He was millimeters from death when he finally found the right key and inserted it into the lock.

Finally free, Dani threw herself into my arms, and I held her tightly, reassuring myself that she was in my arms in one piece. "Loni is a couple of cells down," she mumbled with her face buried in my chest.

I jerked my chin in that direction, and the guard scurried to do my bidding. When Loni emerged, I met her gaze and nodded. I appreciated that she'd made sure Dani arrived safely. I didn't blame her for letting my woman make the trip because we both knew how fucking stubborn she was.

Scooping Dani into my arms, I inhaled her vanilla scent, and it soothed some of my ire. Not enough to save these motherfucker's jobs, but at least they wouldn't be sent to the guillotine. It might have been a little old fashioned, but no one had ever specifically forbidden its use.

"The head of security needs to be on my phone when the coronation ends, or you will all be facing more than a lost job." I didn't wait to see their reactions before I marched out of the office and made my way to the nearest conference room.

Loni moved to stand on the left of the door, and I realized Michel had been following me when he took up the position on the right.

Knowing they would make sure we were undisturbed, I carried my love inside and kicked the door shut.

"Coronation?" she squeaked.

I glanced down at her and frowned when I saw the deer-in-the-headlights expression on her face. "Yes, my—"

"Holy crap!" she exclaimed, wiggling in my arms to get down. "Am I holding it up? Oh, Dani. You idiot," she moaned. "How did I not notice the tux? You look so handsome. So…regal." Then she burst into tears.

Shaking my head in exasperation, I held her even tighter and walked over to the table. I kicked a chair out with my foot and took a seat, settling her across my lap, then took her hands in mine, rubbing to warm them up.

"Don't worry about that, princesse."

"How can I not worry about it, Tristan? I'm terrified. But I love you enough to"—she gulped and cringed—"be queen. After I heard Philippe tell you he was abdicating, I thought I loved you enough to let you go. I imagined how I would feel if it were my family, and I knew once you came home you would remember how much you love your country and decide to become king. But I just can't let you go. I need to be with you. Especially now that…"

She trailed off as her eyes went wide and round, her mouth forming a little O.

"Now that what, Dani?" I growled. I'd get to the other stuff she'd mentioned, but first, I wanted her to admit it. To tell me I was gonna be a daddy.

"I'm…" She sniffed and dropped her gaze to my chest. "I'm pregnant."

"It's about fucking time," I grunted before I took her mouth in a deep kiss. She tasted of vanilla and woman, and it turned my manhood to stone.

"What?" she asked with a puzzled expression when our lips parted.

There was no room for half-truths or secrets between us anymore. I wouldn't risk another misunderstanding. "Loni told me about your OB-GYN appointment."

Dani gasped and rolled her eyes. "Such a tattletale."

"She didn't want to lose her job," I defended.

"That's fair," she admitted grumpily. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wanted you to tell me. And I was nervous to let you see the depth of my obsession with you. The truth is, princesse, you bring out something in me…I need you. Need to know where you are and who you're with so I know you are safe. I need to own your heart, as well as your body. I'm unhinged for you, princesse. The thought of another man anywhere near you makes me homicidal. I'm a possessive, jealous, controlling bastard. But I will treat you like a queen and love you more than anyone ever could."

"I…I love you so much, Tristan. I love who you are, all of you, and I would never want you to change." She stared into my eyes, her blue orbs filled with trepidation. "But I am terrified. What if I suck at it?"

"At what, princesse?"

"Being queen," she whispered as if someone might hear her telling me a great secret.

Laughter rumbled in my chest, and I gave her a quick, hard kiss, before sitting back and smiling. "You don't have to worry about that, princesse. I tried to tell you before. This is not my coronation."

"It's not?" She looked adorably confused, and I cupped her cheeks, wiping away her tears with my thumbs.

"No, baby. I never wanted to be king. I love my life in New York, especially the one I'm building with you"—I put my hand on her belly and grinned—"and our little bébé. Phillipe and I both abdicated."

"But…then, who is being crowned today?" She gasped. "Please don't tell me you let the Beauchenes take over!"

I chuckled at how fucking adorable she was. "Naughty girl, princesse. You heard enough to hear about them, but not the part where I told my brother I would never be king? Or that we realized our sister was the rightful heir, and we needed to come home to figure out how to make that happen?"

Dani's cheeks turned red, and she ducked her head. "I may have freaked out after Philippe said you would be a great king."

"That's what you get for eavesdropping," I teased. "It took much longer than I'd expected, but we finally managed to get the law changed. But if the Beauchenes contest it, it could tie things up for a long fucking time. So we're crowning her now. If they make a fuss, she'll already be the queen, and there is nothing they can do about it."

"Smart," Dani praised with a proud smile.

"I have my moments. Like when I decided you were mine. Smartest thing I've ever done in my life."

I sealed my mouth over hers, and when my tongue probed for entrance, her lips parted. Her taste sucker punched me and filled me with need. I was addicted to her, and I hadn't realized the extent of my withdrawal until I got another hit.

Grasping her wide, supple hips, I lifted her and moved her to straddle me.

"Damn, I missed you," I grunted as I trailed kisses down her neck. "Your smile, our laughter, your kindness, and"—my fingers clutched at her hips hard enough to leave marks, and my shaft pulsed when heat flared in her clear blue eyes—"your sexy as fuck body."

"Tristan," she moaned when I dipped a hand between her legs and cupped her pussy.

"Did you wear this skirt for me, princesse? Were you hoping I'd make you wet and play with this pretty pussy until you came all over my hand?"

Dani gasped when I put a little pressure on her bundle of nerves. "Yes," she hissed.

"Did your pussy—my tight, wet little pussy—miss my touch? My tongue? My cock?"

"So much." Dani bit her lip as her hands grasped my biceps.

I slipped my finger beneath her underwear and dragged it up her center. Then I withdrew my hand and licked the digit clean.

"Fuck, I can't get enough of your taste. But I can't eat your pussy right now because I won't be able to stop."

Moving my hands to her ass, I yanked her forward so my dick was cradled between her thighs, pressed right up against her sensitive nub.

"I dreamed of filling you, baby," I murmured in her ear while my hands roamed up her back and over her shoulders. "Of stretching you with my big, fat dick. Wanna know what we were doing in one of those spectacularly filthy dreams, princesse?"

"Yes, sir," she panted, and I lost my fucking mind.

"You were riding my cock. Bouncing those round tits in my face while your pussy rippled around me and milked every drop of my seed out of my cock."

"Tristan!" she cried when I ripped her panties away.

I stopped and grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet my eyes. "You have to be quiet, princesse. If you value Michel's and Loni's lives because no one hears your sounds of pleasure but me."

I waited for her to nod in agreement, then unbuttoned my pants and yanked down the zipper, hissing in pain when I freed my aching shaft. There was nothing left in my brain except mindless hunger for my woman. I urged her to get onto her knees, then guided my cock to her entrance. "Fuck my cock, baby," I grunted.

Dani dropped down on me, biting her lip to keep from crying out when I was buried from root to tip. I bumped her cervix, and it reminded me that I'd fucking bred my woman. I didn't know why, but that increased the bliss of feeling her clamping around my member, gripping it so tight it was almost painful.

"So damn good," I groaned. I grasped the hem of her dress and whipped it over her head, leaving her in a white lace bra. Her tits were spilling over the top edges, and I could just see the dusky pink of her areolas. "Fuck…" I rasped. "They've grown."

I cupped the large globes, reveling in how big and soft they were. One of my hands reached behind her and unsnapped her bra with one quick twist. Her tits fell free and started bouncing as Dani rose and fell on my steel rod.

"Take all that cock, baby," I grunted, thrusting my hips up as I leaned forward and sucked one stiff nipple into my mouth.

"Tristan!" Dani hissed, arching her back and supporting herself with her hands behind her on my knees.

I let the peak go with a pop and moaned raggedly. "I can't wait to fuck these incredible tits again, princesse. But my mouth is watering when I think about sucking these sweet nipples when they are dripping with milk." Just the thought of tasting her sweet cream had come spurting from my dick. But it made her slick, so I slid in and out with more ease. Then I sucked on her other nipple, and she cried out, increasing her speed and falling even harder.

"Oh yes…" she moaned. Her voice was strained from trying to contain the need to be loud. "Yes! Tristan!"

I stopped and glared at her until she bit her lip and nodded emphatically. "I'll be quiet. I promise. Please don't stop."

I'd let her be in control for as long as I could, but the beast inside me clawed its way out. I wrapped my fingers around her hips, and though I knew I should ease up my grip, something about knowing she'd be marked by me tomorrow stopped me. I jerked her up and down, thrusting up to fill her completely every time I brought her down hard. She was gonna be sore later, but I couldn't stop pounding into her.

"So wet. Tight. Fuck! I missed my sweet pussy, princesse. Oh, fuck! Just like that, baby! Yes!"

"Tristan," Dani groaned. "I'm gonna come! Oh…Oh…Yessss!"

"Not yet," I growled.

"But—"

"You come when I fucking tell you, Dani."

I slapped her ass hard enough to leave a handprint and bit one of her nipples. She opened her mouth, but her scream of ecstasy was silent, and her body shook almost violently as she tried to hold off her climax.

My spine tingled as my balls drew up, warning me that I was about to blow my load. "Now," I growled. I covered Dani's mouth to muffle her screams again as her fingers dug into my knees while she shook with the force of her climax.

Her walls gripped me like a vise, rippling around my shaft and pushing me over the edge with her.

"Oh fuck! Dani!" I roared.