a nearby church, bells began to sound. His face twisted into a condescending smile. “Listen to that. Your fairy tale is over. Time to take your bastard son and go home.” He leaned forward. Pure hatred laced his words. “You don’t belong here,” he added with the same smirk Christopher Tyler always used to wear.
It was the worst thing he could have done, next to insulting all the people that I loved.
“Oh, no?” I gritted before I hoisted my dress and twirled on my heal. I didn’t stop until I returned to that ballroom, where Auggie danced with my mother. “Excuse me,” I said with a slight bow to my mother. “I’d like to dance with my fiancé.” My eyes met his. “The future king of Aldayne.”
His eyes widened as he realized what I was saying. “Are you sure?” he asked.
My gaze traveled to where Allan now stood with Cillian, watching me from across the room. Audra was right. They were despicable human beings. Aldayne would suffer under their rule, including all the wonderful people I’d come to care about. They underestimated me if they thought I would just passively step aside and let that happen. If I had any say about it, they would never take the throne. And I had that power.
I was Peaches McPhee, for fuck’s sake.
“Positive,” I said.
He bowed before me before he took my hand in his and brought it to his lips. “I serve you, my queen,” he said softly.
“No,” I corrected. “We serve Aldayne.”
I linked my arm in his. Forget their stupid decorum. A Peach now grew on the Quinn family tree, and there were going to be some new traditions. I wanted to let everyone in that ballroom, including Auggie himself, know I was with him, a full partner. Together we parted the crowd as we walked to the Queen, who still sat at her table. We bowed before her. She glanced between us. We both nodded.
Queen Maeve smiled.
She rose and clinked her glass with a silver utensil. We stood to the side so she could make her toast.
“I want to thank everyone here for coming to my celebration. I have been very blessed to serve you all for these last twenty-five years. It has been my heart’s joy.” She glanced at Auggie. “But tonight, my heart has even greater joy. My grandson, Prince Augustine Seamus Whitley Quinn Agassi, has agreed to take my place as your new king.”
Pandemonium erupted. I stood a little taller, watching the smug faces of the Byrnes fall. It was the moment that everything in my life changed.
I looked up at Auggie, who accepted this new role with dignity and grace. I clasped his arm to mine. Everything in my life had changed since he first said, “Hello.”
I had no idea what to expect. We still had a wedding to plan, likely in Aldayne now, rather than Maggie Farms or Ademar. I touched my tummy. And then there was Jack, whose “early” birth would likely prove a challenge for me given I had made two new powerful enemies, who were clearly already in bed with my worst enemy of all.
But that was a story for another time.
In this moment, my fairy tale was complete. I had won my happily ever after.
And I was going to do whatever it took to make it last.
END OF BOOK ONE
This October, the story continues with THE DUKE TAKES A BRIDE. What starts with a fairy tale wedding quickly goes sideways as old ghosts continue to haunt Auggie and Peaches. Will their love be enough to endure the wrath of the Byrnes?
What will it mean for this new family when Christopher Tyler learns the truth about Jack?
There’s more to be told. Enjoy this exclusive preview of Book II in the Rocking Royals Trilogy.
The Duke Takes a Bride: Chapter One
I stood staring at my Darcy Masters original wedding gown for what felt like an eternity, which was odd, considering. I had only met the man who would soon become my husband a mere eight months before, right around the time I found out I was six weeks pregnant from a three-minute mistake with a regrettable one-night-stand.
No matter how many fixed numbers were added to the equation, it all summed up one inescapable truth: time is fucking relative.
A lifetime of stuff can change in eight months. Take it from me.
By October 1st, I was 36 weeks pregnant, standing in a 12th century castle, staring at a regal white wedding dress complete with its own