Reign A Romance Anthology - Nina Levine Page 0,155

would happen so soon…” His words fall away and so do his eyes.

“Don’t talk like that,” I reprimand. “You and I are going to find someone perfect for us, not just for me.”

Greyson nods his head in agreement.

A couple of hours later, Lester, my father’s secretary, drops off the women’s information folios, and we spend the night going through everything until we can’t see straight anymore.

2

Lila

“Oh, my goodness.” Henrietta rushes into my room. She’s waving an envelope wildly around in the air.

“What is it?” I’m surprised by her enthusiasm. “I’ve called your sisters to come to your room, too.” Her green eyes are wild with excitement. Moments later, Magnolia and Skylar enter the room.

“What’s got you so fired up today, Henny,” Magnolia grumpily asks as she sits beside me on the couch. Skylar takes the chair by my desk on the other side of the room as we patiently wait for Henrietta to explain what’s going on.

“I haven’t been able to raise your mother.” Not surprising since our father passed away and the depths of his double life have come to light. Since then, our mother has been laid up in her room sedated over the prospect of losing everything we own because my father was a self-centered pig. He only thought of himself and squandered away his family’s wealth on hookers, cocaine, and gambling.

We are penniless. Well, about to be, if we don’t find the money to pay back the people he borrowed from. Our titles don’t mean a thing to these people. They are bad, very bad, borderline dangerous. So, we find ourselves in an extremely precarious situation.

“All the staff of the great houses around the world has been talking about the Summer Ball in Friendsburg. How Prince Augustine is looking for a wife.” She squeals excitedly.

My sisters and I look at each other.

We have heard the rumors about the ball from our friends who have been dying for an invitation.

“Well… look at what has arrived from the Palace addressed to your mother.” Henrietta waves the gilded envelope in her hand, then she offers it to Magnolia as she’s the oldest. We watch in silence as she opens the envelope and scans the contents. Her eyes widen as tears begin to simmer in her eyes.

“We are all invited.” Henrietta and Skylar erupt in hysterics. “The dowery is ten… million… dollars,” she says the words slowly.

“That would wipe father’s debt clean,” Skylar states.

“It would.” Magnolia holds the envelope to her chest. “And leave money left over to start over.”

My sisters seem rather excited by the prospect, but all I can think about is a life lived of servitude and controlled by a man. The life our father made us endure, and now that he’s gone, I finally feel free, and I’m not sure if I’m ready to give up that freedom just yet, even it means saving my family.

“The prince is very handsome.” Henrietta pulls out her phone and shows us all. He’s tall, athletically built, tanned, blond hair with blue eyes. My sisters are swooning over him. The prince is attractive, that’s for sure, and I wouldn’t kick him out of my bed, but good looks can disguise a horrible disposition. Plus, let’s face it, looks fade.

In the background of the picture, I notice a man as striking as the prince. His face is serious as his eyes are locked on the prince. Who is he?

“Have you seen his bodyguard, too?” Henrietta adds, pointing to the man standing in the background. “He’s just as handsome as the prince.” She grins. “Do not get any ideas.” Henrietta points to us both. “The prince is the prize, not the bodyguard,” she reminds us.

“I’d happily be in that man sandwich,” Skylar adds, which makes us all laugh. She’s not wrong. My thoughts run away along the lines of being sandwiched between the two of them.

I could never tell my sisters the things I like to do behind closed doors. They wouldn’t understand. As far as they’re concerned, I’m still a virgin, just like them, the way father wanted us to be.

Being the youngest, the pressure of preserving myself wasn’t closely watched like my older sisters, so I could get away with a lot more. Expectations are lower.

My father was always looking for a husband for Magnolia as she’s the eldest. His sole focus was to see her married off as soon as possible. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find an upstanding family who wanted to be associated with him due to his