Divide By Circumstance: Part Four (Limited Series) [NSFW]
Disclaimer: Based upon characters in Choices - The Royal Romance, #LoveHacks, Rules of Engagement, Home for the Holidays, and Veil of Secrets series. All characters presented are the property of Pixelberry Studios. I claim no ownership. This story is purely the work of the poster as fanfiction.
Overall Series Rating: NSFW
Warnings: SMUT, Adult Language, Adult Content, Sexual Discussions, Gratuitous Sexual Descriptions
Overall Series Summary: News of an American marrying into the Cordonian Royal Family has finally been noticed by the American media and public with some major ramifications.
Author’s Note: As with most of my stories, this is a crossover story. My MC’s are as follows: Carrissa Monroe (TRR), Abby Bennett (#LH), Scarlett Joy (HFTH), Aria Slater (RoE), Jordan Cargill (VoS). Additionally, my name for party girl sister in RoE is Ashley. There will be an End Note following this chapter. This series is part of my Chromatic AU.
This is very much sensitive content and NSFW. You have been warned.
Part Four
REPUBLIC OF CORDONIA - A FEW DAYS AGO
“What are you saying?” Carissa paced around Liam’s office; her face flush with shock. She had heard the words from Leo and Maxwell, but as simple of a concept that it was, her mind was still awash in confusion. She looked over at Drake, who had just received similar news, yet he was as calm as ever. “And you Drake…doesn’t this freak you out? That you and Savannah might have family you never knew about?”
Truth be told, Drake was freaking out. On the inside. How could he and Savannah potentially have two siblings? How could his father do something like this? Was his mother aware of her husband’s infidelity? No, Drake was far from calm. He just refused to show his complicated emotions until he understood all that was happening. “I need to talk to Savannah. And I need another drink.”
“You and me both,” Olivia piped up from the back of the office, raising her empty rocks glass. “One Drake Walker is more than enough, but two? Well that makes it official - the world is punishing me.”
“Livvy!” Liam chided as he followed his best friend out of the office. Olivia simply shrugged, pouring herself another stiff drink.
The others all turned back towards Carissa, hoping that Drake’s departure didn’t affect her feelings. Both Hana and Maxwell wrapped their arms around the queen, letting her know that this new familial development was going to be okay.
“Leo and I didn’t mean to cause any problems,” Maxwell finally stated after releasing Carissa from his tight hug. “When Dean called Leo out of the blue, and I got a text from Daniel about his own phone call; well we just thought it was important that everyone knew immediately.” Leo wrapped his arms around his fiancé’s waist from behind, pulling him in close and placing a gentle kiss to his neck in an effort to relieve his worry.
“You did the right thing Maxwell,” Carissa replied. “You both did. It’s definitely a lot to take in, but Drake and I both needed to know. And don’t worry about Drake. He’ll come around.”
“What about you though?” Hana asked. “You mentioned before that you were a bit freaked out.”
Carissa took a deep breath. She certainly was shocked to learn that she may have a sister. All her life she had wanted a family, a real family. Carissa had spent much of her childhood in a few orphanages before shuffling between several different foster homes. She ended up with the Baxter’s when she was fifteen and they adopted her, but she never truly felt like part of that family despite them giving her their name. So when she was eighteen, Carissa set off on her own to find her way in the big city across the river: New York. She legally changed her surname back to what it had been for most of her life - Monroe. Named for the town hospital in which she had been abandoned. “I’m excited to meet her. Yes, I’m nervous because for so long I didn’t have a true family. Then I met Daniel and you all and my world finally made sense. Now finding out I might have a sister…well that’s icing on the cake and a dream come true.”
“This is a nightmare Liam,” Drake growled out in the hallway a few paces down from the king’s office. “All my life, I idolized my father. He was my hero. And now to learn that he had a secret family?”
“Drake, you don’t know that for sure.” Liam placed a hand to his best friend’s shoulder. “Leo said their last name is Walker too and that Dean looks very much like you, but they could be your cousins? I’ve already got Bastien looking into personnel files to see if your father had a brother identified on any of his records. And of course we will do all the proper testing in New York to verify these claims, for you, Savannah, and Carissa.”
Drake pulled his best friend into a tight hug, his anger and fear washing away in an instant. Liam always had that effect on him. He always knew the right words to say. “Thank you my friend.”
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK (GREENWICH VILLAGE)
Bastien pulled the black SUV with diplomatic license plates and tiny Cordonian flags affixed to the front fenders to a stop outside the bar where Carissa was once employed. As each occupant exited the vehicle, they all took notice of Dean and Elsie. The two siblings had been approaching the bar when the SUV arrived. Leo quickly jogged towards Dean, shaking his hand and Elsie’s before escorting them both over to meet the others.
“Dean and Elsie, meet Drake and Savannah,” Leo said after he had introduced everyone else that had stepped from the SUV. He quickly took a step back so the four could get acquainted.
The appearance was uncanny. Drake couldn’t get over just how much Dean looked like him, albeit with shaggier hair. His eyes, his nose, his mouth - it was like looking into a mirror. Drake extended his hand towards Dean, but the other Walker quickly pulled him into a hug. Elsie did the same with Savannah and whatever tension or insecurities each were feeling seemed to quickly dissipate.
From inside the bar, Daniel happened to notice the gathering outside. He shimmied free from TJ’s embrace and excused himself from the chaotic development inside.
“Carissa,” Daniel said as he approached the group. “You’re going to want to get inside and see this for yourself.” Daniel gestured for everyone to join him before doing a double take of the two Drake’s.
“Yes, let’s head inside,” Liam said as he turned to face Dean and Elsie. “When we all learned of you two, we also discovered that my wife may have a sister she never knew existed.” Liam placed a hand to the small of Carissa’s back and proceeded into the bar with her.
“She may have two sister’s she didn’t know about,” Daniel mumbled to himself as he let the others make their way inside while he held back waiting for Drake, the real Drake. “I didn’t think I’d see you again so soon, let alone two of you,” Daniel whispered in Drake’s ear as he took one of Drake’s hands and squeezed.
“So you’re saying you missed me? It’s only been a week,” Drake replied with a mischievous smirk. He wrapped an arm around Daniel’s waist and pulled him into a quick kiss. “I’ve missed you too. Oh and I apparently have a brother and sister I never knew about.” The two smiled at each other over the interesting situation before quickly separating and rejoining the others inside. Immediately upon entering the bar, Drake’s jaw went slack at the sight before him, much like everyone else’s.
Daniel noticed his bewilderment. “Yup,” he said before clearing his throat as he stepped before the bar’s latest inhabitants. “Carissa, meet Abby Bennett and Scarlett Joy.”
“What do you think they’re talking about?” TJ asked Ben as the two sat sharing a table with Flynn.
“Well TJ, perhaps the fact that all three of them grew up not knowing the others existed, I’d say they’re talking about their lives.” Ben couldn’t help his frustration when it came to TJ. The man just bothered him. “Shouldn’t you be flirting with someone?”
“I wish. Turns out that Daniel is kinda with that Drake guy. Man that dude is hot.” TJ pulled on his shirt a couple times; the thought of Daniel and Drake making him hot and bothered. “I tried to call that flight attendant from the airport, but she must have messed up her number. All I get is a incomplete call message. The only other single person here is that bodyguard. He’s actually pretty good looking, for an older guy.” TJ looked Bastien up and down before excusing himself from the table to make a pass at the king’s guard.
“He’s a jackass,” Flynn quipped once TJ was out of earshot. Ben chuckled at the comment and the two men clinked drinks with a smile.
At a nearby table, Maxwell and Leo sat beside Nick and Jordan discussing the business of publishing their respective books. Maxwell liked what Piquant Press had to offer him, plus it didn’t hurt seeing the success that Jordan’s book had with the company to make Maxwell feel at ease. Leo, of course, reaffirmed that both parties would have their respective lawyers review the terms of their agreement, but there was a handshake agreement between Nick and Maxwell for the North American publishing rights to The Royal Romance.
“That’s so awesome that Veil of Secrets is becoming a movie.” Maxwell’s eyes shined with excitement towards Jordan. “Have they cast the actor that will portray you yet?”
“They’re still searching, but thankfully I negotiated final approval,” Jordan replied.
“I could reach out to Chris Winters if you want?” Maxwell offered. “I know he’s in demand after The Last Duchess, but we’re long time friends.”
“Wow… um… yeah, that would be amazing,” Jordan stammered.
Meanwhile, Liam and Daniel sat at the bar with their eyes locked onto the two tables towards the back of the restaurant; one with the Walker siblings and one with the new found sisters.
“This is nerve wracking,” Daniel said. “I can’t imagine the emotions they must all be feeling.”
“Agreed. To go from no family, in Carissa’s case, to having two identical sisters…well that’s just a lot to process. And then Drake and Savannah trying to deal with something their father kept hidden from them? He’s going to need you there for him Daniel.” Liam sipped his drink before turning towards the waiter. “He needs some stability and normalcy in his life. Plus I saw how Drake looks at you and how he gets when he hears your name. He needs you Daniel.”
“You don’t think that would be a bit rushed?” Daniel questioned. “We only just met a few weeks ago and I wouldn’t want to make him feel weird, what with dealing with his new family and all.”
Liam smiled, fully understanding Daniel’s uncertainty. “Carissa followed me halfway around the world after one night and look how that turned out. I never did thank you for giving up your table that evening and having her serve us. So let me repay that debt by offering you a job at the Royal Palace as our Food and Beverage Manager. You’d oversee the daily duties of all the palace chefs and servers, and be responsible for maintaining department inventory. The job comes with your own living quarters within the palace. And of course, you’d be closer to Drake.” Liam winked.
“You’d do all of that for me?” Daniel blushed as he looked between Liam and Drake off in the distance.
“Absolutely my friend.” Liam clapped a hand over Daniel’s. “Just say the word and Bastien will make arrangements for someone to help pack up your things. Right Bas?” Liam turned towards his bodyguard, but he wasn’t anywhere in sight. “Bastien? Where’d you go?”
Drake sat in awe of the fun life that Dean and Elsie had lived so far. Both explored so much of the world as part of the military, before Dean settled down as a bartender aboard the Ember of the Seas, while Elsie began an adventure travel company based out of Texas. It was also quite clear to Drake how extremely close the two were to one another; something that he and Savannah were finally getting back to doing. Dean’s stories from his time on the cruise ship were quite entertaining. “Hold on. You and Leo hooked up?” Drake’s face was aghast in shock at the revelation.
“Oh, he hasn’t even told me this story,” Elsie said playfully smacking Dean’s leg.
A chuckle left Dean’s throat as he began to tell the story of his one night stand with Prince Leo. “Aria had just went off with her other suitor, William Sloane, and Leo and I took comfort in a lot of alcohol and each other that night.”
“Interesting,” Drake said coyly.
“Drake won’t admit this, but he’s had the hots for Leo since we were teenagers,” Savannah chimed in, causing Drake’s face to blush red. “You talk in your sleep Drake. Don’t think I haven’t heard you calling out Leo and Liam’s names in your dreams.”
The trio of Walker’s burst out in laughter as Drake slightly sulked after being called out by Savannah. She wasn’t lying, he did have a crush on Leo when he was younger, but that crush faded long ago when he and Liam were briefly romancing each other.
“What was it like growing up in a palace?” Elsie finally inquired. She was never one for wanting to be a princess growing up, but ever since she learned of her new siblings, the thought of a royal upbringing intrigued her. Elsie listened intently, with baited breath, as Savannah began talking about being raised in Cordonia amongst royalty. Savannah told the two about courtly life, which caused Drake to roll his eyes, but she didn’t care. Elsie seemed to marvel at the thought of all of the glamorous balls the royals would have regularly. Savannah then discussed how she and Bertrand came to be; their ups and downs, before showing Elsie pictures of baby Bartie, which Elsie completely fawned over.
“He’s so precious,” Elsie remarked.
“Thank you. So what about you? Anyone special in your life?” Savannah inquired.
“I am currently single.” Elsie looked around the room for a particular person, but was unable to locate him. That didn’t stop her from continuing to whisper. “But if you see that TJ guy, I told him that I’m dating Han, the hot baseball player from the most recent season of America’s Most Eligible. I just didn’t want that guy trying to flirt with me.”
The two ladies laughed before returning to look at more pictures of Savannah’s baby. While the Walker sisters cooed over all things Bartie, Dean seemed more intrigued with Drake’s discussions about the Royal Guard and the stories he told about their father. “There was one time, father was supposed to go on a business trip with King Constantine, but it was the same weekend that he promised to take me fishing,” Drake remembered. “He knew how much I had been looking forward to going, so he managed to convince the King to delay his business trip in order to take me fishing.”
Dean grinned broadly as he watched Drake’s eyes fill with pride at telling his story. He had a similar fishing tale with their father, but he kept it to himself, not wanting to take the moment away from his new brother. “That’s awesome Drake.”
“So Jackson Walker was indeed your father?” Drake finally asked of the others, his voice nervous as he shifted from being proud of his father to uncertainty to the man he knew.
“He was,” Dean nodded as he took Elsie’s hand. Dean noticed Drake swallow hard at the confirmation and worried that information would set back the good times that all four were just having a moment ago. “Look, Drake, I know this is tough on you and Savannah. It’s tough for me and Elsie as well. I’m not going to pretend to try and understand why our dad did what he did and it’s not going to change how I feel about the man. When the results come back for all of us and it shows that we are siblings, I’m going to be thankful that we all have finally found each other. I won’t excuse his behavior, but I will make every effort to get to know you and Savannah. Plus, as awesome as Elsie is, I’ve always wanted a baby brother.”
Drake finally cracked a smile at Dean’s joke. It was that moment he realized that the four of them were definitely related. He didn’t need a test to confirm what he could already feel within his heart and see with his own two eyes. That humor was exactly something Drake would say. “Wait how do you know you’re older?” Drake asked with a laugh.
“Oh I was just making a joke so you’d stop brooding,” Dean replied. “I could totally sense it on you. But I am 27. Elsie is 23.”
Drake’s face contorted slightly. Damn! Dean was older. “Fuck,” Drake jokingly replied. “I’m 25. Savannah is a year younger.”
“Well I’ll drink to being the baby of the family,” Elsie quipped.
A few tables over from the Walker siblings, laughter and tears happened as Carissa told her new sister’s all about her life as an orphan and how much she moved around before eventually finding her way to New York. Her sisters knew of her story of meeting Liam, but she filled them in on just how the first night meeting the future king went and why she chose to follow him to a country she had never heard of before. “If Daniel had never given up that table, I never would have met Liam,” Carissa smiled.
Abby felt heartbreak that Carissa didn’t have a good adoptive family like she and Scarlett both had, but was happy that things obviously worked out for her new sister. “He is quite attractive,” Abby said to Carissa with a smile. Soon, she was recounting her days growing up in Pennsylvania, her time attending Hartfeld University, before her professional pursuits in New York failed, ultimately leading her to find love and career success in San Francisco. “Moving to California was the greatest decision I ever made. I got to reconnect with a great friend; met a fantastic, like-minded woman who is the best business partner a person could want; and met the love of my life, Ben.” Abby beamed as she pointed out her boyfriend to Scarlett and Carissa. “He is a comics illustrator.”
“You know, I never imagined that a comic book guy could be so hot, but Ben is a total stud,” Scarlett said to Abby. “Nick would kill me if he knew I told you, but he collects comics and he’s a huge fan of Ben’s work.”
“I’ll make sure to get him to sign something and take a picture with Nick,” Abby bantered.
Scarlett marveled at the two different upbringings her sisters had compared to her time in Winter Haven. Three different scenarios, yet all three women ended up being strong and successful in their young lives. Scarlett told the others about her adoptive mother, brother, and how a break-up with her high school boyfriend brought her to living her dream in the big city. She told Abby and Carissa how she and Nick fell in love over one holiday when he got stranded in her home town. “What I love about him, is that he’s such a sweetheart underneath all of his snark. And he’s fantastic in bed,” Scarlett giggled.
“I’ll drink to that,” Carissa concurred as she and her two sister’s laughed and toasted their drink glasses. “You know what is totally crazy,” Carissa said in a sudden realization. “At some point all three of us lived and worked in New York a mere blocks from each other, but never once met.”
“Well it is a city of millions of people,” Scarlett replied with a smile.
“True, but look at the unusual way we did end up meeting,” Abby countered. “A former co-worker of mine, who I’m not a fan of, happens to have hooked up with Carissa’s best friend and still has his number. Meanwhile Scarlett, your boyfriend just happens to land a meeting with Carissa’s other friend and, oh by the way, is the publisher to someone else that I just so happened to have went to college with. That seems like a much more unlikely scenario than the three of us bumping into each other when we all had lived so close by at one point.”
“So are you saying that you think something bigger is at play here?” Carissa asked. Abby’s comment really piqued her curiosity. “Do you think it’s like a triplet bond or something? Like the world was trying to find a way to bring us together?
“Maybe, but whatever it is, I’m glad we found each other,” Abby replied.
Across the street from the bar, a translucent male figure with stars and a soft green light emanating from his body stood watch; periodically flickering into the appearance of a tall, dark-haired man.
End Note: So just to be clear, the opening part of this chapter is a flashback (hence the italics), but then the rest picks up where the previous chapter left off.
