Twisted Games (Twisted, #2)

by Ana Huang

I clutched the edge of my desk and stared in horror at the clip of me and Rhys in Nikolai’s library. Even with no sound, it was damning—me bent over the table, him gripping my hair and pounding into me from behind.

I knew it. I fuking knew it.

it wouldn’t take much editing to clean up the quality and brighten it enough that anyone who watched would know exactly who was doing what. I’m going to be sick.

Talk to Rhys. You guys can figure something out or at least Rhys can.

“…reports Princess Bridget is in a relationship with her bodyguard, an American contractor named Rhys Larsen.” The Daily Tea host’s voice trembled with excitement.

Daaammnn. WHo cold it have been

An hour later, I sat in my grandfather’s office with Elin, Markus, and Nikolai, who’d insisted on joining the emergency meeting.

Oh geesh.

“Bridge, you can trust us,” Nikolai said gently. “We’re here to help you.” Not really, I wanted to say. You’re here to help the Crown and its reputation.

That and WHY TF ARE YOU HERE ?! Let’s be honest, if you hadn't been selfish. I wouldn’t be in this position Fuck off.

My grandfather and brother loved me, but when it came down to it, they would choose what was good for the royal family as an institution over what was good for me.

Yuupp. And your brother has no room to do that.

I took a deep breath, steeled myself, and took a fork in the road. “The allegations are true,” I said. “All of them.”

Good for you.

It was of someone—my grandfather, who had collapsed out of his chair and onto the floor.

Lord have mercy...bad timing grandpa..read the room !🤷🏽‍♀️🥴

“I can’t do this anymore.” Everything fell silent. My heartbeat, my pulse, the hum of the fridge and the ticking of the clock on the wall. Could I still be alive if my heart wasn’t beating?

Saw ths coming..

Bridget blinked, those beautiful blue eyes shimmering with heartache before they hardened, and my hope died a swift, fiery death.

Aawww. Im sorry.😞 This sucks my baby

“Please don’t make this any harder than it has to be.” Please let my heart break in peace. “The hell I won’t.”

Aawww. I feel bad for them🥺. I hate this.

Rhys’s grip on my chin tightened. “I don’t need a happily ever after. I need to be by your side. I need you happy and healthy and safe. Goddammit, Bridget, I need you. In any way I can have you.”

I knew he would say this. Aww poor baby🥺♥️

“You asked me if I’d ever been in love. I said no.” He pressed a soft kiss to my mouth. “Ask me again, Princess.” My lungs constricted. Breathe.

🥺🥺Omggggg. Aawww

“I don’t mean someday. I mean I’m going to be queen in nine months.” Rhys froze.

Damn. This is ...damn.🤦🏾‍♀️

“Because of the Royal Marriages Law, I have to—” “Don’t say it.” His voice was so quiet I almost didn’t hear him.

Their poor hearts are breakingggg🥺 and so is mineeeee

“I have to marry or at least get engaged before my coronation.” There would already be backlash against me taking the throne so soon. You need all the political goodwill you can get, Markus had said.

This is good tho. Get engaged and buy yourself more time.

“Don’t. Fucking. Say it.” “I’m marrying Steffan. He already agreed.” It wasn’t a marriage of love. It was a political contract. Nothing more, nothing less.

Well alrighty then. Good..this is gonna end like the PD 2 orr we are gonna find out that Rhys father is actally a noble and she CAN marry him.

“The fuck you are.” “Rhys, it’s done.” “No,” he said flatly. “What did I tell you in the gazebo, Princess? I said from that point on, no other man touches you,

He meant that shit too.

“So we’re over. Just like that.” It came out low and dangerous, edged with pain. No, not just like that. You’ll never know how much my heart is breaking right now. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

Oh nooo.😫 Awww. I'm Sad for them.🥺

My first taste of alcohol burned. So did the second. By the time I made it through half the bottle of whiskey, however, it’d stopped burning and started numbing, which was the best I could’ve hoped for.

Oh nooo. He started drinkng?!. Omgg. This is 😔. So so so saddd. Nooo Rhys.🤦🏾‍♀️

their video clips of her were the only way I could get my fix. I wasn’t addicted to alcohol, not yet, but I was addicted to Bridget, and now that I no longer had her, I was going through withdrawal.

Damn brodi. Im sorryyy puddin

I can’t be with a bodyguard. I’m meant to be with a duke. Days later, and the memory still cut deeper than a serrated hunting knife. Bridget hadn’t meant it. I knew that. The words were cruel, and she was anything but cruel.

Seee. If only women could be this logical when shit like this happens.👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Know your partner and read between the lines

I hit the bottom of the bottle. I tossed it aside in disgust, hating myself for sinking so low I’d turned to alcohol and hating myself even more for leaving things the way I had with Bridget.

I cant believe you turned to drinking. Im so sorry .

when the anger and hurt had overridden everything else, and I’d regretted it before I even hit the lobby. She’d done what she thought she had to, and it fucking broke my heart, but it wasn’t her fault.

Again...thank you for being logical and thinking. Knowing her and the true circumstances

I didn’t give a fuck what the law said. She wasn’t marrying Steffan. I’d visit every minister in Parliament and force them to rewrite the law if I had to.

PERIDDDD ! Love this energy. Go get your woman❗️❗️👏🏽👏🏽

“Housekeeping.” My spine turned rigid at the familiar voice. Two seconds later, I threw open the door with a scowl. “What the fuck are you doing here?” Christian arched an eyebrow.

Heeeyy..Harper !

“Is that the proper way to greet your boss?” “Fuck you.” He laughed, but the sound lacked humor. “Charming as always.

Lol. Harper whats your story ?

It didn’t matter that she’d ripped my heart out the other day. If anyone hurt my princess in any way—physically, mentally, or emotionally—there would be hell to pay.

"My princess" Ommmggg.🥺♥️

The thought crystallized and took root. “Actually, you know what? I quit.” Christian stared at me. “Just like that.” “Just like that.”

Ommggg. Woowwww

He assessed me with sharp eyes. “Well, well.” A hint of surprised amusement colored his tone. “I never thought I’d see the day. Rhys Larsen in love.” In love. I’d never been in love.

Well well..indeed you are in love.

I might not know what love was, but I knew I was in love with Bridget von Ascheberg, to the point where even I—the man who was so good at denying himself anything good in life—couldn’t deny it.

♥️

It was a decent summary of our fucked-up friendship. One of us wanted to kill the other at any given time. It’d been that way since we met in Tangier, where I’d saved him from a slow, torturous death at the hands of a warlord he’d pissed off.

Interestinggg. Hmmm

I did a little digging after those heartwarming photos of you and the princess surfaced.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small envelope. “You want to look at this. Soon.” I didn’t take it. “What the hell is it?”

Uh ohhhh. What is it ??

“The identity of your father.” He paused. “And your brother.”

Oop- hes a noblemen right ?!

“Hello, Mr. Larsen.” “Hello, Brother.” I didn’t bother beating around the bush. Andreas’s smile disappeared.

PLOT FUCKING TWIST ! Omg.. Called it

“You knew.” I got straight to the point. He appeared put out by my refusal and placed the extra mug on the counter with a frown. “Yes.” “Why the fuck didn’t you say anything?”

Right !? And does this mean that...Rhys is also her cousin or no ?

Two names. Andreas von Ascheberg, my half brother. Arthur Erhall, my father. Our father. I was related to the two people I despised most in Eldorra. Go figure.

GASP ! PLOT FUCKING TWIST. Again... I need to see a family tree.

I’d experienced a brief moment of horror when I thought Bridget and I might be related, but Andreas wasn’t really her cousin by blood, thank God. His father was Erhall, not her uncle.

GASP ! Youre trying to take the throne from her and its not even yours to be given wtf Andreas...smh..You fucking FRAUD !

Andreas’s eyes shuttered. “My mother had an affair with Erhall. My father—my real father, even if he wasn’t my biological one—didn’t know until she told him before she died.

Ooooh. Dam.

“But you stop treating me like an enemy and more like…perhaps not a brother but a friendly acquaintance. We are, after all, the only direct family left besides our lovely father.” Something flickered across Andreas’s face before it disappeared.

Aaww. Him just want family....

Something occurred to me. “Before I answer, I want to know. Did you ever snoop around my guesthouse when I wasn’t there?” He gave me an odd look. “No.”

Hmmmm. Damn. Theennnn, random guuess Mikela did it. Idk...it could be anybody.

Everyone jumped at my uncharacteristic shout. Booth’s eyes grew round, and Elin’s brow creased with disapproval. Only Steffan’s expression remained neutral.

Heres an idea...it was Steffan..he sent the video. Or it ws his gf...idk..

He cracked a small smile. “Neither of us expected it. We couldn’t stand each other at first. But yes, I fell in love.”

Aawww. I didnt think it was either of them now. How sad.

“I was expecting your call.” I could practically see Alex Volkov’s smile over the phone, icy and humorless. “What can I do for you, Your Highness?”

Aahhh. Yes.

“He’s totally whipped. Watch.” She raised her voice to a panicked level. “Oh my God! Ava, are you bleeding?” Alex’s head snapped up. Less than five seconds later, he ended his call and crossed the room

Lmaaaoooo. Hilarious.

“Pray you and Ava stay friends forever,” Alex said, icy enough to elicit a rash of goose bumps on my arms. Jules didn’t appear fazed by the implied threat. “First of all, Ava and I will be friends forever. Second of all, bring it on, Volkov.”

Lmaoo. Period J. Aint nobody worrid about you Alex.

Alex reached into his pocket and retrieved a USB drive. “Information on all one hundred eighty members of Eldorra’s Parliament, as requested.” Information, a.k.a. blackmail material.

Oh yessss bitch !

Of course he thought good leadership rested on manipulation and deceit. His favorite philosopher was probably Machiavelli.

Lol. That wild. But probably true.

Then my eyes snagged on the word children and the two names listed beneath it. My hand flew to my mouth. Oh my God.

Yupp and now she kows.

If she couldn’t or wouldn’t fight for us—because of her guilt, her duty, her family, or any other reason—I’d fight enough for us both.

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️