“Thom! Put me down!” I’m giggling madly as I push at his shoulders. Thom literally swept me into his arms the moment we left the car and carried me up the palace steps. Waverly almost forgets to open the door for us, he looks so astonished as Thom marches past, breezing by a frozen Mrs. Holloway, her eyes bulging like a toad. I see many of the staff running to the grand hallway to see us, gasping and goggling. I wave at Zoya, who is jumping up and down in joy as she grabs Brande’s arm.

“You better give me the scoop!” she hollers as Thom walks by with a wink and a grin at them.

“Later!” I promise. Much, much later.

“Damn, I always forget how long the walk is,” Thom mutters.

“Hey, if you drop me you can forget about hot make-up sex.” I squirm again, this time in earnest. I’m not sensing any strain in his muscles or increased breathing, but I don’t want to take a chance on him injuring himself. And it is a really long walk to the king’s apartments. “Seriously, you can let me go. I promise I’m not going anywhere.”

His arms tighten around me instead and he cradles me even closer. “You can forget about it—I made that mistake once already. I’m not letting you go, ever again.”

My heart melts at his words and I press my lips to the underside of his rough jaw, licking him there delicately. A shudder courses through him and he walks faster until he’s nearly running.

At last we’re nearly to the king’s apartments and Louis is there by the doorway, grinning like a loon.

“I don’t want to be disturbed for the rest of the day,” Thom growls. “That’s an order.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.” Louis nods and quickly closes the heavy doors behind us.

Thom wastes no time striding straight to the bedroom and he places me gently on the bed and immediately climbs on as well, his mouth finding me urgently. He kisses me like it’s been years, not hours, since we’d last been together, but I feel the same desperation. When I left the palace, I’d thought I’d never be with Thom again.

He starts unbuttoning my shirt, nearly tearing it in his rush. “I’m sorry, but I can’t wait,” he mutters. “I just have to be in you right now.”

I nod, doing my best to tear his shirt off him. “I know, I feel like I’m going to die if I don’t have you.”

Somehow we scramble out of our clothes, and Thom is huge and rock hard, his cock rearing up and nearly slapping against his belly. Need throbs deep in me at the sight, and my already aching pussy spasms and gets even wetter. I feel like I could come just looking at him and I’m desperate to have him deep inside.

“Please, Thom, I need you now!” I gasp, spreading my legs wide, displaying my glistening pussy. With a groan he quickly positions himself between my thighs, rubbing his cock against my slit, making sure I’m ready before he thrusts hard, deep into me until he’s completely embedded. I cry out, his cock stretching me to my limit, but I arch my body, urging him on.

Thom hesitates, wanting to be sure. “Okay?”

He gasps as I squeeze him inside. “Hell yes, just fuck me!”

He gives me a feral grin. “As my queen commands.” He moves then, driving his cock as deep as he can with every powerful stroke and I absolutely love it. He lifts my leg over his shoulder, opening me up even more to his cock and I know I’m not going to last, it’s too good. Thom scoots up on his knees and the action lifts my butt up in the air so he’s literally thrusting his cock down into me. The friction feels incredible from this angle, and I look up the length of my body to Thom, at where his big cock is shuttling back and forth, stretching and possessing my body, and it’s an incredibly erotic sight.

“You feel so good,” I moan, and then I scream as I feel Thom rub my clit. That is all I need as every muscle in my body tightens then explodes in an intense climax. My pussy clenches hard around Thom and he groans, his cock going incredibly hard before I feel the pulse of his release deep inside.

Thom lets my leg slide off his shoulder and slumps down on my body. I welcome his weight, cradling him as he moves until he can rest his head on my breast. We doze for a while before Thom breaks this sleepy silence.

“I’m sorry,” Thom murmurs, and my eyes pop open. Wait, is he telling me he changed his mind about us?

I struggle to sit up, ignoring Thom’s grumble as he’s dislodged from my chest. “What do you mean, you’re sorry? Sorry for what?”

Thom sits up next to me and leans back against the headboard, urging me to lie against his chest. I resist, wanting to look him in the eye. I need to see if he regrets any of this.

Thom sees the anxiety in my expression and he sighs softly, brushing his lips against my forehead. “I’m sorry that my boneheaded plan to masquerade as a playboy backfired and made you doubt your place in my life. I’m sorry that I never made us public before now. I’m sorry that I ever contributed, however ignorantly, to you ever feeling like you’re not worthy of being a queen.”

I swallow the lump in my throat at his words. “Oh Thom,” I whisper. “I was stupid to ever doubt you, and I’m sorry, too, that I made both of us miserable.”

He cradles my face with his hands, gently brushing my cheeks with his thumbs. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about Frederick being your father?”

I bite my lip, marshalling my thoughts. “At first, it was because it wasn’t my secret to tell. My mother had sworn me to secrecy when she told me who my father was. She had really loved him and didn’t realize she was just one of many similar seductions until he got tired of her and stopped coming to the palace to see her. She thought the pendant he gave her was a promise when he meant nothing by it. By the time she realized it was over she knew she was pregnant, and she didn’t want to cause trouble for him by making a claim on him. She asked me not to cause any trouble for him as well before she died, and so I never did. It was hard when Stephen became engaged to Callista, knowing she was my half-sister, so I tried not to think of him being my father. It hurt too much if I did.”

Thom nods, love and understanding clear in his gaze. “Why did you confront him?”

“I hoped that the potential scandal of him having a bastard daughter would scare him enough he’d be willing to break off the engagement to Callista without calling in the loans. I don’t think it worked though.” I shrug as I remember the meeting. “He didn’t seem to care that much.”

He snorts. “Oh, he definitely cared about the potential scandal, and I think it was one of the things that made him finally agree to break things off without following through on his threats.” He then tells me about their meeting and the part played by Daddy Hou. If Daddy Hou could see the bad in the Duke of Frederick and the good in Thom, maybe Nicole has a fighting chance to convince him to let her live her life without a man.

“You should have told me,” Thom complains.

“What good would it have done?” I nestle my head below Thom’s chin, playing idly with one of his nipples. He’s really sensitive here, especially after what I did to them the previous night, and I smirk when I feel his cock twitch against my thigh.

“My father would have made him take care of you.”

“I would grow up in a household of people who hated me instead of being surrounded by those I love? Callista would’ve been the one who showed me my first frog and not you? It was wonderful growing up here at the palace with my mother and you and Stephen.” I cup his cheek. “You in particular. I wouldn’t trade those days for anything.”

“Still,” he says grumpily, but he’s not really upset. How can he be? I have a hand wrapped around his cock.

Thom drops his palm on top of mine, trapping it. “Wait, there’s something I have to ask you.”

I’m still able to squeeze his cock and it hardens quickly under my palm. “What?” I ask, distracted as I attempt to rub him.

“Penelope Lloyd, I love you more than life, and I always will. Will you marry me?”

My hand stills and my eyes fly to his face. “What?” I squeak.

He grins then. “Glad I finally have your undivided attention. Hold that thought—we’ll get back to it, after you answer me. Will you be my wife, the mother of my children? My queen? Will you rule by my side, be the queen that Matlavia deserves?”

I stare at him, this wonderful, beautiful prince with adoration shining in his eyes. And I give him the only possible answer. “Yes. Yes, you impossible man. I’ve loved you since we were kids, and I know I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”

Thom stares at me for an endless moment before a huge smile breaks across his face. He whoops and grabs me so close I can barely breathe, but I don’t care. All I care about is his mouth making love to mine and I never want it to end.

Finally, we break off the kiss but only part just a fraction. “Does this mean we get our happy ending?”

I smile against his mouth. “Yup, we certainly do.”