Prologue

Smoke was hanging low in the air as the laughter echoed off the walls. Prince Robert Phillip Demande sat back, a cigar in his mouth, a fine glass of Scotch in his left hand, and a set of four nines with a queen high in his right.

Looking up at his cousin, Robert Demande grinned at him, his crystal clear blue eyes sparkling as he set his drink down and pushed all his chips to the center of the table. “All in,” he said, taking a puff of his cigar as he smirked.

“I call bullshit,” Chris called.

“Then put it all out there,” Robert challenged.

Chris glared at him. Since both of them were the youngest of three siblings in a royal line on two separate islands, they had always seemed to have the most to prove, or the most to rebel about in their family lines.

Because the royal line already had an heir and a spare, being the youngest prince’s, Chris and Robert had been allowed more freedom than most in the family. Robert had almost felt betrayed when his cousin had found the love of his life and married her.

Robert smiled at this thought, though, because at least it hadn’t been a traditional kind of dating. His cousin, from the island with roots in pirate natives, or the bad side of the family, who liked to mock him as often as possible, had at least kidnapped his bride first. Robert’s own peaceful island of Rubare Virgina had been horrified at their other family members’ ancient customs. Granted Chris’s brother, Xander, who was now king, had ended the custom of kidnapping a bride and chopping off her head if she didn’t proclaim her love, but Robert found a thrill at the very idea of it.

“Hmm,” Chris said with a drawn out sigh. “I don’t need nor want your money, so what can I get when I defeat you?” he asked as he leaned back in his chair and grinned.

Robert didn’t change his expression but admitted to himself he was a little worried. Chris seemed filled with confidence that he had this. Robert knew better than to look at his hand again. You never broke a solid poker face.

“What can I get from you?” Robert countered.

Chris laughed and Robert was glad he’d gotten away from home. Rubare Collina was an exciting place, much more stimulating than his own traditional, boring home. Okay, sure, his island was thriving and his people were happy, but his cousin’s island was in civil unrest with the Arcano fighting them. Robert always had enjoyed a good fight.

Chris suddenly looked as if a light bulb had just shown up over top his head as his grin grew even bigger. Robert was now doubting his unbeatable hand. Chris was too damn confident.

“Okay, if I win the hand, you have to go back to your family roots and kidnap a bride,” Chris began. Robert felt a pleasant stirring in his gut at the thought. He was now thinking he wouldn’t mind losing. “And then you have to come to our annual Summer Ball and do any dance of my choosing.” The evil light in Chris’s eyes told Robert the dance wouldn’t be a waltz, more like the chicken dance.

Though he shouldn’t, Robert looked at his cards again, confidence filling him. He couldn’t lose on this hand no matter what Chris thought.

“Okay, it’s a deal,” he said. “And when I win, you will have to come to Rubare Virgina and be locked in the town center in a pillory for two hours. I can even provide the tomatoes for the townsmen.”

A light sparkled in Chris’s eyes as he burst out laughing. “Can you imagine what your father and brothers would say if that were to happen?” he asked between bouts of laughter.

Robert joined him. “I think they’d disown me for sure, but they would expect nothing less from your uncivilized family.”

“True. I might have to do that just for fun,” Chris said before he laid down his cards with a confident wink.

Robert smiled as he set down his own cards, then frowned when he saw what Chris had – a Royal Flush. Of course his cousin had that. Robert was speechless for a moment. What had he just gotten himself into?

Chris laughed for several moments before writing down an address on a piece of paper. He slid it over to Robert who was wondering if he was going to be locked into the dungeon after kidnaping some unsuspecting victim. He couldn’t back out though, not when he’d made the bet.

“I love the worry in your eyes, cousin,” Chris said. “My wife would kick my arse for this, but the look on your face is well worth it.”

“Gee, thanks,” Robert said. “Nic is going to think my situation is hilarious. Ballasare isn’t going to be quite as amused as he locks me in the dungeon and orders fifty lashes.”

“Okay, okay, I’m going to give you a break,” Chris told him.

“I don’t welch on bets,” Robert said, his back stiff.

Chris picked up his phone and dialed. Someone answered quickly and Chris’s words made Robert laugh again. His cousin asked the other person on the end of the line if she wanted to be in on a game with him and be kidnapped. He hung up and pointed to the address he’d already given him.

“This is a childhood friend of mine, and she’s always up for raising brows. Tomorrow at midnight you can ‘kidnap’ her. To make this more fun, I’ll have cameras there to send the video to your family so they think you’re a true hooligan,” Chris said.

Robert smiled. “Perfect. You’ll still get your dance,” he added.

“Oh, yes, I’ll get my dance. And I get to see your brothers’ faces,” Chris said with more laughter.

“Make sure you record that,” Robert insisted, and Chris nodded. “Is this friend of yours hot?” He did have priorities after all, and though he loved he was about to prank his uptight brothers, he wouldn’t mind a little bit of fun along the way.

“She’s definitely hot. Long, dark hair and eyes so chocolaty they will melt you,” Chris assured him.

“Do I get a name?” Robert asked.

“Nope. You’re kidnapping her. You’ll have to see how good a captor you are if she’ll give you a name,” he said.

“Mmm, she likes to play then?” Robert asked, his gut stirring again. This wasn’t quite as much fun as if he had been kidnapping a woman for real, but it still intrigued him.

“Most definitely, my friend.”

Both men sat back as they ended their card game. It looked as if Robert was spending one more night on his cousin’s island. He had a woman to kidnap. He hoped the next night was as much fun as this one had been. He also couldn’t wait to see his oldest brother’s face. His brothers could be far too uptight sometimes.

Maybe his own island should bring back some of their ancient family customs. At least then they’d have a hell of a lot more fun.