TBAT-Christopher Read online

  Table of Contents

  Taken By a Trillionaire ~ Christopher

  Copyright

  Other Books by Melody Anne

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Epilogue

  Taken By a Trillionaire ~ Christopher

  By

  Melody Anne

  Copyright

  © 2018 Melody Anne

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Other Books by Melody Anne

  THRILLERS

  Confessions:

  Dance in the Dark - Novella - July 18th, 2017

  Book Two - TBA

  ROMANCE

  Billionaire Bachelors:

  The Billionaire Wins the Game

  The Billionaire’s Dance

  The Billionaire Falls

  The Billionaire’s Marriage Proposal

  Blackmailing the Billionaire

  Run Away Heiress

  The Billionaire’s Final Stand

  Unexpected Treasure

  Hidden Treasure

  Holiday Treasure

  Priceless Treasure

  The Ultimate Treasure

  Baby for the Billionaire:

  The Tycoon’s Revenge

  The Tycoon’s Vacation

  The Tycoon’s Proposal

  The Tycoon’s Secret

  The Lost Tycoon

  Surrender Series:

  Surrender - Book One

  Submit - Book Two

  Seduced - Book Three

  Scorched - Book Four

  Forbidden Series:

  Bound -Book One

  Broken - Book Two

  Betrayed - Book Three

  Burned - Book Four

  Unexpected Heroes:

  Safe in His Arms - Novella - Baby, It’s Cold Outside Anthology

  Her Unexpected Hero

  Who I am With You - Novella

  Her Hometown Hero

  Following Her - Novella

  Her Forever Hero

  All I Want for Christmas - Novella

  Becoming Elena:

  Stolen Innocence

  Forever Lost

  New Desires

  Taken by a Trillionaire:

  Taken by a Trillionaire - Book One

  Xander - Ruth Cardello

  Bryan - J.S. Scott

  Chris - Melody Anne

  Virgin for the Trillionaire - Book Four - Ruth Cardello

  Virgin for the Prince - Book Five - J.S. Scott

  Virgin to Conquer - Book Six - Melody Anne

  Finding Forever Series:

  Finding Forever

  Finding Each Other

  7 Brides for 7 Brothers (Multi-Author Series):

  Luke - Book One - Barbara Freethy

  Gabe - Book Two - Ruth Cardello

  Hunter - Book Three - Melody Anne

  Knox - Book Four - Christie Ridgway

  Max - Book Five - Lynn Raye Harris

  James - Book Six - Roxanne St. Clair

  Finn - Book Seven - JoAnn Ross

  YOUNG ADULT / FANTASY

  The Midnight Series:

  Midnight Fire: Book One

  Midnight Moon: Book Two

  Midnight Storm: Book Three

  Midnight Eclipse: Book Four

  Keep updated on all my newest releases, signing events, giveaways, and more! Click HERE to sign up for my mailing list.

  Come play with Melody on Twitter @authmelodyanne

  Visit with Melody on Facebook

  Check out my blog Live, Laugh, Love

  Find all the fun things out on Instagram

  Leave reviews on Goodreads

  Prologue

  I thought that the absurd law had been abolished!”

  Prince Christopher was fuming. After pacing for some time in his father’s office, he wheeled around to face the man who had for so long ruled both his country and his children. Though Francis had handed the throne to Chris’s oldest brother, Xander, their father would always be a beloved king in his people’s eyes and in the eyes of his children. All three of the former king’s sons were present.

  And, of course, no meeting was complete without Simon, the family’s trusted adviser, who really enjoyed putting a damper on Chris’s fun every single chance the man got.

  “Christopher — Your Highness — you must listen to us,” Simon said. “We’re telling you this for your own good.”

  “I can make my own decisions,” Chris told them all.

  “The law that a potential bride is to be killed if she chooses not to marry you has been abolished,” his father replied. “But the law that strips you of your royal title and your place in the line of succession if you aren’t wed by your thirtieth birthday is still very much in place.”

  “It’s true, Christopher,” King Alexander said. “I’m not happy with it, but if we throw out every tradition of our kingdom, that makes us no better than the Arcano.”

  Chris did his best not to shout. “How in the hell can you even say that, brother? Under their archaic laws, people were murdered if they didn’t follow their rules to the letter, and that letter was blurred in the extreme. If they made the law insisting on marriage by age thirty, then simply overturn it. You have that power.”

  “You have no need to marry… . if you don’t care about retaining your title,” Xander replied.

  “Why would I want to give up my title? It’s gotten me laid more than once,” Chris said with a smirk.

  A frown creased Simon’s brow. “You sound like no prince I would choose to pay honor to,” the adviser said with open disdain.

  “Who cares how I sound? I am a prince. I was born as one, and I will die as one.”

  “Not if you aren’t married in one year’s time,” Xander told him.

  “You know who and what I am. I do what I want when I want.” Chris continued pacing the richly carpeted floors while downing the rest of his cognac.

  “Those days are officially over, brother. You will now do what your country requires you to do. It’s time that you grew up.”

  “Damn, Xander. Now that you’re king, you really know how to throw down a royal decree, don’t you?” Chris said with a chuckle, some of his anger draining away.

  “You dare to mock your king?” Xander huffed.

  “I would never dare to do such a thing,” Chris said, setting his glass down and bowing to his brother before laughing outright. “I would, however, mock the hell out of my big brother, who has grown a bit too stuffy in his old age.”

  “I’m two years and three months older than you, Christopher. That hardly makes me an old man,” Xander told him with another scowl.
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  “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck… .”

  “This conversation is going nowhere,” their father, Prince Francis, thundered. “Go right ahead and do as you please, my son. Marry or don’t marry. It’s no longer a concern of Rubare Collina. We have our new king, who already has one heir, and he’s planning on spares. And your other brother is ahead of you in the line of succession. You have a simple choice before you: to remain a prince, beloved by the people, or to pursue your pathetic playboy lifestyle.”

  Chris was done with these birthday wishes. Merda. Turning twenty-nine wasn’t nearly as great as turning twenty-eight had been. The entire island had celebrated last year. Now, he’d just been given an ultimatum. Nothing to celebrate about in the least. Marriage?

  “To hell with you all.”

  He walked from his father’s chambers and out of the palace. He didn’t need any of them.

  Chapter One

  Six Months Later

  Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

  The clock was quickly winding down on Prince Christopher, and as much as he’d enjoyed his telling his father, his older brother, and his country to go to hell, the idea didn’t have quite the same appeal that it had offered him on his twenty-ninth birthday, six months before.

  He did love his country, and he felt honored to be a prince of the realm. And, well, he’d met a woman he could actually see himself being . . . tied down to.

  He’d never truly considered marriage before, but his people so wanted to see it happen, the romantic fools, and whether he admitted it to his brothers or not, he did care what his people thought of him. So why not bite the proverbial bullet?

  Yes, he played around a lot, and, yes, he broke every rule he possibly could, but, no, he didn’t flaunt his bad behavior in his own land. It was why he traveled so much. He had diplomatic immunity in most countries, so if he got drunk in the streets of Paris and caused a ruckus, it wasn’t on his own soil and the police there couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

  Of course with news and social media, his people got a good picture of the trouble he was causing. He’d been able to get away with that in his early twenties — everyone everywhere bought in to the “boys will be boys” mentality. But now that he was approaching his thirties, the citizens of Rubare Collina weren’t so forgiving. Maybe it was time to settle down and act like the prince he was, not the playboy he wanted people to believe him to be.

  Maybe he was growing up, or maybe he was just tired of disappointing his father. Whatever it was, he was actually considering marriage. Unbelievable.

  “Found you!”

  Adara Burnadette jumped, then whirled around and glared at Chris.

  “You completely messed me up, Chris. Now I have to start all over,” she said, but there was no heat in her words.

  Chris was momentarily breathless. She was glowering at him with those bright blue eyes. They sparkled whenever she was in his presence, and she always made him feel like just Chris — not a prince, not a “trillionaire,” not a son or brother, but a man. Yes, he wanted his royal title, but he didn’t want to get laid just because of it. Not now, anyway, though this woman could have him anytime. The old adage must be true, that only a good woman could bring out the best in a man — this woman brought it out in spades.

  “What are you concentrating so deeply on, Adara?”

  He peeked over her shoulder, but she turned around and pushed him back. “Don’t touch the telescope!”

  He chortled. “I wasn’t going to,” he said. “But I certainly plan to touch you.”

  He folded his arms around her before sliding them along her backside, and then he hoisted her up so she was left with no choice but to wrap her long legs around his waist or else end up dangling in front of him like a rag doll.

  Her long brown hair drifted over his shoulder and tickled his cheek while her high, firm breasts pressed against his chest. He was hard within seconds.

  “I have a perfect view of Saturn. It’s a beautiful night. I want to finish making the map for my portfolio,” she told him, but he’d now distracted her and she leaned forward, gently running her tongue along the hard edge of his jaw.

  “I think you need a break from all this work,” he told her as he moved away from her telescope and the table where she’d been completing her project.

  “Maybe you’re right, Mr. Dante.”

  Chris winced as she used the name he’d given to her, his middle name. He hadn’t wanted her to know he was a prince, hadn’t wanted her to know anything about him. When he’d found her three months earlier, he’d still been angry with his brothers and his father, and with their demands. He’d thought she’d make a good distraction. Instead, she’d become essential to his happiness.

  If he had her in his life, how could he want or need any other woman or women? It surprised the hell out of him, but Adara made him feel complete somehow. Maybe there was a point to monogamy, even in a monarchy.

  Laying her down in the soft grass, he yanked her shirt off without hesitation, leaving her flat stomach and slim neck exposed to his tongue and fingers, and giving him a great view of her breasts, barely concealed by the sexy red bra she was wearing.

  He ran his tongue down that lovely neck, gently nipping certain spots he knew would make her quiver, and he reached the mounds of her breasts. He stopped to suck her peaked nipples through the lace of her flimsy bra.

  When he had her panting, he lifted his head and shocked himself with his next words. “What would you say if we went traveling for a while? You’re finished with school, and we both have some time on our hands. It’s a perfect time to take off.”

  She moaned. “Where to?” But instead of waiting for his answer, she clutched at his head and brought it back down to her breasts. She had her priorities.

  “Does it matter? I want to take you all around the world.”

  Screw the bra. He reached underneath her and unclasped it, then flung the stupid thing away. Cupping one of those glorious breasts in his warm palm, he laved the other until she was crying out for more. And more. And more.

  “Quit talking. More touching,” she demanded, arching her back and pressing her breast more fully into his mouth.

  “We can do both,” he told her before his tongue circled her nipples, each in its turn.

  “I’m not listening, Chris.”

  He stopped and looked up at her face, making sure he had her attention. “I want to take you to visit my homeland,” he said, and he could see she was trying to focus on him, but also growing frustrated.

  “I can’t just take off, Chris,” she said, her words little more than a whisper. “Please keep doing what you were doing.” She struggled to pull his head back to her breasts.

  “Of course you can,” he said, reaching down and undoing her jeans. “And I want you to know me a lot better.”

  “We agreed this would be casual,” she said right before moaning again as he swiped his tongue over her nipple for a second time. “No strings or whatever.”

  “This doesn’t feel very casual anymore,” he replied. And he moved his hand beneath her waistband and touched her womanhood. Wet. Very wet.

  “Oh, please, keep going,” she begged him, and lifted her hips so he could free her from the rest of her clothes.

  “As soon as you tell me you’ll go anywhere and everywhere with me,” he said. To sweeten the suggestion, he slipped a finger inside her and pumped it slowly in and out.

  She had a difficult time saying what she said next. “You aren’t being fair, Chris. I’d agree to almost anything right now just so you’d finish what you started.”

  “Then tell me the words I want to hear,” he said against her ear before flicking his tongue along her earlobe.

  “I can’t think. Please. I need you now.” Now was a word that had been consuming her for some time. Adara took hold of his head again and
fought to bring his lips to hers.

  “I want your promise that you’ll go with me,” he said, removing his finger from her core. So cruel. He rose up above her so she could look at his shadowed face.

  “Why are you doing this, Chris? Look, I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Some of her passion was obviously ebbing. Irritation could be a romance-killer.

  Frustration rose inside him, too. “We’ve been together for three months, Adara. I think we’re pretty committed now.”

  She pushed against him, and he rolled over. Before he could even think about stopping her, she sat up, did up her jeans, then stood and collected her bra and shirt. All that lovely display from before was again hidden from his sight.

  Maybe he should have waited, should have dealt with his still-raging hard-on, before he’d begun this conversation. But he hadn’t expected her to react that way. Women were such strange creatures.

  “I think we need to quit seeing each other, Chris. We obviously aren’t on the same wavelength any longer,” she told him, refusing to look at him.

  In a second flat, Chris was up on his feet. He stormed over to her and gripped her arms.

  “What in the hell are you talking about?”

  “I warned you from the first moment we met that I didn’t want anything beyond the casual fling that you’d offered me.”

  Dammit! She was using his own words against him. One thing Chris never did was lie to the women he bedded. He told them from the outset that it wasn’t going to last. Adara had seemed delighted about that and had accepted his proposition. They all did, of course, though they pretended otherwise. But this whole thing was so different in every respect.

  Casual? The first time they’d had sex, he’d discovered that she was a virgin. That had left him in shock — had she somehow tricked him? When he asked her why she’d chosen him for the honor, she’d told him it was because he’d been honest and because it was past time she found out what sex was all about.

  Okay, he thought, he could deal with that. And deal with it he did. Over and over.

  Since he’d met her, they’d had these “casual” encounters almost nightly. Neither of them could get enough of the other one. And so he’d just assumed they’d gone from casual to committed. No, there wasn’t a time he could pinpoint, but the change had happened — at least in his mind.