Claiming The Archduchess

PROLOGUEALEJANDRO POVThe tension in the room was thick and cloying, the air dense and heavy to breathe. I pinched the bridge of my nose and stared at the small chair that was placed in the middle of the office, curtains closed and shadows hiding underneath the blinding light of the crystal chandelier above. It was a good place, the one grandmothers used to have. What enticed me was not the chair… No.It was the bambolina dressed in a white dress, hair pulled in a tight bun on top of her head. She had on her feet white stiletto heels with red bottoms, and her face held no emotions whatsoever. “Signorita, please. I did not mean to…”“To betray my husband and I? I know.” She nodded with mock understanding, then pulled the white gloves from the pocket of her white fur coat that was draped behind the chair, and dropped them to her lap.My blood ran cold with what came next!“They had my family. My wife and my daughter… I didn’t know what to do.” The traitor bawled from the floor in fr

Chapter 2ALEJANDRO POVThe clock’s timely ticks and tocks filled in the silent space, the words ‘Tell me about yourself’ lingering in the air between us. Everything about being here left a bitter taste in my mouth, and made me ache for something entirely different. I came here because somebody suggested I needed it. I needed to think about something; anything other than blood and white powder and reigning the underworld, yet all the red-haired bambolina did for the past eleven minutes and thirty-seven seconds was flash her undoubtedly fake tits in my direction and lift her skirt inches higher up her thighs.A universal ‘I want to fuck you’ sign women flashed whenever they wanted someone up in their nooks and crooks!I could fuck her right where she sat; considering I had already pictured all the ways I could switch positions in her like I was doing some yoga. Yoga! Maybe I should try that shit. Maybe it would ease the blood lust and make me think like a human!Tick. Tock. Tick. Toc

RAYANAI whisked my head to the side and glared at the monster who was sitting at my right, looking so unaffected by the series of nonsense he just spewed. Inheriting the archduchy was all that he thought about. My blood roared in my veins, and venom threatened to choke me dead. I bit my tongue and swallowed the poison that was ready to pour off my tongue, then decided to glare out the window at the passing scenery. He was right, to some extent. Our lives, unlike theirs, were a long political charade, always open and exposed to the eyes of the public. And vultures and thieves were hiding in the shadows waiting for a moment of weakness, just a tiny lapse in judgment and they would latch on everything that had the archduchy name on it. I released a shaky breath and pinched my eyes shut.And in that moment, I wished I was born ordinary. At least I could mourn my father’s death without having to worry about being mocked for grieving my dad. “I understand it is hard for you, brother.

Chapter 6RAYANA POV The morning arrived, and I peeled myself reluctantly from the warm pillow. The inside of my head felt like a clubhouse of a thousand trolls, and there was this sinking feeling that seemed to be pulling my insides into a bottomless pit. I remained seated for a few minutes, trying to come to the current reality and not drift away in the musings of my mind. As much as my mind had rather amusing things- and I would rather be anywhere than in my current life- I had to get up and face the day. The door was yanked open and in came Charlotte dressed in a pair of black pants, black stiletto heels, and a black coat. She had on her head a small veil that covered her pale skin and undoubtedly poofy eyes. “You look like shit.” She said walking in my direction and stood before my bed. I wanted to ask where she got the energy to get up so early and prep up, while I was here feeling like I had had a one on one with John Cena in a wrestling mania!“And you bathed nice,” I said

Chapter 8RAYANA POVHeels clicking on the marble floor, we all waded into the main office where we all plopped wherever our heart desired. James had already sucked all the decorum out of all of us, and no one cared how messy everyone must have looked. I scoffed when he claimed my father’s seat on the main desk, then leaned back and watched us like we were peasants under his mercy. His gaze was proud, triumph dripping off him with disgusting arrogance I found myself wondering if the man in front of us was the brother I grew up with and loved with the whole of me. “You are so fucking unbelievable.” Even though everything was happening right in front of my eyes, I still found myself having a hard time wrapping myself around the recent happenstances.Everything was happening so fast that my mind failed to catch up, and all it did was drag behind and register the events a little too late. Just a few days ago I was sleeping in a jail cell, and then my father died. I bet the Latino office