Deceived Read online

  Table of Contents

  Deceived

  Book Details

  Deceived

  Scandalous

  From Afar

  Lessons

  Seconds

  The Wager

  Runaways

  Bits & Pieces

  Sweets

  Possessive

  Reversal

  Always

  The Balcony Incident

  One Summer Day

  A Pale and Distant Star

  The Other St. Rose

  The Problem with Love Letters

  The Pretty Scholars

  Translation Work

  About the Author

  Deceived

  Deceived No. 1

  MEGAN DERR

  Deceived—Rae cannot stand his job as secretary to Prince Benedict, and the feeling is entirely mutual. In the aftermath of yet another fight, Rae lights upon the idea of giving Benedict a taste of his own seduction throughout the three day masque about to take place. But a deception meant to put a rakish prince in his place reveals a man Rae never expected, and a secret he never anticipated…

  Scandalous—Since the death of his parents, who lived and died scandalously, Gideon has tried to make up for their mistakes by leading a strict, quiet life, and giving his little brother the stability he never had. On a journey home, he is waylaid by a storm—and distracted by a handsome man who proves to be more temptation than he can resist…

  From Afar—Pierce has all that anyone could want in life: a doting brother, the fame and adoration from being an accomplished fencer, and his best friend. What he wants most, however, is to know the identity of the person who leaves him ardent love letters and why his admirer will not step forward…

  Lessons—Bored and alone one night, Jude chances upon Crispin, who despairs of ever catching the eye of the man he loves because he's too innocent to be appealing. Jude, a notorious rake, impulsively offers to teach him all he needs to know…

  Seconds—Called to the be the second to a brash yong man, Alexis seeks out the appointed second of the challenger. But the man he encounters has Alexis considering things he swore off long ago, when he decided one broken heart was more than enough.

  The Wager—While serving as ambassador on his mother's orders, Prince Lazare spends most of his time either confused and frustrated by his peers, or struggling uselessly against his growing feelings for Maitland, appointed to be his guide and assistant throughout his stay. Neither situation is improved when he learns of a mysterious wager concerning Maitland and a dead man…

  Runaways—Addison hates the city, and he really hates spending all his time dancing attendance upon his brat cousin. When his cousin falls sick, Addison seizes the rare chance for solitude and flees to the park. But he is not there long before he is accosted by a stranger, who is like no one Addison has ever met, and who shows him a world he actually enjoys—a world to which he will never truly belong.

  Deceived

  Deceived 1

  By Megan Derr

  Published by Less Than Three Press LLC

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publisher, except for the purpose of reviews.

  Edited by Samantha M. Derr

  Cover designed by Aisha Akeju

  This book is a work of fiction and all names, characters, places, and incidents are fictional or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.

  Third Edition June 2018

  Second Edition published October 2011 by Less Than Three Press. First Edition published 2008 by Megan Derr

  Copyright © 2018 by Megan Derr

  Printed in the United States of America

  Digital ISBN 9781684312672

  Print ISBN 9781684312689

  Deceived

  "So you've finally seen fit to join the living, have you?"

  Benedict rolled his eyes. "I believe I've told you before not to speak to me until I give you leave."

  "Which would be never if you had your way, hence why I ignore you every time you say it," Rae snapped. "Which in turn would make me a terrible secretary."

  "You're in fine form this morning," Benedict replied, matching Rae's acidic tone. "What, did you get turned down by a whorehouse? I suppose even money will only go so far."

  Rae slowly set down the sheaf of papers in his hand. "We were supposed to start going over over these contracts at eight o'clock; it is now a quarter past nine." His carefully polite tone abruptly dropped. "Have a hard time kicking the strumpets out of your bed?"

  "No strumpets this time," Benedict said with a yawn. "I was reading an excellent book, actually."

  Rae ignored him in favor of helping himself to the contents of a lavish tea tray that had been quietly brought in once the servants realized Prince Benedict was finally awake. The sugar tongs clicked faintly as he dropped two cubes into his tea. "Find a book of explicit pictures in the library?"

  Benedict laughed. "I wish—my father would have an apoplexy. No, it was a history book, actually. Spare me further snide comments."

  Instead of replying, Rae retrieved his papers and all but threw them across the table. "If you managed to read a history book, which I highly doubt, then you should have no trouble going over those contracts. There is also a guest list from your mother; she requests you look it over and ensure that you have no problems with the names therein."

  "I see," Benedict said. He glanced briefly at the papers from his mother, ignoring the well-worn churning of his stomach and the weariness that gnawed at him.

  Quick as anything, Benedict leaned over the table, snatched up three more sugar cubes, and dropped them into Rae's pale blue china teacup. Sitting back, he idly poured cream into his own cup as Rae stalked back toward him. He made a show of reading over the first of what must have been nearly fifty pages of names. "Why am I looking over this again?"

  "The guest list? Your mother is thorough, you know that. She wants to know you're pleased with it, and if there is anyone missing you'd like added. The end of year is an important time of year, you might recall," Rae said, pushing his spectacles up his nose—a gesture that said he was rapidly losing patience. "Or did you meant the contracts? It's not my problem if some of your personal investments fail because you can't read over a few bits of paper, but I thought that might be something you could actually be bothered to care about. Highness. Oh, I was also to inform you that your parents wanted to speak to you about the Masque."

  Benedict's appetite vanished, but he forced himself only to sip his tea and continue appearing bored. He refused to let his infuriating bastard of a secretary see him any other way. Well he refused to let anyone see him any other way, but Rae especially. A colder, more unfeeling bastard, he'd never met. "Yes, yes. I'll see them at some point today, I'm sure. As to the rest of this, take care of it. That is what I pay you for, isn't? I don't care about her bloody guest list, and I'm sure the rest of this is fine."

  Honestly, he didn't give a damn about any of it. Well, no, that wasn't true. But sometimes it felt like the only ways out of his life were death or to cause his family so great a shame they disowned him.

  Both were harder to manage than he'd anticipated.

  Rae pushed up his glasses again—twice in as many minutes. Good, the bastard needed to lose his temper more often. "Be that as it may, Highness, your mother would like you to go over the list, and I do not think a simple reply of 'it's fine' will suffice.

  No, it wouldn't, because his approval wasn't what she was actually looking for. But he'd sooner go through with suicide than admit that.

  "Oh, do be quiet. You're insufferable."

  "Then by all means dismiss me, Highness."

  Benedict snorted and lif
ted his teacup, breathing in the scent of the fragrant brew specially blended by the monks of the temple several hours north. He'd visited there as a boy and had fallen absolutely in love with their blends; he refused to drink any other. This was a black tea with hints of cherry and currant, the faintest touch of vanilla. Divine.

  His momentary peace was shattered by Rae's sharp, cutting voice. "If you could please focus, Highness. I know it's difficult for you, but do try—we're already over an hour behind on your work for the day."

  "Then I suppose there's no reason to rush about trying to catch up. You've no doubt looked over the guest list several times, so what are your thoughts on it?"

  Rae picked up his own tea and took several sips, furious dark brown eyes never leaving Benedict's face. "Try reading it and see for yourself, Highness. Although at a glance, I think it safe to assume that only half of the list has slept with you."

  "Please, even I cannot sleep with that many people." He glanced over the lift, the stones in his stomach growing larger. Maybe not half, but plenty enough of them. Shoving the papers away, Benedict reached for a scone, slathering it with thick cream and biting into it with a hum of pleasure.

  Across the table, Rae heaved a sigh and picked up his own tea. Benedict kept his eyes down, pretending to focus on his breakfast, but looked up through his lashes to enjoy the frustrated look on Rae's face. He hated when Benedict mucked with his drinks, and yet never said a word, simply drank his too-sweet tea or coffee or the bittersweet almond liquor that replaced the brandy he'd poured.

  Rae was strict, bossy, severe, and remarkably lacking in patience for a man who'd chosen to be a secretary—a royal secretary, at that. That his employer was none other than the second son of the king and queen never seemed to matter. He had called Benedict a perfect waste of a human being two hours into his employment. Benedict should have dismissed him on the spot, but Benedict had been surprised and amused.

  Now he simply wanted to drive Rae into quitting, rather than give him the satisfaction of firing him.

  Rae, meanwhile, was equally determined to be fired, and no doubt prove himself right about what a worthless, lazy, ungrateful bastard Benedict was.

  But he tried in vain, because Benedict had far more practice at enduring untenable situations. He was bound and determined to see Rae offer his resignation. On his knees, begging to be set free. Yes, that would do nicely.

  "Highness!"

  Benedict shook off his thoughts and stared blankly, just to frustrate him. "What?"

  It was a pity, really, that Rae was so obnoxious and unbearable. If he'd control that temper a bit and let go of that wretched stuffiness—and the awful, vaguely pine-scented cologne he wore out of spite—he would be beautiful and captivating. He had the long, slender build that was so fashionable in men these days; he was nearly too skinny—no doubt using up all of his energy nagging people to death. His hair had potential, but rather than let it fall around his face and soften his sharp features, he kept the light brown strands rigorously combed back. His skin was pale, almost too pale, because he doubted Rae ever went outside long enough to get some color. A pity, that, but so much of Rae was. What a perfect waste and disappointment of such a handsome figure.

  Benedict realized he'd completely missed what Rae had just said—and the glint in those dark brown eyes said that Rae knew it. "I'm sorry, Rae, I was noticing your pallor. Did you not drink enough blood last night, my dear? You really should be more careful; we wouldn't want you starving."

  Rae pushed his glasses up his nose. "Highness," he said in a carefully level tone, "I know it's difficult for you to do anything but sleep, eat, and rut, but you are one of the highest peers of the realm. Would it really be so difficult for you to act like it from time to time?"

  "Then who would you harangue and insult ? I must give you something to do, since apparently you cannot even read a list of names without my assistance."

  "Damn it, Highness!" Rae slammed his hands down on the table, making the dishes rattle and his tea splash over the side of the delicate cup, onto the fine, white, linen tablecloth. "I am a secretary, not a nursemaid. If you are going to be useless and insufferable, then take yourself off back to your brandy and whores!"

  Benedict let his own temper loose, knowing his green eyes held a fury to match any Rae could summon. "I did not start this, you mercurial, impossible to please brute! I was all set to bid you good morning and instead I am greeted with more of your bitter poison! If you are tired of playing the role of my secretary, then you are more than welcome to take yourself elsewhere!"

  "Are you dismissing me, then?" Rae asked, leaning over the table until their faces were just short of touching, anger all but sparking in the air between them.

  "Oh, no, my darling—if you leave, it will be because you choose." Benedict smiled, baring his teeth.

  Rae matched the expression. "I, unlike some, do my duty no matter what. Until Your Highness sees fit to dismiss me from your esteemed presence, I remain your devoted, hardworking secretary."

  "Rude, pompous upstart you mean?"

  "Just because I actually work is no reason to be snide with me, Highness. If you'd spend half the time working that you do fornicating with anything that moves—"

  "Oh, not anything," Benedict said, the last remnants of his control snapping. "I would sooner take an oath of chastity than so much as kiss you."

  Rae sneered. "Highness, I would rather face execution than your—"

  "Good heavens, you two are starting early today," a voice interrupted.

  Ice slid down Benedict's spine as he turned to greet his brother. "Edwin, what brings you to see me?"

  Edwin smiled lazily, but there was a look in his eyes that made Benedict cringe inwardly. "I was coming to see if you wanted to join me and some of our Tumarith guests…but I can see that you are already engaged in other matters."

  Benedict grimaced. "I would sooner be strung up naked in the courtyard than stay in this room another moment." Not that he particularly wanted to go with his brother, but he had a choice in the matter.

  The look on Rae's face said he would be more than happy to make the arrangements.

  Benedict strolled to the door, calling lazily over his shoulder, "You know what I like. Take care of the lists and have them to my mother by noon, so we have plenty of time to look over the contracts and next week's social calendar before dinner."

  He laughed as he heard porcelain shatter against the door as he closed it.

  *~*~*

  Damn the man! The arrogant, lazy, good-for-nothing prick!

  Rae picked up the sugar bowl and sent it after Prince Benedict's teacup. "Bastard!" he swore, and sat down heavily in his seat, glaring at the one vacated by the prince. The sorry excuse for royalty had certainly wasted no time in running away—no doubt to carry Lord Q or Lady K off into the woods.

  Disgusted, furious that his mood was already completely soured, Rae shoved away from the table and made to move toward the desk—but at the last, veered toward the massive bay window instead. Outside, he could see people milling as the horses were brought out. It was impossible to miss Benedict. The royal family was a handsome set, but Benedict… well, everyone agreed he was easily the most beautiful person in the kingdom, and most claimed he was amongst the most beautiful in the world.

  Where the rest of his family was fashionably bony, Benedict was slender, but muscular and broad. He didn't quite tower over everyone, but he never got lost in the crowd.

  And he was achingly, infuriatingly beautiful, his features softly, elegantly sculpted, as though by the hands of an artist in love with his creation. He had a smile that could bespell the unwise and even the knowing. His skin was unfashionably sun-kissed, and the sun had also lightened his hair from the family dark gold to a rich wheat blond that fell in an artless tumble of curls around his damnable face, perfectly framing eyes the color of new spring leaves.

  When he could bothered, he was smarter than nearly everyone in the palace, but most of the
time he simply used his excess of charm and charisma to coax everyone and their brother into bed. Anyone who wanted to be worth something would do their level best to catch his eye. Rae had seen fights break out simply for the pleasure of sitting beside him at dinner.

  It was appalling, frustrating, and argh.

  Snarling, Rae jerked away from the window and snatched up the papers Benedict had left on the table, then strode to the door and yanked it open. "You!" he barked at the first footman he saw—and the lad must be new, to pale like that; the old ones were used to him. "Take this to Her Majesty and tell her that what she requires is on the last page…and send a maid to clean up the mess in here." He slammed the door shut, then set to work picking up all the shattered porcelain, piling it on a plate so it could easily be thrown out. He scooped up all he could of the sugar as well, then used a damp napkin to blot up most of the rest of it, so the poor maid wouldn't have much left to deal with when she arrived. Nobody else should be stuck cleaning up his temper tantrums.

  Stupid, selfish bastard. If Benedict spent half as much time working as he did fucking half the court—

  Rae buried his hands in his hair and grit his teeth, struggling valiantly to calm his temper. But it was a lost cause. Benedict had completely ruined his day. All he wanted was for Benedict to tend to his duties for a few hours—he'd even held off breakfast until Benedict had deigned to arrive. He'd already gone over the lists and the contracts had only to be signed before he sent them off…all for nothing. Benedict had not even wasted an hour before running off to rut in the forest while leaving him do all of the work without so much as a mocking 'thank you'. Just taunt after infuriating taunt because Benedict couldn't stand that someone in his life failed to be distracted by his pretty face.

  Rae had spent fifteen years of his life working to get to where he was—and that wasn't counting all the extra effort put into his schooling days. All he'd ever wanted was to follow in his mother's footsteps as one of the specialized, elite secretaries that served the upper echelons. As much as he loved the family perfume shop, it was his mother's career that had always appealed most. And he'd been determined to make her proud by not just serving nobility as she had, but making it all the way to royalty.