Undressed by the King

LUCIEN

I grunted, tucking my still-hard shaft into the waistband of my trousers.

Another woman had tried and failed to bring me to orgasm. Of course. And now there wasn’t time to pleasure myself. Though I knew exactly who I would imagine.

That delicious, mysterious, red-haired woman. Her petite frame, slender curves, and breasts made for the size of my hands. I couldn’t get her out of my head.

But I had to try. I had business to attend to.

After kicking the concubine out, I walked into the small room adjoining my bedroom—a private space constructed for me by the leading sorcerer in my kingdom.

The room would have been pitch black if not for the small pool of silvery water located right in the center. It shimmered like a glowing mirror.

I dove in headfirst.

***

“Mr. Ozric, welcome back. How was your trip to the Bahamas? It’s gorgeous there, right?” my ever-dependable assistant, Mrs. Agatha, said as I exited my private elevator.

I was wearing a two-piece navy-blue suit; Zaxonian clothes were too flashy for this world. And I adjusted my cuffs as I walked toward her, noticing that she was dressed in her usual granny clothes with her reading glasses hanging around her neck.

Gorgeous, my ass. If she knew how beautiful my world was, she’d never think the Bahamas were gorgeous.

“Good,” was my brusque reply. “Humid,” I added for a touch of realism.

I crossed the reception area and walked straight into my office, her little feet scurrying to keep pace.

“Do you want to rest first, or should I tell you the updates since you left?” she chirped from behind me.

“Tell me everything I missed, Mrs. Agatha.” I sat in my leather chair and swiveled to face her. “I am riveted.”

“Hedonia Apartments and Suites has finally signed the transfer of ownership. You are now its new owner.”

“Wonderful,” I said with a smirk.

“Also, you were invited to a charity ball yesterday, but I declined it for you since you were still on vacation. There was another invitation for a ribbon cutting in one of your hotels, but I declined that for you too.”

“Just as instructed, Mrs. Agatha.” I gave her a quick nod, pleased.

I never liked to join large gatherings, even if they were just for show. And it wasn’t about the ogling and worshipping that came with being so fucking handsome and rich. It was just better to keep a low profile.

“Also, you received this letter from Costard University. From a professor, Dr. Danes. He said to give it to you ASAP.” She extended the letter toward me and I took it.

“Letter given, Mrs. Agatha. Anything else?” I said, sounding just like a well-bred billionaire of this world.

“One last thing, sir. Silvia has been calling for you. She said…she misses you, sir.”

I cringed at the mention of her name and didn’t fail to catch the disdain in Mrs. Agatha’s voice. I knew she hated the brassy, long-legged woman who had often strolled in here like she owned the place.

But beautiful women tended to do that, especially ones who were models for a famous lingerie brand. The instant she saw me, she was struck with the psychotic will to make me hers. Despite her several attempts at seduction, I had never been interested.

Besides, I didn’t come to New York City to fuck the women of this world. I came here to consult with Dr. Danes, whose letter I was holding between my fingers. I needed Mrs. Agatha to leave so I could open it.

“Tell Sylvia that I died.”

“Really, sir?”

“Just get her to stop calling—I do not care what you say. Do your job, Mrs. Agatha.” I turned over the envelope and waved her away. “You can go now.”

“Yes, sir.” She nodded and left.

I tore open the letter from the professor. The paper inside had no words, just a string of numbers. Nine digits that I needed to dial for a secure connection. This had been our routine since I first came into this world.

“It’s me,” I said after he picked it up on the first ring.

“Your Highness! I didn’t expect you to return until Monday,” the doctor said. “Who runs your kingdom while you’re away?” he added with a chuckle.

“I have a very trustworthy servant who takes care of everything.”

“Right. Like Mrs. Agatha in this world.”

“Some people are indispensable.” Enough with the small talk. I cut straight to the point. “Do you have any updates on the poison?”

I commissioned Dr. Danes to investigate the source of a poison that had killed two people very close to me. I was desperate to know its origins. And more desperate for revenge.

“It’s as you suspected. The poison did not come from your world. I traced its source to an exceedingly rare plant in Siberia.”

“So that means—”

“Yes, your enemy has access to Earth, or someone here has access to Zaxonia.”

My mind instantly flashed to the woman who was not of my world. “How can this be? I alone have the resources needed to create such a bridge.” I balled my hand into a fist and clenched my jaw.

“I’m sorry to say it, sir, but that must not be true.”

I swallowed hard, trying to accept the fact that I knew less than I would like to admit. “Thank you, Doctor. I am in your debt.”

“If that’s so,” he said tentatively, “then I’d like to invite you to the university museum’s opening tonight.”

Not this again. I sighed. “You know I have no time for that, Doctor.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. I didn’t want to have this argument.

“Just stay for an hour. After all, your money is the reason why the school was able to open a museum. Please, Your Highness.”

“Fine,” I said, pressing my eyes shut. “One hour. When does it start?”

“Six o’clock. And don’t dress too flashy—you’ll give my students a heart attack.” He chuckled.

I grinned as I caught my reflection in the mirrored clock on my desk. “Not much I can do about that. I cannot change how I look.”

Well, I technically could, but I only changed the length of my hair when I came here. Short, so I could fit in with all the other billionaires.

“See you tonight, Doctor.” I hung up the phone, then stood up, turned around, and looked out my floor-to-ceiling windows at the sprawling view of New York City.

It was so different from Zaxonia. So much concrete and so little green. Just a hyped-up world of technology addicts.

Then I thought about what the professor had said and what I thought I knew. I thought I was the only one who could create a portal, but I knew she was from Earth. So how did she have one? Did she make it or find it?

I grew excited as I remembered just how electrifying it felt when I grabbed her hair and turned her face toward mine. When our eyes met.

Where the hell are you, woman?

NICOLETTE

“I’m fine. Everything’s going to be fine. It’s gone now,” I whispered to myself as I paced around my kitchen.

Eight hours had passed since I handed the mirror off to Professor Mallorie. I had hoped that everything in my life would return to normal, but images of the other world kept flashing through my brain, haunting me.

I massaged my temples and closed my eyes. I needed a distraction. Anything to get my mind off of that mirror, that world, that man. And I knew just the thing.

I picked up my cell phone and started drafting a text to Sean, my ex-boyfriend. We broke up a month ago after dating long distance for a year. We were both passionate about archeology, but in every other way we were totally incompatible.

I was happy that I hadn’t given him my virginity. Not that I was saving myself for marriage. I just wanted to wait until I was with the right person, and Sean wasn’t that.

But a little flirtatious texting to clear my mind wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, right?

I stared at my phone, waiting for the three dots to show that he was typing something. But, nothing.

With the time difference between New York and London, he was probably asleep and wouldn’t get back to me until the morning…if he ever got back to me at all.

This distraction clearly wasn’t going to work. And that’s when I spotted it—a green invitation card hanging from my refrigerator.

When Professor Mallorie had come by to pick up the mirror, he’d invited me to his museum-opening party tonight. I had made up an excuse about why I couldn’t go, but now I’d take any reason to get out of the house.

***

“Ms. Holland! You made it!” Professor Mallorie exclaimed as he saw me get out of the cab.

“Yes, um, my prior plans were canceled. So yeah, I’m here,” I said, adjusting my body-hugging dress that fell to just above the knees.

The gallery opening was a formal event, so I’d tried my best to dress the part. My everyday ripped jeans and T-shirt wouldn’t cut it.

“Let me take you to my table. I want you to meet some colleagues. They’re an intelligent crowd, I think you’ll like them,” he said, eyes gleaming.

“Lead the way, Professor.”

We strode into the museum’s main foyer and then down a hallway that led to a grand banquet room. Well, it was being used as a banquet room, but I imagined it was the room that normally held the traveling exhibits.

The professor stopped at the table nearest the podium. Four seats were occupied and three were empty.

“Everyone, I want you to meet Ms. Nicolette Holland,” he announced to the table.

“This is Madame Helen Ainsrow, the school’s president, with her husband, Mr. Miguel. This is the chair of the university’s board of directors, Mr. Arthur Shuvert, and this right here is Dr. Millard Danes, my partner and museum cocurator.”

Dr. Danes, who was sitting nearest to me, stood up and shook my hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Holland.” He flashed me a broad smile.

He looked about the same age as Professor Mallorie, but his hair was all black. He was tall, too, towering over me, even with me in my heels.

“Dr. Danes, the pleasure is mine.” I flashed him a smile back.

He swept his hand to the side and gestured to the vacant chair on his left. “Come sit, we have just started dinner.”

I graciously accepted his offer, watching as Professor Mallorie took the seat opposite me and placed a cloth napkin over the back of the remaining chair on his left.

“Are we expecting one more, Professor Mallorie?” I asked.

“Yes, we are,” Dr. Danes answered for him. “The top benefactor of this museum should be joining us soon.”

“Oh really? That’s fantastic. I can give him my thanks in person. But, um, he must be a very busy man.”

He chuckled loudly. Forcefully. He was clearly uncomfortable. “Yes, he is. You have no idea, Ms. Holland. His time is always precious.”

The courses were served, and every time a door opened, Dr. Danes would look to see who entered. His discomfort grew with each passing course. He fidgeted in his seat and kept shooting glances toward the entrance of the room.

After half an hour of casual conversation between delicious bites of food, a commotion sounded in the foyer, and the standing guests began to whisper and make their way out of the banquet room.

I lifted a brow and craned my neck to see what was happening. “What’s going on over there?”

“Oh, no,” Dr. Danes said, quickly wiping pasta sauce off his mouth with a napkin and standing. “Excuse me, friends, I think our guest has arrived.”

My eyes followed him as he exited the room.

How can one guest cause so much trouble?

LUCIEN

“God, didn’t I tell you not to be flashy?” Dr. Danes whispered when he finally squeezed through the idolizing crowd.

I had just stepped out of my car and already had a fan club of desire-stricken men and women.

Men because of my seven-digit sports car, and women because of my undeniable good looks. They were drooling at me like I was a sex god. Which I was.

“It is just a Maybach, Doctor,” I said, a smile growing on my lips. “It is the least flashy car I have.”

Dr. Danes just huffed at me, his expression flat.

“The king of Zaxonia likes his toys shiny,” I said with a shrug, throwing the key to a valet attendant.

“Come, let’s get inside. You’re messing with my female students,” the doctor said, pushing through them.

“Indeed.” I looked at them, at their flushed faces. I wondered if these were their near-to-orgasm faces. I bet they were soaking wet down south too.

Dr. Danes led me through the foyer, my admirers following closely. “Next time I’ll think twice before inviting you to a university event.”

I looked at him and grinned. “See, I told you.”

I entered the dining hall like the king that I was, shoulders squared, back straight, face stoic. But my neutral expression cracked when I met the gaze of the red-haired woman.

Sitting at the table we were walking straight toward.

Hell no… Or should it be heaven? It is her. How can this be?

NICOLETTE

What the fuck~?~

When my eyes locked with Dr. Danes’s guest, I froze. My heart pounded. I couldn’t breathe. I began to shiver slightly.

That man looked just like the king from the mirror world. Every bit of him. His strong build, his chiseled jaw, his thick brows, his full lips. He continued walking toward our table, and when he got closer, I saw the color of his eyes.

Piercing violet.

I nearly fainted in my seat.

There was only one discernible difference between the two. The man in the mirror had long hair. This man had close-cropped hair.

Was it possible that I was seeing things? That the mirror world had officially caused me to lose my mind? That I was just imagining all these similarities? Or was this really him? And if it was him, how did he find me?

As he continued walking toward me, both menacing and utterly irresistible, I only knew one thing for certain: getting rid of that mirror hadn’t put an end to my problems. Not at all.

The real trouble was just beginning.