Royal Wager: Royal Wager, #1

By Renna Peak and Ember Casey

He'll win the title he's always wanted…if only he can resist his carnal desires.

Benedict has a life most men would kill for—money, leisure, and any women he wants.

Cousins of the royal family of Montovia, Benedict and his two older brothers are well-known for their wild antics, playboy escapades, and fierce brotherly competitions.

There's only one thing Benedict doesn't have: a claim to a title of his own.

Until now.

Benedict and his brothers are about to enter the fiercest competition of their lives.

The prize? A prestigious estate and a title to match.

The game? Whoever can hold out on sex the longest wins.

Benedict is certain he has what it takes to win—until he meets Quinn Hartley, the American tourist who just might become his greatest weakness…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Casey Peak Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Jan 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393839415

Book preview

1

Benedict

Perhaps I should be more grateful , I think as I sit in my usual seat at the dinner table. The room is ornately decorated, but nothing out of the ordinary for my family. Even the table is set as lavishly as if the king himself were visiting.

I suppose if our Montovian cousins were visiting, we wouldn’t be in the family dining room. No, we’d likely be in the banquet hall, my mother and father fawning over our cousins all while wishing they were a little closer to the throne themselves.

But it’s only a typical family dinner here at Wintervale Manor, far from the nightly spectacle that is no doubt occurring in the capital. Though, my mother has seen to it that I and my brothers are all here tonight. My oldest brother, Caspar, takes the seat next to me and promptly elbows me in the ribs.

What do you think it is mother has to tell us? He looks as though he might laugh. That they’ve finally decided to give you up for adoption?

Hilarious as always, Caspar, I reply, trying not to take his barb personally.

I suppose it is a bit late for that, he says. Though perhaps not too late to boot you from the family. He drums his fingers on the table. Maybe she’ll finally reveal your true parentage. I always suspected you weren’t fully related to me.

I merely shake my head as my brother jabs me in the ribs again. I don’t have time to come up with my own quip before our middle brother, Xavier, enters the dining hall, taking the chair across the table.

He looks us up and down, annoyed as usual. Any ideas what this is about? I was enjoying a perfectly fine trip—

At the bar? Caspar interrupts with a laugh. Perhaps if you’d been called away from something important…

Oh, I’ve no doubt whatever it was you were engaged in was important, Caspar, our brother says with a roll of his eyes. A tumble with some random tart?

It wasn’t random, Caspar says under his breath, barely loud enough for me to hear.

I nearly snort at the thought that my brother might actually care about a young lady, but I can’t really judge. My brothers and I all have a bit of trouble maintaining actual relationships. I suppose I might be considered the worst of us in that particular realm. It’s difficult not to think fondly of my own recent fling, though I can’t quite remember her name at present.

You’re going to be proposing marriage, then? I ask Caspar, my eyes mockingly wide. I don’t suppose you’ve decided on names for the children yet—

As though you should talk, Brother. Caspar rolls his eyes at me. The day you fall in love is the day hell will surely freeze.

I’m not so sure… I tap my lips. "I think perhaps if Xavier were ever to care about anyone—"

I care plenty about myself, Xavier grumbles. Don’t they always say you have to love yourself first—

Sounds like a load of dung to me. Caspar laughs. Look at the lot of us. A bunch of pathetic fools, only concerned with our cocks—

His thoughts interrupted, we all stand not a moment later when my mother enters the hall, followed a few seconds later by my father. We sit as soon as my parents take their seats at either end of the table. It’s clear that something is amiss—my father’s jaw is tight, and he says nothing as he sits. He usually has some insult to give to one of us—usually to me—but this time, he doesn’t look at my brothers or me.

My mother appears to be equally troubled, though it’s difficult to tell in what way. Her lips are tight, and she also doesn’t make any eye contact. And though it looks like she’s trying to catch my father’s eye, he is focused on the flatware.

The food begins flowing in, much as it always does at our family dinners. One of the servants sets a salad in front of me, though the last thing on my mind is food.

We all sit in silence for what seems an eternity. My father finally looks between us all, though it is more like he’s looking though us than at any of us. Eat, he commands, and we all pick up our forks.

The only sounds in the hall are the clinking of forks against the china. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt this uncomfortable—even when we have had the king and his family at dinner.

My mother finally clears her throat. I…I have an announcement, she says.

Whatever it is in her voice makes my stomach sink to my toes. Has someone died? I look to my father, but his gaze has dropped again to his plate.

It takes my mother a few more moments to speak again. As the three of you know, the title of Wilderly Springs is my heritage to bestow.

Unless you aren’t of the same heritage, Caspar whispers so that only I might hear, before giving me another jab in the ribs.

Caspar grins, and then folds his hands in his lap. It’s my honor, Mother—

She cuts him off with a sharp gaze, and my brother looks as though he’s been slapped.

King Edmund has asked that I bestow the title before the end of the year, my mother says. And though it’s traditionally given to the eldest child, in this case—

In this case, my father interrupts. None of you are very deserving. He lifts a brow, looking between the three of us. At least your mother and I can agree to that. His gaze narrows, and it looks like he might shoot darts from his eyes at any one of us. As you well know, the title comes with a great number of responsibilities, including a seat in the senate. The care and upkeep alone… He shakes his head. As I said, none of you are very deserving at the moment.

My mother straightens her shoulders. Though we may disagree on certain…particulars, she says, we do agree on that point. None of you have behaved in a manner becoming of the title of Duke of Wilderly Springs.

Xavier is lifting a brow in mine and Caspar’s direction. Caspar’s shoulders have slumped—it’s always been a forgone conclusion that Caspar would take my mother’s title when the time was right. I’ve no idea what the hurry is in bestowing it, but if there is a chance that I might be considered… Well, I’m not sure I could pass that up. I never dreamed I might be a duke, but if the opportunity is presenting itself, I’m up for the challenge. In fact, I can’t think of anything I might like more—a true purpose in life? I’d never considered it a possibility.

Your father and I have been in discussions all day, attempting to determine who is the most deserving. And while we both understand the importance of tradition—

Mother, Caspar interrupts. You can’t honestly be saying that the title isn’t mine.

"That is exactly what I’m saying, Caspar. She lifts her chin. You’ve done nothing more than either of your brothers to demonstrate you’re deserving. In fact… She looks over at me before shaking her head. That little stunt you two pulled in Ibiza a few months ago… She shakes her head again, turning her gaze to Xavier for a moment. And you… She sighs. I don’t suppose I need to remind you of the settlement we just paid for the damage you did to that man’s nose."

Xavier’s gaze drops to his plate. I suppose mine should, too, but I can’t stop thinking about this title. That it could actually be mine.

Mother, Caspar says, his voice cracking. I’m sure you know what happened in Ibiza was Benedict’s—

What about what happened in Salzburg, then? She asks, cutting him off. Benedict was nowhere near Austria the night you—

Caspar interrupts. But… But I was born first, he says, blinking rapidly.

"And I’m saying there is nothing—nothing—in the laws of Montovia that say the bestowing of a title outside of king or queen is a birthright. It doesn’t seem fair to your brothers to just give you the title when they are equally deserving—"

"Or not deserving, my father says, glowering between the three of us. What have any of you done to demonstrate you’re deserving? Besides causing international scandals?"

I sit back in my chair. Though I’ve done little with my life so far, I’ve certainly tried to be a decent person. Perhaps not so much with the fairer sex, but I’ve done more than even my brothers know to try to prove, at least to myself, that I’m not a hopeless cause.

We’ve come to a decision, my mother continues. "We’re going to let you decide who deserves the title most. She looks first at Xavier, then at me, and then Caspar in turn. In whatever way you see fit. Hopefully, a decision of this magnitude will force the three of