Secrets and the Bride
By Alexa Riley
4.5/5
()
About this ebook
Glenda has spent her life hiding away in her room with her books. But she has a longing in her heart for a scarred hero who doesn't even know she's there.
Cillian has spent every moment longing for Glenda, but he's damaged goods. She deserves better than him, but too bad he's not about to let anyone else have her.
Warning: Can these two fall head over feet into love and marriage? You know we wouldn't let you down!
Alexa Riley
New York Times bestselling author Alexa Riley is two sassy friends who got together and wrote some dirty books. They are both married moms of two who love football, donuts, and obsessed book heroes. They specialize in insta-love, over-the-top, sweet, and cheesy love stories that don’t take all year to read. If you want something SAFE, short, and always with a happily ever after, then Alexa Riley is for you! www.AlexaRiley.com
Read more from Alexa Riley
Riding Red Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5His Princess Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Branding the Virgin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Paying Daddy’s Debt Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Likes It Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coach Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stealing the Bride Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mr and Mrs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Closer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Buy Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Inmates Obsession Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Thick Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Charmed Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Shielding Rosie Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bitten by the Beast Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bought by the Cowboy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Princely Agreement Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stealing the Thief Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Teach Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Arranging My Bride Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sleepless Pact Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Judge Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stealing the Dancer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stalking the Secret Baby Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Snowed in with Scrooge Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sweet Enough to Eat Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sweet Treats Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Giving Her My Baby Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Protecting Freedom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Secrets and the Bride
Related ebooks
Betting on his Bride Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Saving the Bride Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stealing the Dancer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stealing the Bride Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Blackmailed by the Grump Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Arranging My Bride Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Betting On Her Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHome For Christmas Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Forever Winter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Naughty and Notorious Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Christmas Vows Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Marriage Material Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Locked Up Love Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Jealous Groom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pretty Virgin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Winter Bride Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Thankful For Her Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lovely Baker Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lift Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Runaway Mail-Order Bride Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The King's Innocent Bride Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5General Joe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sweet Enough to Eat Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Saved by the Superhero Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Flurry of Love Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Meeting His Match Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Cozy Agreement Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Brother’s Best Enemy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Cupid Get's Struck Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Fall Bride Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Contemporary Romance For You
Hopeless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ugly Love: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Animal Farm Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Icebreaker: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The True Love Experiment Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5November 9: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Before We Were Strangers: A Love Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finding Cinderella: A Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Heart Bones: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All Your Perfects: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It Starts with Us: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Confess: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It Ends with Us: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ruin Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Something Borrowed: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Simple Wild: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Maybe Someday Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beautiful Disaster: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maybe Not: A Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Slammed: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maybe Now: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Spanish Love Deception: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Scandalized Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Finding Perfect: A Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Twice in a Blue Moon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Without Merit: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One Italian Summer: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beautiful Bastard Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Girl: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Secrets and the Bride
14 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Secrets and the Bride - Alexa Riley
Chapter One
Glenda
As I watch my brother, Prince Felipe of Andora, with his bride Amelia, it gives me a trace of hope that one day I too can find a love like theirs. Growing up with parents like ours, it’s hard to believe that we could be matched with someone we could actually love.
Mom and Dad can’t stand to be in the same room with each other for more than a few hours. That’s about as long as they can pretend to be a happy couple. Sometimes I wonder how they had three kids. I can’t even recall a time when they ever liked each other, so they never gave me romantic ideas of marriage.
With them as my only example, I was sure that’s how all arranged marriages went. That I’d have to learn to live with whoever my chosen spouse was. When I was old enough to understand what marriage truly was and how it worked in our world, I dreaded the idea.
Now, seeing my brother dance around the ballroom with his bride, it gives me a hint of hope for something else. Then again, he had a hand in picking his bride. He’d known for years that Amelia would be his wife one day. In fact, he’d even planned and mapped out his life for it. I didn’t know my brother could be such a sweetheart when it came to romance, but I guess love can make you do crazy things.
For me, it won’t be the same. I’m actually not sure who will have a say in my marriage; it might be my father or my brother. I hope it’s Felipe, because he sees marriage differently and he’s very protective of me. My father might love me, but he sees things in black and white. It’s why Felipe took the path he did, choosing to make a name for himself. He didn’t need my father’s money, and he couldn't be bought. Father had no control over him, and I can see how angry that made him.
Princess Glenda, would you care to dance?
Steven asks, placing his hand on the back of my chair.
He’s been watching me most of the night. I think he’s been waiting to get me by myself, but I’ve kept making sure I was never alone. Even now, people are within hearing distance, and I’m sure some are listening. People in these circles are always looking for gossip.
I have a bit of a headache. Maybe next time?
I lie, and Steven's smile falters. There is only one person I was hoping would ask me to dance, but he’s been very scarce, even with this being his sister’s wedding.
Irritation flashes across Steven’s face, but he quickly masks it. He’s not used to being told no. The only reason he was even giving me attention is because I was one of the only women here not falling all over myself to dance with him. If I shared even one dance with him, people would talk. But honestly, that wasn’t the reason I didn’t want to. Steven is everything I don’t want in a man. He’s too poised and put together, and I find his charm to be annoying.
If I ended up on the dance floor with him, it would be a reminder to everyone that I existed. I’ve only been back from prep school for a little over a month, and I know it’s only a matter of time until offers for my hand in marriage start to come in. I’d hoped hiding in the shadows would give me a bit more time, but my brother getting married has now thrust me into the spotlight. I’m sure even now my father is chatting with someone about how it’s my turn next. For Cillian, I would dance if he asked. He’d be the only one that could get me to stop hiding in the shadows this evening.
That one didn’t interest you?
Felipe.
I smile as I stand up from my seat to give my brother a hug. He’s glaring toward the direction Steven left in. Where’s your wife?
I ask, steering his attention back to me. He’s not going to get into a fight at his own wedding. Especially over Steven.
Saying her goodbyes to her family.
He leans down and presses a kiss to my cheek. You didn’t answer my question.
I’m not dancing with anyone.
I shrug.
You danced the other night,
he points out with a smug smile.
A rush of heat fills my body thinking back to that night. I had danced with a man that night. A man that has ruled all my thoughts since. He’s even in my dreams. There was a darkness around him that drew me toward him, and no matter how hard I tried, I can’t seem to forget him. It wasn’t until we were halfway through our dance that I put together who he was. Cillian Flores. The brother of the woman Felipe is marrying.
I had a mask on. No one knew it was me. I can’t go dancing with random men. I’ll end up with a reputation like yours,
I tease, knowing that one will hit the mark. Then maybe he’ll leave me alone about my mystery man. We both need to forget about him because he’s clearly forgotten about me.
Don’t be a brat,
he grumbles, annoyed by my remark.
Felipe had a reputation of being a playboy because he was often seen out at clubs and bars all over the city at night. It was bullshit because that’s not who my brother is. He actually owned all those clubs at the time, but the story of Prince Felipe being a playboy was far juicier. He hadn’t cared about the label until he found out the woman he loved believed those rumors to be true. He had to convince her otherwise. Clearly it worked because she walked down the aisle and said, I do.
I won’t be a brat if you go and enjoy yourself. Have fun on your honeymoon,
I encourage him. Felipe has worked hard his whole life for what he has. It’s time he enjoyed himself.
I plan to.
He drops another kiss on my cheek before whispering into my ear so only I can hear him. Father has been talking with a lot of suitors tonight.
I stiffen, and my heart drops. You don’t agree to anything until I’m back.
I didn’t know I had a choice.
I try to keep the emotion out of my voice because this isn’t the time or place to get into this.
Until I get back,
he repeats, and I nod. Be good,
he says before he’s off to find his bride so they can make their escape. Knowing that they’re leaving, I see no reason why I can’t do the same. Besides, I don’t think Cillian is here either. He must have snuck off a while ago. There really is no point staying now.
I slip off to the side to try to make a discreet exit. My slippers and Kindle are calling my name. Just when I think I’ve made it without being noticed, a hand wraps around my wrist and stops me from getting away.
Chapter Two
Cillian
I f you go through that door, an alarm will sound.
When Glenda looks back at me, I immediately drop her hand and take a step back. She probably can’t stand the thought of me touching her. She’s just so perfect I couldn’t help myself.
"Oh, well then I guess