Royal Risk

By Christina Hollis

"Royal Risk" is a contemporary romance novel, weaving an enthralling tale of passion versus duty into the backdrop of royal intrigue. Krisia, a dedicated and professional personal assistant, is sent to work for Prince Athan, a commanding and charismatic soldier who is now the head of national security. A

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Cyclamen Press
• Release date: Jan 30, 2024
• ISBN: 9781916677029

Christina Hollis

Christina Hollis met her husband on a blind date. She wrote non-fiction for national magazines, and award-winning short stories to fit in with the school run until she had a full-length historical novel, 'Knight's Pawn', published by Harlequin. Five more historical novels followed under the pen name Polly Forrester. Her first book as Christina Hollis was the Mills and Boon Modern Romance, 'The Italian Billionaire's Virgin'. This led to many more romance novels, and lots of short stories. Christina has sold nearly three million books, and her work has been translated into twenty different languages.

Book preview

1

Goodbye holiday, hello chaos.

Krisia put away her sketchbook for the last time. Zipping up her suitcase, she slapped her hands down hard on its lid. Her palms stung, but she didn’t care. This chalet was the one place she could let her feelings show. She wouldn’t allow herself to make any angry gestures, either at home or at work.

Everyone told Krisia she was the perfect employee. She wanted them to go on thinking that because she loved her job.

It was only her new boss she hated.

I’ll keep up my act of being cool, calm, and efficient, whatever happens, she thought. No matter how much Awful Athan teases me.

Prince Athan Gregoryanak was a professional soldier to his fingertips. Over the past eight years, he had risen through the ranks of Kharova’s security force like a rocket. He was now its commander-in-chief.

Then we’re doomed, Krisia thought.

Everyone said Athan’s skill and brilliance got him the top job. Krisia couldn’t understand it. During the years she and her distant relatives, the royal children of Kharova, were being home-schooled, Athan had been a troublesome numbskull. In the end, his family sent him away to boarding school after he caused a near riot in the classroom.

Now we’re supposed to believe army life has turned him into the perfect hero. Krisia shook her head. What chance have we got against the rebels with that idiot in charge?

What was worse, their country was relying on Athan to keep it safe in worrying times.

Krisia knew that many would have killed for the chance to work for the man the media called the Royal Stud Muffin. Not her.

She had been King Leo’s prized personal assistant. He had called her indispensable—until he fell under the spell of a hot-shot English businesswoman, all heels and glossy dark hair. Shoved aside in Leo’s hurry to find room for his new squeeze, Krisia now had the impossible task of bringing order to the life of the king’s younger brother.

Her heart sank. All she wanted was a quiet life, at work and outside of it. The two things she hated more than anything were noise and disruption. Prince Athan was a specialist in both. Whenever the palace exploded in chaos, Athan was behind it.

Krisia tried to keep out of his way, but it was difficult. The last time their paths crossed, he had clapped her on the back in a fit of high spirits. His playful blow almost sent her into a swimming pool.

And now she was supposed to polish this larger-than-life-lunk’s image into something to reflect well on Leo.

With only a few weeks left before the new king’s coronation, her old boss needed everyone to pull together and support him. That didn’t stop Krisia from feeling resentful.

She went out into the bright sunlight of the Kharovan morning. The staff holiday chalets were hidden away in the grounds of the Gregoryanak family’s stunning summer palace. Krisia’s job meant she would be driven back to the palace in the country’s capital in an official car, and she was determined to enjoy every moment of her holiday.

As she got into the limousine, something threatened to wreck her plans for a peaceful journey. It was the pulsing thud of a helicopter engine vibrating through her body.

With my luck, it’s Prince Athan doing some low-level flying. Once he spots an official car on the move, he’ll buzz it all the way back to the city, she thought.

She slumped into the sumptuous rear seat of the car, with no hope of enjoying the ride. The gates at the end of the drive swung open to let her car out onto the country road. Then everything went wrong. Something pinged against the windscreen, and it wasn’t gravel.

Gunfire! the driver screamed.

He threw the car into reverse and they roared back the way they had come, but there was no escape. The automatic gates were already closed.

As part of the royal household, Krisia knew what to do. Terrified, she curled into a ball low down in the car's footwell. It was the safest place to be when under attack.

The chauffeurs were trained to get their passengers out of trouble. Krisia waited for her driver to accelerate away from danger. Instead, the car lurched and stalled. Flinging his door open, the man leaped out and ran away.

Panic caught Krisia by the throat and refused to let go. She was alone, and her car was under attack.

Light streamed through the driver’s door and into her hiding place. She saw her chauffeur’s feet flash away through the dust kicked up by gunfire. Her heart almost bounced right out of her ribcage. All these official cars were armored, but that wouldn’t help her if a bullet whizzed in through the gap.

Krisia’s choice was to wait like a rabbit in a trap or make a run for it.

Putting her hand to her own door, she groped for its catch. She couldn’t raise her head high enough to see what she was doing. From her low angle, crammed behind the driver’s seat, all she could see was a pair of gleaming army boots. They were hurtling toward her as bullets kicked up puffs of dust from the road.

The sight froze Krisia’s blood.

It wasn’t her driver, returning with help.

She opened her mouth to scream. There wasn’t time. A huge, laughing silhouette opened the car door and threw himself on top of her.

The impact knocked all the air from Krisia’s lungs. Pressed down beneath his weight, the touch of bare male skin overpowered her.

Only one person could laugh while pumping out that rich fragrance of adrenaline. His body felt every bit as powerful as Krisia had always imagined.

She struggled to catch her breath, then gasped his name.

Prince Athan?

A deep chuckle reverberated through the muscular body that was crushing her against the floor of the car.

Right first time, his rich, melodious tones caressed her ear, How did you guess?

Careful, your Highness. If you get any closer, you’ll have to marry me, Krisia said, using the one word guaranteed to send a man like Prince Athan heading for the hills.

The effect on his hot, muscular body was instant. One of Krisia’s cheeks and the backs of both her hands were in contact with his bare skin, so she knew he was stripped to the waist. The tremor of his laughter sent shock waves through her body. Everyone knew this man was irresistible to women. Krisia couldn’t see his face, but physical contact encouraged her imagination to fill in the handsome details. She identified the perfume clinging to him as Chanel and guessed he’d been in close combat of a different kind before he dropped in on this skirmish.

The gunfire eased. Krisia strained her ears and heard calls telling Prince Athan the danger was over. She felt the tension flow from his body. His role as head of Kharova’s security was supposed to be purely desk-bound. Krisia couldn’t believe he’d still be getting in on the action like this. In her new job as his assistant, would she be expected to put on fatigues and follow him into battle? She felt sick.

That, Athan levered his weight off her, would seem to be the end of the excitement.

He fiddled with a phone, tapping at the keys.

There’s no need to sound so disappointed, your Highness!

Is there something wrong? He sounded puzzled, and almost concerned.

Krisia tried to squirm free from underneath him. Yes. Yes, there is. You frightened me to death! She felt like screaming the words, but that would have been unprofessional.

I saved your life. Would you have preferred me not to?

Athan was a big man in every way. His movements were smooth and athletic, and as he withdrew from her, Krisia felt the loss. He twisted up onto the seat where she’d been sitting before the attack. Freed at last, she wriggled round to confront him. His strong, sun-browned features fell when he recognized her. Oh. It’s you.

Her toes curled at his lack of enthusiasm. She felt like adopting his disgruntled tone, but she had to keep things businesslike. Smiling was a fiction too far, but she almost managed not to scowl.

I’m on my way back to the palace, to take up my new position, she said, then cringed at her poor choice of words, as your personal assistant, she added, to stop him from making some coarse remark.

He didn’t laugh. The way his dark brows crouched over his piercing blue eyes was ten times worse than amusement.

Of course, he said.

His muscular bulk made the royal limousine seem small. The dog tags slung around his neck rose and fell as his powerful shoulders and naked, glistening chest pumped. Krisia forced herself not to be impressed. The only thing this jock had in common with King Leo was the rich golden tones of his skin. He was very different in every other way.

For a start, Leo would never look at my legs like that.

Fighting to recapture her dignity, Krisia pulled her rumpled skirt down over her thighs. The late King Zacari, then his younger brother, Prince Leo, had been as serious and dedicated to their work as she was. Athan was the joker in the royal pack, and not in a good way.

I’ve had the job of my dreams for the past five years. This new posting is going to be a nightmare, but there’s no way I can afford to resign. In any case, I know my duty, Krisia thought.

Athan had her trapped, and he was enjoying her embarrassment. Don’t you think the job is beneath you, Kris? I do.

If anyone else said that I’d be flattered. Athan’s only being sarcastic. And nobody shortens my name!

I do everything to the best of my abilities.

Krisia made a big show of smoothing out her jacket and straightening her sleeves so she could keep her head down. That would disguise the sound of her gritted teeth.

I’m sure you do. His voice coiled into her soul and lodged there, like mistletoe taking root.

Is it safe for me to use this car, your Highness? I need to get back to the palace.

You can get out, but you’re not going anywhere. Nobody is. Not until I say so.

Krisia only heard what she wanted to hear. Opening the door on the opposite side of the car from where Athan lounged, she stepped out into the sunshine. The air was full of dust. It caught at the back of her throat. It made her wish she could go back to the holiday chalet and make a coffee. There wasn’t time. She had to get to Gregoryanville and start her new job.

I’ll arrange another vehicle. I assume you’ll want the driver of this one disciplined for abandoning... the thought of saying me sounded arrogant and petty, so Krisia changed tack, ... his passenger?

I’ll deal with it.

Athan sounded serious. Krisia looked back, then hesitated at the sight of the car’s exterior. Bullets scored and pitted the sleek black coachwork. She thought of her narrow escape and felt her expression betray her feelings.

So, how do you like your first taste of my lifestyle? Athan gestured at the devastation and dust. Different from life in Old Retainers’ Row, isn’t it?

Krisia’s stomach contracted. Don’t be rude! she snapped, before remembering this man was now her boss. He was also second in line to the throne of Kharova. It’s my mother’s apartment in Retainer’s Row, sir.

Which depends completely on the royal family. So, if you know what’s good for you and your mother, it’s where you’ll be staying from now on. Safe and sound, twenty-four hours a day.

Krisia took a step forward, but his expression stopped her dead. B-but the King—your brother—commanded me to be your personal assistant! From now on, it’s my duty to go wherever you go!

Not a chance, I’m afraid. Athan’s voice was a desert breeze at nightfall, icy and unforgiving. I’m on active service. You’d be a liability to me, as well as a distraction. His gaze wandered over her again, making Krisia forget his words were supposed to freeze her out. War is not women’s work.

You dinosaur! Krisia thought as he got out of the car and walked toward the summer palace.

She fell into step beside him. Then why not try making peace for a change? she said when she could think up a comeback. Or do you like playing soldier too much?

One of his men came up to meet them. Athan rapped out an order for coffee to be served in the boardroom. His mouth was a hard line of disapproval as he directed Krisia toward the office block at the back of the building.

Goading him was a bad idea, and Krisia wished she hadn’t spoken out.

King Leo thinks I’m the one person with any hope of getting his brother’s life organized. I can’t let Leo down. Getting into an argument within minutes of meeting Athan might be the excuse this–this playboy needs to dismiss me. I can’t let that happen.

There was nothing for it. Apologizing was the only way Krisia could save the situation. It would hurt her pride, but she’d rather suffer than be thought difficult. She set her jaw and lifted her chin.

I’m sorry, your Royal Highness. I was out of order.

Athan’s lips moved, but his smile was more triumphant than genuine. You’re right, you were. But since you’ve admitted it, you can drop the formality and call me Athan.

He stuck out his hand. Krisia shook it, trying not to wince as her new boss crushed her fingers within the toughened skin of his palm.

So, my big brother is finally ready to take a royal bride, is he?

Krisia’s eyes widened. She struggled to keep her face blank. Why do you say that?

"He’s always praised you to the skies. There’s only one reason he’d dump a