I accidentally wrote this chapter in Rhys's POV so let's just roll with it

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Princess

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Chapter 41: Princess (Rhys's POV)

I watched Stella silently as she lay on top of me on the couch, tracing my skin, running her fingers along the sharp edge of my jaw, the high bridge of my nose, and over every other part of my face, memorizing me, learning me from touch alone. 

"Your nose bridge is perfect," she muttered absentmindedly, tracing it repeatedly. 

"Is it?" I asked, looking down at my nose, knowing well that it made me cross-eyed. 

A soft laugh escaped her and it lit up the entire room for me as she withdrew her hand. "It is," she whispered quietly as she dropped her palms on my chest and rested her chin on top of them. After a minute of staring at me like that, she scooted up higher and kissed me, lifting her palms to my cheeks, her thumbs stroking gently. 

Her smile instigated my own before she pulled away, grinning ear to ear. Holding my gaze, she began tracing my cheekbone again. "I'm so sorry about what happened to your parents, Rhys," she said softly, "but I'm really glad you told me. Thank you for letting me in." 

My eyes dropped to her free hand that splayed over my chest. "I've never told anybody before," I admitted, swallowing down any hesitation lingering within me. "I've never trusted anybody the way I trust you, my love. I've never let anybody into my life or given anybody the chance to get to know me. I always thought nobody cared. When nobody stepped up to help me after I lost them, I figured nobody would want to help me now either. After all, I'm a grown man. I'm expected to handle it all myself, aren't I?" 

"Of course not, Rhys. Everybody needs somebody sometimes. Their own person, hmm? Don't you trust your friends? Haven't you let them in?" 

I shook my head wordlessly and thought for a minute. "They forced their way in and I'm glad they did. I met Logan first during college. We were rivals and we competed for everything. It's a lesson we both learned too well in our lives and that is to keep your friends close but your enemies closer. He wouldn't leave me alone. Gradually, the rivalry turned into friendship." 

"Is that why you're a little closer to Logan? You knew him first." 

I hummed, nodding lightly. 

"Can I ask you something about that?" she mumbled. 

I nodded again. "Is he the only friend you offer cheek kisses to or are the other boys just as special?" she teased. 

"What the hell are you talking about?" I snickered. 

Her pointed gaze led to flashes of last night replaying in my mind once again. Logan and I rolling on the floor, cuddling- 

Jesus Christ, what the hell was I thinking?

I groaned quietly, throwing my arm over my eyes while she laughed wholeheartedly and moved to sit up, straddling me as she rested her hands on my torso. Embarrassed, I stole a peek at her. 

"It's okay. I'm willing to keep my jealousy at bay if it's Logan we're talking about," she rubbed it in, laughing louder when I grabbed her arms and tugged her forward so she lay on me once again. 

"You think it's funny?" I asked, lifting a daring brow at her. 

"A little," she chuckled, giggling as I spun us around, keeping her on the inside until I was on top, straddling her now. She stared back at me with that glimmer in her eyes and that tiny smug smile on her lips that I so desperately wanted to kiss. 

I wanted her so badly, it shattered me. 

I caught her wrists as she moved them up to my waist slowly, teasingly, and pinned them up above her head, taking them both in one hand of mine as I brought my lips down to hers. "Hold still," I ordered, my lips brushing against hers softly, "keep those hands up there." 

A sharp gasp escaped her as I began trailing my fingers down her arms, slowly inching down to her sides, my fingers splaying over her ribcage and moving down to squeeze her waist all while I stayed just a breath away from a kiss. Coming up, she tried stealing a quick kiss but I retreated just in time, not giving in so easily. 

"Rhys," she groaned eagerly. 

"What do you want?" I asked, "whatever it is, ask me and it's yours." 

She held my gaze. 

"Beg for it," I smirked against her lips. I caught the rise of her arms out of the corner of my eye and was quick to pin them back down as I sat upright, staring down at her. "That's not very nice, Dorogaya. Won't you be a good girl for me?" 

"If you give me a kiss, maybe," she smiled cheekily. 

"If you do as I say, I'll reward you with a kiss. Fuck it, I'll reward you with as many as you'd like." 

Her brow quipped up as she watched me carefully. 

"Hold still," I repeated, dropping my lips to her ear as I whispered against it, trailing my hands down her body once again, this time grazing the bare skin of her thighs before I slowly slipped my fingers under the hem of the t-shirt, pausing and withdrawing to look at her eyes. 

"Tell me if you want me to stop," I said, "tell me whatever it is you want to say. Tell me everything I should know." My lips grazed hers briefly once. "Tell me what you want me to do to you, Stella. Tell me what you like." 

Breathless, she stared back at me, her chest rising and falling with each gasp. "I want you to kiss me," she admitted in a whisper. 

"How badly do you want it?" I questioned, all the air escaping my lungs. 

"So fucking bad," she panted, "it overwhelms me. It kills me. I want you to kiss me, Mr. Romanov. And I don't ever want you to stop." 

"See," I grinned slowly, "it wasn't so hard to beg for it, was it?" 

She huffed in annoyance and rolled her eyes, moving to push me off but I held her hands down once again, this time, locking our fingers together. "Patience, my love," I teased, placing a soft kiss on her jaw, then just below her ear. "I can be nice too. And when I'm nice, I'm very nice." 

"Yeah?" she challenged me as I pulled back and met her gaze. 

"Yeah," I nodded, closing the distance between us, my lips taking hers as if I was fighting to breathe, like she was the air I needed in my lungs but I was drowning. 

Her arms slowly slid up around my neck, her fingers tangling themselves in my hair as I grabbed the back of her knee and hooked her leg around my waist, pressing my body against hers until I felt every inch of her against every inch of me. She tugged sharply at my hair as my hips shifted against hers, setting a fire ablaze within both of us. 

The sharp ring of the doorbell interrupted us before we could go any further. We both reluctantly stopped and broke the kiss as I sat upright, backing away. Silently groaning, I closed my eyes and inhaled shakily. "Hold on," I mumbled, getting up to answer the door, suppressing the need to adjust my sweatpants as I headed to it. Once I did, I grew still as I held it open. 

"Rhys!" Ava exclaimed, running forward and colliding into my legs as she hugged them tightly. 

Delilah stood there, smiling at me. "I went to Stella's apartment but she wasn't home so I figured she'd be here. Is she?" 

Not knowing how to respond, I just stood there. Clearing my throat, I glanced over at where Stella now stood, hovering near the door, still out of sight. 

Her eyes widened as Delilah's voice reached her as she frantically shook her head, mouthing, "No, I'm not here!" 

Shifting my attention back to Delilah, I replied, "No. She's not here. She left to go to the office a while ago." 

"You know, that's funny since I called her assistant and asked to see if she was working this weekend and what do you know? She's not." With another witty smile, Delilah glanced pointedly at my attire. "You're in sweats, that's new. Considering that, I'd say you two were busy. Is she decent?" 

Before I could answer, Ava slipped past me and ran inside the apartment. 

Delilah paused and then continued, "I came to ask if you... or rather, Stella, could watch Ava for a few hours? Alex is working and I need to run out to see my Mom. Family drama on my end. Alana's not home either." 

Just seconds later, I heard Stella shout in a whisper, "Ava, wait!" 

Running back and clinging to my side, Ava giggled up at me and then looked at her mother. "Auntie's half nakey," she laughed, covering her mouth with her tiny palm. 

My grip on the front door tightened until my knuckles were white while I stared down at Ava blankly. 

"Have fun," Delilah smirked, "but not too much. My daughter's here. Bye." Waving quickly, she spun on her heels and raced back into the elevator before I pushed the door shut, standing still. 

Turning to look over my shoulder, my gaze met Stella's where she stood, her legs out on display while my shirt covered her down to the middle of her thighs. "Princess," Stella warned, slowly walking over with her arms folded across her chest. "You should run." 

A loud scream echoed in the apartment before Ava dropped her backpack and began running all over the place, frantically searching for a hiding spot. 

"I'm going to find you," Stella sang, stopping before me. "Keep her entertained for a minute, will you?" she whispered, smiling softly, "I'll..." She glanced down at her legs. "I'll put some pants on." She moved to run upstairs but I tugged her back swiftly, causing her to stumble into me. 

"I didn't sign up to babysit," I said quietly. 

She grinned, leaning in as she rose to her tiptoes and whispered in my ear, "I'll reward you if you do." 

I drew back, staring at her. 

She kissed me hard with a loud smack and then announced, "Rhys is on my team! If any one of us finds you, you'll be in trouble, Princess! Ready or not, here we come!" And with that warning, she ran upstairs, leaving me to deal with a little demonic Princess I was very familiar with.

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Chapter 41

I got a few questions asking about Tristan and Amara's book so I'm just gonna clarify quickly

Rhys and Stella's book is the last book in this little series. 

Tristan and Amara's book is going to be the first in a new series that takes place in the same universe. It's still going to be a dark romance, but each book will have a different trope whereas, in this series, each book was either MOC or fake dating.

The cameos will always be there ofc <3

The temporary title for this series is the 'New York Billionaires' Series!

anyways

next ch: ending

it's not the end, relax lol