Ruin Read online

  Ruin

  Willow Aster

  To all of you who tried so hard to talk me into watching Game of Thrones...thank you.

  Contents

  Preface

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Epilogue

  Pride is coming May 2020

  Pride Prologue

  Pride Chapter 1

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Willow Aster

  Ruin

  Kingdoms of Sin, Book 3

  Copyright © 2020 by Willow Aster

  ISBN 13: 978-1-7335137-4-6

  Cover by: Hang Le

  Photography by: Wander Aguiar

  Cover Model: Andrew

  Editing: Christine Estevez

  Beta: Jennifer Mirabelli

  Represented by: Brower Literary & Management

  All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trade-marked status and trademark owners of various products, bands, and/or restaurants referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trade-marks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Preface

  This book is a romance based entirely on fictional places. It is set in the present where there are monarchies in a world that doesn’t operate quite like ours. There are no dragons or fairies, but there is lust, greed, pride, and wrath…something that exists in any world and has since the beginning of time.

  Any mistakes I make in properly conveying royal practices and whatnot, I hope you will excuse and consider that in the kingdoms of Farrow, Niaps, Alidonia, and beyond, perhaps it’s just the way it is.

  List of Characters:

  Safrin Family of Farrow:

  Neil* & Kathryn, father and mother

  Jadon, son of Neil and stepson of Kathryn

  Eden Safrin Catano, daughter, married to Luka Catano

  Ava, daughter

  Catano Family of Niaps:

  Titus & Cecilia (Cece), father and mother

  Basile, brother to Cecilia

  Luka, son, married to Eden Safrin Catano

  Mara, daughter, married to Elias Lancaster

  Also in Niaps:

  Brienne Jarvis, bodyguard to Eden

  Elias Lancaster, advisor to Luka, married to Mara Catano Lancaster

  Gentry Barrington, friend of Elias

  Forbrush Family of Yuman:

  Victros & Anais, father and mother

  Alex, son

  Nadia, daughter

  Farthing Family of Alidonia:

  Vance & Jonquil*, father and mother

  Omar, son

  Delilah, daughter

  Caulder, nephew, advisor to Vance

  *deceased

  Prologue

  Ava

  I adjust the straps to my dress, feeling hot even though I’m wearing a sheer, flowy evening gown with barely any substance. Mother would be appalled to see my glowy-white cleavage sparkling in the afternoon sun. She’d also be shocked at the new tattoos I’ve added to the colorful sleeve on my right arm and the blue I’ve added to my long black hair, but she’s not here.

  Ahh, freedom. I grin and twirl a few times, feeling the material of my dress skimming the back of my thighs as I turn. Niaps is hot as Hades for someone used to the snow. I walk through the gate from the beach, my toes sinking into the thick grass and curling with pleasure. For all my complaints about the heat, I could get used to the constant sunshine. Even if it doesn’t like me. I put a hand to my chest and smooth out the coconut sunscreen that’s thicker on my collarbone.

  “No one told me shoes weren’t required for this wedding.”

  I turn and see a guy standing against the gate I just walked through. I don’t know how I could’ve missed him—his dark eyes are drilling into me and I could swear they like what they see. God knows I like what I see. His hair looks like my hands have already been running through it, yanking it to my will. I bite back a smile.

  “If you can’t go barefoot to a beach wedding, what’s the point?”

  His lips pucker out with thought and my eyes track the movement. Holy hormones, he has the most kissable lips I’ve ever seen. He bends down and takes off his shoes, smirking, and I laugh.

  “I sort of want to untuck your shirt, but your outfit seems a bit more proper than mine. You’re in the wedding, yeah?” I recognize the tie from seeing Elias and Luka getting ready earlier.

  He grins and untucks his shirt. It’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.

  “My God, you are stunning,” he says under his breath. “Colorful,” he adds, his lips hitching up on either side. His eyes skate across my chest, which is as white as the purest snow and I know he wants to make an exception to his colorful statement, but he has enough manners to keep that to himself.

  “Thank you,” I whisper, feeling a moment of shyness.

  Shy, I am not, but there’s something about the way he looks at me. Definitely something about the way his eyes on me makes me tingle from my head to my toes.

  Like he’s seeing something beyond the rebellious princess of Farrow, kid sister to the most beautiful Eden Catano, now queen of Niaps, and also kid sister to the most perfect, handsome Jadon Safrin, now king of Farrow.

  There’s no way I can succeed with siblings like them, so I don’t even try anymore. I want nothing to do with the monarchy—no, thank you—and since they’re so good at doing what they do—being perfect—I’ll continue doing me. Some call me trouble, I like to think I’m simply not dull. I’ll never have to bother with any of it as long as everything keeps running smoothly, which I have every confidence it will.

  “What’s your name
?” I ask.

  “Gentry Barrington. And yours?”

  “I’m Ava.”

  “Ava—” he draws out, waiting for the rest.

  “Just Ava.”

  He grins and I feel that fluttery feeling again across my chest and stomach and knees, like I could go down if he keeps smiling at me like that. I clear my throat and nod.

  “Save me a dance, Just Ava.”

  “I’ll be sure to do that.” I put my hand on his arm and grin, passing him to walk inside. I need to cool off after that encounter. All I can think about is how much I already look forward to seeing him again.

  * * *

  I can’t keep my eyes off of Gentry during Mara and Elias’s wedding. It’s a gorgeous wedding, but he’s so distracting; every time I look at him, he’s looking at me too. The lights flicker across the beach and the sound of the waves is the most glorious backdrop. The sunshine from earlier leaves me feeling intoxicated and I decide to wander away from the party after I’ve eaten. I want to step in the water and let it cool me off. I start following a line of shells, picking them up and holding them in my dress as I walk. The water feels so good, I keep going.

  “Are you avoiding our dance?” His voice is like butter melting down my back and I shiver before slowly turning around.

  “Not possible,” I tell him.

  He grins and his eyes widen when he sees all the shells in my makeshift pocket. I carefully step out of the water and lower my dress to the sand, letting the shells fall into a chaotic heap. I dust off my hands and then curtsy in front of him.

  “Oh, we’re doing this here?” He laughs.

  “Why not?”

  He holds out his hand and I take it, feeling a thrill at the stomach drop that accompanies it. The sound of the music in the distance is muted, but we can still hear it enough to keep time. I step closer to him, until my head is against his chest, and we begin to slowly sway. I close my eyes and let myself feel everything. My hands around his neck, my ears listening to the thump, thump, thump of his heart, the way his hands feel on my bare shoulder and waist. I sigh and look up at him. He’s looking down at me, his lips parted and eyes glimmering with the moonlight. He fits the face of the man of my dreams in that moment. The man all future men will never live up to.

  His hand moves to my cheek and we stop swaying. Time stops. My lips feel drawn to his and I step on my tiptoes to chase it, just as he lowers his mouth to mine. The music fades away and all of my senses explode from him.

  His sigh into my mouth.

  His taste of peppermint and whiskey.

  The heady rush of his hands on me.

  It takes my breath away, an all-consuming kiss where nothing else exists.

  The kiss starts out soft and sweet, a tentative taste, and then it develops wings and soars. My legs weaken and he holds me tighter against him as we explore each other, until I don’t know where he begins and I end.

  It is an awakening. I’m aware that I will never be the same after this kiss.

  And I wouldn’t want to be.

  Chapter One

  Three months later

  Ava

  “Surprise! Happy Birthday!” The sound of horns and the roomful of people yelling assaults my senses when I open the door.

  I jump, stare at them with horror and then glee, and then laugh my head off when I see Eden skipping toward me. I love how Luka has lightened her up. I used to be the crazy one and now she has moments when she’s really fun. It’s nice.

  She hugs me and Luka throws his arms around us too. Brienne blows a horn in my ear and I glare at her. She lifts her eyebrows and I can’t hold the glare any longer.

  “I don’t turn eighteen for another month. What are you guys thinking?” I push back from Eden and grin at Mara and Elias.

  “You’ve been traveling since the wedding and start school tomorrow—three months after it’s started, senior year. You’ll have too much to think about in a month. Let’s get our fun in now.” Mara pulls a face and groans. She’s really grown on me. “With all of Luka’s upcoming trips, we figured we better do it now while we’re all together.”

  “And we wanted to surprise you,” Eden adds.

  “Well, thank you,” I say, throwing my arm over Mara’s shoulder.

  She’s shorter than me, but we’re able to wear the same size and I eye the dress she’s wearing now. She grins knowingly and shrugs my arm off, reaching for a big gift box.

  “Thought you might like something like this,” Mara says.

  “Let’s eat first, then presents,” Eden says.

  Mara and I both frown at her and Eden sighs.

  “Okay, okay. God, one of you is enough. Two of you is like I’m being punished eternally right here on earth.” Eden tries to look mad, but the smirk is trying to fight its way out.

  I kiss her cheek and she waves her arm at me.

  “Go on, go on, open it,” she says.

  I do and inside is a gorgeous dress similar to the one Mara is wearing.

  “Part of my new line, and there are only four just like this one,” she says, her cheeks turning the slightest tinge of pink. I’ve never seen Mara blush, but it’s a good look on her. She doesn’t have any reason to be vulnerable—her clothing line with Zsa has exploded.

  “Wow. Thank you, Mara. I love it so much.”

  She shrugs a shoulder, but I can tell she’s happy about my excitement.

  “I’ve missed you guys. Farrow was so dull. Jadon was gone most of the time. Mother is being obnoxious about him still…and don’t even get me started on my visit to Jorga.” I shudder and let out a long exhale. “This is feeling more and more like home all the time.”

  I don’t mention that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Gentry since I left. I had to leave unexpectedly after the wedding. Mother insisted I accompany her on a trip to visit one of our relatives, a sick aunt that I’d never even met before our trip. I think Mother is lonely without Eden, but instead of coming here for frequent visits, she badgers Jadon about what an awful job he’s doing with the kingdom.

  He’s not doing an awful job. He’s exactly what Farrow needs; she’s just always been too hard on him.

  But Gentry…he never strayed from my thoughts. Sometimes he was the only light during the monotonous days. I wish I’d found out more about him. We kissed and kissed and then realized we’d been away from the wedding too long. Gentry needed to get back to Elias and I helped Eden decorate Mara and Elias’s car before they left for their honeymoon. When I got back to the beach, he was gone. I never told anyone about our kiss, not even Eden. Mother showed up the night after the wedding and we left the morning after that. I want to ask Elias about him, but everyone is excited to have me back and asking me tons of questions.

  “I don’t want to talk about the trip. It was painful. Trust me, you don’t want to hear about it either. You know I want to travel the world, but Jorga is a place I can do without ever visiting again. It’s flat and humid and the people there are bitter.”

  “Bitter?” Luka asks.

  “Yes, like they know they need to get out of there but can’t.”

  “That does sound painful,” he says. “But wouldn’t you rather be there than going back to school? A new school at that?”

  “I can’t wait. It’s my senior year—I’ve already missed way more than I should’ve. Miss Dianthus and I butted heads over everything she tried to teach me—trust me, I cannot wait to get to school. And I want to learn to surf…I’m with you guys. What could be better?”

  If Gentry were here too, I think, but I just smile at them and open the rest of the presents. We eat after that and I duck out of the party early to try to get back on Niaps time. I wish I could’ve been here at least a few weeks before school to adjust, but it just didn’t work out. I toss and turn and finally fall asleep to the thought of Gentry’s lips on mine.

  * * *

  It makes Eden a nervous wreck, but I promise her for the dozenth time that I’ll be careful as I put on my hel
met and hop on my scooter, backpack in place.

  The high school looks more like an old convent than a high school. I love old architecture and this is prime stuff. I whistle as I park my bike and take in the stone buildings built into the cliff overlooking the beach.

  “Only in Niaps,” I say, shaking my head.

  A girl turns to look at me and hurriedly turns away when she sees the tattoos on my arm.

  “I don’t bite,” I say just loud enough for her to hear.

  Her cheeks get pink and she walks faster to get away from me. I laugh, I can’t help it. I remember Mara being surprised I had tattoos already, but at home, it’s not that unusual for someone my age to have them. The full sleeve is not common, and I wish now that I’d worn my shortest black leather skirt to show off the flowers on my leg. I’ll show those off another day.

  I walk down the hall and find my locker, dumping my backpack inside and getting out the books I’ll need for the next three classes. I’m walking into my sociology class just as the bell is ringing. The door is closing and I grab it before it closes all the way. The person on the other side stops pushing the door and I step inside.