Two crowns, two islands, one legacy
A royal family, torn apart by pride and its lustfor power, reunited by purity and passion
The islands of Adamas have been torn into two rival kingdoms:
TWO CROWNS
The Stefani diamond has been split as a symbol of their feud
TWO ISLANDS
Gorgeous Greek princes reign supreme
over glamorous Aristo Smouldering sheikhs rule the desert island of Calista
ONE LEGACY
Whoever reunites the diamonds will rule all.
THE ROYAL HOUSE OF KAREDES
Many years ago there were two islands ruled as one kingdom â Adamas. But bitter family feuds and rivalry caused the kingdom to be ripped in two. The islands were ruled separately, as Aristo and Calista, and the infamous Stefani coronation diamond was split as a symbol of the feud and placed in the two new crowns.
But when the king divided the islands between his son and daughter, he left them with these words:
âYou will rule each island for the good of the people and bringout the best in your kingdom. But my wish is that eventuallythese two jewels, like the islands, will be reunited. Aristo andCalista are more successful, more beautiful and more powerfulas one nation: Adamas.â
Now, King Aegeus Karedes of Aristo is dead, the islandâs coronation diamond is missing! The Aristans will stop at nothing to get it back but the ruthless sheikh king of Calista is hot on their heels.
Whether by seduction, blackmail or marriage, the jewel must be found. As the stories unfold, secrets and sins from the past are revealed and desire, love and passion war with royal duty. But who will discover in time that it is innocence of body and purity of heart that can unite the islands of Adamas once again?
CHAPTER ONE
JAMES leaned back in his chair, rubbed over his face with both hands and then ruffled them through his hair. The flight from Kuala Lumpur had landed just after five that morning and heâd come straight to the office, showering and changing on site. Heâd already caught up on most of the essentials and now he desperately wanted another coffee and something more substantial than a rubbery in-flight muffin. Heâd read the paper and relax for ten.
Thankfully he heard sounds of movement in the office outside his door. Good. His secretary must have arrived. A little later than usual but he didnât mind; she was the best there wasâusually.
He picked up the papers heâd been skimming earlier, grinning as he walked to the door.
âBridge, did you break all your fingers and thumbs or something? The typos in this report are appalling. I can hardly read it.â
He looked up from the page heâd been chuckling over and stopped on the threshold, staring at the stranger rising from behind the desk.
She was tall, she was dark, she was stunning, she wasâ¦
âNot Bridget,â he said stupidly.
âNo.â Her voice was quiet but firm, with a foreign lilt and a tinge of guilt to it.
And in that one beat he lost all power of thoughtâcouldnât process a thing. Could only look at the most beautiful woman heâd ever seen. The only word remaining in his brain was wow. It seemed to take an age for his heart to beat again. When it finally did, he walked closer. The colour in her cheeks seemed to rise higher with every step he took nearer.
âIâmââ
âPrincess Elissa.â He remembered now, kicking the grey cells back on. Heâd told her brother heâd give her a job. Heâd forgotten that in the hype of the conference. She must have been here in Sydney at least a month already?
He couldnât help himselfâkept staring and stared some more. Heâd seen her photo countless times in papers, magazines, on telly. But this was the first time heâd ever met her in person. Heâd never thought sheâd be such a stunner in real lifeâso often these model types were actually a disappointment live and up close, without the benefit of tons of make-up, accentuating lighting and airbrushing. But in truth no photo could capture the dancing lights in her dark eyes, or the richness of colour in her long brown hair. Hair that invited the touch of fingers, and that would feel like silk brushing across skin. And nothing could prepare anyone for the perfection of her bodyâboth slim and curvy, womanly and tantalising.
âBridget is on holiday. I was told to work up here while sheâs away.â
James nodded, still too busy processing her presence to be able to speak much.
âIâll redo that report.â The colour in her cheeks was deeper, she wouldnât look him in the eye, and as she held out her hand for the document he saw it shook a little.
It brought him back to reality. A smidge of compassion made him feel the need to give her some sort of excuse, to ease her embarrassment. âSome of the buttons on the keyboard are probably different in Europe.â