Royal Discipline Read online

  “I shall send out my fastest couriers to spread the news to every corner of Hastings. A royal wedding: the Princess Violetta to the Duke of Thornton.” He made a magnanimous gesture of glee. “Everyone in the kingdom shall be invited to the ceremony. Oh, how I’ve longed for this day, to see you smiling and happy, and married to a man of both aristocratic and moral worth.”

  “My dear,” said the duke quietly. “Aren’t you pleased by the idea of our betrothal?”

  She stared into his eyes. It wasn’t that Thornton wasn’t a prince or a king. If her father thought the Duke of Thornton worthy to be the future consort, she must think him worthy also. It was just...all that discipline...all the time...for the rest of her life. There would be no other way to live with him. He had left no question in her mind on that account.

  But he would allow her to beg off on a marriage to him now if she wished it. She could see it in his expression. If she rebelled and told her father no, the duke would concede to her wishes...but he would also think her headstrong and disobedient again. And, oh, she didn’t want that.

  But the Duke of Thornton, to become her husband? And she to become his wife, that wife she had so often pitied?

  If only she were the swooning type, this would be the perfect time for a swoon, but she was not the swooning type and so she had to stand and face this moment, and make this decision that would affect her for the rest of her life.

  And then she thought, I truly would have missed him.

  “I’m happy about our betrothal,” she made herself say. “I’m very happy. Only...surprised.”

  “Didn’t you tell her the stakes we agreed upon?” her father asked Thornton in amusement. “Thomas, you devil. You ought to have let her know.”

  “Why?” he replied with a faint smile. “I wanted her to improve for her own sake, not mine, or ours. But believe me when I say I’m honored beyond belief to be offered Princess Violetta’s hand.” He came to her and bowed, and brought her fingers to his lips. His deep blue gaze captured hers. “Your Royal Highness, forgive me for my deceit. I did not wish to disquiet your mind.” He held her hand a little tighter, a secret squeeze. “But if you’ll accept me as your husband, my every concern henceforth shall be for your happiness, as it has always been.”

  Her breath caught in her throat, a rush of fear and confusion, and longing so strong she couldn’t speak. She thought again of his words in the carriage, that he had known her, prepared for her, watched her from afar. “How long have you planned this?” she said.

  His gaze didn’t waver. “Ask instead how long I’ve loved you.”

  “How long have you loved me?” she whispered through tears.

  “Long enough to know that you and I are meant to be together. Will you have me, Violet, truly?” His gentle words were backed with urgency. “Will you belong to me?”

  It was not that difficult to make a decision, even though that decision terrified her. Mere moments passed before she answered in a breathless rush.

  “Of course I’ll have you.” She let go of his hands to throw herself into his arms. “Of course I’ll be yours, although I’ll probably come to regret it.”

  “You’ll never regret it, my dear. I’ll do everything in my power to keep you happy.”

  Violet knew all the frightening abilities within his power. But she also knew she was in love with the Duke of Thornton. She was going to become his wife, and live forever beneath his authority. As with any marriage, the two of them would be joined with sacred, unyielding vows of possession and obedience.

  Joined together for life. For better...

  Or worse.

  Be sure to download book two in the ROYAL DISCIPLINE series:

  The Royal Wedding Night

  Other kinky historical romances by Annabel Joseph

  The Properly Spanked series

  Training Lady Townsend: Lord Townsend and Lady Aurelia have been promised to one another since birth. Unfortunately, she’s a prim and proper paragon, while he’s an unrepentant rogue. When Aurelia’s powerful father blocks his son-in-law’s access to the only women shameless enough to cater to his decadent needs, the marquess informs his new wife of the immediate commencement of her erotic training…whether she wants it or not.

  To Tame A Countess: The Earl of Warren never considered himself the heroic type—or the marrying type. Unfortunately, while attempting to save the mysterious Lady Maitland from the clutches of a degenerate fortune hunter, he ends up shackled to her himself. Rather than feel grateful, his new bride begs to be released from the marriage. Troubled by an unconventional childhood, scarred by painful memories, Josephine acts out until Warren has no choice but to begin a disciplinary program to bring her to heel.

  My Naughty Minette: The Earl of Augustine has always thought of Lady Minette as a sister, but when a nocturnal adventure goes horribly awry, he’s forced to make her his bride. Now his friend Warren is furious with him, his father’s illness is worsening, and Minette is…well…being Minette. Flighty, exuberant, and utterly irascible, she launches caper after caper in an effort to capture his attention and awaken his masculine hungers. Unfortunately, all she seems to accomplish are repeated disciplinary sessions over his lap.

  Under A Duke’s Hand: Gwen never asked to wed a duke. Her new husband is haughty, inflexible, and demanding, and makes no secret of his disdain for her upbringing. No matter how hard she tries to please him, she’s never good enough. He disciplines her with an iron hand, and then expects her to submit to his vile whims in bed. Not that his whims are completely vile all of the time. It’s only that her husband doesn’t love her, and she wants him to love her…

  These four Regency era spanking romance novels are linked together by the heroes’ friendships, but can also be read as standalones.

  Disciplining the Duchess

  Over five seasons, Miss Harmony Barrett has managed to repel every gentleman of consequence and engineer a debacle at Almack’s so horrifying that her waltzing privileges are revoked. If she’s not in the library reading about Mongol hordes, she’s embarrassing her family or getting involved in impulsive scrapes.

  Enter the Duke of Courtland, a man known for his love of duty and decorum. Through a vexing series of events, he finds himself shackled to Miss Barrett in matrimony. But all is not lost. The duke harbors a not-so-secret affinity for spanking and discipline…and his new wife is ever in need of it. Will the mismatched couple find their way to marital happiness? Or will the duke be forever Disciplining the Duchess?

  Cait and the Devil

  (Medieval fantasy romance)

  The young maiden Cait has always lived a simple, secluded life in the Scottish woods. Then, in her eighteenth year, she is summoned to Aberdeen and informed with cruel disdain that she is the unwanted daughter of the king. To deal with this “problem,” Cait is forced to marry a forbidding stranger, Duncan, the Devil of Inverness, who has already buried one wife.

  She travels to the Devil’s castle reluctantly, in dread, and Duncan is none too pleased to welcome the pale, dark-haired creature as his wife. But the two soon realize they are more perfectly matched than either suspected. His deep desire to dominate and discipline his new wife is matched only by her bravery and willingness to submit to his perverse demands and desires.

  But a phantom threat stalks Cait, and Duncan is troubled by her secret and mysterious past. Can Duncan protect his vulnerable wife? Will their powerful and unusual brand of love prevail?

  Contemporary BDSM romance by Annabel Joseph

  The award-winning Rough Love series

  There’s rough sex, and then there’s rough love. The challenge is learning the difference…

  Chere’s a high-class call girl trapped in a self-destructive spiral, and “W” is the mysterious and sexually voracious client who refuses to tell her his name. Over the span of four years, their tortured relationship unwinds by fits and starts, encompassing fear and loneliness, mistrust, aggression, literal and figurative bondage, and moments of excruciati
ng pain.

  But there’s also caring and longing, and heartfelt poetry. There are two deeply damaged people straining to connect despite the daunting emotional risks. When he slaps her face or grasps her neck, it’s not to hurt, but to hold. His rough passions are a plea, and Chere’s the only one so far who’s been able to understand…

  The Rough Love series is:

  #1 Torment Me

  (Winner—BDSM Writers Con Best Dark Erotica Novel—2016)

  #2 Taunt Me

  #3 Trust Me

  The Cirque Masters series

  Enter a world where performers’ jaw-dropping strength, talent, and creativity is matched only by the decadence of their kinky desires. Cirque du Monde is famous for mounting glittering circus productions, but after the Big Top goes dark, you can find its denizens at Le Citadel, a fetish club owned by Cirque CEO Michel Lemaitre—where anything goes. This secret world is ruled by dominance and submission, risk and emotion, and a fearless dedication to carnal pleasure in all its forms. Love in the circus can be as perilous as aerial silks or trapeze, and secrets run deep in this intimate society. Run away to the circus, and soar with the Cirque Masters—a delight for the senses, and for the heart.

  The Cirque Masters series is:

  #1 Cirque de Minuit (Theo’s story)

  #2 Bound in Blue (Jason’s story)

  #3 Master’s Flame (Lemaitre’s story)

  About the Author

  Annabel Joseph is a multi-published, New York Times Bestselling BDSM romance author. She writes mainly contemporary romance, although she has been known to dabble in the medieval and Regency eras. She is known for writing emotionally intense BDSM storylines, and strives to create characters that seem real—even flawed—so readers are better able to relate to them. Annabel also writes non-BDSM romance under the pen name Molly Joseph.

  You can follow Annabel on Twitter (@annabeljoseph) or Facebook (facebook.com/annabeljosephnovels), or sign up to receive her monthly newsletter at annabeljoseph.com. She also loves to hear from her readers at [email protected].