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Leo, August’s personal guard, walked into the room and smiled at me. His blond hair was piled up on top of his head, and he started digging in his pocket the moment his green eyes locked on mine. “For you,” he said before making his way to my chair. He produced one of my favorite kinds of chocolate and placed it in my palm before curling my fingers around the treat with his steady hand. “Something sweet for all your studying.”
“Thank you,” I said. Leo was always finding me little treats. Always looking for ways to spoil me.
“I don’t want to study. I want to eat greasy food.” August tossed me a smile. “Let’s go get some brunch. My treat.”
I licked my lips nervously. “I have to study. We have three tests the day after we get back.”
It was my freshman year of school at the Royal Academy, a university about forty-five minutes from the castle. Everyone there assumed I got in because of my favor with the royal family, so I felt the need to prove myself. I needed to get good marks. We were home for spring break but would have to go back to our dorms at the end of the week, and I wasn’t ready to once again be surrounded by girls who wanted to throw themselves at August’s feet and worship his cock. At least at the castle, I only had to share him with Atticus and Leo.
“I don’t know why you bother,” August said with a wave of his hand.
“Some people want to earn their accolades, your majesty,” Atticus said with a frown.
The crown prince turned to his best friend, a devious look on his face. “Is that how you plan to inherit your father’s company, Atticus? You’ll earn the billions of dollars waiting in your trust fund? All this time, I thought you were born into privilege. Tell me, what is it you do late at night when he has you sneaking off all over the city?”
Atticus cursed under his breath. For being so close, Atticus and August were always at each other’s throats. “Enough,” I said.
Leo fought a smile. He always sided with me.
Atticus checked his phone, then pocketed it. “Although this has been lovely, I need to go visit my father.” He bent down to kiss my cheek, a move that had August scowling.
“Thank you for studying with me,” I softly told him as he buttoned the top of his shirt and left the library. I leaned back in my chair and lifted my book so I could continue reading, the worn pages cradled in my arm as I tried to make sense of the third king of Aldrich’s family tree. He married his second cousin, who was also his father’s third wife—a widow with influence that helped him sway public opinion in his favor despite the incestuous scandal of their marriage.
The moment Atticus was gone, Leo positioned himself against the wall, and August turned to me, drawing me out of my studies once more. “Did you have fun last night?”
“My dance partner abandoned me,” I teased, forcing myself not to sound jealous. August didn’t owe me anything. We weren’t fated. I was cursed with affection for a flirt. He’d lead me on. Make me fall for him. But he’d never love me back. The distance he’d put between us recently made me more aware of that sobering fact.
“You were plenty preoccupied. Atticus saved the day and danced with you,” he said, a bitterness to his tone that caught me off guard.
“Atticus saw me standing alone on the dance floor and was gentlemanly enough to offer a dance.”
“You and Atticus have gotten closer this year. Is he my replacement? Please tell me you aren’t leaving me for a pompous DuPont.”
I shrugged. “We visit each other a lot at school. You’ve been so busy this year with all your extracurriculars.” I eyed him over the edge of my book. Extracurriculars was just a kind way of saying he was working his way through the entire female student body.
“I always have time for my best girl… my best friend.” He added the friend part as if it was an afterthought—something he was forcing himself to say. Sometimes, I just wished I was his only girl. “You were my first kiss and will probably be my last, Christine Abernathy.”
I forced my eyes to linger on the words of my book so he wouldn’t see the way I swooned. “It was a terrible first kiss. We were preteens. And never mind all the girls in between, right?” I said, my tone snarky.
He shot up and sauntered over to me. “Are you jealous, love?”
I shook my head. “Why would I be jealous?”
“Because you’re hopelessly in love with me.”
My heart raced, but I forced myself to maintain a nonchalant attitude. “And what proof do you have of my love, August?”
“I watch you. I notice all the little things.”
“I thought you were too busy to pay attention to me.” I arched my brow.
He pulled the book from my grip and ran his finger over my cheek. “I see your love in the way your breath hitches when I touch you.”
I stifled a gasp. “Oh?”
He shifted forward and brushed his soft lips against my neck. “When I lean in to whisper in your ear, I can practically hear your roaring pulse. Gallops like a stallion, love.”
“It’s a heart condition,” I lied.
