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When I have you locked up in a golden tower.
He told me exactly that. And I was dumb enough to think it meant something.
Oh, god. I’m going to be sick.
“Why do you care?” I’m glad my voice comes out so tonelessly.
It’s better than sobbing.
“I’m just curious,” he says, shrugging. “You’re cute. You could, you know, have a life. A boyfriend or something. Instead, you just put yourself on a shelf, waiting for Less to run through all the fresh produce before he picks you up. Which will likely be never. You’ll expire and he’ll chuck you in the trash.”
“What’s with the kitchen analogy?” I grumble.
The Noble boy snorts.
“Funny, too.” His dark eyes rake along my body, taking their time before they reach my eyes. “And proud.”
He drops his cigarette and crushes it under his sole. “You’re wasted on him.”
Wasted.
That’s pretty much how I feel right now.
“Our parents arranged—”
“So what? Just get out of it.”
It had never occurred to me until then. But he’s right. There’s a big chance that if I ask, my parents would break this farce of an engagement.
Then people will probably stop hating me for taking a royal. I doubt I’ll ever be popular, but at least the bullying would stop. And Less would no longer have the power to crush my heart under his talons without trying.
“You know what? I think I will.”
NINE
Ivy
“Surprise!”
I am certainly surprised.
And horrified.
A dozen people wait for me under a pink, glittery banner that says “Sweet Sixteen.” There are balloons everywhere on the ground floor of the house.
We just came back from choosing my first car—a Beetle, as pink as the balloons covering the entire ground floor.
The guests aren’t what anyone would expect at a girl’s sixteenth birthday. My parents. My grandparents. My sister, two of her best friends, her fiancé.
And my fiancé, standing close to his own parents, smiling at me as he claps along with the crowd, like his cock wasn’t in my enemy’s mouth six hours ago.
“Oh, wow!” I gush, faking it for all it’s worth.
I can do this. Someone, likely my sister and dad, went to a lot of trouble to organize this for me.
“You’re so amazing. Thank you so much.”
I’m engulfed in hug after hug, and wished happiness over and over.
