Page 85 of The Prince of Broken Crowns

I lift a shoulder. “I don’t know. They wanted to remain anonymous.”

“That’s weird.” He stares off at a group of people playing frisbee in the quad yard.

“Is it?” I question suspiciously. “Because you’re acting very suspicious right now.”

“Hmm … am I?” He meets my gaze, and somehow, I just know …

“You’re lying to me right now.” I start to move my leg away.

“Wait.” He holds onto my leg, the pads of his fingertips pressing into my flesh. “Don’t freak out, okay? The lie … it’s not bad.”

“All lies are bad,” I stress. “It’s all I’ve ever known, and it’s never been a good thing.”

“I get that. Trust me; my father lies all the time. But this isn’t mine to tell. And it’s not bad. I promise.” His eyes plead for me to understand.

And that’s about when it clicks—what’s going on.

I’m fairly positive River paid my bail.

I have no clue how I feel about that. He meant well, I’m sure. It makes me feel in debt to him, though. And that, I’m not a fan of.

Exhaling, I attempt to relax as I recline back on my hands. Finn visibly relaxes, too, then begins to knead my thigh muscles again.

“How does this feel?” he asks.

“Really good. I feel like I’m being spoiled and there’s no coming back from that. I’ll probably end up calling you every time my legs hurt now.” I’m mostly joking.

His lips tug into a smile. “That wouldn’t bother me.”

“You think so?” I arch my brow. “Because imagine me calling you up right before you’re about to hook up with some hot girl just to tell you to come massage my legs.”

The haughty grin that spreads across his face has my stomach swooping with nerves. “I’d probably think you were secretly wanting a booty call.”

I roll my eyes. “Didn’t I just tell you I am a virgin?”

“Booty calls can be more than just sex, Maddy.” He looks at me again, and his emotions are written all over his face. “Unless you haven’t done anything else, either.”

“I’ve kissed a few guys,” I divulge. “But that’s it.”

He sinks his teeth deep into his full bottom lip. “Goddammit, girl, you’re about to send me over the edge.”

I snort a laugh. “This is turning you on? For reals?”

“Yes, for reals. It’s making me want to show you all the things you’ve been missing. Things I’m really, really good at.” He winks.

I pick up a small twig and throw it at him. It pegs him in the forehead, and he chuckles, unfazed.

I roll my eyes, but my skin is warm, and not from the sunlight. “Are you always like this?”

“Nah, I have a serious side, too,” he tells me dismissively. “I just don’t show it a lot.”

“I’d like to see it.” I wiggle my other leg as the muscles gripe in pain.

He glances at that leg then slides his fingers out from my pant leg. “Let’s switch.”

I do as he says, and he begins massaging that leg.

This is one of the nicest things a guy has ever done for me. Well, besides when he helped me escape Drew. River has helped me so much, too. How can these two royal twins be so nice? I didn’t expect things to be this way when I came here.

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