Page 80 of When Night Falls

However, the question of love is harrowing and somewhat prompt. It just kind of fell from my mouth. But tomorrow is my wedding day and I'm positive that if anyone is going to give me an honest answer, it would be Troy.

"Spit it out, princess." She turns around to face me, her long black hair is in loose waves around her face.

"You think he could ever love?" I want to saylove me. But I leave the last word in order to avoid my future sister-in-law from taking that as an invitation to roast me.

It already feels silly coming out of my mouth, as if I didn't realize that on my own, and I was presented with a cold, hysterical response. Exactly what I wanted to avoid.

Troian is nearly in half from laughter, bent over with her hands on her knees and struggling to breathe as she lets me know just how ridiculous my question was.

"Wow, that was the answer I was looking for." I roll my eyes at her.

She manages to calm herself down enough to see my frustration with her, and as if she remembers that I am to be her queen, she straightens herself up real quick.

"Don't take it personal, Lucynda. But Rivian is stone-cold. He has no room for love. The only woman he's ever had love for was his mom."

I know I shouldn't feel jealous of someone's mom, but that's kind of how I feel right now. Maybe it's because I want love from someone, and I know I won't get it from my soon-to-be husband. Or maybe it's because I don't know what it's like to have a real mother.

Either way, the admission stings.

"Gotcha," I say passive aggressively.

"You asked me for an answer, I gave you the facts. Don't get all butthurt on me, Lucynda." She holds her hands up in mock surrender and I don’t miss the way I truly do love how straight forward she is, even if the truth hurts.

I feel like she’s one person I can learn to count on the most. Honestly, Troian is the closest thing—besides Stella, rest in peace—that I have to a friend. Even more so than Griselda ever was and I knew her for years and years. But to what extent can we be close with each other? Can we be closer, as in actually establishing a friendship? Or would that be stepping over a line that I don't know exists? Would Troy even want to be friends? Or does our title of sisters-in-law stop at just that?

"Make him work for it,” she tells me, likely seeing the thoughts overprocess in my head. “Whatever he is willing to give you, take it and don't let him have any of it back. But make him work for what you want and give him just as much. That will go a long way for him. He might not show that, but Rivian is a full-on giver when he sees the effort being placed first." Troian steadies her eyes on me as she zeros in on my suddenly rushed breathing. "But he's also a taker. And he will fucking take if he feels like that's all your good for. Remember that, young blood."

"Young blood?" I raise my brow, trying to push down the thoughts of Rivian giving and taking anything.

"Just a little nickname." She shrugs her shoulders. Typical.

Silence stampedes us for a few seconds, layering the room with something that really draws attention to the fact that Troy isn't herself right now.

I lean against the wall opposite of where she stands and decide to take a chance.

"Hey, is something bothering you?" If she has something she wants to get off her chest, I want her to know that I'm here for her.

"Sorry. I'm a bit on edge," she responds, turning back to the window to, presumably, avoid eye contact with me.

"I can tell." I give her a taste of her own medicine by adding a sarcastic twist to my words, causing her to chuckle.

"Hopefully tonight will relax me a bit."

"What's tonight?" I walk over to the bed and attempt to straighten out the sheets and blankets.

"TheUltime NocteMasquerade." Troy joins me on the other side and helps me smooth out the bedding so that it lays neatly across the bed.

"Ultime Nocte?" I'm starting to realize that being a vampire means learning a lot of foreign words to fill my vocabulary.

"Wait, did you not know?" She stops what she's doing and gives me a very concerned look. I can tell that maybe this is something Rivian should have discussed with me, but again, our communication has been clouded with our arguments of power and the sexual attraction we share for each other.

But he did give me a lot of good information yesterday and he answered all of my questions, so I can't be too mad at him for not telling me about this . . . whatever this is.

I peg her with a look that says“do you really have to ask that”and she simply shakes her head in disapproval before explaining it to me.

"I swear, my brother is insufferable. The Society is throwing another party for you and my brother. The final night. Think of it as a sort of combined bachelor and bachelorette party the Outsiders like to throw. It’s to celebrate your last night as a human before your wedding day." She returns to fluffing out the pillows and sheets while I chew over her words.

I never really thought of that.My last night as a human…

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