Page 33 of The Broken Queen

The plum curtains pulled back to reveal her porcelain face. A frown etched onto her features, and she quickly unlatched the lock and opened the window. “What are you doing up here?”

I waved my hand so she’d move and maneuvered myself through the tall glass. I hopped over her desk and landed on my feet. After brushing myself off, I turned to look at her. “What was all that about?”

Her mouth made an o shape, and she shook her head. “Nothing. Maybe a little lapse in judgment, but nothing you need to worry about.”

She walked across the room and took a seat on her bed. The bed was a queen-size, four poster frame that was royally fit for a princess. Raven wasn’t just any princess though, she was more like a gothic badass that made every man weak in the knees.

Including me.

I followed her to the bed and took a seat beside her. She raised a perfect black eyebrow at me. “This isn’t helping, Slade.”

My lips dipped into a frown. “What?”

She placed her hands in her hair and let out a silent scream. “You drive me insane!” She raised herself up from the bed and started to pace.

A laugh escaped my lips. “That’s funny, because I was thinking the same thing about you.”

Her feet came to a stop, and she gave me a harsh glare. “I haven’t done anything to you! I’ve been the supportive friend you’ve always asked me to be!”

I leaned back, placed my hands on the bed, and crossed my feet in front of me. “Yeah, some friend. I thought friends were honest with each other.”

Her lips pursed. “Now I’m confused.”

“How long have you felt this way?”

Her cheeks turned a bright pink. “A while now.”

“How long is a while?”

Her violet gaze met mine. “Why does it matter? You’re just going to go back to your girlfriend anyway, and I’m going to be matched up with Mr. Can’t Keep His Hands to Himself.”

My hands grabbed onto the comforter. “Richardson touched you?”

Her eyes grew wide. “Not in that way! Ugh, I mean he’s just one of many that Father has lined up for me. The other day, he sat me down and had a long conversation with me. It’s time for you to grow up and start thinking about your future and who you want in it...blah, blah, blah. According to him, sixteen is the proper age to be arranged.”

I sat up and placed my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands. “Fuck!”

The bed dipped beside me. “Yeah, but it is what it is. I can’t keep fighting him, It’s exhausting and I don’t have the energy for it. Plus, it puts Mother in a difficult place, and I don’t want to cause her any more stress.”

Suddenly, an idea popped in my head. I lifted my head and gently took her face in my hands. Her eyes stared at me with wonder. “Marry me.”

Her jaw dropped open. “What?”

“Marry me,” I repeated.

She shook her head. “Have you lost your mind? You have a girlfriend, and I...”

“You have me. We can make this work. I can be your King and you can be my Queen, we can get your parents on board.”

As she backed away from me, my hands slid down her face. She stood up and went to the other side of the room. I thought she would have wanted this, that it would be an easy way out of the situation she was in.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, my mind jumbled trying to figure out her thoughts.

She wrapped her arms around herself. “Everything.”

I leaned back. “I thought you would’ve wanted this...don’t you want to be with me?”

Her eyes were hard. “Not like this.”

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