Page 140 of Until the Stars Fall

Leaning against the doorframe, he angled his head and gave me the most flirtatious smile I’d ever seen on his face—outside of my dreams anyway. “I am indeed…drunk.”

I held the bottle up and eyed its label before sloshing around the last bits of the amber liquid in the bottom. “What is this anyway?”

“The good stuff,” he purred before laughing softly. “Matthias is going to kill me for swiping it.”

Slowly, I stepped toward him, reaching out as I whispered, “You should come in before someone sees you like this.”

He grabbed my hand but didn’t step inside. Pulling me close, he guided my hand to his waist before releasing it. His hand was at my throat before I could take another breath, his thumb stroking the underside of my jaw while his fingers crept into my hair. He angled my face up so I had to look into his eyes. Our breaths mingled between us, tickling my nose, and my core heated, reminding me of my recent dreams. I swallowed hard under his palm, unsure of what to do.

“Sapphire,” he whispered over my lips, and it took every ounce of willpower not to sink into him. His hand tightened slightly at my throat before he moved to bury his fingers deep in my hair. He pulled me to him and kissed the end of my nose as he had during training weeks ago. Slowly and tenderly, he brushed his cheek against mine until his lips tickled my ear.

“I think I need to sit down,” Connor muttered.

When he released me, I pushed aside my disappointment and led him inside to the sofa, where he promptly lay down with his legs stretched out. Kneeling beside him on the floor, I pushed the hair off his forehead. He hummed contentedly.

“Before I forget…” he started. Reaching a hand into his pocket, he pulled out a chain. His fist hovered in front of my face as he let the dark blue pendant fall and dangle from the chain. “I brought this for you.”

After looking from him to the pendant and back a few times, I snatched the necklace from his hand and clutched it to my chest. I’d never thought I would hold it again, and he’d gotten it for me. “How did you—”

He waved a hand dismissively, his eyes falling closed. “Had a lovely chat with your friend, Laura.”

“You mean Lola?”

His eyelids fluttered open. “That’s what I said.”

“Thank you,” I gushed, smiling despite all the reasons I shouldn’t.

“It’s nothing,” he said, and a shadow of sadness passed over his eyes.

“This isn’t nothing,” I said.

His jaw pulsed beneath clenched teeth, his expression hardening. His eyes fell closed again as his lips softened. “Don’t worry though. It’s the last time.”

“What do you mean?” I asked quietly, not sure I wanted to hear the answer.

“The last time I save you—or your jewelry,” he said matter-of-factly. Sighing deeply, he continued. “It’s over. You and me, the whole thing. We no longer have to pretend. I’ll get Brennan out of the engagement for you.”

“What about the king? The princess?”

He said nothing but lazily waved a hand in the air before letting it fall onto his chest.

Silently, I watched as his breaths lengthened and his body relaxed. His hair fell across his forehead again, and this time when I nudged it out of the way, I let my fingertips graze the side of his face. He seemed so at peace—more relaxed than I’d ever seen him before—as if he were finally free of all his heavy burdens.

CHAPTER 73

Connor

When I woke up from my dreamless, booze-induced slumber, I found myself staring into two very irritated blue eyes.

“You’re an asshole, you know that?” Matthias said.

“Good morning to you too.” I winced as my voice bounced around inside my aching head.

My friend scoffed loudly. “What were you thinking exactly?”

I squinted at him, trying to get my brain to focus, but it refused. “What did I do this time?” I asked.

A bottle drifted into my line of sight, making my friend appear wavy and distorted. I laughed and then groaned as the next wave of pain hit.

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