Page 38 of Until the Stars Fall

“Too late for what?” I asked quietly, hoping he didn’t hear the sliver of hope I still clung to.

Slowly he faced me, and I could have lost myself in his stare.

“For us,” he whispered. When he lifted his hand and trailed his fingertips along my jaw, I froze, as if any movement might break the spell he was obviously under. His eyes drifted down to my lips, and my heartbeat thundered.

He started to lean toward me but stopped when the door opened.

“Brennan?”

He pulled away and stood, leaving me sitting on the window seat alone.

“Yes, brother?” Brennan asked.

Connor stepped into the moonlight, both hands shoved into his pockets. He glanced at me quickly, no recognition on his face.

“Father wants to see you.” His voice was regal, cold.

“At this hour?”

Connor stepped closer. This time he regarded me more carefully before addressing his brother again. “Yes. If you can meetherat this hour, surely you can see the king as requested.”

Brennan nodded and turned back to me. “I’ll find you tomorrow?”

All I could manage was a timid “Sure.”

Connor turned to the side to let his brother pass, but he didn’t move to accompany him. Ignoring the growing tension in the room, I rose to leave as well. Connor pivoted to block my exit, so fast that I nearly ran into him.

Clenching my jaw, I raised my gaze to his and waited. My skin prickled under his glare, but I forced myself not to break the stare.

“I know what you’re doing, Lieke,” he finally said.

I narrowed my eyes slightly. “I’m just trying to get back to my room, Your Highness.”

He gave me a withering look as his tongue slipped out to wet his lips, drawing my attention to his mouth against my will. I snapped my attention back to his eyes quickly, and I could have sworn I noticed him fighting a smirk.

“My brother,” he finally said, “is to be married soon.”

“I know.”

Connor’s jaw pulsed with obvious irritation. “I cannot let anything—or anyone—stop that from happening. Do you understand?”

“I understand,” I said, nodding. “But I do not control Brennan. Neither do you.”

When he didn’t respond, I moved to step around him, but he grabbed my wrist and challenged me with a hard glare.

“Nothing good will come from this, Lieke. He’s using you, like he does everyone else. You’ll only get hurt.”

Yanking my arm out of his grasp, I inched closer to him. “Why do you care?”

He swallowed as he searched my eyes. Then, with a deep breath, he turned on his heel and strode for the door, calling over his shoulder, “Don’t come here again, Lieke. This room is not yours.”

Stopping at the doorway, he waved for me to exit, and part of me wanted to refuse to leave just to spite him and his pompous ass. But then I remembered who I was—a mere human servant. Disobeying the crown prince would lead to nothing good, and I’d already had the audacity to challenge him just now.

With my chin lifted, I marched past him and out into the hallway. If he followed, I didn’t know.

And I didn’t care.

CHAPTER 19

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