Page 264 of Blood & Betrayals

When all the dishes have been cleaned, we prepare to return to Avalon. After cleaning up and gathering our things, Alice creates the portal. Rafe and I support Connor as we walk straight into the Morningstar House. Once inside, we don’t stop, leading him up to his room.

We get Connor cleaned up and into bed. Once he is lying down, Rafe leaves and Connor opens his arms for me. I get fully undressed before climbing into bed with him.

“Thank you for telling me,” he says, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me against his chest. His warmth and scent surround me in comfort.

“About?”

“About what was going on. It means a lot.”

I try not to let my shoulders tense and keep that guilt locked down. “I’m trying.”

Connor tightens his arms around me. “I know, and I love you for that. I’m going to marry the hell out of you. You know that, right?”

“Whatever, Morningstar.” I rub my nose against his chest, hiding my grin.

“It’s true. I am going to do it.” Connor starts to drift off. “Picked a ring…” he says, his voice trailing off. I can’t help theway my muscles tighten. My stomach knots or flutters, but I’m not sure which.

“A-a ring?” I ask, but Connor’s only answer is a soft snore.

100

Summer

“Picked a ring…”

Surely, he’s overstating it. We’ve not even been together for a year. That’s crazy, right? Is it crazy?

Alice nudges me, and I look at her.

“You okay?” she asks.

I nod. “Why?”

Alice glances at my hand, where I’m tapping my pen against the desk. I drop the pen, not realizing what I was doing.

“You’ve been weird all morning. What is it?”

I look down at my hand and the finger that a ring may soon adorn. If he asks, and if I say yes. So many questions and not one fucking answer.

“Connor has a ring,” I whisper, my voice barely audible.

Alice’s mouth falls open. “A ring?” she whisper shouts. “An engagement ring?”

My eyes widen, and I shush her, looking around to make sure no one else heard her.

She flutters her hands in front of her mouth and leans in conspiratorially. “Is it an engagement ring?” she asks, a little quieter.

I nod. “I think so. He was talking about marrying the hell out of me.”

“Fuck.” Alice grimaces. “Fuck,” she says again. “How are you feeling about it?”

I exhale, my cheeks puffing with the force of it. “I don’t know. We’ve not even been together a year, but… I love Connor.”

Alice nods, her brow creased. “Well, I mean, you’ve not bolted, so… progress.”

I glare at her.

“But you’re spiraling so bad,” Alice says with a snicker.

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