Page 19 of Partnering with the Artist

“Gracious, Maelin. I would never suggesthurtingsomeone.”

“Oh.”

Well.

ConsideringhurtingHarry was my first thought in the way of enacting revenge, maybe I am actually more prostab Harrythan I entirely want to be. What was it I just said? Oh yeah.It’s complicated.

“What were you thinking?” I ask.

“In July, there’s a Creator’s Ball not entirely too far from here. I’ve been invited. Kyran, Lukas, and Viktor have also been invited. I have on good authority that Lukas has worked attending the ball into his tour schedule, thatgood authoritybeing Crisis, Viktor’s fiancée, who helped plan Lukas’s tour schedule. That means four of us will be going. If I ask him to, Kyran will make Kaleb his plus one, which means five of us will be going. Do you know who’s also been invited and who would be stupid not to attend?”

Battling a sinking sensation, I say, “Who?”

“MoonWoof. Am I correct in assuming that she’s the person you described as an ASMR fetish, or am I overly hopeful that there are spare few people in this world who fit such a description?”

Soft, I say, “No…that’s…her.”

“I figured. Kyran knows her. She mentioned the invite to him. He mentioned it to me. So. What do you say?”

“What do I say about what, exactly?”

“Want to show up to the Creator’s Ball surrounded by five men with truly excellent genetics and say a swiftoh, hi, I’vemoved onto Harry?”

I stare at Zakery, who keeps on spinning. “What makes you think I want Harry to assume I’minvolvedwith five men?”

“As far as I’m concerned, Harry can assume whatever he likes as long as it makes him feel stupid and small and insignificant. You can state clearly that you’re with me and my family, and we’re all your lovingpack. If that information makes him go ballistic, we can have security drag him away. In front of a dozen or more reporters who will be covering the event.” Zakery smiles. “Closure accomplished.”

I’m not sure Zakery knows whatclosureis.

It’s sweet, though, in a way, that he’s offering to call his entire family to arms on my account after they’ve all barely known me for a week.

Sweet, and a little demented. Which I believe is how I’d describe Zakery if ever I were prompted to do so. I say, “I’m not sure I’d fit in at a fancy ball for celebrities.”

“I’ll pay for any materials you need in order to create suitable attire.” He chuckles as he stops twirling. “Sans fur, unless youareactually into that, then I’d also like a fursuit. Make it match yours but in blue. We can look like cotton candy together.”

I giggle. “Um. No. As tempting as that sounds, I don’t think I want to get chased through a ball.” Making agownthough…at someone else’s expense…that’s something I’m very interested in. I could afford to make the dress of my dreams.

No.

No, I can’t. I shouldn’t.

That’s a silly reason to oblige this scheme.

Besides. “What would you get out of this?”

“Well…” he practically purrs, “…I’d very much like to take our arrangement outside my bedroom.”

“What does that mean?”

“In preparation for taking you to the ball, I’d like to take youaround town. On dates. Get to know you. Be able to pull off a believable relationship come July… Have the opportunity to draw you in public.” His smile seems ever soconvincinglykind. “There’s only so much inspiration I can obtain from you in this setting. I’m constructing an entire world around your likeness, Maelin. A true princess cannot be confined to a single daybed.”

Early Disney princesses may beg to differ.Imay beg to differ. I’ve just gotten comfortable on my daybed. Now he wants me in other settings? Whilegetting to know me? So that we can fake a believable relationship at aball?

Mom had a rule about no dating until high school, where I immediately fell headfirst in love with Harry. I’ve only ever been with him. He was my first crush, my first hand hold, my first kiss.

Maybe that’s part of why losing him is so earth shattering. He was the only guy I ever invested anything in. And now all the dreams I built on the foundation of him have crumbled into nothingness.

Pretending to be in a relationship with someone else, at least learning I have the ability to experience closeness with someone who isn’t Harry, might not be the worst way to help me toward actual closure, not just a twisted sort of justice.

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