Page 33 of Scorpio Dragon

Morgan was laughing. It had to be the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard. “And where am I in all of this? With the admiring fans?”

“You’re the girl, obviously.” He frowned, a little offended. “Who did you think I was talking about?”

“Oh, sorry, the prize that you win? The object that you’re handed as a reward for your personal growth? That was me? Oh, forgive me, I hadn’t realized, what an honor—”

“Be nice to me,” he said tersely, pulling her close and breathing a private sigh of relief when she wrapped her arms around him. Just for a second, he’d been worried he’d misread that situation. “I think I’ve just been abandoned by my parents.”

She stroked the side of his face, her green eyes intent on his. “Yeah, I noticed that. Are you going to be alright?”

He considered the question. “Not sure. This is nice, though.”

“This?”

He tightened his arms around her a little, feeling warmth spread through his chest when she leaned into his grasp with a sigh. “This.”

“I can think of a way to make it better.”

Archer looked down at her, felt his breath catch at the glint in those deep green eyes looking back up at him. “And what’s that?”

“... Have they taken your bed out of your dorm room yet?”

Chapter 27 - Morgan

The party was still in full swing as Morgan and Archer ran through the deserted hallways of the dorm, giggling breathlessly and taking turns hissing at each other to be quiet. She couldn’t believe how giddy she felt, how much she was smiling and laughing despite the grim scene they’d both just endured. Maybe that was why they were laughing, she thought, racing to catch up with him as he tore ahead of her down the next hallway. Maybe after a conversation as dark as that, the only remedy the body had to offer was laughter.

She was proud of him for the way he’d stood up to his parents at least, worried about what his future would hold now that he was cut off from all of his resources, thrilled to her bone marrow that he’d called her his soulmate… but right now, all of those subjects of conversation could wait. Right now, all she wanted was his ridiculous, far too large bed with its absurdly expensive sheets, soft and slinky though they were. Honestly, she’d be happy with an empty room with a cement floor, just so long as it also contained Archer and a door that locked from the inside.

“You didn’t pack anything at all,” she pointed out when they’d finally reached his room. The room was exactly as it had been every other time she’d visited. His textbooks were even still stacked up on his desk. He smiled ruefully in the doorway, his eyes dark and thoughtful as he looked around.

“I couldn’t seem to get started. Every time I tried packing something away, I knew I’d be unpacking it in their house… so I just stopped.”

“I’m glad you stopped,” she said softly, moving across the room towards him.

“Oh, yeah? You just didn’t want to sleep another night in those terrible beds that come with the rooms…”

“It might be worth getting used to those terrible beds,” she pointed out, raising an eyebrow as she reached up to pull a few leaves from his hair. “You’re one of us now. The regular people. No more riches.”

There was a bitter edge to the smile on his face. “I never had any to begin with, really. Everyone knew who my family was, but nobody knew how little of it was actually in my name.” He sighed. “Truth is, I spent most of my life just crossing my fingers that nobody would call my bluff. It was more like having a rich patron than actually being rich myself. Ouch,” he added, wincing as she tugged at a particularly stubbornly tangled twig in his hair.

“Don’t be precious.”

“I am precious.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten.”

“Forgotten what?”

“What you said.” A sudden uncertainty in the room between them, but he seemed to be determined to press on. “I heard you. You told my father I was your soulmate.”

“I did,” she said, holding his gaze. “You told them both that I was yours.”

“Yeah.” They stood at that impasse for what felt like an hour… and then she saw the faintest twitch at the corner of Archer’s lips.

“What?” she asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. If he was about to make fun of her, she was going to murder him.

The smile widened. “Just—you.”

“What?” she repeated, more impatiently this time.

“What do you think?” he asked incredulously, throwing his hands into the air. “I love you, you wretched woman!”

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