Page 75 of Spearcrest Prince

The night is dark and icy and hazy with frost. The glacial wind raises goosebumps all over my skin, sending me crashing back to reality.

Have I just messed up? I don’t regret what I did—I’d do it again if I could. But I’ve definitely messed up. Getting on with Sev is one thing. It doesn’t interfere with the plan.

Sleeping with him, on the other hand… how does that fit into the plan?

“Hey.” Sev catches up with me and turns me around to face him. His eyes search my face, and he gives me a small smile. “Don’t overthink this, okay?”

“Why would I?”

“Because you look worried. I’ve never seen you look worried before.”

I hesitate. Sev is normally so emotional that talking to him feels like defusing a deadly bomb. But right now, he’s calm, relaxed, completely at ease.

“I don’t want things between us to get… confusing,” I say finally.

“There’s no confusion,” he says. He looks completely serious. He sighs, and his breath curls like white smoke in the icy air. “We’re already engaged. We’ve agreed we’ll put on an act to keep our parents off our backs. Sex is a separate issue. It’s our business. We get to decide who we fuck—right?”

Is he talking about us or in general? I’m not naïve. Sex with Sev doesn’t mean he’s now going to devote his entire life to me and never touch another girl.

“Alright.” I nod. “We’ll put on the fiancés act and keep the sex thing separate from the engagement thing. We’ll be… allies. Right?”

He frowns, running his hand distractedly through his hair. “Allies who fuck?”

“Allies who… do whatever they want,” I say cautiously. “That’s what you want, right? To keep your freedom?”

He’s silent for a long time, his eyes on mine. We stare at one another. For the first time, I can’t tell what he’s thinking. I never expected it would make me feel so lost.

He bites his lip and lets out another deep sigh.

“Yes,” he says. “You’re right. It is what I want.”

“Alright. So…” I extend my hand out to him. “Allies?”

He takes my hand. “Allies.”

We stand hand in hand for a moment. My heart is beating fast, and I can’t help a heavy sense of regret settling over my chest, as if I’ve just made a mistake.

Séverin lets go of my hand and pulls something out of his pocket.

“You should have this,” he says.

I open my hand, and he drops an object in my palm. My heart catches.

A ring.

A beautiful antique thing crowned with opals and diamonds that glimmer dimly in the orange light of the Spearcrest lamp posts.

“What’s this?” I ask in a half-whisper.

“It’s the engagement ring my parents wanted me to give you,” he says with a shrug. “It’s stupid, but since we’re playing along, you might as well have it.”

There’s a sudden lump in my throat that’s come out of nowhere. I don’t even feel sad. We are playing along, he’s right. I look from the ring back up to Sev.

“I can’t wear it on my finger.”

He shrugs and shoves his hands in his pocket. “Don’t wear it. It’s fine. I don’t care.”

“No, I mean, I can’t wear it on my finger because I’m always getting paint on my hands. This ring is clearly valuable. But I want to wear it—I’m going to wear it.”

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