Page 85 of Spearcrest Prince

“Are you going to Kay’s party?”

He shakes his head. “No. What’s the point? Sophie’s not invited.”

“Fuck Sophie—right?” I hold his gaze. If Evan can break away from Sophie, then I can break away from Anaïs. Right?

“Sophie is a nightmare I can’t wake up from,” Evan says loudly, glaring at me as if I’m Sophie. “You can slap me all you like, Sev. I’m never gonna wake up from this.”

I have no reply, so I look away. I suspect he’s right, anyway.

But fuckthis. If I ever end up sounding like him, I think I’d rather jump from the top of the clock tower.

So as soon as I get back to the dorms, I make sure I don’t end up like him. I grab my phone, scrolling through the pretty names in my contact list.

My eyes fall on a familiar name. Melody—Mellie. The art student with the flower clips. Perfectly my type, perfectly willing.

I type out a text and press send without hesitation.

“Salut, mon ange. Would you like to be my date for a party this Friday?”

She replies straight away.

“Oh my god, I would love to be!”

“Perfect. See you Friday.”

She sends me back a heart emoji. Locking my phone, I toss it on my bed. I won’t let Anaïs Nishihara become the nightmare I can’t wake up from.

I’ll be her nightmare instead.

Mygoodmoodbuoysme until Friday, and then it’s pierced by a bullet which sends it crashing and burning.

The bullet is that piece of shit, Parker Pembroke. The gun firing the bullet is Zachary. He waltzes into the rec room at lunchtime with a pile of books under his arm and a bar of black chocolate between his teeth.

He takes a bite, snapping the thin bar, and then points it at me in accusation.

“How come you’re not taking the future Mrs Montcroix to Kayana’s party?” He shakes his head and drops onto a couch. “I was looking forward to seeing her again.”

I look up from my phone, where trite social media posts scroll past my thumb. “What?”

“You’re not going to the party tonight?” Zachary asks, raising an eyebrow.

His unshakeable calm grates against my impatience like nails on a blackboard. I glare at him. “Of course I’m going.”

“Without Anaïs?”

“I’m going with someone else.”

Evan and Iakov both look up at me as though they seem surprised.

“You’re not taking her?” Evan asks in a surprised tone.

“Why would I?”

“Perhaps because she is your future wife?” Zach says with false courtesy. “You’d think one would rather have one’s fiancée on one’s arm rather than let someone else bring her on his.”

“What are you talking about? Speak like a normal person.”

“I’m talking about young Master Pembroke—you know he’s technically a baronet?—crowing to all who would listen that he is bringing your fiancée to Kayana’s party.”

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