Page 5 of Fake Fae-Ancée

"And a very good morning to you, too, McKenn." His voice was deep, the guttural rumble of a bear coming out of its den, his faint accent lacing every syllable. There was always that flash of mischief in his eyes. Like everything I said was an adorable joke.

"The ring!?" I yelled. I couldn’t stop yelling, as much as I wanted to. "Are you serious?!"

He held my gaze, the corners of his mouth twitching. He swaggered past me and toward the vast open kitchen, an assembly of marble and chrome that lay spotless and probably mostly unused at the far end of the room.

"Coffee?" And that chatty tone! Like he was just in the best of moods.

"You slept well, I take it," Kalinin went on, opening the kitchen cabinet and taking out two gray cups. He flicked the coffee maker to life that looked like someone had turned a Ferrari into a very expensive household gadget. "You want milk and sugar?"

"I want to know why I'm wearing your stupid ring!"

I had reached the kitchen island, grabbing the edge of the marble counter for balance with one hand. The other I was still holding up. With the ring that seemed to burn right through my skin.

The ring he had given to me shortly before he had disappeared.

The ring I had thrown back into his face five years ago, when he had returned.

"Cappuccino, then. Good." Kalinin pushed some buttons on the coffee maker that started hiss and hum. Me, he completely ignored.

"What happened yesterday?" I asked. "What did you do to my uniform? What happened to your arm? And why the hell am I even here?"

He turned and slid me a cup of steaming cappuccino across the counter.

I didn’t touch it. I hated coffee in the morning. And for the hundred millionth time in my life, I cursed my parents. Couldn't they have left me at least one single magic ability for my Anima? Something that I could use to vaporize Kalinin with. A bolt of lightning would have been nice now. Or a little fire magic. Anything to wipe that stupid grin off his face.

"First of all, as you should know, it's not any stupid ring," Kalinin said, leaning his ass against the kitchen counter. He stirred his coffee with an exaggeratedly small spoon before taking a sip. "It’s our wedding ring."

I couldn’t even yell. There was just this feeling like my head was going to burst. He put down his cup on its saucer and the exact same ring was blinking on his left hand.

"I know what it is," I snapped. "Why am I wearing it, and why doesn’t it come off?"

Kalinin shook his head, grinning like he had won the lottery. His white teeth flashed. "Little star, you really do not remember anything from last night?"

I froze, dread trickling down my spine. I racked my brain for information that wasn’t there. Had I been drinking last night? Had it been lighter fuel? Because there wasn’t a single scenario in hell where I would wear his damn ring again without being forced to at gunpoint.

"Stop calling me that," I gritted, avoiding his question. He knew very well how much I hated that stupid pet-name he kept using.Little star.Like I had fallen from the heavens, he had once told me.

Ha!

"Answer me. What happened?"

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it?" He shrugged and set his cup down on the marble counter. "After years of acting like a brat, you've come to your senses and realized where your place is."

"Oh, spare me that delusional macho bullshit!"

"Considering I never signed your abhorrent divorce papers, I think the delusional one here is you."

I stared at him.

"You did what?"

My voice was wobbly. It had to be a joke. This insufferable jerk was pulling my leg. I searched his face for the telltale signs that he was messing with me again, as he constantly did whenever I was unfortunate enough to cross his path. He was really the only guy on this planet who could get me riled up like that with a single glance. A single remark.

But his mischievous grin and the twinkle in his eyes had vanished. And my stomach lurched as the truth sank in.

He wasn't kidding at all.

"We are still married?" I croaked.

---