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“I love you too, Dean.” Rising to my toes, I kiss his jaw, leaving a bit of my lipstick behind in the process.

“Get a room!” Morgan shouts, and someone else whistles.

“I just might do that!” He flashes his grin over his shoulder, and then we are finally out of sight.

By the time we reach the manor, I have to lean on Dean for support. It’s probably a good thing that I didn’t try to make it here on my own. How does Pru do this? I’m so dizzy.

“Thanks for walking me home,” I slur as I fall backwards onto my bed when I go to sit. I lean down, setting my sights on unbuckling my heels, but there are 4 buckles, and I can’t tell which two are the real ones.

“Allow me, Miss Daily.” We both laugh as I lean back on my hands and rest my feet on Dean’s knee when he kneels to help me.

“I’m never telling you to make a strong drink again. Better yet, I’ll stick with my ginger ale and cranberry juice. This feels awful.”

“We can’t have my Rising Star feelings so awful.” Setting my shoes to the side, Dean helps to lay me back and tucks me into my blankets.

“I’m sorry for skipping out on your dinner. If I’m feeling better when I wake up, I’ll come by to make it up to you.”

“You better.” he smiles and boops my nose. I offer him a faint smile, but the ache rises in my chest, and it falters, leaving him unconvinced. When he sets my shoes aside, I tuck my knees beneath me and wrap my arms around my waist in a tight hug. Like I’m trying to hold myself together.

“Can I tell you something?”

“Anything, always,” he says as he plops down beside me, propped up on his elbows facing me.

“I’m engaged to Marcas Lazarov.” Dean’s brow furrows.

“Since when?”

“Since I was 14. When my mom passes, my uncle and Sir Lazarov will file for our marriage.” I close my eyes, fighting off the nausea bubbling inside of me. “So, you see, it would be almost masochistic to start a relationship with Cain. Knowing that it would only end.”

“Hey, shhh.” I open my eyes as Dean rubs his thumb along my cheek, wiping away the tears I didn’t know were escaping. “You don’t have to go through with it.”

“Actually, I do…” Dean cups my face with his hand, and I lean in. “Things are changing… Given my family’s status, I can’t be without a guardian or a husband… My only hope is to register and find someone to contest the engagement. Otherwise, I’ll go to him.” Releasing my waist, I grab Dean’s wrist, holding tight with both hands. Breathe in. Breathe out.

I yelp as Dean throws me backwards on the bed. He hovers over me with his forearms on either side of my head. He’s calm, though. When Cain has me in this position, his nose is flared, his chest heaving with impassioned inhales and exhales. Intense. I almost couldn’t tell if he’s a threat. And I probably shouldn’t, but I like it when Cain loses control over me.

“Well, if somehow Cain doesn’t snatch you up. I’ll marry you.”

“What?” He smiles, giving my nose another boop.

“Call me your backup.” I laugh and press my palms to his chest.

“You need to get off me.” His lip twitches up at the corner, and he cocks his head to the side as he presses down onto me.

“Off of you or off on you?” Slipping my leg between his, I press my foot to his stomach and shove him backwards with everything I have. Dean thuds on the floor, belly laughing. I grab the end of my blanket and throw it over my body as I fall back to my pillow.

“Do you mean that?” I ask. Dean leans back on his elbows, his dark chocolate brown eyes locking with mine.

“What? That I’ll get off on you?” I grip the smaller pillow on my bed and throw it at his face. His cheerful laughter fills the room again as he catches it and tosses it back on the bed. “Of course I’d marry you.”

“What about Dahlia?” They haven’t said anything, but it’s clear they care about each other.

“We could come up with some sort of arrangement.”

“Like a contract.” He sucks through his teeth and clutches his chest.

“I feel my heart breaking already. A contract.”

“Stop. That’s not what I mean. I just mean that I don’t expect love or loyalty from anyone. I don’t want to stop you from living your life how you want it.” Dean rocks forward and rises to stand by my side. His brow furrows as he looks down on me, tucking the blanket around my shoulders.