LOGIN“My dad is an understanding man,” I said, turning to face him fully, crosslegged on the bed, “but he’s also a King. He’ll expect more of you now.”“I’ll do anything.” Callum took my hands in his.I smiled faintly, cheeks flushing, and it had nothing to do with the sex we’d just had. I laced my finge
Liora’s POVCallum and I fell back against the pillows, both breathless and smiling. I tugged the neckline of my dress back up around my shoulders and pushed the skirt back down. My panties were somewhere under the bed, and would probably remain there until check-out time tomorrow.“It’s weird,” I s
I wasn’t sure how much time passed before I heard the knock.Mia glanced at me. I sat up.The door opened and Callum stepped inside. The first thing I did was look at his face to see where we stood. He looked calmer than when he’d walked away, but not entirely settled. He glanced at Mia and Zane.“C
Liora’s POVThe words hung in the air between us.Callum didn’t say anything for a long moment. He just looked at me, and I looked back at him, and somewhere behind us a truck rumbled past on the highway and the oak tree overhead rustled in the breeze.“Say that again,” he said.“I’m the princess,”
Liora’s POVI smelled cheap detergent and something faintly musty underneath the faint trace of fast food somewhere nearby. I blinked my eyes open and found a low, popcorn ceiling hanging above me, a large water stain in one corner.I frowned. The last thing I remembered, I was in a dark room. A cel
Zane was quiet for a moment. He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees, and looked at the floor.“I can’t blame you for wanting a family,” he said in a low voice that was so out of character for him. “But those people are not your family.” He glanced up at me through his brows. “They never have been.”He was right, of course. More than I wanted to admit. My father had never been anything but a warden and my mother had only ever helped him with his schemes. They were both evil, and selfish, and only ever had me to serve themselves. They’d never been my parents. Not really.I looked at Liora. She had turned her face slightly toward me in her sleep, her lashes pressed against her cheeks, her lips parted just barely. The dress was rumpled now, her hair loose and tangled around her shoulder. She looked exhausted even while she was unconscious.“I’m going to go get food from that diner,” Zane said, pushing himself to his feet. “You want anything?”“I’m fine.”“I’ll get you somethin
Zane Well. Today’s the big day.Homecoming: the first official dance of the school season. A celebration of school spirit, hormonal chaos, and spending an entire week pretending you don’t care about any of it.Except, of course, you do. Everyone does.Even me. Which is unfortunate, really.Because
LioraPaper hit the side of my head with a satisfying thwack.I simply raised the book a little higher above my skull, like a makeshift shield against flying insults and cafeteria napkins. Mia walked beside me, her jaw clenched, her eyes already scanning the hallway like she might chuck a binder at
“Bianca should’ve never let you get away with that attitude,” the lip gloss girl finally spat, chest heaving. “You’re a disgrace. To this school. To her.”Ah. There it was.So it was Bianca.I grabbed the closest girl by the arm and shoved her just hard enough to send her flying out of my stall, stu
LioraFor the first time in what felt like forever, I had been beginning to feel like a student again. Not a placeholder. Not a problem. Not a royal complication disguised as a girl in borrowed time. The last few days had offered something rare. Quiet mornings with Mia where we shared too-hot coffee







