Page 180 of The Prince of Broken Crowns

River shifts his weight so his leg is pressing against mine. “You can have fun at one. They’re not nearly as noisy, and there’s a lot of entertainment.”

I flick a glance in his direction. The lampposts outside reflect in his dark eyes and cast across the genuine expression. I’m unsure why I say what I do next. It merely falls off my tongue without any forethought, and I may regret the moment I say it, but once it’s done, it can’t be retracted.

“You should go with us,” I tell him.

The corners of his lips twitch. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

“No,” I protest, but I’m so full of shit.

“It kind of sounds like she is,” Finn states from the driver’s seat. He casts a glance at us, and a smile plays on his lips. “You two look cozy enough to be on a date right now.”

I straighten in the seat. “What is with you and this cozy obsession?” I snap my fingers at him. “And stop looking at us and focus on the road.”

“Yes, boss.” His tone oozes with mocking sarcasm, but he directs his attention back to the night-kissed road.

River’s exhausted sigh tickles my cheek. “It doesn’t have to be a date,” he says quietly. “I was just teasing you.”

“I know,” I assure him, watching as he traces the back of my hand, his eyes trailing along with the movement as if it’s the most fascinating thing to him. “I’m not sure if we should call it a date yet … With everything going on … I don’t know, I just want my first date to not be under so much duress.”

His gaze darts to mine. “You haven’t been on a date before?”

“I told you I haven’t really dated anyone, so yeah.”

“Right. I just assumed …” He shakes his head. “I haven’t been on one either.”

“I figured as much.”

He bites down on his bottom lip with a contemplative look. “I’d love to go on a date with you, Maddison.”

God, I have such a love/hate relationship with when he calls me Maddison, because I like it too much.

And does that mean we’re going on a date?

This is why I’ve spent most of my life avoiding guys—because it complicates things. Part of me secretly likes the River complication, though.

“Where am I supposed to turn again?” Finn abruptly asks, ruining the moment. “This GPS is being kind of weird.”

I slant forward and rest my arms on the console. “Signals out here can get a bit glitchy. Make a right turn on the next road.” I point at where I’m referring to.

As he turns onto the narrow road lined with old stores and homes, I sink back into the seat. It’s late enough that people have begun to wander outside, but chaos won’t take over until past midnight, so as long as we’re gone by then, we should be great.

But despite the lack of sketchiness roaming around, I can sense the shift in the air between the twins. Finn’s grip on the steering wheel tightens.

“It’s this apartment on the right,” I inform Finn. “The one with the broken sign in front.”

“Oh.” He grows quiet as he makes the turn into the apartment parking lot. The people in the area stop to glance at the SUV, but I expected as much. “This is where you lived before you came to the academy?”

“Yep.” I reach to unfasten my seat belt. “It’s apartment 238. You can just back up to it.”

Finn slows down to turn the SUV around. As he does, this unsettling feeling of being watched presses against my chest. It could be from the fact that we are, but it feels like more than just the rubbernecking of my bored neighbors.

“Something feels off,” I mumble as I glance around.

“Maybe it’s because of what happened the last time we were here?” River offers an explanation while reaching to sweep a strand of hair out of my eyes. “If you want, Finn and I can handle this.”

I shake my head and give him a look. “No way. I already hate that you have to help me.”

“Not have to. I want to,” he promises.

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