Page 87 of The Plan

“Sire. Do.Not.” I will literally jump off of this boat and drown myself.

He throws his head back, laughing, and stands. “God, you should see your face. Would it really be so bad if I proposed?”

“Right now? Yes. Not only because we’ve only been dating for a few weeks, but our engagement anniversary would be on my birthday. It takes away the specialness from each other, so when you propose, don’t do it on any special dates.”

A smile grows on his face, and I squint my eyes at him, but he only returns the look. “WhenI propose? You want me to?”Eventually, maybe... Yes.

“Shut up.” He chuckles softly, and I shake my head at him. “Did you really buy an empty jewelry box for this shit?”

This time, he gives me a bored expression. “No, smartass. Here.” He hands me the box, and when I open it, my breath gets caught in my throat. God, it’s so pretty. It’s a four-leafclover ring, and the leaves are shaped like hearts with a bunch of diamonds in each of them.

Just as I go to touch it, it spins. “It’s an anxiety ring. I know you twist yours when you're nervous, but it’s a tight fit, so you can spin this one instead.” I look up at him, and he gazes into my eyes.

I take back what I said about the rays being the best gift ever. This ring is the best, and not because it’s… I don’t even know how many karats, but because he was thoughtful enough to get me ananxiety ring.I didn’t even know those existed.

“Do you like it?” I blink a few times, realizing I was staring.

“Yes, Sire. I love it. Thank you.” I go on my tippy toes to kiss him, then slip the friendship ring Hazel got me onto my middle finger. I take the ring he got me out of the box but stop before slipping it on completely.

I don’t want him to get the wrong idea with this ring. I think we’re too early for any of that “promise ring” stuff or whatever.

“What does this ring mean to you if I wear it, Sire?”

“That you are mine to the end of time.” I look into his eyes. That’s what I was worried about. He gives me a smile, but it seems forced. “God, you are so scared of commitment. It’s just a ring for your anxiety, Vid. Put it on,” he urges, and I let out a small, relieved breath and slip it on.

When I look back at him, he’s looking down at the ring on my finger, and he isn’t looking at it like it'sjusta ring but like it just made me his forever.

Chapter Twenty

Sire

The Present

Iwas sent over tokick your ass.” I roll my eyes and turn my back to him.

“Don’t start.” I hear him creep behind me, and I pick my head up from my phone but don’t turn around to him. “Do not touch me, August.” He lets out a sigh, and I turn just a bit to see him drop his hand from the corner of my eye.

He takes a seat next to me at the counter. “So…” he starts. “What’d you two fight about this time?”

“We didn’t. Mind your business.” I don’t ask him how he knows anything because I’m sure I can guess, but he tells me anyway. I tried explaining to Vidia what really happened back in college, but she claimed she didn’t want to know and ended up leaving.

“Well, Hazel saw something wrong with V the second she walked back in, and she wouldn’t say anything, so Hazel sent me to beat it out of you. Let’s do this the easy way.” I let out a scoff. We both know he isn’t going to do shit the hard way.

I almost tell him both he and his girlfriend need to mind their business, but I turn to him instead and let out a sigh. “I feel like we just go in circles.”

He nods in understanding. “Yeah, you two confuse me. Some days, I think, yay, they might be getting back together, and others, I’m like, oh, we need to get the restraints.” I give him a weak smile at his facial expression.

“I don’t get it.” I shake my head, feeling a headache coming.

“You don’t get what? Why she hates you? Because she thinks the entire time you two were together was nothing butactual dog shit, so…”

I freeze and turn to him, surprised he just said that. “Well, it wasn’t.”

“Why don’t you two just talk?” I let out a scoff at how easy he put it.

“I literally just tried.” I turn to him now. “But she always pushes me away, claiming enough was said.” I mimic her as I shake my head.

August is quiet for a few seconds, and when I turn to him, he only shakes his head like he feels bad for me. “You need to make more of an effort, Sire.” I open my mouth to tell him I’m fucking trying, but he cuts me off.

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