Page 135 of Taken By the Fae

“Sorry,” I say, but my tone is unapologetic. This moment is everything.

“I want to do something for Oliver’s birthday next weekend. I tried to talk to Allison, but she wasn’t much help in the idea department.”

My eyes widen at the same moment my stomach drops.Shit. Oliver’s birthday is next week, and I forgot. “You want me to help you plan his party?”

“Yes.”

“What did you have in mind?”

Max walks over to my desk and perches on top, resting his feet on the chair. “Something at the pub. Drinks, food, music—the lot. I want to rent the place Friday night.”

“I can ask Nikolai. You should get Allison to send invites. She’ll know who to contact. I can handle the food and drinks, so all you’ll have to do is get Oliver there.”

For a split second, Max looks shocked, as if he didn’t think I’d agree to help him. It’s cute. “Sure,” he says, “I can do that.”

“Good. Is that everything?” Just as I finish speaking, my phone rings from the bedside table. I glance over and see Oliver’s number, making me smile slightly. “Speaking of the birthday boy.” I pick up the phone, swiping across the screen to answer the call. “Hey, what’s up, Oliver?”

“I wanted to apologize again for what happened earlier, and I was thinking, Max and I are going out tomorrow night, and I thought you and Tristan could join us for dinner. Sound good? I don’t want things to be awkward after tonight.” After I walked in on him ass-naked, bent over the desk, with Max—Nope. I refuse to relive it.

I look away from Max’s arched brow. “I don’t think I can.” I don’t want to tell Oliver that Tristan and I aren’t together. That would invite a lot of questions I can’t answer while maintaining his unawareness of the fae world.

“Is something wrong?” His concern is evident.Fuck. I don’t want him to worry about me.

“I just started a new job and I’m still getting the hang of things. Life’s been pretty exhausting.” It has nothing to do with the reason I don’t want to go out, but it’s not a lie.

“No worries. We'll go out and celebrate once you’re feeling up to it.”

“Absolutely. I’ll talk to you later.”After I hang up and set my phone down, I look over at Max to find his eyes narrowed. “What?”

“What’s the deal with you and Tristan, anyway? He won’t talk about it.”

“What makes you thinkI’mgoing to?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t get it, blondie. You’re fae now. You’d think that would simplify whatever is going on between the two of you.”

I slide my legs over the side of the bed and stand, needing to stretch and move.“I’m sure the seelie king would be thrilled about his knight being with a fae who refuses to choose a court.”

A flicker of surprise passes over Max’s face as his gaze tracks my movement. “You seriously won’t pick one?”

“I feel that doing so wouldn’t bode well for bringing the courts together.”

His brows lift. “Since when is that your job?”

I open my mouth to respond, then pause, considering it. “If it’s going to work, I think it’s the job of all fae.”

He nods slowly, rubbing his jaw. “Okay, then. Fuck the courts. Don’t let them keep you apart.”

My eyes widen, and I stop pacing near where he’s sitting on my desk. “I just… I need time to figure things out.”

He crosses his arms over his chest, wrinkling his dark blue dress shirt. “Figure out what? If you love him?”

Love. That tiny, four-letter word punches the air out of my chest.

“It’s more than that,” I mumble. It’s a lame response, and by the irritated expression on Max’s face, it’s clear he agrees.

“I don’t know what it’s like for you, but I do know Tristan. He’s never looked at anyone the way he does you.” He sighs, as if this conversation is as awkward for him as it is for me. “I understand you’re scared, and that’s fine. Love is terrifying. But you shouldn’t let your fear keep you from being with the person you don’t want to live without. Fight for it, Aurora. Otherwise, what’s the fucking point of this?”

Tears prick my eyes, and I struggle to hold his gaze.“He blames himself for what happened to me, Max,” I say in a low voice. “I can see it when he looks at me, and ithurts.”

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