Page 17 of To Spark a Dragon's Love
“No, baby.” I rolled my eyes.
“Sheishiding something. I can sense it,” Riley said, still not moving from her spot on the couch.
Traitor.
Ember stood in the open door of the bathroom, blocking my only escape. “Spill.”
“I’m not hiding anything,” I lied through my teeth.
“You are seriously the worst liar.” She stared at my reflection without blinking.
“Fine,” I gave in. “It’s… a lot.”
Harper started singing behind me, pretending to be a rockstar in her sea of bubbles.
Ember’s face softened. “I know. It’s crazy how fast your mating happened. Riley and I had time to get to know our mates but you just jumped right in. If you want more time, we could postpone the ceremony.”
“No.” I didn’t want to drag this out any longer than I had to. I wanted to get it over with so we could go back to our normal routine and Malachy would hopefully leave.
The ache in my chest felt heavier at the thought.
I purposefully ignored the pain.
At my age, there were always random aches and pains anyway. Heartburn. Indigestion. Uterine cramps. A strained muscle.
The ache could’ve been anything.
I definitely wasn’t pining over some unrequited love or the dream I’d been sold and denied.
I was way too old for that.
Ember wouldn’t leave it alone, though. She moved closer, leaning against the counter next to me. “Don’t you want this to be a do-over? A chance to get the wedding you never had?”
The problem with being friends with someone as long as Ember and I had been was that they knew too much about your weaknesses.
I turned on the water, stalling so I didn’t have to explain to her that I wasn’t getting the fairy tale she got. Malachy had madehimself clear. We’d do this for show. Give the people what they wanted.
Nothing else.
I splashed my face with cold water.
Did I want a real wedding someday—one that wasn’t rushed through the courthouse with a baby brewing in my belly with my parents breathing down my neck, cutting the engagement I was trying to get out of short and sealing my fate for life?
Maybe when I was younger.
But I had no time for that now.
I turned off the water and reached for the towel, feeling it in Ember’s outstretched hand.
“I’m fine with letting Malachy make all the plans,” I said into the cloth so she wouldn’t be able to read the truth on my face.
“Hear, hear!” Riley cheered from the other room.
Ember sighed. “I can’t with you two.”
My smile faded as I looked at my reflection in the mirror, leaning closer so I could see. “What is that?”
“What is what?” Ember shrieked, matching my horrified tone.
