ia '

lan w

ithout it

I say it-disbelief. His brows furrowed, his lips tightened, and those icy blue eyes bored into me like I was

purpose. I wore this ridiculous outfit-a mix between clown chic and chaotic rebellion-on pur

here he was, sitting at a perfectly polished table in a private restaurant that he pro

mble that sent shivers down my spine-annoyanc

g into the seat across from him with all t

rted, probably to deliver some smug

?" I leaned back, crossing my arms like this

in every ridiculous detail of my

e?" His voice was calm, b

igning nonchal

, his chair scraping against the floor as

said, rolling my eyes. "We both

o, but because he was intrigued-or maybe just t

," he demanded, h

t-I don't want this marriage. I didn't ask for it. I don't need it. My parents may th

he asked, leaning forwa

willing to st

icism plastered across h

families, and then, after a predetermined time-say, two years-we get di

sprouted a second head. Then,

eep laugh that echoed through the empty restaurant a

napped, leaning forwar

rner of his eye. "You march in here, looking like you

said, my

e me want to slap it off his face. "And why, pra

on't want this any more than I do. This way, you get to keep you

n me as if he were weighing his options. "And what mak

shot back. "And because, deep down, yo

us. The only sound was the faint hum

smile that made my stomach flip

e laced with sarcasm. "You've piqued my i

e that, the

on, a single thought crossed my mind,