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Summer

C onnor’s body vibrates with tension, but he remains silent until we are in the bathroom. He sets me on my feet and makes sure I am steady before he asks, “Why do I need to stay home?”

I strip off my clothes, cringing as the blood-soaked material peels away from my skin and then again when it lands on the ground with a heavy, wet thud. I knew I was covered in Alice’s blood, but I had no real idea how covered I was. No wonder people were staring as I walked to the Morningstar House. For some reason, I didn’t react as viscerally to Alice’s blood against my skin as the fae girl’s. I think because, at first, I was lost to my devastation, and then after, I was lost to my relief. I am exhausted, but the emotions are still swirling angrily inside me. There is no doubt that I am going to crash soon.

“The Headmaster is going to glamor himself as you,” I say weakly, stepping into the shower and turning it on. I adjust the temperature and groan when scalding hot water sluices over my skin.

Connor leans against the counter. “What? Why?” he asks, watching me.

“To keep you safe and to watch what’s going on.”

Connor shakes his head, and I can see he’s struggling with this. “I can protect you. It should be me.”

I tilt my head back, scrubbing the dried blood from my face before looking at him over my shoulder. “No. You stay home. Protect Alice.”

Connor growls, and I think it’s the first time I’ve heard that sound come from him. He undresses and steps into the shower behind me. “Summer.”

I turn to face him, and he wraps his arms around me. “I need you to protect Alice. For me.” My voice cracks with emotion. I know I’m asking a lot from him, but I need him and Alice safe.

Connor presses his forehead to mine. “And I need to protect you.”

I close my eyes and lean into him. “The headmaster isn’t won’t let anything happen to me, big guy.” I open my eyes and meet his gaze. “You are the only person I trust to look after Al,” I whisper, my chest still aching from the loss of her, however brief.

Connor tightens his arms around me, nearly crushing me. “But you’re my fiancée.”

I place my hand on his chest, over his heart, his wonderful, kind, perfect heart. “I need you alive, Con.” My voice breaks again, a tear sliding down my cheek. “I need Alice alive.” My mind eagerly provides the image of Alice lying in a pool of her own blood, making me wince. “Seeing Alice like that today.” I choke down a sob. “I need you both alive.”

Connor cups the back of my head and presses my face against his neck. “I’m here, babe. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

I whimper and pull back, looking up at him. His eyes are still bright with worry. I lean against him, letting him take my weight, and kiss him deeply. Connor groans, and even in that sound of pleasure, I can hear the pain in his voice. His care and concern are in his every touch, in how he clings to me, holding me to his body.

I wrap my arms around his neck and deepen the kiss, tears flowing freely as I tangle my fingers in his hair. “I’m not going anywhere,” Connor whispers, pressing my back to the shower wall and bracing a hand above my head. He drags his lips along my jaw and down my neck. “We’re forever,” he murmurs against my pulse. He slides his hand down my side and over my hip, looping his forearm under my ass. His biceps bulge, but he picks me up easily. I whimper and tilt my head for him, wrapping my legs around his waist.

Connor is so close we are sharing breath, his gaze locked with mine. “You’re going to be Summer Morningstar,” he says as he shifts his hips and slowly pushes inside me. I tighten my fingers in his hair. “My wife. My love. My everything,” he moans as he starts to move. “I love you, Summer.”

I gasp as Connor fills me, claiming me. Tears still trail down my cheeks, but I can’t look away from Connor. “I love you,” I whisper breathlessly.

Connor’s steady thrusts turn erratic, and I can feel his panic. I pull his head back to mine, our lips colliding in desperation. Steam roils and swirls around us, the hot water slicking our bodies.

Connor digs his fingers into my ass and pulls my hips toward him as he slams hard into me, and we both moan at the feeling. My core coils, my orgasm within reach. Connor’s groan is deep and guttural, his thrusts turning nearly savage. His teeth clash with mine as he claims my mouth. All signs of my careful, sweet lover are gone. I scream into the kiss and explode around him. My pussy clenches almost painfully around his cock, squeezing his release from him. Connor’s shout is only slightly muffled, and I feel the deep, aching throb before the heat of his release fills me.

His hips slow, our ragged breaths interspersed with moans as aftershocks ripple through us. I pull back and look at Connor, and he tenderly cups my cheek. I cover his hand with my own and close my eyes.

“Everything is going to be okay,” Connor says, kissing me again. This one is so tender it brings tears to my eyes. Wrapped in his love, I start to feel more at ease.

“Summer! The headmaster is here!” Alice calls from downstairs. Connor groans, his cock still buried inside me.

“I need to get dressed, big guy,” I say, kissing his shoulder. He grunts again but rolls off me. I climb out of bed and pull my uniform from his closet. Not enjoying the walk of shame when I started sleeping over unexpectedly, I had started leaving some spares here.

Connor sighs and lounges on his bed, watching me as I slip on my underwear. “It’s weird not to get dressed with you.”

My lips twitch, and I wiggle my skirt over my hips, fastening it at the waistband. “I know, but you get to stay in bed a while longer.”

Connor moves one of his hands behind his head, looking like the picture of male satisfaction. I’m not sure if I’ve ever had as much sex as we did last night, but I had a lot of trauma to work through. Given that I only initiated it a couple of times and the rest was Con, he did, too. We’d barely slept, and I admit I was thankful for that. I know I’m just delaying the inevitable. The nightmares won’t be denied, but at least I didn’t have to deal with them last night when it was all so fresh.

I pull my shirt on and tuck it in. “You going to miss me today?”

Connor nods. “So much.”

I pull on my blazer and then look at my heels. “I might just wear my flats today. Don’t need my heels to kiss you.”

Connor sits up. His expression is careful, but I can see possessiveness edging into his eyes. “You need to act normal, babe.”

I purse my lips, thinking. “Yeah, but I also need to act like my best friend has just been brutally murdered.” I glance at him. “Should I even be going in today?”

Connor tilts his head. “You know I want to answer no to that, but the headmaster is right. We’re on the clock. Alice can’t pretend to be dead for long.”

“You are both right. Okay, big guy. I’ll see you later,” I say, pushing my feet into my heels and giving him a quick kiss.

“Be safe, babe.”

I wink at him and leave his room. The headmaster is standing in the living room, and Alice is talking incessantly at him about her ruined shirt. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone look so miserable. He locks eyes with me and lifts his chin as I descend the stairs. “Are you prepared?” he asks, cutting Alice off.

I nod, holding his gaze.

“You need to sell Alice being dead,” he says.

“I have done my makeup to look like I was crying all night,” I say, stating the obvious since he didn’t seem to notice.

Alice sighs and walks toward the stairs, stopping to squeeze me tight before heading to Zach’s room.

“Is this what a grieving person wears?” the headmaster asks, assessing my outfit.

“This is the uniform, sir,” I say dryly.

“Hmm,” he says, sucking a tooth grumpily. It seems the headmaster is having a bit of a rough morning. He stares at me a moment longer but finally sighs and closes his eyes. I watch as the glamour takes shape, and Connor appears before me. His eyes snap open, and he pulls Connor’s face into a sympathetic smile. “Ready, babe?” he asks in Connor’s voice, and I nod.

As we leave, the headmaster walks without touching me. I look around, and when I see we’re alone, I move closer to him. “Sir, if you’re going to convince people you’re Connor, you need to look like you actually like me.” He frowns at me in confusion. Inwardly, I roll my eyes that we didn’t prepare him better. I sigh and take his hand, guiding it around my waist. We walk onto the bustling quad just as he pulls me into his side. Everyone seems to go silent as we pass, and I look down at the ground, playing the grieving friend.

“Coffee, babe?” the headmaster asks, and I nod sadly.

He orders for us, casually just asking for the usual . The barista makes our coffees and passes them to us. The headmaster takes a sip and flinches. I fight back a smile at his grimace, the coffee obviously too sweet for him.

The headmaster pulls me against him as we walk toward my first class. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay home, babe?” he asks. His voice, while soft, carries through the unnatural quiet. Everyone is either silent as we pass or whispering to one another. Their stares slide over me, the pity making my skin crawl. As time has passed here at Avalon, people have stared less and less. It’s been a luxury, but now that I’m once again the object of everyone’s prying attention, I want to retreat back into myself.

We stop at the door to my first class, and he braces his hands on my shoulders, looking at me. It’s Connor’s eyes looking down at me, but it’s the headmaster’s stare. “We can leave right now if you want.”

I swallow, resisting the urge to scream. Yes, I want to go home. I want to be with Connor and Alice. I don’t want to be observed like a zoo animal, but I’m doing this for them, to protect them.

I nod and smile weakly up at him. “I’m okay, big guy.”

The headmaster squeezes my arms and presses a kiss to my forehead. He waits for me to step inside the classroom before striding down the hall. I sit in my usual spot and glance at Alice’s empty seat next to me. The sadness that overwhelms me is real.

The morning passes painfully slowly, and while I’m the object of everyone’s stares and whispers, no one talks to me. I’m not sure if they simply don’t know what to say or are afraid of me. But as I walk to the canteen, I’m excited to see the Morningstars, eager to be with people who won’t just gape at me.

As if my eyes are drawn to him, Connor is the first thing I see when I walk into the cafeteria. At that moment, I only see Connor, my gentle-giant big guy. I run to him and throw myself against his chest. He catches me, his arms wrapping around me, but it’s not Connor’s tender touch. It’s the rough one of the headmaster. I tense, wanting to let go, but at the same time, I know this looks good in terms of playing the part. More than anything, though, I long to be held, to shelter against his body and allow him to block me from all the stares.

“Come on, babe. Let’s go home for lunch,” he says. He carries me out of the canteen, but we don’t return to the Morningstars. When we’re out of sight, I feel the magic shift as he opens a portal at my back. I lift my head from his neck and disentangle myself from him. We are in his office, but I have never seen the couch he sets me down on. He stands and drops the glamour, shrugging it off like an ill-fitting coat.

“How has it been?” he asks, pushing his hands into his pockets.

I shake my head. “Awful. Everyone is just constantly staring at me.”

“I’ve not noticed anyone acting suspicious,” he says thoughtfully.

“I’m sorry for jumping on you, sir. I forgot?—”

The headmaster shrugs and holds up a hand to stop me. “It’s what you would have done with Mister Moringstar.” He paces. “We need to find a plan to draw them out. Observing isn’t enough.”

I curl up in the corner of the couch, resting my head against the arm and watching him pace. He doesn’t say anything, lost in his thoughts. I don’t interrupt him, feeling safe for the first time today. We stay like that until the sounds of students filter in from outside. The headmaster checks the time and replaces his glamor before weaving a portal to the back of the school.

“Ready, Miss Tuatha De Daanan?”

“Remember, you need to pretend like you actually like me,” I repeat, a gentle reminder.

He narrows his eyes. “I’m trying,” he hisses.

I bristle. “Time to be convincing, big guy ,” I snap as we walk through the portal.

The headmaster’s gray eyes flash through Connor’s, and he growls softly, “Are you provoking me, babe ?”

“No.” My cheeks heat, and I look away. The headmaster pulls me against him, gripping me harder than Connor ever would.

“Not very Connor of you,” I whisper.

“Good thing I’m not Connor,” he says, and I can hear him grind his teeth.

I look up at him. “You are right now,” I say, holding his gaze, refusing to back down. I don’t give a fuck if he doesn’t like me. He committed to this plan, so he’s going to fucking help me. I let the irritation and anger simmer in me, grateful to feel anything other than fear and grief.