The Big A.S.S. Party (Zodiac Academy, #5.5)

by Caroline Peckham

"Fate is a funny friend and a heartless enemy,"

"When he gets out in twenty years, I'll punch him in the face," Seth offered. "He fucking hates me so it'd be extra humiliating." Darcy breathed a laugh. "When he gets out in twenty years, I'll punch him in the face myself." She tried to joke but oh her eyes were lacking light and it broke me into a million tiny pieces.

Darcy's cake had flowing blue hair and each layer was swathed in yellow just like the dress she wore now. Tory's was the same but her hair was dark and I had even fashioned the ruby necklace around her throat from frosting.

"If you're barnacle enough then come and follow me and show me how well your haddock can do the ocean jive." "I dunno what the fuck that means, but I'm in,"

"I'm gonna blow your cockles off, Gerry." "Damn you, you sexy sea urchin. Why don't you button your succulent lips and show me what your sea cucumber can do."

Strudel me! Strudel me!" "Am I strudelling?" Max panted

Tory groaned softly as the image of her face faded from the sky and Darius grinned at her with enough heat to light a forest fire. It was a fucking travesty that they couldn't be together, but it made me realise that I couldn't keep letting this thing between me and Geraldine hang in this undefined limbo. I wanted her to be mine. All mine. Officially. And I was going to do what it took to confirm that.

"Thank you for a wonderful party, Geraldine," Darcy said warmly, offering up a smile as my girl beamed with pride. "Yeah," Tory agreed. "I can honestly say that this is the best birthday party we've ever had." "Oh great gooseberries, now I'm going to salt my cheeks like a fisherwoman in a storm," Gerry gasped,

"It is, but that still means it's the best by default. Besides, maybe I'd think it was even if I’d had fancy ass princess parties my whole life. Who knows?" "Let me walk you back to the House," Darius offered

"Thanks for inviting me to your party, Gerry," I murmured as we walked and she snuggled close to me, laying her head on my chest as she smiled. "Thank you for coming, you luscious lobster."

So our love could never last." "Why not?" "It's who we are. You will always fight for the throne which isn't destined to be yours and I will back my ladies to the bitter end. And once they sit upon their throne and claim their crowns, I shall be their most devoted of subjects. Even if they agree to allow you to sit on the Celestial Council beneath them in the ways of old, you will never forget that you want what they own and that I was on the other side of that war."

"I swear to keep it secret until you're ready to tell others." Magic clapped between our palms to seal the deal between us and I waited to hear this big fucking secret. "I have recently agreed to partake in a formal marriage arrangement," Geraldine breathed. "Our parents arranged it from the point of view of an advantageous political match and because we are both powerful Fae likely to produce powerful heirs when we procreate-"

"But the real world waits for no Fae and I know exactly the life I wish to lead, serving my ladies. I will only be better prepared to ensure their strength with an equally dedicated husband by my side, steadfast and true." "Who is it?" I snarled, meaning to break his fucking neck. "Justin," she murmured.

"What about love?" She laughed this sad and derisive sound, shaking her head. "I'm not fool enough to look for love. What our Kingdom needs right now is strength and unity. It has nothing to do with love. It's about power, position, strength, all the things that being Fae mean. You should know enough about that - I know that your parents were a political match." "Which is exactly why I know I'd never agree to one myself!" I roared,

"I'm not going to stop trying to change your mind," I warned her. "So change your allegiance, if you really want me more than anything else," she challenged. "Throw your support behind the crown, bend the knee to the Vegas and accept them as your right and powerful rulers."

OMG

I nodded once, biting my tongue on screaming about how fucked up everything she'd just said was. "So give me that time," I said. "Two years. Two years of you and me to fuck and fight and fall in love and be all the things we won't be able to be once you walk down that aisle. Give me that time to try and convince you that that life isn't what you really want. We don't ever have to talk politics, we don't even have to tell anyone if you don't want to. Just let it be me and you, at least for a little while."

Either that or I was setting myself up to have my heart ripped from my chest and crushed before my eyes. But she was worth the risk. So I was going to take it.