“I know he loves you.”
“What?” I squeaked, my gaze shooting back to his.
“He spoke to Fabian before we got here. I don’t know exactly what he said, but Fabian knows his brother.” Tink lightly touched my arm. “He also told Fabian what he did.”
There could be several things that Caden might’ve told him.
“He ended his engagement.”
I closed my eyes. Why did it have to be that?
“I honestly thought that when I got here, I’d find you with him. So, color me surprised when he told us you were out in the courtyard by yourself.”
My eyes opened as my lips pursed. I couldn’t say that I was shocked that Caden knew exactly where I was.
“And here you are, acting like nothing’s going on when the motherfucking King of the Summer Court is in love with you.” He tapped my arm again. “I know you like him. You like him a lot, and you were hurt when he pushed you away.”
“Things have…they’ve changed. I’ve been through a lot,” I said, hating that I was using what’d happened to me as an excuse.
“Bri, you’ve been through a lot. But, girl, you’d already been through a lot. You’re a fighter. You’re a survivor,” he said, and my gaze lifted to his. “What you’ve gone through is terrible. But I don’t think it sucked out your ability to love and the ability to recognize the feeling. Or your common sense.”
“My common sense?”
“Yes. Your common sense seems to have taken a vacation,” he said, and my brows lifted. “You have the love and devotion of a King. Granted, he’s not human, but who in their right mind would swipe left on him?”
“That’s the problem, Tink. He’s the King.”
“So? That should fall under the pro category,” he reasoned.
I stared at him. “Do you know what will happen if he doesn’t choose a Queen from his people? I know you do. That’s why you got all quiet and weird after you saw him kiss me. That’s why you tried to get me to understand that he had reasons for pushing me away.”
“You’re right, but he still chose you. He chose you over his Court, over—”
“And you know what that means.” I couldn’t hear how he chose me. That wasn’t helping. “You know what will happen.”
“Is that why you’re saying things are different now?”
“Why else would I say it?” I admitted, shoulders slumping.
His gaze roamed over me, and his chest rose with a heavy breath. “You love him, right?”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“It’s the only thing that matters,” he responded. “Despite what and who he is, you still fell in love with him. Is that not true?”
I wanted to be able to say no, and maybe that would be the right thing to do. I needed to get better at saying it because perhaps then I’d believe it. But I couldn’t lie to Tink. “Yes,” I whispered. “But you can’t tell him that.”
He arched a brow. “You think he doesn’t already know?”
“It doesn’t matter what he knows or thinks. He needs a Queen, and the last thing he or I need is for someone to confirm how I feel.”
“You mean confirm what he already knows.” Tink looked out over the darkened courtyard while I debated punching him, but since I’d just told him he couldn’t punch Ivy, I couldn’t turn around and do it to him. “I know what could happen. Sure, the Court would weaken, and they’d be without a King, but that doesn’t mean fae will start dropping dead everywhere.” He sat back against the thick, cream-colored cushion. “It doesn’t mean that the King will become so weakened that he can’t defend himself. It doesn’t mean that you should both sacrifice what you deserve. Love is more important.”
“You really believe that? That Caden and I being together is more important than the survival of the fae? Of the human race and our—?” I cut myself off as my stomach dropped.
His eyes shot to mine. “And what?”
“Nothing.”
“Liar. What were you going to say?”
Shaking my head, I looked away. “It’s nothing, Tink.”
He was quiet for a moment. “What are you not telling me?”
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” I threw up my hands in frustration. Okay. Only he and Caden had said that, but whatever.
“Maybe because there’s obviously something you’re not sharing.” There was a pause. “I’m offended.”
“Are you now?”
“Yes. I’m Tink. We’re roomies. We have joint custody of Dixon.”
My brows puckered. “We do not have joint custody of your cat.”
“Not true. He sleeps in your bed. That means we have joint custody whether you’re aware of it or not,” he said. “And you’re keeping something from me. You’re not telling me the truth, and I’ve just spent weeks with everyone keeping the truth from me. I expected better from you.”
My mouth dropped open as I stared at him. A trickle of guilt crept into me, which I was sure he’d intended. “That is so manipulative.”
“Is it working?”
A short laugh escaped me as my gaze traveled to where my arms were folded over my stomach. I opened my mouth and then closed it. The need to confide in Tink—in anyone—hit me hard. It hadn’t even been a day, and I was bursting to tell someone.
And Tink…if he was still living with me in a few months, would know. It would eventually become noticeable. I couldn’t hide it from everyone. I needed someone who knew. I could confide in Ivy, but she was prone to outbursts, and there was her own messy history with Caden.
Lifting my hands, I scrubbed them down my face, covering my mouth. “If I tell you this, you have to promise me you won’t say anything.”
“I promise,” he agreed quickly.
“I mean it, Tink. You’re going to want to say something, but you can’t repeat this. Not to Fabian or Ivy or even Dixon.”
“What in the hell would Dixon do? He’s a cat.”
“I don’t care.” Lowering my hands, I looked at him. “You can’t repeat this. If you do, I will…” I searched for the worst possible thing that could happen to Tink. “I will find a way to blacklist you from Amazon, and until then, I will throw every single one of your packages in the garbage. I will cancel your orders. I’ll discontinue the internet.”
His eyes widened as he pressed his hand to his chest. “That’s harsh.”
“I know.” I held his gaze. “Do you still want to know?”
Tink tilted his head. “I can keep a secret, Bri. You have no idea how many secrets I already keep. I’m practically the keeper of secrets. You all don’t even know my real name.”
I frowned. “What is your real name?”
He smirked.
“Does Fabian know?”
“Nope.”
“For real?”
“For reals.”
I was kind of surprised that he hadn’t told Fabian. There was power in knowing a fae’s true name. I nibbled on my lip and then it sort of just spilled out of me. Two simple words that were incredibly life-altering. “I’m pregnant.”