Sage

The worst sense of helplessness seeps into my veins when Everly's eyes meet mine, and she realizes who I am.

“I'm sorry,” I mouth to her and get nothing but a blank stare in return.

Two officers race off after we're apprehended while the other two walk to the front of where we stand.

“Does one of you want to tell me what the hell is going on here?” an officer asks sternly while shining a light in our faces. I watch as the shock of who he has in handcuffs moves through his body and displays noticeably on his face. “Prince Sage?”

“Yes, sir,” I say, standing tall, ready to accept my punishment.

“What in the world?” he states to himself rather than in question.

“We were just trying to have our last few nights of fun,” I try to defend our actions. “We meant no harm.”

Sirens reverberate around us, breaking the tension and shock of the situation, but it doesn't last long. Smoke billows up in the night sky with even more flames reaching into the air.

I drop my head to my chest, shaking it slightly as I whisper, “Fuck,” under my breath.

We all look at each other, knowing there's nothing we can do—we're in a shit load of trouble.

The most being me, though.

* * *

The fire blazed until it was out of control, threatening the stadium. If I thought I was in shit before, it was nothing compared to the issues I now face. While we sat in handcuffs, I wracked my brain to figure a way out of the mess I caused, but when the news crews showed up, I was screwed. My only concern now is making sure I am the only one to blame. I must protect Everly, Logan and Joey at all costs.

The cops let us go, but in some ways, I wish they had kept me. Dealing with the wrath of my father would have been easier from behind bars.

We hop on my bike as I drive us back to the club, where her car is parked. The awkward silence is overwhelming as we stare at each other once we arrive. After a minute, she turns to walk to her car without saying a word.

My heart pounds out of my chest, but I can’t let her leave like this. It’s bad enough I’m already completely and utterly guilt-ridden about the fire. I can’t have her hating me too.

I reach for her arm, stopping her in her tracks and whisper, “I'm sorry.”

She tries to blow me off, waving her hand and saying, “It’s okay,” but I know it’s not.

“Please, let me explain.”

She turns to leave again but stops short. “Why? Why did you hide who you are? Why did you do all of this tonight?”

My eyes melt into her when I confess, “I had to know who you are without the stigma of who I am. I wanted to know the real you, not someone you were pretending to be.”

“So you wanted to know the real me by deceiving me? Now who’s pretending?” She places her hands on her hips and I swear it’s the sexist thing I’ve ever seen. No one’s ever stood up to me like this.

I wrap my hand around hers, bringing her to me. “I know what I feel for you is real.”

I crash my lips against hers, holding on to her hips tightly, keeping her pressed against me. For a second she gives in, sweeping her tongue with mine and getting as swept away in the moment as I am, but it’s short lived.

She pulls herself out of my grip, and I reluctantly let her go. Without looking back, she continues on her way to her car, leaving me to sit alone.

Frustrated and afraid I really screwed things up, I pound my fist on the bike and hop on. Not wanting to make things worse, I wait to make sure she drives off safely and head back to the palace.

Gritting my teeth, I knock on the door to my father’s study, ready to face the music.

“You may enter,” he booms from behind the only thing standing between my fate and me.

I don't speak when I open the door. Instead, I stand in silence as my mother and he watch the news station broadcasting live from the fire. It's grown even more since we were released, able to drive away but with impending charges still to come, thankfully, only for me though. I guess being a Prince does have some perks, and they agreed to let my friends and Everly go with our consequences to come later.

If I were anyone else, we would have been hauled off to jail, but they let us go—only releasing us to save my family from embarrassment. I wished they could have come to this conclusion before the news crews showed up.

Now, I stare at myself on the television, along with my two best friends and hopefully the next queen of our country, all detained with our hands cuffed behind our backs.

My father finally hears enough and clicks the remote to turn off the television. He spins in his chair to face me, and for the first time in my life, I actually fear the man who gave me my last name. I’ve felt his wrath before and have always stood my ground, but even I know this is different. I stand up straighter, ready to accept responsibilities like a man.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” he growls.

“It was a mistake. We didn't know there were fifty-foot fireworks in the bag.”

“And that makes a difference how? All fireworks are illegal for this reason.” His voice gets stronger with each word.

“I know, but that's why we were at the stadium, their grass is watered—”

“That's the other issue we have. You broke into the stadium? You are the prince. You will be king one day. How do you expect your country to look up to you when you behave this way?”

“I don't want to be king,” I fight back for the millionth time.

“That is your duty to your country. You will grow up and become the king. You have already chosen a wife to be your queen. Why in the world were you with this other girl tonight?”

“Well, that’s the funny part in all of this.” I laugh only to be given the glare of death, making me stand a little taller instantly. “I don’t want Marie. I’ve told you that. I’ve made up my mind. I want Everly, and that’s who I was with tonight.” I wait, letting her name sink in.

My mom puts it together first. “Everly?” she asks in disbelief.

“The one and only.” I smirk, loving the fact that this started with them introducing me to her, and the entire reason I'm in this mess. Well, okay, not the entire reason, but I planned the whole night to put her through my test. And, fuck me, she passed with flying colors.

The mere fact that they will deny her becoming my wife now makes me want her that much more.

“Everly is the Stanley girl, yes?” Dad asks.

Mom nods, and I have to fight the laugh I'm holding in.

“I told you no, she won't do,” he says sternly while pounding his fist on the desk in front of him.

“Oh no. These are your rules. She has a birthright just as much as I do. You've stated over and over again that we can't change the rules just because we don't like them.”

The glare in his eye is the exact reaction I want to see. It's the same gut wrenching frustration I've lived with most of my life, and I love the fact that it's coming back to bite him in the ass.

“Tonight was nothing more than me trying to follow your rules. If you're going to force me to marry, then I'm going to make sure she is someone I can envision myself loving.” I turn and stalk out of his office, leaving them stunned, I'm sure.

“Sage, I forbid it! Marie will be your wife,” he states like it’s a fact.

“Nope, I’m going to stick with this one,” I offer as I walk out.

“What about this fire?” he yells.

I stop, turning around just before the door closes. “That, I will take responsibility for. I messed up—big time. I know it, and I will make it right.”

I hear him question my mother, “How could your son act so recklessly?”

I’m sorry she has to put up with his rant, but I had to get out of there. There was no more to be said, and I have more important things to deal with than his anger. Like figuring out how to get Everly to talk to me again.