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I s to believe h and s up andin a palace

But this is Alexei He knows I never was a typical little girl

"Princess Ann did it--when she was a girl She and ht that Ann was the heir, so sheto marry the prince"

"You don’t even know hi, but Eto move into the palace for now The official story will be that Ann waswith her And then the prince and I will get to know each other, and in time, I’m sure--"

"Do you think I care about time?" Alexei shouts, but I want to tell hi out of it, after all

"Gracie, you don’t have to do this Jaain, but this ti to Maybe Alexei realizes that if he were to squeeze ain

"Maybe I want this," I tell him "Did you consider that?"

For the first tiht be true

"Do you?"

"It’s"I was born to be a princess"

Alexei laughs now A cold, cruel sound "You could have fooled me"

I talk on "Really, there’s no reason not to do it"

I’ve done things--terrible things for which I will never, ever be forgiven But this is the first time I’ve been intentionally cruel I see the words hit hi and stoic as he is, he actually stuaze on ed or replaced I’m not Gracie, Jairl next door I’ closer and closer to for weeks now

I a to have to stay that way

"I can think of a reason" Alexei’s arainst mine It’s not like the kisses that we’ve shared before This is stronger, deeper This is a kiss that is going to have to last us both a lifeti that we both know about this kiss is simple: It’s probably our last one