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"But don't tell Coulter, or anyone," she glanced at Dante, who was still studiously ignoring us, "we haven't told anyone yet."
I made an 'x' over my heart with my finger, nodding. "I swear I won't tell."
She smiled, staring at me, and I couldn't help but smile back.
Her happiness was catching.
Then her smile softened. "Are you okay?"
I pulled in a deep breath. “I’m fine. Considering."
"How is Coulter treating you?"
"Well, he's an ass but what can I say?"
She rolled her eyes. "Of course he's an ass, but he's not hurting you, right?"
“Do you think he would?"
She shook her head, thinking. "No. I would say never, except..." she shook her head, thinking, "except he's different now. Than before.” She shook her head again, brushing off the thought. "Look, that doesn't matter, I have something to tell you."
She hesitated, glancing at the door. Then she leaned in, once again whispering against my ear. "Bourbon and I have arranged a way for you to escape from the wedding reception.”
I pulled back, my eyes wide, and whisper yelled, "What?"
She nodded. "But you can't tell anyone. Not Coulter, not Knight, no one."
"They don't know?"
She shook her head. "No one, except me, Bourbon, and a guy named Torian. During the reception, Torian's going to sneak you out."
"I'm not leaving you, Rose. Why can't you come with me?"
She laughed darkly. "Nero's eyes won't leave me for a minute. Plus, it's too public. But," she put her hand on my arm and squeezed it softly, "don't worry about me. I'm happy, I promise."
I met her eyes, knowing that she was speaking the truth. "Are you sure?"
She nodded, confident. "Yes. Really, Aster. I'm happy. And when this is all over, I'm going to come see you. I promise."
I inhaled a deep breath. "You swear it?"
"Of course," her face turned serious, "but you have to swear to me that you won't tell a soul."
"Not even Coulter?"
“Not even him. It won’t work if he knows, it has to be a surprise.”
Guilt strummed through me. I was willing to admit, only to myself, of course, that I was beginning to have an itsy, teensy, trickling, of feelings for him. Not enough, though, to not want to escape.
But, if things were different, if our worlds were different, things might could work between us.
I had to shut down those feelings.
There was no changing where Coulter came from, no fixing the differences between us.
And yet, still, for some dumb reason, I felt guilty for promising to keep this secret from him.
It was ridiculous. They were keeping me prisoner, for hells sake, but still.
