“We’re concerned,” I say simply.
“I know.” She moves to the center of the room, commanding our attention without effort. “And I appreciate it. I really do. But this is new territory for all of us.”
“That’s putting it mildly.” Soren pours himself a glass of whiskey from the decanter on his table.
Rose’s eyes fall on Sebastian’s diary. “What’s that?”
“Sebastian’s personal accounts,” I explain. “Your ancestor Abigail’s lover.”
Her eyes widen. “Lover?”
“And the father of the child she was carrying when she made the deal with the Crescent Moon Coven,” Drake adds gently.
Rose sinks onto the arm of the sofa. “I didn’t know that part.” She reaches for the diary, and I push it toward her. “Does Ash know?”
“I would assume so,” I say. “It explains a great deal about his interest in you.”
Her head snaps up. “You think that’s all it is? Some twisted sense of reclaiming what his family lost?”
“It’s a possibility we can’t ignore,” I say carefully.
“I know Ash better than any of you. Yes, he’s driven by ambition and revenge. Yes, he’s complicated and dangerous. But last night wasn’t about revenge, or power, or old feuds.”
“What was it about, then?” Drake’s voice gentle but strained.
Rose looks at each of us in turn. “Connection. The same thing that draws me to each of you, in different ways. I don’t expect you to understand it. Hell, I barely understand it myself. But I can’t deny what I feel.”
“And what is that, exactly?” I ask.
“Something I can’t ignore anymore.” She stands straighter now, more certain. “Look, I’m not asking for your approval. But Ash is part of this now. A complicated, maddening part, but still part of it.”
The three of us exchange glances. Whatever reservations we might have, Rose has made her position clear.
“This changes things,” Drake says quietly.
“Everything changes,” Rose responds. “That’s how life works. But the one constant is that I care about all of you. That doesn’t change just because Ash is in the picture now.”
Soren is the first to break the tension. “I, for one, am feeling rather progressive about this whole arrangement. The more the merrier, and all that.”
Rose rolls her eyes, but it’s with a smile. “
She turns to me, her expression sobering. “Lucien? You’ve been quiet.”
“I have existed for centuries, Rose. I’ve learned when to pick my battles.” I meet her gaze directly. “I don’t trust him. That won’t change overnight. But I trust you.”
Relief washes over her face. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mistake acceptance for enthusiasm,” I caution.
“Never,” she says with a small smile.
Drake moves to Rose’s side, taking her hand. “We just want you safe.”
“I know,” she says softly. “And I am. Safer than I’ve been since I got here, actually. Ash is teaching me to defend myself in ways none of you can.”
The truth of this statement stings, but I cannot deny it. For all his faults, Ash understands Rose’s magic in ways we do not.
Rose glances at her watch. “I should go. I have class in ten minutes.” She hesitates, then adds, “We’re all still on for dinner tonight, right? In the private dining room?”
