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“So what else is going on with you?” I take a quick sip of my piping hot latte as I glance up at my friend.
“Don’t tell Nico because Dante will probably kill me for spilling, but I think Luca and Stella might finally come home.”
“No way…”
She nods. “If everything is really settled between the Kings and Geminis and the Red Dragons and etcetera, etcetera, then there’s no reason for them to stay away anymore.” She leans closer and lowers her voice. “You think Nico will really stick to his word?”
I pause for a moment, understanding how important the next few words are. I know how much Rose loves her best friend, and if I make a bad judgement call and Nico goes back on his word, it would be my fault. But I trust Nico… with all my heart. “I do.”
“Good.” A beaming smile flashes across her face, and she takes a big sip of her latte. “You are going to love Stella. She’s the best. And who knows, maybe we’ll all be sisters-in-law before long.” Rose shoots me a wink.
Heat rushes up my neck and washes across my cheeks. “I just got divorced, Rose. I’m in no hurry to tie myself down just yet.” Even as I say the words I can hear how hollow they sound. As insane as it is, I can see myself with Nico for the rest of my life. Not to mention the fact that I’m certain he’d never let me go.
“We’ll see about that.” Rose takes another sip and groans. “Mmm, this is so fucking good.”
A laugh tumbles out as I watch my friend licking the whipped cream from her upper lip.
The sharp ring of Rose’s phone has me nearly jumping out of my skin. I guess I am still a little on edge. Glancing over at the guys’ table, luckily, no one notices my freak out.
Rose scans the screen and mutters a curse. “Dammit, it’s like Dante knows I’m cheating on his healthy shit! He was supposed to be busy with the Red Dragons all morning.” She takes another quick sip before answering. “Hey D, what’s up?” Her gaze lifts to mine before falling to her coffee cup again. “Yeah, I’m with her.”
I watch Rose’s expression as it morphs, the corners of her lips falling, the sparkle in her eye dimming.
What the heck is going on?
“Mmhmm. Okay, thanks for letting me know, babe. I love you.” Rose pockets the phone, and her weary eyes meet mine.
“What’s going on?” I blurt.
She snags her bottom lip between her teeth, indecision warring in her gaze.
My pulse ratchets up, and a whisper of fear re-kindles in my gut. “What did Dante say? Did something happen to Nico?”
Rose shakes her head. “I—I just don’t know what to say…”
“Is Nico okay?” Panic laces my tone as I stare at my friend, willing her to speak.
“Yeah, I mean, I think so.” She eyes the table of guards over my shoulder and reaches for my hand. “Bathroom break?”
My head bounces up and down. I call out to Marco over my shoulder, and he nods, barely sparing me a glance as I follow Rose to the restrooms in the back.
Rose drags me into the ladies’ room and locks the door behind us. Luckily, they’re the single person private ones.
“What’s going on?” I repeat, my voice nearly at the point of hysterics now.
“Okay, listen, before I tell you this, you need to promise not to freak out. It might not even be true…”
I grab Rose’s hands and shake her. “Just tell me!”
“Dante was at a meeting with the Red Dragons and Feng told him he heard that Nico was engaged to the sister of the Four Seas’ leader.”
“What?” I shriek.
“Dante doesn’t know if it’s true or not, but he figured you’d want to know…”
“It can’t be.” My thoughts whirl back in time to whispered conversations, and panic unfurls. “What’s his name?”
“Who?”
