Page 178 of Lethal King

“Go ahead then, make my night,” I nod, a familiar sense of comfort and warmth seeping back in through my pity and anger and dread.

“The crown wasn’t enough to make your night?” Rozalia pokes.

“Don’t spoil the moment, angel.”

“Fine,” she smiles. “But you better keep the food coming.”

Lifting my hand in the air, I gesture toward the server waiting in the corner. He takes my cue and storms back into the kitchen.

“Done. Now, hit me with your best shot.”

“I’m already regretting this,” Rozalia mumbles, hesitating to continue.

“Hey, this was your idea.”

Her pretty smile falters and my heart drops along with her lips.

“I’m guessing Gabriel has already told you plenty about my past,” she starts, her voice lowering. “About the small village I grew up in. About how it was destroyed. About how I lost my parents, and my freedom. About how I was almost forced to marry the monster who did it all to me…”

“He did,” I quietly confess, remembering how much more human it had made her seem. How much more fragile and tender. Back then, she was only the Black Cat to me.

Now, she’s Roz.

“And he told you how Drago saved me from that nightmare?”

“Yes,” I nod. “It helped explain your loyalty to him.”

“I was far too loyal to that man for far too long,” Rozalia snarls, but even that snarl slowly fades. “I won’t let myself make that mistake again…”

“Drago doesn’t deserve any of you,” I hear myself say.

But I don’t think Rozalia hears me.

She’s too lost in her past.

“Gabriel knows all about that,” she whispers. “So does Tytus. They know what I lost as a child. But no one knows about my final loss… about the friend I had to chase away…”

I keep my mouth shut as a new round of appetizers appear from the kitchen.

The waiting staff silently places them around my crown as we wait for them to leave.

When they’re gone, I urge Rozalia to continue.

“I’m listening, angel. Who was this friend?”

“Willow…”

Roz’s voice is so quiet that it’s barely more than a squeak.

“Who is Willow?” I ask, leaning forward to hear her better. I’m completely invested.

What pain is my fallen angel hiding inside?

“Willow was my only friend,” she says. “My first friend, and my last. She came whenever I called, but she didn’t need me. So I pushed her away. It was the only way to save her…”

Reaching across the table, I gesture for Rozalia to give me her hand. To my surprise, she does just that.

Her warm skin curls into my palm as she continues to remember.