“I agree, but I just can’t...” He took the sack from her and released a frustrated growl, unable to accept this gift and gain his freedom without hers.
“Stop.” Her ferocious gaze held his. “This is my decision alone. You don’t have a say. I need you to leave now so that when I escape, I can do so immediately without anyone else to worry about.” She looked around at Beast, then turned back and wrung her hands. Her gaze pleaded with him to understand. “If you stay, you’ll wreck my rescue plans.”
Titan shared his thoughts on her words.Truth, but she holds something back.
That brought Bosse’s head up. Why would she hide anything from him at this point? He’d try one more time to take her with him even though he hated spending time searching the castle.
She didn’t belong in this despicable place any more than he did. He pushed again. “What of this other woman? Let me help you find her.”
Pulling her hands apart, she stared at him as if about to shriek at him but kept her voice down. “Youwillhelp me by escaping. I’m hoping the guards will realize you’re gone no sooner than two hours from nowifyou get out of here soon. When that happens, I expect the castle to be in chaos and Krol to send everyone after you. With him distracted as well, I’ll finally get a chance to search the castle more thoroughly. If you’re as fast as I think you are, they’ll be gone half a day or more and come back empty-handed. I hope to use their absence to find my friend and get her out when Krol sends them back out to hunt again.”
Could she really pull that off and stay safe from Krol?
His heart battered his chest. He had to get out of here. Damn this situation.
She paused in her frantic rambling and stared at him as if she could hear his thoughts. “If you don’t go tonight, there is no way I can help you after this. I... don’t want you to die.”
Truthful and humble, to say the least.
Once more, her concern went against all he’d believed since being sold to Krol. Why would this woman care when no one else ever had? He could not drag his feet on deciding to accept her aid. This was not the time to be questioning an unexpected gift.
He cupped her face with his rough hand. “I hate this.”
A sad smile wobbled into place. She breathed out the words, “Just go and be safe.”
“Why do you care what happens to me?”
She glanced away as if answering that question was asking too much. Then her mismatched colored eyes returned to his, along with a feisty attitude he found endearing. “I shouldn’t care since you don’t seem willing to take this gift in the spirit it’s being offered. You must want to stay here.”
Everything about the honorable man he used to be revolted against leaving this woman behind. His angry sigh could bend a tree. “No, I hate this place.”
Those warm fingers covered his arm again.
He managed not to react to the sizzle of energy the touch spawned.
Sounding convinced she would have her way, she moved ahead. “You will also be far faster on your own. Even if we could all leave now, we would only hold you back, and all three of us would die because she and I can’t outrun shifters. Krol sometimes has shifters stay overnight who hunt and bring food to the cook. He will probably send them as well as the guards. With a head start, I hope you can escape those monsters.”
She hadn’t calledhima monster.
Bosse confirmed, “I will leave them in my dust or die fighting. They will not bring me back.”
“Do not die!” she ordered in a fear-laced order.
Why had he never found a female like this when he was free?
Because he had not been allowed near humans.
He placed his hand over hers. “I will do all in my power to live for the simple reason of not disappointing you. When you escape, where will I find you?”
Her eyes widened, and she went silent.
What had he said wrong?
“You would look for me?” She seemed astonished.
“Yes.” He rubbed his thumb over her soft skin. He had to see her again. Was it just to be sure she’d escaped? Of course, but that was not all. Was it because she’d taken such a risk to give him freedom?
Again, yes, but not exactly.
