I’m not sure where Aiden is, and I hope he doesn’t see me and get angry that I left Violet’s side. But I don’t need babysitting.
After I find an out of the way spot with a few empty bistro tables, I turn to study the crowd. But as I do, I realize I’m not the only one who decided to hide out in this quiet corner of the sprawling space.
A woman is standing just a couple yards to my right. There’s a strange aura to her that makes me keep looking even as I take small sips of my champagne. She has the kind of shell-shocked look that I think I must have when I was taken. I wonder if she’s another bride-to-be, another pawn in someone’s game.
She looks tired and lost, but not like she’s searching. Her hair is dark and pulled over one shoulder. She’s wearing a long dress, a gauzy shawl pulled around her shoulders.
I stepped away from the crowd in an effort to not have to speak to anyone, but empathy wells inside me, and I can’t stop myself from stepping a little closer to her as I say, “Hello. I’m Rose.”
The woman startles, her fingers clutching at the fabric of her shawl. She smiles faintly after she realizes I’m talking to her. “Oh. Hello, I’m Willow.”
I realize who she makes me think of. There was a girl in college two years behind me. I was her orientation leader when she came to campus as a freshman. She always made me think of a little sister I never had, someone worth protecting.
Willow seems kind of the same. She smiles but it’s like she’s a kicked puppy. Sweet, but wronged.
“It’s a lot, isn’t it?” I ask, gesturing at the crowded hall. “I had to step away for a bit.”
Willow nods. “It is. I don’t really know what to do.”
“Neither did I. It’s so crowded. I’m not sure who I should speak to, anyway.”
“Me neither,” Willow confesses. Her smile is tentative but there, maybe a little hopeful.
“Are you here with anyone?” I ask. If she came with friends, they’re pretty shitty for leaving her by herself. She doesn’t seem like the party type.
Willow shrugs. “I’m here with my husband. I think he’s busy.”
I can’t help but think of Aiden. I’ve been left alone while he does his business. Will he leave me alone when we’re married? Will he even bring me out at all? Maybe I’ll just be an arm piece, a decoration. I hate the thought.
“Well, I’ll keep you company,” I promise. I hope she’s not another one of the O’Reillys’ mortal enemies. I don’t want to be forced to stop talking to Willow.
She smiles a little more, ducking her head. She still looks tired, but at least the lost look in her eyes is disappearing a little.
“So, do you usually come to things like this?”
“When I can.” Willow shrugs carefully, like doing it wrong will hurt her. Everything about her movements is slow. I would think they’re rehearsed, but there’s nothing fake about her. I keep going, hoping I can coax her out of her shell a bit.
“I’ve never been to something like this. It’s a little over my head. But I do like dressing up.”
Willow nods, but there’s something uneasy in her smile now. Her words are tense when she speaks again, like she’s saying something she shouldn’t. “You know, I think I just need to get away.”
I glance to the side and see doors nearby, the glass panes cracked open a little to let in the air.
“There’s water over by the entry. Maybe that would help you? And you can come out to the balcony afterward. It would probably help to get some fresh air.”
Willow nods. She’s already moving forward, a little ghostlike in her flowy dress. “I’ll do that.”
I almost offer to join her, but something about the way she moves tells me she’s used to going unseen at events like this. I figure it’s better to save us a spot outside anyway, so I head toward the balcony while she gets herself some water.
It’s lovely outside. The air is crisp and cool, but not enough to dissuade me even in my dress. I rest my palms on the balcony railing, reveling in the glow of the moon and the starry night sky.
When I hear footsteps behind me, my heart beats a little faster. I wonder if it’s Aiden, finally coming back to see me after doing whatever business he had to.
Instead, I turn around and see a tall man striding toward me.
I recognize him, and it takes a moment for me to remember why, but then it comes to me. His name is Dmitri Sharp, and he went to Battle Hill Prep. I was never exactly friends with him, but I knew him. Everyone did. He was popular and confident.
He was also an asshole.
