Especially not Severn.
Everyone’s heads turned to him as we passed as though pulled by invisible strings. There was something so magnetic about Severn, so undeniably alluring. They saw a gorgeous billionaire businessman; I saw the fae prince.
And so much more.My boyfriend.
“You’re here!” Zara appeared through the crowd, champagne glass in hand, dressed in a slinky beaded red gown with matching bold lipstick.
I beamed at her. “Zara! You look great.”
“And you look like a vision. What did those ‘employees’ of yours do, Severn? Replace her with a wax doll? I can hardly ever get her out of sweatpants.” Zara winked to show she was only joking. I looked enviously at her full champagne glass, then at my own drained one, and Severn took my glass from me.
“I’ll get us another drink,” he promised. “Don’t go anywhere.” His eyes scanned the crowd with protective intensity before he left my side, but the ample werewolf security guards seemed to put him at ease.
“I never thought I’d be at one of these,” I said, smiling dreamily at the garden-themed flower arrangements. “I thought I’d always just listened to you tell me about them and daydream of going.”
“I’ve invited you before.”
I shrugged. “It never felt like I belonged.”
Zara waved away my humility. “Well, half the time they’re overrated. Mid-tier champagne and bulk shrimp. Few people actually like coming to these things, we just have to if we want to maintain our place in society.”
I smiled, still feeling fanciful. “Well,I’menjoying it. I feel like a princess in a fairy tale.” Thinking of fairy tales made my hand drift to my mother’s silver cuff. Growing up in poverty, I’d never fathomed I might one day be a part of anything this grand—and actually feel like I belonged. What would my mom say if she could see me now, dressed in a couture gown, made up like a movie star, surrounded by the city’s elite? But then, my face fell as I remembered that tomorrow, I’d have to say goodbye to the city. To Wilde Tower and the fae court.To Severn.
I let go of the bracelet with a shiver. Searching for him in the crowd, I finally found him speaking quietly to Kell, who had taken up a position with the other security guards.
Zara poked me in the side. “What’s wrong? You look like you already ate bad shrimp.”
Keeping my voice low, I glanced apprehensively around the crowd. “Severn thinks it’s too dangerous for me to stay in New York. There was the attack on the tower, then those men stalking me, and yesterday, I got a threatening package in the mail. You know how I mentioned we’re going on vacation to Italy? It’s less a vacation and more hiding out. Tomorrow, the kids and I are going to fly to his olive farm in Tuscany. I don’t really want to leave, but I think he’s right.”
I glanced at the bracelet more nervously this time. It now felt less like an homage to my mother and more like the threat it had been intended to be. I scanned the room guardedly, fearful of what dangers might be hiding in plain sight. Maybe whoever had sent me this bracelet was here.
Zara made a mockingly pitying face. “Aw, poor you, forced to spend two weeks in Italy.” When I rolled my eyes, she softened. “I’m kidding. To be honest, I agree with Severn. The literati witches in LA keep overhearing rumors of the Werewolf King’s growing empire, and since you started dating Severn, you’re a target for his enemies. It isn’t the worst idea to get out of town.”
I sighed. “I guess.”
“You said your flight is tomorrow? What airport?”
“Some small private airport in New Jersey. Brunswick Executive, I think it’s called? Our flight is at noon.”
“Sweet. My flight back to LA leaves Brunswick tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. I’ll come early and see you off.”
Severn returned with my champagne, which I forced myself not to guzzle again in one sip. I didn’t want to be tipsy during this magical night. I wanted to savor it—the hotel, the music, the flowers. Not to mention, this was my last night with Severn for weeks.
He pressed a hand at the small of my back and asked, “Care to dance?”
The music from the courtyard spilled into the ballroom, beckoning us. Through the open french doors, I could already make out couples swaying on the dance floor.
Zara raised her glass in a toast. “Go on, dance. I have my own agenda, you know.”
“Finding your next fling?” I asked.
She winked. “I don’t intend to leave on my own.”
Though it was a warm evening, as soon as we stepped out of the ballroom into the hotel courtyard, I wrapped my hand over my bare arms. All eyes had turned to us—or rather, to Severn—and the attention made me feel self-conscious all over again. I caught sight of Briar and Bramble sipping cocktails at a courtyard table with Locke. All three of them gave me a long, burrowing gaze.
Oblivious to the attention,Severn led me onto the dance floor amid the elegantly dressed attendees. He placed one hand at the small of my back, taking my hand in his other. I wasn’t much of a dancer, but he guided me with such confidence that I had to only follow his lead as we swayed to the music.
“I noticed you speaking to Kell,” I said quietly. “Is everything okay?”
