CHAPTER 51
Where Shadows Gather
The sleek black car Gideon had arranged sliced through Manhattan’s chaos like it didn’t belong there: quiet, controlled, immune to the frenzy outside its tinted windows. Inside, everything was smooth: the ride, the leather, the hum of power underfoot. But inside Arden, things were anything but calm.
The roses haunted her. Like a single bloom on a pillow. A threat dressed in beauty.
Gideon’s presence earlier had steadied her. Anchoring. Silent. Sure.
But now, with only Penny’s chatter and the blur of city lights streaking past, the night felt disjointed. Like she’d slipped into a scene too glossy to trust.
Penny lounged across the seat like royalty, sparkling as headlights danced over her, casting glints across the car’s plush interior. Regal and rebellious, she looked like she belonged in a limo with a drink in one hand and chaos in the other.
“So,” she drawled, flashing a grin that could spark a scandal, “what exactly did you do to get Gideon Blackwell to moonlight as your personal driver? Should I be expecting a horse-drawn carriage next time, or is that reserved for the engagement party?”
Arden rolled her eyes, but the warmth at her neck betrayed her. “He insisted. Something about the subway being unsafe.”
Penny raised a brow, her grin sharpening. “Oh, he’s insisting now, is he? Look at you, all kept and protected. Sounds serious.”
“It’s not,” Arden said too quickly, turning toward the passing cityscape. “He’s being… cautious.”
“Cautious?” Penny’s voice dipped in disbelief. “Honey, cautious is checkingyour locks and texting your location. This?” She waved a hand at the polished luxury surrounding them. “This is a man laying claim.”
Arden didn’t answer. Couldn’t. The words snagged in her chest and hung there.
She saw it again: his hands firm on her arms, the way he’d looked at her like the world narrowed to her. Like protection wasn’t a promise but a need.
She exhaled, trying to shake it off as the car glided to a stop outside the bar.
Penny slid out first,silver platform heels striking the pavement with confidence, echoing like the opening note of a show-stopping number.
She turned with exaggerated flair, sequins catching the streetlights, and extended her hand like a queen granting an audience. “Come on, Cinderella. Let’s remind this city what royalty looks like.”
Despite herself, Arden laughed, low and unguarded, bubbling up from someplace she hadn’t touched in weeks. She reached for Penny’s hand and stepped out into the chill. The city greeted her like a dare—its pulse familiar, electric, and laced with the promise of something new.
Ahead,the bar glowed like an oasis. Mismatched windows spilled warm light onto a cracked sidewalk. Laughter drifted out, tangled with the thrum of bass and conversation. It felt inviting. Safe. For one night, she could let the world soften around the edges. Here, the roses lost their grip. The shadows couldn’t quite reach.
Rachel and Jade had already claimed a corner table, their greetings spilling out warmly beneath the bar’s glow.
“Finally!” Rachel exclaimed, pulling Penny into a hug that sparkled with her characteristic exuberance. “We were starting to think your Gideon had you locked away somewhere.”
She turned to Arden next, arms open wide. “Please tell me he at least lets you out for fresh air?”
Arden smiled, shaking her head as she slid into the booth. “Occasionally.”
Jade leaned back, giving Arden a pointed look. “To be fair, you have been a little hard to track down lately. And Rachel’s just mad she can’t guilt you into more nights out now that you’ve got better things to do.”
Rachel scoffed, flipping her blonde hair. “Excuse you, I prefer to think of myself as an excellent bad influence. And I am deeply offended that you’ve been choosing steamy billionaire romance over me.”
Penny smirked, nudging Arden’s shoulder. “Honestly, fair. But let’s be sofor real right now. Arden’s always had main character energy. Now she’s got the swoony book boyfriend to match.”
Rachel gasped, clutching her chest in mock horror. “Betrayal. You used to be fun.”
“She still is,” Penny said, “she just comes with security detail now.”
Arden laughed, the tension in her chest loosening a little.
Their drinks landed without fuss,and the conversation picked up with the kind of rhythm only old friends shared: unforced, familiar, full of shortcuts that didn’t need translating.
