That list of desires she supposedly had? Dav was starting to wonder how much it might align with his own. Not that he’d tell her. Or Lazerath. In fact, he’d be spending the next week finalizing everything so that secret wouldneversee the light of the daymoon, especially considering…
He wanted Rose to stay.
13
PAYBACK
Davarox
Davarox didn’t know how it would work. How they’d fit together in the end. But he knew he would upend his entire life to see Rosalind and Lazerath happy.
“You done eating?” Dav ducked his head to keep her from seeing those thoughts play out across his face.
She nodded, coming to help him at the sink despite his protests. He finished the last of the drying and sent her off with a spiced biscuit to look around, which was probably more for his own enjoyment since he got to watch her ass as she leaned over to inspect his bookshelf. Not like there was much more in the small living space.
She took out a book and flipped through it. “I like your place. It’s cozy.”
It’s lonely, Dav almost muttered. “It’s sufficient.”
“I really assumed you and Laz would share an apartment.”
The bowl nearly slipped from his grip.
“But I get wanting to have some separation,” she went on, oblivious. “I had—havea big family, but even I would steal away for some quiet to keep myself from getting too anxious.”
He’d known they had the latter in common, at least when it came to social interactions. “You miss them?”
Rose gave him a sad smile, sliding the book back in place. “Yeah, so much. I mean, Heck is wonderful, obviously—” She gestured between them.
Dav raised a hand. “Not offended. I get it. Well, I don’t, but I’d be a mess if Laz just disappeared from my life.” He set the bowl aside and shut off the faucet, then blurted, “And Sev. I mean, he’s more of a recluse, but we’re used to longer bouts of not seeing him.”
There was a flicker at the corner of Rosalind’s eyes, and for a moment, he wondered if this woman who seemed to see everything caught his slip. But then she shuffled closer and handed him a towel to dry his hands.
“I would like to know more about you, your past, but I also know that’s probably a heavy topic for tonight.”
It wasn’t hard for Dav not to show his relief. He wiped his hands and shrugged. “Not much to say. Blue hair and certain features give away at least one of my parents’ magical affinities, not that I knew them. I was gray and magic-less at birth, so they didn’t care to keep me around.”
Rosalind stuck out her chin. “Their loss. I happen to think you’re quite wonderful and have done amazing things without them.”
He smirked, leaning forward on the counter to get eye level with her. “Like enter a courtship where my best friend and I try to seduce a human?”
“Such a scandal,” she teased, tongue dragging over her lower lip. “She doesn’t even have a tail.”
“Howdoyou balance without one?”
“Probably my massive brain.”
Dav’s eyes dipped to her lips. “Modest, too.”
“I was under the impression it interested you?”
“Why do you think I let you talk about work all night?”
Rose snapped her fingers and pointed at him. “Why didn’t you stop me? YouknowI can’t shut my mind off!”
He batted her finger away, prowling around the counter. “Maybe I had ulterior motives.”
Her eyes went wide as she stumbled back, retreating without any real fear. No, if anything, the darkening of her eyes told himexactlyhow unafraid she was. “Really. Letting me ramble about my stupid proposal and how I’m always ignored was?—”
