I tucked my silencing bubble in tight around us and took his hand as I led him around the wall dividing the centre of the Magic Compound and moved to lean back against it, tugging him close so he stood before me.
I was shaking, useless adrenaline surging through my veins as I ached to do something to fix this shit but was forced to remain here like nothing had happened and play nice. Cain would still be watching me, though I'd bought myself a little time by circling the wall so he would have to walk around the outer edge of the compound to get his eyes on me again. And as I was willing to bet he wouldn't shoot right around and risk drawing attention, I was going to have to make sure that was enough.
"Kiss me, Roar," I commanded, my heart leaping even though it was just for a cover, but the idea of Roary Night's mouth on mine was always going to exhilarate me.
He didn't question me, understanding that something was wrong as he stepped up to me, cupping my cheek in his hand and tipping my jaw up towards his.
I didn't touch him, instead twisting my fingers in complex patterns either side of us and encouraging tall grass to grow up through the concrete at our feet to create a barrier for us to hide within.
Roary dipped his mouth so close to mine that I couldn't help the soft moan which escaped me, begging him to stop playing with me, to just kiss me and make everything in the world okay again.
The grass grew and grew as I threw my power into it and within moments, we were hidden within it.
Roary's lips still hadn't found mine and now that there was no need for them to, he stopped drawing closer to me.
Fuck, why did it have to hurt so much when he did that? I would honestly rather take that shank to the gut again a hundred times than have to feel this fissure being torn wide inside my heart.
"Tell me what happened," he murmured, his forehead pressed to mine, his hands still wrapped around my waist.
I should have been pushing him back. I should have been telling him to get off of me. I should have been wrenching myself away. But I was caught in his spell, trapped in this unending need for him that I couldn't rid myself of no matter how hard I tried.
"Cain just told me they're installing a new bio-detection forcefield around the prison next week. We can't combat that, Roar. I haven't got any plans for it or any way to make any. If we don't get out of here before they install it-"
"What was it you promised me when you got here, Rosa?" Roary growled, pinning me in his golden gaze and refusing to let me squirm away from the look of intent in his eyes.
"That I was going to set you free," I breathed.
"And I believe in you," he said firmly, with no room for negotiation. "We're going to get out of here and find that desert island to go live on and-"
I started laughing and he paused, his mouth hooking up at the corner as he squeezed my waist tight between his big hands.
"Won't you be sick of me by then?" I asked. "You won't really want to be cooped up somewhere all alone with me like that."
"You're the only person I could ever imagine being cooped up with alone like that and loving every single second of it."
My lips parted and I frowned up at him because I didn't understand that. He didn't want me. He didn't want to have me in all the ways that counted. So why the hell would he want to be alone with me for the rest of our lives?
I shook my head dismissively and tried not to flinch as I forced out my next words. "You'll go out there and find yourself a harem of beautiful Lionesses," I teased. "You'll forget all about the annoying Wolf pup who got you sent to prison and then came to bust your ass back out again."
"Don't be ridiculous," he snarled.
"As much as the idea of living out my days in your guest quarters appeals to me, I think it might make more sense for me to just return to my family," I went on.
"I thought we were family?" he demanded and I released a long breath.