"What about Ethan?" Roary asked and I sneered in disgust.
"What about him?" I snapped before I could help myself. It was so natural to let my guard down around Roary that I didn't really hold any hope of keeping my feelings from him about much anyway. Besides, if I didn’t have at least one person who I could open up to while I was stuck down here then I’d probably go insane.
"He might be an asshole and totally deserve to rot down here, but..."
"Just spit it out, Roar," I growled. "I haven't got all day."
"Fine. He's your mate," he said, matter of fact like that was that and I had no say in the situation. "The moon bound you and despite the fact that you're pissed at him, I'm guessing you feel a pull to him? I know that if Leon is away from his-"
"Your brother's situation is nothing like mine," I interrupted, refusing to let him compare the shit storm of me and Ethan to that. "I'm a Moon Wolf. The moon is on my side and once she sees that I have zero interest in remaining bonded to that piece of shit, I'm sure she will do me the courtesy of un-binding us. Capisce?"
"Rosa, I really doubt it's that simple to just-"
"Forget Ethan Shadowbrook," I snapped. "I'm not taking him with me. If he wanted me then he wouldn't be parading around the prison with that Beta trash hanging off his arm as if she’s got what it takes to match him. Fuck him. And fuck you if you really think I'd take him with us after he disrespected me like that."
"Alright, alright," Roary gave in. "Just...think about it, okay? I might hate the idea of that dirty mutt having a claim on you, but I hate the idea of you pining for him and unable to ever see him again more. I don't want you to end up regretting the choice."
"Psh." I waved him off. "Don't worry about it. I'm never going to want to spend time with an asshole who isn't man enough to own his feelings for me anyway. I'm no one’s dirty little secret."
Roary's eyes met mine and I pursed my lips as I realised that statement practically could have applied to him too. Not that there was anything dirty going on between us because of course he had to be a gentleman about the way he ground his dick against me and then told me to fuck off. Gah.
"Well, well, well, isn't this cosy?"
My head snapped around and I leapt to my feet at the sound of the voice approaching and my upper lip curled back in a snarl as Gustard pushed through the bushes to our right and stepped straight into my silencing bubble as if he'd been invited.
"What the fuck do you want?" I snarled.
"That's not a very nice way to speak to your newest accomplice," Gustard purred, stroking his fingers along the beetle tattoo on his cheek like he thought it might come to life and creep away across his skin.
"Get to the point before I drown your smarmy ass," Roary growled, water twisting between his fingers as he glared at the man who had had me beaten up twice. Or had gotten his entire crew to do it in his place anyway.
"Before I do," Gustard said, stepping a little closer in his crisply pressed jumpsuit like it was designer chic instead of prison standard issue. "I want you to know that I had a meeting with my lawyer in visitation the other day. He was very helpful. Do you know that I am allowed to make a will via Memoriae crystal and fill it with memories which I would like to have viewed in the event of my death."
"You mean white jasper?" I asked. "Who would give a shit about the creepy thoughts in your head once you're dead and gone?"
Gustard smiled a devil's smile at me and he raised his eyebrows like he knew something so freaking juicy it was making him salivate.
My heart was pounding and my palms were slick because I knew, I already knew what he was going to say. But I had to front it out. I couldn't show any of my cards until I was certain beyond any doubt.
"Well, there are some memories in particular which I actually plucked from your young, supple mind when we had that little rendezvous in the Order Yard a