Page 211 of Whispers of Wisteria

I didn’t even wait for them to respond before I left the room.

Bianca POV

Julian was sitting next to me, his voice low, as he sharpened a knife with a rainbow blade. I was secretly coveting it—ready to interrupt him to ask the whereabouts of his supplier—when he stopped and looked up. A second later, my bedroom door opened.

Damen stepped into the room.

“Bianca, I need to talk to you.” He looked at Julian and added, “Alone.”

A chill shot down my spine.

“But…” Julian hesitated, and I could tell he wanted to argue, but there was an expression on Damen’s face that I’d never seen before.

“Titus and Miles are in my office,” he said dismissively.

Julian blinked, then nodded. He touched my hand.

“I’ll be back,” he promised, kissing my forehead. Then he left me with Damen.

He didn’t speak as he grabbed my vanity chair, brought it closer to the bed, and straddled it in a seat. He crossed his arms over the back of the chair and looked at my rabbit.

My breath caught. I was still clinging to it. I should have put it away.

“Tell me about the rabbit,” he said.

My vision swayed. “It’s mine,” I answered, barely able to speak.

His attention moved back to my face, and his features eased slightly. “I know it’s yours,” he said. “And no one is going to take it from you. But I’m still asking.”

I looked down as the rising panic retreated. Still, this was a conversation I didn’t want to have.

But I’d just promised Uncle Caleb I’d try, and couldn’t go back on my word. It was a matter of honor.

“I need it,” I admitted, barely breathing.

He paused for a moment, then asked, “What about it makes you need it?”

I froze, but not in a bad way. He wasn’t judging me?

“I guess… because it’s soft?” I answered. “It—it was cute o-once.”

“How long have you had it?”

Why?

“Kieran gave it to me before he left,” I said slowly. I narrowed my eyes on him.

What was he doing? He’d better not be trying to trick me.

Damen lifted his eyebrow. “So you’ve had it all this time?”

I frowned. Was he dense, or just being nosy?

“Yes…” I replied. “I’ve always had it with me.”

“But you told Bryce you don’t sleep with it,” Damen replied. “And I’d never seen it before. So where do you keep it?”

Should I tell him? He’d probably not betray me.