I squeezed my arms tighter around my legs. “I think … yeah.” It might have helped if I could have told him how I met Malachi, how he’d saved me, how he made me better than I was, and how he sacrificed a peace he’d earned with decades of suffering and service, all for me. How he was the first and only person who had ever told me he loved me. And even if that wasn’t true anymore, it had changed the shape of my heart and carved itself into the marrow of my bones. It had created a space in which my own feelings could grow, and they had, and that couldn’t be changed now, no matter how beautiful and good the boy in front of me was.

“He’s going to prom with Laney. I think they’re together.” His words were quiet but deadly.

“I know.” A thought occurred to me, vaulted into the front of my brain by the pain in his voice. “That’s not why I’m here, Ian, and it’s not why I said I’d go to prom with you. No matter what we do now, I need you to know that. I’m here because of you. And I never wanted to hurt you.”

“It’s okay. You love who you love.” His smile was laced with sadness. “We all do.”

“You’re amazing, Ian.” I meant it.

“That’s what all the ladies tell me.” He grinned in this devastating, fake-cocky way and snagged a petit four from the box.

I laughed and grabbed one for myself. The bittersweet chocolate provided an endorphin rush I badly needed. “So,” I said when I’d finally swallowed it. “What now?”

He leaned back and rested his elbows against the rough stone. “I drive you home, and I pick you up tonight, and then we have an awesome time at our senior prom.”

I frowned. “You still want to go?” I realized that I’d half-hoped this would get him to stay home. If I had to break his heart, I wanted to at least keep him safe.

He looked at me like I was crazy. “It’s senior prom. Party. After-party. You expect me to stay home and cry into a plate of spaghetti?”

“Okay, then.” I paused. “Hey, listen. I’ve heard some rumors. Nothing too specific. Only that there might be some party crashers.”

“Are you talking about those meth freaks who jumped us at the theater?” His gaze sharpened. “There’ll be security. They’ll only allow students in.”

I bit my lip. “Okay. Just, I don’t know. Be ready.”

He raised an eyebrow. “All right,” he said slowly. “Does Malachi know? ’Cause Laney’s been my friend since elementary school, and she’s a nice girl. She shouldn’t get mixed up—”

“Malachi would never let anything happen to her. And believe me, he can protect her. She’s probably safer than anyone.”