The silence of the massive estate felt heavy, pressing down on my chest until it was hard to breathe.

I thought of Dante’s dark, searching eyes, the way he looked at me as if he could see every secret I carried.

He had protected me from Marcus’s creditors, but I knew his protection came with a price.

Eventually, his patience would run out, and he would demand answers I wasn’t ready to give.

I had to protect my child first.

I stood up and smoothed down my sweater, trying to stop the trembling in my knees.

My hands were cold, shaking so hard I had to ball them into fists.

I checked the hallway through the narrow crack of my bedroom door.

The long corridor of the east wing was empty.

The brass sconces on the walls cast a warm, flickering light over the dark wooden floorboards.

I stepped out, closing the door behind me with a soft, nearly silent click.

My bare feet made no sound on the thick oriental runner carpets.

I walked toward the west wing, where Dante’s private quarters and study were located.