Luca’s small fist bunched against my shirt, warm and heavy.

Liana was quiet, her breathing shallow and fast.

“If I sign, you’ll kill him anyway,” I said.

Leo smiled, but his eyes remained cold and empty.

“If you don’t sign, I will have the guard take the children now.”

“They will go to an orphanage in Canada under different names.”

“You will never see them again.”

“And Dominic will bleed out on this rug.”

Dominic made a low, rattling sound in his throat.

He raised his head slightly, his gaze focusing on me with great effort.

“Don’t,” Dominic croaked.

His voice was barely a whisper, dry and cracked.

“Don’t sign, Clara.”

Leo stepped over and kicked the leg of Dominic’s chair.

The wood scraped sharply against the floorboards.

Dominic groaned, his head falling back against the leather cushion.

“Be quiet, big brother,” Leo said.

“Your turn is over.”

I felt a cold sweat break out along the back of my neck.

I looked around the library, searching for any way out.

The heavy oak door was shut, and the guard stood directly in front of it.