I looked at Marcus, trying to read the expression behind his wire-rimmed glasses.

His face was a mask of cold professional distance.

I knew he wasn’t trying to save me out of kindness.

He was protecting the legal structure of the Romano empire, keeping the balance of power from shifting too quickly to Luca.

The guard looked at Luca, waiting for a final command.

Luca clenched his jaw, his eyes darting from Marcus to the doorway.

Outside, the sound of car tires crunching on the wet gravel of the driveway echoed through the open window.

Headlights swept across the ceiling, casting long, moving shadows of the window panes across the wallpaper.

“The doctor is here,” Sofia said, moving toward the hallway.

“Keep a guard at the door,” Luca muttered to his man. “If she tries to touch anything else in this room, shoot her.”

The guard nodded and stepped back, positioning himself right by the heavy oak door frame.

I stood near the corner of the room, my back against the cold wainscoting.

My hands were still trembling, so I tucked them into the folds of my apron.