Lucien suggested a night out on the town to relax after the drama of the day. They left the house with Dany and Guy. All four squeezed into the back of a taxi. Dany was practically on top of Guy, which was the only way they fit since Guy was massive. A bear shifter, he had thick dark hair, soft brown eyes, and muscles on top of muscles.

Ryenne liked them both. They had made her feel welcome. But they were very visible with their love, openly affectionate, and Ryenne wasn’t used to it except from Gavin.

She didn’t mind pushing closer to Lucien, though, and snuggled against him. “Where are we going?” she asked.

“We’ll start at the Quai d’Austerlitz,” Lucien said. “They’ve developed the waterfront and built an incredible performance and entertainment space there.”

Dany leaned across Ryenne. “Yeah, it’s really cool. There are restaurants and a concert venue and a dance club. Part is inside and part is outdoors. You’ll love it.”

Ryenne wasn’t so sure. Clubs—or anywhere with crowds—weren’t really her thing, because people weren’t really her thing.

The cab deposited them on a sidewalk next to a building made of glass and yellow metal. People crowded the sidewalk and Ryenne’s nose was assaulted with smells of the river, sweaty bodies, and perfume.

Inside, Ryenne was greeted with a bar made of colored metal stripes, pounding music, lots of people, and neon lights in the dark. Dany rushed past her, a huge smile splitting her face, tugging Guy behind her. Ryenne tried to hide her discomfort. She wanted Lucien’s family to like her, which bothered her because she’d never cared about people liking her before.

Dany reached through a group of writhing bodies and grabbed Ryenne’s arm. “Come on, come dance with us.”

“Oh, no, I...” She glanced around for Lucien but he was striding toward the bar.

Dany didn’t let her say another word, hurtling Ryenne through the group of dancing people. She managed to land on her feet next to Guy, who immediately took his girlfriend in his arms, swayed with her, and moved his hips.

Surrounded by sweaty, dancing people, Ryenne decided she’d look less like an idiot if she joined in rather than continuing to stand there like a hippo making the river flow around her. Within minutes, Lucien returned with four bottles of beer and distributed them.

Even without the beer, Ryenne had begun to relax and even enjoy dancing in the loud space.

A mop of bright white hair caught her attention from the corner of her eye. She grabbed Lucien’s arm. “Oh my God, he’s here.”

“Who?”

“The snake shifter from the café the other day.” They searched the crowd but didn’t find him.

“I guess I’m seeing things. Maybe I’m more nervous about the Fang situation than I thought,” she said.

He smiled and kissed her, his arms tightening around her. If anyone could get her to relax and enjoy herself, it was Lucien.

With Lucien’s arms around her and her face buried in his shoulder, they swayed to the music and blotted out the crowd, the sweat, the haze of alcohol above everything. Soon, Lucien’s hands wandered down her back and she melted further into him and mirrored his movements.

Dany brushed against them and Ryenne glanced over. Dany smirked at her and then returned to kissing Guy, her arms locked around her boyfriend’s massive neck. This wasn’t the first time Ryenne had seen Lucien’s sister engage in active displays of affection with Guy; she was starting to get used to it.

After several minutes, the song changed and the frenetic beat pulsed deep inside her. Dany pulled on Ryenne’s arm. “Come on, dance with me now.”

Ryenne reluctantly left the circle of Lucien’s arms. She danced closer to Dany but couldn’t help searching the crowd for signs of the snake shifter.

“What’s wrong?” Dany asked.

“The rogue who got away the other day might be here. I saw him a while ago, or so I thought.”

Dany gazed around the club. “The only people watching us are men who like seeing us dance together. We should give them a show.”

“What do you mean?”

She made her intent clear by dancing closer to Ryenne, taking her hand, and bumping her hip against Ryenne’s.

Guy approached with a round of shots, four glasses each garnished with a salted lime wedge. “Are you trying to cause a stampede in here, my love?”

Dany laughed it off. “With you next to me, no one else would dare.”

Guy gestured with his head off the dance floor. All three followed him to a high table, where they each did a shot of tequila. Within fifteen minutes, warmth spread through Ryenne, and thoughts of the snake shifter and the Fangs flew away. The Fangs tried to recruit the Malraux through proper business channels, and Françoise shut them down. They wouldn’t be a problem anymore. Ryenne would leave in about thirty-six hours to take Gavin to Christopher’s wedding and all would be fine.

Except that she would miss Lucien. The past week had been fun, exploring Paris and their relationship. He had shown her a different side of himself in bed last night. He had been a lot rougher. She hadn’t minded but she wondered if it had anything to do with seeing his ex-girlfriend.

As if she had conjured her, Ryenne glimpsed Chantal on the other side of the club. She knocked into Lucien and when he looked at her, she gestured with her chin. A funny look crossed his face.

“I’ll be right back.” He strode through the sweaty, dancing people under the garish lights.

Ryenne followed him with her gaze, a ball of dread in the pit of her stomach.

He soon returned, Chantal in tow.

Dany gave a rictus of a smile and kissed Chantal’s cheeks, eyes cold, stance rigid. Ryenne had never seen Lucien’s sister so quiet. She wondered if Dany hadn’t liked her brother’s fiancée or if she only hated her now that Chantal had broken Lucien’s heart.

“You’re not here alone, are you?” Guy asked, ignoring Dany’s cold manner.

“No, of course not. I’m here with a group of friends.” She turned to Lucien. “You remember Sylvie and Jacqueline, don’t you?”

He nodded, staring over her head.

On the other side of the club, where Ryenne had first noticed Chantal, a man stared in their direction. He was the same man Chantal had been with last night at the restaurant. But Chantal again didn’t mention him. What was up with that?

Dany grabbed Ryenne’s arm. “Let’s dance some more.”

Ryenne allowed herself to be led to the dance floor. Trying to ignore the dread in her stomach, she had to trust that Lucien had told her the truth last night. That he and Chantal were really over and he no longer had feelings for her. Ryenne didn’t want to be the clichéd jealous girlfriend.

Dany clearly wanted to put Chantal out of her head. Ryenne would help her do just that.

Guy tagged along, his large, dark presence looming over them in a way Ryenne would find threatening if she hadn’t come to know him.

Dany leaned over while they danced and shouted in Ryenne’s ear, “I hate that bitch for what she did to my brother.”

Ryenne gave her a surprised look and a small nod. She couldn’t help glancing over to Lucien and Chantal occasionally. Lucien’s face was stony, and he stood rigid as a statue.

Chantal was talking. It looked like she was trying to convince Lucien of something. Maybe she was apologizing for what had happened between them. Her hands moved while she spoke and her forehead was creased in an earnest expression.

A twinge of sympathy for Chantal squeezed Ryenne’s gut because Lucien looked like he didn’t accept the apology.

Eventually, he said something to her without looking at her and headed toward Ryenne.

Ryenne felt victory pump through her. Or maybe it was the tequila mixed with the heat of too many bodies crushed together on the dance floor. But Chantal’s face was so sad.

Ryenne understood. No one had ever broken her heart because she had never let herself feel that much for anyone. But she really cared for Lucien, and if he ever looked at her as he had looked at Chantal just now, she would be devastated. Maybe not heart-broken, as she didn’t think she was in love with Lucien, but she cared about him deeply and would miss him when she left Paris.

He joined the others on the dance floor. Lucien swept Ryenne into his arms and they danced close to the pounding beat. People pressed against them from all sides.

All of a sudden, Lucien’s eyes got big and he slumped onto Ryenne.

Over his shoulder, she caught sight of Chantal, horror spreading across her pretty face. She turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Ryenne tried to prop Lucien up. Dany and Guy realized something was wrong and used their combined strength to lift Lucien to an upright position.

Ryenne’s hand slid to his waist. It came away warm and sticky.

Blood glistened on her fingers in the pulsing hot pink and purple lights.