Hours later, I was so stressed with worry, I felt as if I might crawl out of my own skin.

Felicity and Dante had left just after dusk. Marco had sedated Dante again—not enough to knock him out, but enough so he wouldn’t argue with the plan. I didn’t know where they were going. I didn’t know if I’d ever see Dante again. I didn’t have a clue what I was going to tell Luc about his brother when he got home tonight. And because I’d promised Luc I’d stay put here on this estate where I was safe, I couldn’t even offer anyone else my help.

All I could do was hope and pray that Luc would come back to me safe and in one piece. And that when he did, he’d be the same strong and confident man who’d left me this morning, not in any way damaged or drained or broken by his House like Dante.

Luc’s words circled in my head again. “Believe in us no matter what happens. I love you. I will always love only you. Promise me you won’t forget that.” And just like every other time I’d thought about those words, a shiver rushed down my spine, because somewhere deep inside, I knew they hadn’t been uttered in passing. He’d said them because he was scared. Because he knew something I didn’t. Because he was afraid something they did to him might cause me not to love him anymore.

That would never happen. Nothing his House could do would ever change the way I felt. But I also didn’t want to imagine what they might do to him, because every time I did, I made myself sick.

Unable to focus on the magazine I’d been staring at for the last hour as I lay in one of the big beds in Marco and Fee’s guest rooms, I tossed it on the mattress, moved to the balcony to tug the door closed that I’d opened earlier because I was so hot, and headed for the kitchen.

I wasn’t hungry, but I needed something to do with my hands so I’d stop picking at my fingers. I’d already chewed my pretty wedding nails down to my fingertips and chipped off the polish. If Luc didn’t get back soon, I was going to start in on the cuticles, which would only leave my fingers bloody and gross.

Since Marco had gone up to his room about an hour ago, and the staff was all in bed, I had free rein of the house. I really wanted to go down to the cottage to wait for Luc there, but Marco had insisted I stay in the main house—just to be safe. But I felt trapped here more than I did down there, and right now, I just wanted to pull on one of Luc’s shirts, to draw in his scent, and hold at least one part of him close to me as I waited.

A single light shone over the sink in the kitchen. I didn’t bother flipping any others on, just moved to the fridge, grabbed a water from the door, and leaned back against the counter in the dark as I slowly sipped and thought about Luc.

Footsteps echoed from the hallway. A shadowy figure passed by the kitchen. Realizing it was Marco, and not wanting him to think I was hiding, I said, “Hey.”

He jumped and jerked around to face me. Clutching something in his hand—a shirt or coat or jacket or something—he held the object up to his chest and sucked in a breath. “Merda. Natalie. I didn’t see you there.”

“Couldn’t sleep. Just getting a water.” Barefoot, the pajama bottoms dragging on the hardwood floor as I moved, I stepped past the fridge and flipped on the light.

Marco blinked and quickly shifted whatever was in his hand to his back. But alarm bells were already sounding in my head.

Eyes wide, I shot across the kitchen and grasped his forearm. “What is that?”

“It’s nothing.” He was stronger than me, and he shifted his arm back farther so I couldn’t see what he held, but I didn’t let go. I struggled with everything that was in me.

“Marco. Let me see what you ha—”

He finally relaxed his muscles, and when the black cape came into view, I quickly looked toward his other hand and spotted the white bauta mask hanging from his fingertips.

My gaze shot up to his face, and my heart raced so fast, I knew he had to hear it. “Tell me. What’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” he said in a low voice. “I was just summoned to a gathering.”

Bile shot up my throat. “It’s about Luc, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know. It could be.”

“Oh God.” I stumbled back and slapped a hand over my mouth, Luc’s words spinning in my head all over again.

“Natalie.” Hands closed over my shoulders, gripping me tight, drawing my attention. I looked up into Marco’s dark, very focused eyes. “Listen to me. I’ll know more once I get there. And I’ll do whatever I can to help Luc, but in the meantime, I need you to hold it together.”

I couldn’t think. I was having trouble breathing. What they’d done to Maricella, what they’d done to Dante...what they’d done to Vittoria, whirled through my mind like a vortex. “You... He said he was safe. Felicity said he was important to them.”

My voice was rising with every word. I didn’t know how to stop it. Panic tightened my chest until I was sure my heart would stop beating.

“He is,” Marco said, squeezing my arms to keep my attention. “They won’t kill him. But Luc knew when he went to this meeting earlier today that even if he could convince them to recognize your marriage, he was probably going to have to endure some kind of punishment.”

“Punishment?” My voice squeaked, and tears burned my eyes. “Oh God. Like what they did to Dante?”

“I don’t know. I’ll find out and do whatever I can to help him. It’s just very important that you stay in this house right now. Things are still dangerous. Don’t go anywhere. Just stay here and wait.”

Sickness swirled inside me. I couldn’t sit here and wait. I couldn’t when Luc needed me. I had to get to him. I had to—

“Whatever you’re thinking about doing, put it out of your head.” Marco’s hard voice brought my gaze up to his, and when I saw the determination and brutal honesty in his eyes, I faltered. “You can’t help him right now. If you get anywhere near that gathering, they’ll kill you. They won’t care that you’re his spouse or about the deal they made with him. There are things you are not allowed to know, even as a wife. They protect those secrets above everything else. And if you go snooping around and get yourself killed, what do you think that will do to Luc? He can survive any punishment they throw his way. But I guarantee he’ll completely lose his shit for good if something happens to you.”

Marco was right. I swallowed hard as I stared at him in the dimly lit kitchen, my head and heart at complete odds. Everything inside me said to go to Luc, to try to help him, but if I did, I knew it would only make things worse.

Tears filled my eyes. Tears I didn’t even try to stop. “Please bring him back to me. Please, I...I can’t live without him.”

“I will.” He squeezed my shoulders once more. “I promise I’ll bring him back.”

Letting go of me, he bent to pick up the mask and cape he’d dropped, and said, “I added a few extra guards to the perimeter tonight. I’m not really worried, but after the whole situation with Dante, I’d rather be safe than sorry. That’s why I need you to stay up here in the main house—so you don’t unwittingly surprise any of the new guards.”

I swallowed hard and nodded, swiping at the tears sliding down my cheeks. “O-okay.”

He crossed to the kitchen door and shot me a sad smile. “Go upstairs, Natalie. Try to get some rest. It could be hours. I’ll call you as soon as I have news. It’s probably not nearly as bad as you think.”

I nodded again for his sake. He was trying to reassure me, but we both knew he was lying. Whatever was happening with Luc was bad. It was so bad they’d waited until the last moment to call Marco in because they hadn’t wanted him to try to stop it. And there was nothing neither of us could do at this point but let it all play out.

He opened the door and slipped out. It was so dark outside—not even a sliver of moonlight providing light—that I lost sight of Marco within seconds. Stomach rolling, I turned to look back over the kitchen, that feeling of doom growing stronger with every passing second.

Somehow, I made it up the stairs on shaky legs. The house was utterly silent. Several of the staff lived on the property—the housekeeper, cook, and groundskeeper—but I was pretty sure they had their own private quarters in other buildings on the property. Which meant I was completely alone in this giant house.

My hands shook as I pushed the door open to the guest room I’d picked out earlier. The magazine I’d tossed onto the bed before going downstairs was still there. But the balcony doors across the room were open, the gauzy white curtains on each side blowing gently in the evening breeze.

I eyed the door, sure I’d closed it before I’d gone downstairs. I’d been so distracted by my worry, though, that I must not have latched it all the way.

Telling myself to relax, to focus on one thing at a time so I didn’t freak out, I crossed to the balcony and pulled the door closed, thinking about Luc, about where he was and what was happening, praying he’d be okay.

I latched the door, drew a deep breath knowing I’d never be able to sleep until he was safely back in our bed with me, and turned.

Then froze when I spotted four shadows moving out of the dark corners of the bedroom, heading straight toward me.

Four shadows dressed in long black capes with stark white bauta masks.

My adrenaline soared, and I jerked back, fumbling with the handle on the balcony doors behind me. But one scream was all I was able to let loose before a black sack was thrown over my head and something sharp stabbed into my arm.

Then there was only the familiar feeling of floating. Of being lost in a sea of darkness. And wondering if anyone—especially Luc—would ever be able to find me again.