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“Please excuse me, gentlemen. I need to go dance with my wife before she kills me.” I pat the one man’s shoulder and walk over to where the girls are sitting.

Giggles erupt into the air as I approach, but they quickly quiet down when they spot me. “Sorry, ladies, I need to steal my wife for a dance,” I say, extending my hand that she takes immediately.

“See you guys later,” she says.

Ambrose is on his feet as we approach. “I owe you,” he says, patting my shoulder as he walks towards Valerie and pulls her to her feet, as well.

“I thought you don’t dance.” She grins up at me. I allow my hands to settle low on her waist as we start dancing along to the slow song playing.

Memories of our first dance at our wedding play through my head, and I can’t help but realise just how much things have changed since then. These last few months have somehow flown by, but also felt like forever. The mask obscures most of her beautiful face, but also enhances it. Maybe it’s just the idea that right now, nobody here will ever know her beauty the way I do.

“I don’t, but I seem to only do it for you.”

“Oh shit,” she says, looking over my shoulder.

“What’s wrong?”

“The leader of theCosa Nostrais here.”

Like a record scratching through the air, my daydreams of Theá’s beauty comes to a halt as her words settle in the air.

“What? Are you sure? How do you even know who the leader is?”

My eyes track off in the direction she’s looking in, and I spot Enzo speaking to a large, well-built man who’s easily taller than I am.

“I’m positive. He’s been at the manor before, and I remember overhearing Kylian mention something about tensions with them. I wonder why Enzo is speaking to him since he’s supposed to be working with my father,” she says, scanning the room for who I can only assume is her father.

Gabriel Auclair and his guests have yet to make an appearance at the event he all but begged me for an invite to. I haven’t seen Kylian or Horatio, either.

“He’s probably a mediator; he had some connections back in the day. Maybe your father is using it to his advantage,” I offer as an explanation, but the truth is, even I’m not sure what’s going on.

“Hmm, that would explain it,” she says absentmindedly, still looking around the room.

“Still doesn’t explain why theCosa Nostrais here,” I mumble.

“I’m going to call my dad,” she says, pulling away from me.

I reach for her arm, pulling her back to me. Her big brown eyes are brimming with concern, and a pang of worry erupts in my stomach. “Why? It’s probably for the best if he doesn’t.”

“I have a bad feeling, so I just want to check in,” she admits.

I don’t want to let her go. My bad gut feeling only seems to arise when Gabriel is in the near vicinity. This goes against everything I want, but a part of me knows it’s her father. So no matter what I say, she’ll always have a spot for him in her heart.

“Okay, I’ll catch up with Gus,” I say, letting her go. She retreats to the table where the girls are all sitting and chatting. I watch as their eyes raise to her in concern before Valerie’s gaze flashes over to me. She’s probably the only one at the table who understands what Theá is about to do is a really bad idea.

I head to the bar where Augustus and Mattia are standing. “Single whiskey, one block of ice,” I say to the bartender before looking between the two men.

“Everything okay?” Augustus asks, and I’m surprised he’s managed to hide away from Celeste for this long without her needing something.

I stay silent until the bartender returns with my drink. Both men look at me expectantly when the bartender leaves. I gesture my head in the direction of the hall. Gus turns to walk in the direction first, Mattia and I following behind.

I pull my mask off my face, slightly irritated and overstimulated by the feeling of it constantly touching my face—especially since I had to switch to my contact lenses for the evening.

“Why is the leader of theCosa Nostrahere?” I whisper and look at Gus.

He seems to freeze and reboot before glancing at Mattia quickly. “He’s technically always invited—he’s one of the main treasures of the event, but he’s never decided to show up until this year,” Gus says, and I raise a brow.

“So he conveniently decided to come the one time the event is not held in Italy, and the one time the French cartel happens to be in attendance?” I whisper the last part, scanning the hall to make sure no one is lurking nearby.