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“It wasn’t this momentous moment like I was hoping it would be. The revenge helped me start to heal, but if I’m being honest, it was only a small part.

“Knowing he was gone gave me the freedom to heal, but it was Marcus who truly gave me the life I didn’t think I’d ever have. He helped me to live, and showed me how much I deserved love.

“His love means more than the death of a man who means nothing to me. His death was just the first step into the future, without any obstacles.”

I let out a sigh, closing my eyes in the hope it will hold back the tears that are threatening to fall. “I’m worried that even once they’re dead, I won’t ever be happy.”

Chloe wraps her arms around my shoulder, pulling me into her side as she presses a kiss to the top of my head. “That’s bollocks. You’ve already found your happily ever after with Miles and Jake. Getting rid of your demons will just give you the freedom you need to really embrace happiness, knowing they’llnever be able to take it from you. Trust me, when they’re gone, you’ll feel safer, and that changes everything.”

I let Chloe pull me into a tight hug, and we only separate when there’s a knock on the door. I wipe away the rogue tears that have fallen, and Chloe waits until I’ve gathered my composure before she tells them to come in.

Marcus’ driver, Leo, who has just been promoted to one of his Chief Bodyguards, opens the door, a young girl around my age trailing in behind him.

The first thing I notice about Jenny is her rainbow coloured hair, as it’s hard to miss.

“Miss Santoro, I have Jenny for you,” Leo says to Chloe, pointing at the woman beside him, who rolls her eyes.

“She can see that,” Jenny retorts sarcastically, which only seems to wind Leo up even more, his face twisting with displeasure.

“Be on your best behaviour,” he snaps, pointing for her to take the chair opposite us.

Jenny has a bag in her hand, which she dumps on the desk with a bang as she sits down, scowling at Leo.

“You’re not my father, you don’t get to tell me what to do,” she sneers as she rummages around in her bag, pulling out a sketchbook and a pencil case.

Both myself and Chloe watch on in amusement as Leo and Jenny continue to bicker with each other over the stupidest things. Leo calls Jenny immature and childish, while she calls him uptight and prude-like.

They don’t even notice when Chloe leans over and whispers into my ear, “Do you think this is their version of flirting?”

I have to bite my lip to hold back a laugh as I turn to whisper my reply to her. “I don’t know, but he’s a bit older than her.”

Chloe waves me off. “I think he might want to discipline her, if you know what I mean.” She wags her eyebrows suggestively, and I can’t help the loud laugh that bubbles out.

It’s loud enough to grab the attention of the two people opposite, and they stop their bickering long enough to look over at us, no doubt wondering what’s so funny. Before either of them can ask, and I have to think of a lie, Chloe cuts in. “Should we get started?”

“I think we should,” Leo states, his head held high like it was his suggestion.

Jenny rolls her eyes at him, as she shakes her head, mumbling something under her breath that only he can hear. It was obviously something that pissed Leo off, as his face turns a dangerous shade of purple, as he looks seconds away from retaliating, and I decide to say something before we devolve back into chaos.

“How does this work?” I hate how small and unsure my voice sounds, particularly as I was really trying to come across as confident, with my shit together.

Thankfully, my pitiful voice is enough for both of them to cut the tension and quit arguing, as they looked over at me with sadness and pity written on their faces. I think I preferred them bickering.

Jenny gives me a sad smile as she leans over the desk, pulling her chair closer, so she can make herself comfortable. “I know this is never an easy process, but we will take our time until we get it right. If at any point it gets too much, we can take a break or stop entirely.”

I nod, pulling in a breath as I say, “Thank you. I want to do this.”

In reality, I need to do this. Without this sketch, we may never locate The Count.

Leo clears his throat, pulling my attention to him. “Are you okay with me staying here? Miles and Jacob made it quite clear I’m to be here, but I can guard you just as safely from the hallway, if that would make you more comfortable.”

I don’t know Leo too well. I only have the kind words Chloe and Miles have said about him to go on, but I couldn’t be more grateful for the kindness he shows me in this moment. “Thank you. That means a lot, but I’m happy for you to stay.”

As I draw in a deep breath, listening to Jenny’s instructions on how this works, Chloe takes hold of my hand, lacing our fingers together. She gives it a squeeze, letting me know she’s here with me every step of the way, and I pull some of her courage, reminding myself just how much I need to do this.

It takes almost two hours until we have a sketch that I’m confident accurately reflects The Count on the night I last saw him. In fact, looking into the eyes of the sketch sends a shiver down my spine, and that’s how I know we’ve got the likeness correct.

I have no idea what Kellan plans to do with it, or how he will age the sketch and make it reflect how they think The Count looks now, but that’s for them to worry about. I’ve fulfilled my part of the deal, and now we just have to wait.