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She was still wearing the gaudy dress Sergio had prepared for her, and as her anger mounted, she pulled at the seams until the intricate designs on the gown were destroyed.
“You need to calm down,” Lucero said, watching her with sad eyes. “You won’t solve anything like this.”
“I thought I was saving him, but I condemned him to an even worse hell. I should have known Sergio would track all of my movements. I should have known he would check my purchases. I should have fucking known, but I was too desperate to find him to think about that.”
“At least he’s safe.”
“For now. I’m sure Sergio still suspects he means something to me, otherwise he wouldn’t have orchestrated that banquet to gauge my reaction.”
“But you didn’t show any emotion. Even I, knowing how much you love him, wondered for a moment how you could act so… cold and detached. If I bought it, he must have bought it, too.”
Noelle shook her head.
“No. He’s too crafty for that. When you’re the worst, you suspect the worst of other people too. I need to find a way to kill his suspicions, but how…”
“What if…” Lucero bit her lip apprehensively.
Noelle stopped, her brows rising as she waited for her friend to continue.
“He thinks you care about him, right? What if you made him think you cared about another? I don’t know if it would work, but if you show interest in another slave, maybe that could throw him off until you figure out how to get him out of here.”
Noelle blinked, her eyes widening in surprise.
“You’re right. Oh, God. You’re so right,” Noelle said, coming to Lucero and kissing both her cheeks. “The only way to make sure he’s safe is if Sergio believes there’s someone else—or multiple people. He started being suspicious the moment I implied I might want him as a lover, which was a first for me. As long as I make it a routine… Maybe that would help.” She nodded resolutely to herself.
“I’ll help you the best I can, you know that.”
“Thank you, Lulu. Always the voice of reason.” Noelle smiled fondly. “I wouldn’t be able to do anything without you pulling me out of my own head.”
Noelle tended to become so wrapped up in her own plans that she developed tunnel vision, oftentimes failing to see the dangers lurking nearby. But Lucero was always there for her, and she prized her friend for that.
“We make a good team, don’t we?” Lucero cracked a smile.
“The very best.” Noelle winked. “Can you get me a list of all the current workers at Rafaelo’s temple? I need to see who else I can use,” Noelle added pensively. “If I do this, then I must not only make Sergio believe it, but also my Blue. He can’t know anything, Lulu. If he finds out who I am… If he realizes what I’ve done…” she shook her head. “Everything will be lost.”
“You think he would hate you for saving him?” Lucero frowned.
“No. Not for saving him,” Noelle paused, a sad smile pulling at her lips. “I know him far too well. He wouldn’t stand still if he realized who I was, and that would get him killed. As long as he’s ignorant…” she swallowed painfully. “As long as he remains ignorant of my identity, I’ll be able to work behind the scenes to find a way to free him.”
Lucero stared at her for a moment.
“Isn’t it hard?” she whispered.
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. God, all I wanted was to go to him, nestle in his arms and tell him how much I love him and how much I’ve fought to get where I am—to get to him. But I can’t. Not yet… And until I can, he’s better off hating me—hating Noelle Villanueva.”
“Surely you could tell him and ask him to be careful. I hate seeing you like this.”
Noelle shook her head vehemently.
“He’s not the type to let things go, Lulu. I’ve never met someone more against injustices than him. Or… Maybe you.” She smiles slyly. “Rafaelo would never allow someone to harm a woman. Just as he would never allow someone to pick on those weaker. It’s why I fell in love with him. He’s simply… the kindest man I’ve ever met—theonlyone.”
“He doesn’t sound like a man at all,” Lucero added, mischief glinting in her eyes.
Noelle blinked, and in the next second they both burst into laughter.
“We need to finalize our plan, Lulu,” Noelle said a moment later. “Once he’s gone, it will be our turn.”
Lucero suddenly sobered up, her lips tightening as she gave a slow nod.
