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All at once, the panic inside of me eases, making way for the other emotions I have pushed aside. Namely, guilt.
This is all my fault.
The reason Rian Morrison is after us is because of me. Because of my failed relationship with her brother.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, voice breaking around the words.
Luka frowns. “For what? You have nothing to apologize for.”
“But I do,” I say. “This is all my fault. If I’d been brave and told Cole Morrison how I felt from the start, none of this would have happened.”
“Eve,” Luka says so low I can only feel the vibration of the word in his chest.
I shake my head. “But I let myself be promised to him. I was too scared to run away and now you have to risk your life to save me, and—”
Luka’s finger against my center silences my tirade.
I hold my breath, surprised by my own desperation for his touch.
But Luka doesn’t move. He looks around the room to ensure no one is watching us too closely, and then he leans in, finger still poised against me like he has all the time in the world.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he says, his breath warm against my neck. “This isn’t your fault, and I’m going to fix it.”
Unable to help myself, I shift my hips, pushing myself against his finger.
Luka slides his hand further under my dress, but before anything more can happen, the man who announced the start of the auction reappears and waves his arms to draw everyone’s attention.
“I’m glad to see you are all having a good time,” he says, looking over towards where Luka and I are sitting together in a chair. “But dinner is about to be served. So, if you all could follow me into the dining room, we will begin the next portion of the evening.”
The quiet conversation grows louder as everyone migrates towards the dining room, and in the brief moment of chaos, I lean in to Luka. “Where is Milaya?”
Because of the mask I can’t see his face, but I feel his body tense underneath me. “I thought Milaya might be with you.”
My heart shrivels in my chest.
It is a wonder I am still alive at all.
The heat that was flooding through me only a moment ago because of Luka’s finger turns to ice.
When I saw Luka, I assumed he’d saved Milaya first.
It hadn’t even crossed my mind to be worried about her anymore because I was sure that Luka had her. Surely. Like a spy from a thriller novel, I knew beyond doubt that he’d come to save me dressed in a designer suit, wearing a masquerade mask. But I was sure that he knew I could handle myself long enough for him to find our daughter first.
I am the daughter of a Mafia don, after all. This world, while cruel, is what I know. Milaya is the innocent one. Milaya is helpless.
Realizing neither of us has any idea where our daughter is feels like a kick to the chest when I’m already down as low as I’ve ever been.
But I don’t have time to linger on the thoughts threatening to choke the air from my lungs. At the urging of the master of ceremonies, Luka escorts me into the dining room behind the rest of the women and guests.
I expected a large room with one long table, however the dining room is set up almost like a restaurant. Scattered around the space are small tables with two chairs each and small candles flickering in the middle. Naturally, everyone walks in and begins to pair off.
This pairing becomes part of the festivities. Men jostle to sit with the woman they have their eye on, hoping to get more time with them. More than one man looks in my direction, but Luka doesn’t leave my side.
I wonder whether I shouldn’t go with someone else. Not only to help with our deception but because I’m not sure what to say to Luka right now. As happy as I am to see him here, I’d rather know Milaya is safe. I only blame myself for this entire situation happening in the first place, but I blame Luka for Milaya still being missing, and I’m not exactly sure how to navigate that emotional minefield.
There isn’t much room for debate, however, when Luka leads me to a table near the corner of the room and pulls out my chair for me.
As I sit, he glares over at the man with the bird mask, making sure to mark his territory.
