The past week had been a rollercoaster of emotions for . And while I tried to act normal and pretend everything was right, I was worried for Jace.
On one of those mornings with cooped in the suite, he stepped out and returned with a neutral expression telling that it was ti for us to return to the mansion. Donna Carla had been discharged too.
I took the news with mixed feelings. On one hand, I was thrilled we were finally returning to the mansion after days of being cooped up in a hotel suite (despite how comfortable it was). On the other hand, mories of what had transpired when we returned haunted my mind. I tried to shut it out but the thoughts of the man I had killed still plagued my mind in the most unkind manner.
I got out of bed and helped us pack for our short trip back.
Jace ca around and placed a kiss on my temple. I was glad he did that. He didn’t realize how much I needed it.
~
We were back.
The drive to the mansion was painfully quiet, but at least the air didn’t feel as heavy as it did the last ti we left it. Maybe I was just trying to convince myself. I wanted to believe the worst was behind us, that the smoke had cleared and the monsters were finally gone. But when the car stopped in front of the familiar gates, a part of knew better.
The mansion lood like an old ghost . it majestic, sprawling, but almost too still. I stared out the tinted glass as the guards stepped forward, scanning every inch of the vehicle before letting us through. The new security system was obvious. There familiar n stationed by the gates, snipers positioned on the roof, and black SUVs lining the driveway like silent sentinels.
Jace’s world was tightening its defenses, and so was mine. What happened before was not allowed to repeat itself again.
When I stepped out, the faint scent of roses and gun oil mixed in the air. It was strange how beauty and danger coexisted so easily here. It felt like a taphor of what Jace and I were side by side.
Jace placed his hand on the small of my back. That was his silent signal that it was safe to move.
"They’ll take care of the bags," he said to , eyes sweeping across the grounds like a hawk. His tone was calm, but I could tell he was on edge.
"I didn’t think I’d miss this place," I murmured, gazing up at the tall windows. "But I kind of did."
He glanced at and smirked faintly. "That’s because you haven’t been yelled at by my mother yet."
I smiled, though my chest tightened at the ntion of Donna Carla. "She’s recovering well, isn’t she?"
"She’s strong," he replied. "Nothing can keep her down for long."
Inside, the air felt colder than I rembered. The marble floors glead, and the walls were spotless, but sothing about the space had changed. The silence wasn’t peaceful anymore. It was watchful. Even the maids bowed with a different kind of stiffness when we passed, like they were afraid to breathe wrong.
I noticed Jace’s gaze lingering on the guards stationed at every corner. "New faces?" I asked quietly.
He gave a slight nod. "Tomas recruited n from outside the region. They don’t talk much, and they don’t ask questions. That’s the kind of loyalty I need right now."
Sothing about that made my stomach twist. Loyalty bought with fear never lasts long. But I didn’t say it aloud. Not when he already looked like he was carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken worries. I just had to go with the flow and trust his judgent. He knew better than in this case.
We stopped at the foot of the grand staircase where Donna Carla sat in her wheelchair, probably waiting for us. Her presence, even in recovery, commanded the entire space. She wore a soft cream shawl and her hair was tied back neatly. There was color in her cheeks again, and for the first ti in days I felt genuine relief. This was a breath of fresh air.
I couldn’t imagine how broken Jace would have been if we lost her.
"Welco ho," she said simply.
"Good to see you up, Mom," Jace greeted her, bending over to kiss her cheek.
"Mirabel," she said, turning to . Her tone softened. "You look thinner."
"I’ve missed your cooking I guess," I said with a shy smile. Donna Carla knew how to cook really well, though she barely did. But on the few occasions I had tasted her cooking, they always left my tastebuds tingling and wanting more.
She chuckled slightly. "Flattery will get you everywhere. Lunch is waiting in the sunroom."
Her usual wit was back, and it ward more than the sunlight streaming through the stained-glass windows. But underneath it, I could sense sothing else . There was tension. It felt like a string pulled too tight.
Lunch was quiet. Jace barely ate. His mother, ever observant, tried to fill the silence with light conversation, but even she could tell his mind was elsewhere as she at her soup slowly. The doctors had said she was not ready for solids yes.
When the al ended, Donna asked to join her in the sitting room while Jace stepped out to take a call.
The sitting room slled faintly of lavender and smoke. She motioned for to sit on the couch next to her.
"How are you holding up, child?"
I hesitated. "I’m trying. So days are easier than others."
She humd knowingly. "In this family, peace is borrowed. It’s never given."
That line stuck with . It was always from one chaos to another. We could never catch a break. I had began to wonder if I would ever truly enjoy my marriage to Jace or we would continuously live on the edge.
Her eyes softened, but I caught a flicker of sothing else. Maybe it was concern. "Jace tells you’ve been asking questions. About the docunt."
My heart skipped. "He told you?"
"Of course he did. He doesn’t hide things from . Well at least not all the ti.
I swallowed. "I wasn’t trying to pry. I just wanted to understand what we’re fighting for."
"And did he tell you?"
"Yes. Enough to know it’s dangerous."
Donna’s gaze held mine for a long mont before she spoke again. "Then you should also know that power isn’t the only danger. The people it tempts are far worse."
Before I could ask what she ant, she reached out and squeezed my hand. Her grip was firm — not the touch of a weak woman. "Be careful who you trust, Mirabel. In this world, not every friendly face is loyal."
Her warning hit deeper than I expected.
Later that evening, as the sun dipped and shadows bled across the hallways, I began to understand what she ant.
I was on my way to our room when I heard hushed voices near the study. I paused, staying behind the wall.
"...He still doesn’t know, does he?" one voice whispered. It was low and extrely cautious.
A pause. Then another voice, quieter but steady. "No. But he will soon. It’s only a matter of ti."
I couldn’t see who they were, but one of them sounded eerily familiar like one of Jace’s guards. My chest tightened. The sa guard who’d opened my door earlier that afternoon, the one who had looked at a second too long.
Was I being paranoid or just cautious? Anything could happen. Life was so unpredictable and even more so with these walls.
I waited until their footsteps faded before I moved again, forcing myself to breathe normally.
When I entered our room, Jace was by the balcony, his shirt sleeves rolled up and his phone pressed to his ear. His voice was low, intense. He was giving orders. And despite how stressed he was, he still looked like the most gorgeous man I had ever co across
Even in our darkest monts, I still found sothing attractive about him.
"Make sure it’s secured. No one goes near the vault without my permission. Not even Tomas." He said.
My pulse quickened. Not even Tomas?
He hung up when he saw and gave a tired smile. "Everything okay?"
I nodded, walking toward him. "Just tired."
He reached for , drawing against his chest. "You can rest now. You’re ho."
His heartbeat thudded under my ear . It strong, steady, reassuring. But even as I closed my eyes and breathed him in, Donna’s words echoed at the back of my mind.
Be careful who you trust.
And for the first ti since I t Jace Romano, I wasn’t sure who she ant.
Was it the world outside these walls... or the people inside it?
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