“Fine,” Damian says from across the room. “If you have something to say to defend yourself, now is the time. Because all we know about you is that you bought that girl from a human auction and then told her family that you were going to marry her.”
I don’t want to deal with this. Not right now. Not when everything is on the line.
I don’t have the patience to deal with this. But then Grace wraps her hand around my bicep. And I remember that this is bigger than my pride.
“I came to Paris seeking help,” I say. “If I didn’t want to be found, you would never have found me. But I’m here, and it’s for a reason.”
The only man who’s not suspicious of me is Nico Monte. I’m going to have to earn their trust.
“Nico said that you came here to speak to us about trafficking,” Damian says. “Why would we trust the word of someone who goes to human auctions? We've kept tabs on you. We know about all the places you frequent.”
I’m about to share my deepest secrets with a bunch of strangers.
Even though I know that every person here is publicly against the trafficking of human beings, it still feels like a leap of faith.
"I like to keep my enemies close," I say. "And the best way to do that is by studying them while they're in their own habitat. But before I say anything more, I need your word that the things I’m about to share will not leave this room.”
"Done, let's make a blood pact," Nico suggests.
"Nico, please," Max says. "Nobody wants to slice their palms open right now."
"You guys are boring," Nico grumbles.
"Whyare you here again?" Max sounds like he's done with Nico.
"Before you say anything, I want to hear from Grace first.” Max crosses his arms as he looks at the two of us. "Grace, is it okay if we ask you some questions?"
She nods. "Yeah."
"Dante claims that he's not keeping you against your will," he says. "Is that true?"
"Yes," she says.
"Is that what he wants you to say, or is that the truth?" he asks. "Because you're safe with us. There's nothing he can do right now to hurt you. You can be honest with us."
“He didn’t just help me get away from my mother,” Grace says. “He offered me protection. He gave me hope when I was in a dark place. But he's more than the man who saved me. He's also been a friend to me. Someone I know I can lean on. Always.”
A warmth spreads across my chest as she speaks.
“Are you saying that you choose to be with him?” Max asks.
"He's my husband," Grace says, glancing up at me.
A hush falls over the room.
“Since when?” Dimitri growls.
This Russian man is starting to get on my last nerve. I'm about to give him a piece of my mind when Grace speaks up.
"We got married this morning," she says.
"Chloe isn't going to be happy about this," Max mutters. "I promised her I would rescue you before it was too late.”
"It's still not too late," Dimitri says.
"Is that a fucking threat?" I say to him. "Because I will burn this fucking house down before I let you take her from me."
"Oh, this istorture," Nico says, squeezing his eyes shut. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think we're all capable of being adults here. Even though I really,reallylove the idea of burning this place down.”
