Page 125 of Outcast’s Vow

“Sylvie?”

It’s Jolie, clutching her laptop and a coffee, on her way out of work. A flutter of relief flushes through me seeing her gorgeous face.

“Jolie!”

“What are you doing here?” she asks me. “Clement’s out.”

“I’m looking for Baptiste,” I reply. “I thought he and Clement might be...”

“I haven’t heard anything about Baptiste for days,” Jolie says, her brow furrowing. “Why, what’s wrong?”

“He should be home, but he’s not. I’m probably overreacting, but I think something’s up. I’ve not spoken to him since before the weekend. But it might all be nothing, and I’m just embarrassing myself.”

Jolie glances over her shoulder. She’s hesitant.

“It’s not embarrassing,” she says quietly, like she’s about to reveal a secret. “And I don’t do anything with the boys’ society, as you know, but I did hear something Clement say this morning while he was here. I thought it was nothing...”

“What is it, Jolie? Anything will help.”

Jolie checks around one more time.

“I think I heard Clement say that Baptiste was offered a gift.”

I frown.

“A gift? What kind of gift?”

My friend shakes her head.

“I don’t know any more than that, I’m sorry.”

But I know. I’ve been around my father enough. I know how the Castaways work, even if I don’t know exactly what kind of gift he’s been given.

Nothing the Castaways do is simple. Nothing is ever a reward. There are always conditions.

In the Order, there are no such things as gifts.

My throat dries at the thought. All the warmth in my body freezes at the echo of a word that reverberates around my head like a dark spell.

The realization hits me like a sledgehammer. Leverage. That’s what the Order does. And, as I know too well, they use one thing as leverage above all. I’ve heard it talked about before. I’m aware of the rumors. I’m smart enough to understand what powerful men entice other powerful men with.

The one gift my husband has received... the only thing that the Castaways could ever do to tempt him? It’s not power. It’s not money.

It’s women.

47

SYLVIE

I go to campus because it’s the only place I can think to go. I can’t sit alone in the penthouse I share with Baptiste as I contemplate what might have happened, and I certainly can’t roam the city pretending I’m fine.

The college library is quiet enough to disappear in. I find a corner no one will look at twice, collapse into a chair, and let my head drop into my hands. My breathing shallows. My foot won’t stop jittering. My body falls apart as my mind crumbles.

And I let everything finally hit.

So, he was offered women by the Castaways? What if he went for it? Took them? Used them?

Betrayed me.