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“Stay inside the gates of the compound, please. Promise me that. Just until we find him.”

“I promise,” I said.

His fingers tightened around my chin, and I knew he wanted to kiss me, but I turned away, my heart pounding faster.

I hoped he would find Réjean soon. I didn’t like knowing there was still one person out in the world who wanted to harm me.

Hugo and I sat on the front porch and chatted. He didn’t mention Romy, and I didn’t ask.

But I knew she was on his mind.

A few hours later, when we had gone back inside to get a cup of tea, Mano appeared at the door.

“Your husband sent me back to make sure you were all right, and that you don’t leave the secure compound area.”

“I won’t,” I said.

“Can you tell Étienne I’m not the father of your baby?” Mano added, leaning a hip on the counter. “If you haven’t noticed, my brother is extremely jealous of anyone who gets your attention, and I’d rather keep my ribs un-broken.”

“You were perfectly happy to go along with his deception a few months ago,” I retorted. “No, I’m not going to stop.”

He groaned. “He is going to fucking kill me one of these days.”

“No loss to me,” I snapped, drawing a reluctant smile from him.

“I wish you loved me, Léonie.”

“I don’t.”

Étienne knows I’m not the father. He knew that all along. He still might end up killing me sometime.”

“Don’t do what he says next time, and maybe you’ll be able to find a wife the normal way.”

Mano’s dark eyes dropped.

“There’s no way I can find a wife the normal way.”

But before I could figure out what that mean, Hugo interrupted us.

“Look,” Hugo said. “The gate’s ajar. Did you leave it ajar when you came in?”

“No,” Mano said. “Étienne already beat the shit out of me the last time I failed a safety check.”

Fuck

Before I did anything else, I ran down the hall to the nursery to check on Ciel.

Still sleeping soundly in his crib, thank the ancestors.

And there was no way in the house itself, it was always locked and guarded at every entrance, with each gate requiring a fingerprint to get in.

When I came back out, Mano and Hugo had already done a check of the yard.

“What the hell? Are you sure you didn’t leave it ajar?”

“Yes!”

“Well, let me check and see who last put the code in.”