Chapter 2
The bright cinematic light caught the water dripping from Vivienne’s diamond rings as she froze, her fair, rosy skin instantly draining of all color. She released Audrey’s wrist as if the child’s skin had suddenly caught fire.
Cassandro did not wait for an explanation. He walked with terrifying, predatory grace toward the edge of the water. He immediately entered the pool, completely ignoring the damage the chlorinated water was doing to his expensive tailored trousers and polished leather shoes. He reached down and pulled Audrey safely into his strong, tattooed arms, lifting her out of the cold water.
"I've got you," Cassandro murmured, his voice a low, steady rumble against her wet cheek. "You are safe now, little bird."
Cassandro carried her out of the pool and stepped onto the warm stone terrace. Audrey coughed violently, her tiny hands clinging tightly around his neck. The water soaked into Cassandro’s unbuttoned shirt, plastering the fine fabric against his broad chest.
"Cassandro, darling, please don't misunderstand," Vivienne stammered, her American accent pitching up in frantic, desperate panic. "She slipped on the wet tiles! I was just trying to pull her out of the water!"
"Yeah, Dom," Damian chimed in quickly, stepping forward with his hands raised in a placating gesture. "Viv was just helping the kid. She lost her balance."
"Shut your mouths," Cassandro commanded softly. His cold, intimidating eyes remained fixed on his daughter, completely ignoring the two liars standing behind him. "Are you hurt, Audrey?"
Audrey shook her head against his shoulder. Her breathing slowly began to steady as the warmth of her father’s body fought off the chill of the pool. She pulled back slightly, her bright blue eyes looking down at her own wrist. She stared at the faded blue waterproof bracelet—the last remaining piece of her mother.
"What were they asking you about, sweetheart?" Cassandro asked, his voice remaining measured, patient, and deeply protective.
Audrey sniffled, wiping her rosy, tear-streaked face. She looked at her father, her lower lip trembling uncontrollably.
"Daddy…" Audrey cried, her small voice breaking with a devastating, innocent sorrow. "Mommy never left this house."
Cassandro froze. Every muscle in his broad, masculine frame turned to solid stone. The subtle, elegant tattoos on his neck shifted as his jaw locked with an agonizing intensity. He stopped breathing. The entire world seemed to drop away, leaving only the echoing resonance of his three-year-old daughter's words.
Vivienne went completely pale, looking as though she might faint on the spot.
"What did you just say?" Cassandro whispered, his voice dangerously fragile.
"The bracelet," Audrey sobbed, touching the faded blue plastic. "Mommy told me a secret. She never went away."
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"Vivienne," Cassandro said, slowly turning his head to look at his current wife. The coldness in his eyes was absolute, a chilling void that promised nothing short of hell. "What exactly does she mean?"
"She's just a child!" Vivienne shrieked, backing away toward the folding cabana-screen rack. "She has an active imagination! She doesn't know what she's saying!"
