shirt when I saw a silhouette on my bed, and I nearly let out a yelp.
But the moonlight poured through the doors of the balcony and as my eyes adjusted to the light in the room, my heart slowed when I realized it was only Gisella.
“You nearly gave me a heart attack,” I said, hand to my chest.
“Sorry,” she said softly. “I didn’t mean to—I’m sorry.”
I knew she was apologizing for more than just startling me. I nodded. “What are you doing here? It’s late.”
She got up off the bed and gestured toward the bathroom. I followed her. She flipped on the light and when I entered after her, she shut the door.
Gisella was wearing a pair of satin pink pajamas with her initials monogramed at the breast pocket. She reached up to her neck and removed a dainty gold chain from around her neck and then held it out to me with her palm closed.
“What’s this?” I asked with a smirk. “My something borrowed for tomorrow?”
She flipped her hand open. On the gold chain was a small, rectangular emerald pendant, the size of nickel.
Gisella paused, looking pensive. “It’s poison.”
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
Without hesitation she continued. “In this pendant there’s a secret cavity that contains a liquid neurotoxin that’s found in the spines of a certain exotic fish. Once ingested, it will enter the bloodstream, paralyzing the diaphragm within minutes. The victim will die of respiratory failure,” she explained. “There’s no antidote, it’s more potent than cyanide, and it doesn’t show up on a tox screen.” She took my palm and set the necklace into it and closed my hand. “All you have to do is unscrew the top and then—”
“Are you suggesting I poison Raphael?”
“No. I’m suggesting you take it.”
“What?” I breathed.
“Getting rid of Raphael won’t solve anything—not for you,” she said. “Papà will just marry you off to Lorenzo, and your baby will suffer the same fate. Make no mistake, Sterling, any man you wind up with will kill Hadrian’s child. Your child.”
My eyes narrowed. “All this time, I thought you were sweet and naive. Where did you get this?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m giving it to you. What you do with it is your choice.”
“But if I take it…” I said slowly. “Then you will have to marry him.”
“There are some things worse than death, Sterling. He won’t hurt me like he’ll hurt you. I’m not Violetta’s daughter, and like it or not, in his eyes, my blood is pure.”
“All this time, I thought I had to protect you. But you don’t need my protection at all, do you?”
Gisella flashed a sympathetic smile and then left. She’d entered the room a girl but left a woman.
I slipped the necklace over my head and contemplated my choices.
After a moment, I left the bathroom and tread softly to the bed. Climbing under the covers, I curled into a ball. I stared out the windows and waited for the dawn.
Beatrice entered my room a few minutes after sunrise, followed by three female servants who would help me dress for my wedding.
One of them went into the en suite bathroom and drew me a bath, liberally sprinkling the water with citrus and vanilla essential oils. With a hand covering my mouth to shield a yawn, I padded my way into the bathroom.
“What did you do? Stay up all night?” Beatrice asked, looking me over. Her pudgy fingers clasped my chin as she turned my head for her inspection. She leaned forward and sniffed. “And you smell like horse sweat and leather.”
“I went for a midnight ride,” I said with a wide smile.
Her mouth pinched into a formidable expression. “Explains the smell—and the clothes.” Her grip was strong as she began to undress me.
Servant’s hands guided me into the bath. I closed my eyes and let them wash my hair and body. They scrubbed me until my skin gleamed and then they had me stand. They wrapped me in a towel and dragged me to the vanity.
Beatrice noticed my necklace and lifted the emerald vial for inspection. I cursed my stupidity for wearing it but remembered that the poison inside was hidden from plain view by the colored stone. But still, what if she—
“This is beautiful,” she said. “Where did you get it?”
“Gisella lent it to me. It’s my something borrowed for the day.”
She nodded. “It’s good that you’re wearing something from a family member. I’m glad you’re settling in.”
I let out a slow exhale and my heart rate began to return to