I clambered to my feet and started running again, forced to move more slowly as the trees grew thicker. More brambles clung to the traitorous skirt, leaving a shredded white trail for him to follow. For an insane moment, I considered ripping off the dress and running naked through the woods.

But the fear beating at the base of my skull wouldn’t allow me to stop long enough to strip. My feet kept moving, altering direction every time he called out my name, trying to keep as much distance between us as possible.

I burst into a small clearing, and damp grass sprung beneath my feet, such a different sensation than the slick leaves that’d slipped and slid beneath me as I’d tried to run through the woods. A large wooden shed dominated the center of the grassy space; this must be where the groundskeepers kept their equipment.

My heart sank. I probably wasn’t very far from the house if I’d stumbled upon this place. I had no concept of how long Dante had been chasing me, but night had fallen, and the full moon illuminated the clearing.

He called my name again, and my blood ran cold. No, Dante hadn’t been chasing me. He’d been herding me.

He’d let me run myself to exhaustion, but he’d simply edged me back toward the mansion as he made me aware of his pursuit; each time he’d called out for me, I’d run in the opposite direction.

I cursed myself for a fool and raced behind the back of the shed, tucking my bright white dress behind it just as Dante entered the clearing. He didn’t say a word, but I heard his even footfalls pound the earth as he neared the shed. His sing-song whistle pierced the air, shooting toward me like an arrow to shred a hole through my lungs. I couldn’t breathe. He was so close…

The door to the shed slid open. My heart leapt. He was going inside to look for me. He must’ve expected me to hide in the dry, relatively warm space.

I darted across the clearing, back toward the dark woods. My white dress was a beacon in the moonlight, and desperation to hide in the shadows clawed at my insides. If I could only evade him, I might stand a chance of saving myself. Escaping this estate was unlikely, but I could hide until Luca got here. I knew he would come for me, and if Dante didn’t have me as a hostage, Luca would be able to attack him at full force. I wouldn’t be the reason my husband was murdered. I wouldn’t be the reason that Dante killed him and took everything that was rightfully his. I wouldn’t let him—