“The only people who see the world in black-and-white are people who don’t understand how the world really works. They walk down a street in Paris and only notice the couples admiring the Eiffel Tower, the little coffee shops and bistros. They don’t see the president having dinner with me, the most powerful drug kingpin in Europe. They don’t see the Chasseurs in the catacombs beneath the streets. They don’t see reality because they have no idea what reality even looks like. That’s your sister. She thinks she’s a hero. She thinks she’s a saint. But she’s an idiot casting judgment on things she doesn’t understand. She’s spent a few months in the camp, and if she thinks that’s horrible, she doesn’t know the half of it. If she had to survive what Magnus and I have survived, she would shut her fucking mouth. She doesn’t understand—and she should be grateful she doesn’t.”

I suspected Magnus had already told her about that night—and it didn’t change anything.

He watched me for a while, his anger slowly fading into disappointment. “Does that change your answer?” His voice dropped a few decibels, growing quiet but deep. He immediately raised his guard, preparing for me to choose her over him, to leave him once again.

I shook my head. “I can’t live without you.” I didn’t play games. I didn’t pretend that he wasn’t the love of my life. I didn’t pretend that this relationship was okay, but I also didn’t pretend it wasn’t the best thing that ever happened to me.

The look he wore was indescribable, a mix of surprise and love so deep it actually pained him. His stare lingered for a long time, his dinner now forgotten because my devotion filled his empty stomach.

“Can you live without me…?”

After a long stare, he shook his head. “If I ever lost you, I’d put a knife to my throat and take my life.” Sincerity was in his eyes, that same look he’d given me since our first night together. His love had only deepened, had grown to epic proportions. “Because I’d rather die than live without you.”

I had a love no one else did. I could never throw that away. I could never walk away and hope to find a man who could hold a candle to this one. So that left me with one choice. “If that’s how you really feel, I want you to do something for me.”

“Anything.” He leaned forward, his arms resting on the table, his plate of cold food in front of him.

“Release the girls.”

Slowly, his eyes turned angry, walking right into the trap I’d laid.

“I need you to do this.”

“My answer will not change, chérie.” He kept his voice low, but his anger was audible.