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rescue.”
    Now he’s making me angry. “You’re here because it’s Kayden’s home.” I fold my arms in front of me. “He’s had to leave. He asked me to talk to you.”
    â€œKayden asked you to talk to me,” he repeats dryly. “Forgive me if I’m not buying the swampland you’re selling. And since when did you become an expert on his business?”
    â€œI’m pretty sure neither one of us are experts on his business.”
    â€œIndeed, and since he wants to keep it that way, this conversation is perfect timing, isn’t it?” He doesn’t give those words time to sting, moving on with, “You might not be frank with me, but others have been. Giada told me there’s trouble in the castle tonight. I need to see her.”
    More dread fills me, followed by a hot spike of anger at Giada, who I’m now certain gave him the code to the gate. I force myself to contain my fury. “Giada,” I say, thinking, plotting as I speak, “is trying to make you fight her schoolgirl battles for her. Bottom line, she slept with one of Kayden’s Hunters and her brother found out. The Hunter left and Kayden followed him to ensure this isn’t going to become a problem.”
    â€œWhat Hunter?”
    â€œI’m not going to tell you that.”
    His lips thin. “Of course you aren’t. I’ll need to talk to Giada to confirm your story. I’m certain you understand my duty to ensure she’s safe.”
    â€œDid she ever tell you she wasn’t okay?”
    â€œI need to talk to her. Bring her outside.” A cold breeze rips over us and I hug myself, prompting him to add, “Or invite me inside, where it’s warm.”
    â€œThis is a family drama that doesn’t require your intervention.”
    â€œHalf of what we do is family drama.” He reaches into his pocket. “I’ll call her and tell her to come outside.”
    This announcement jolts me, shifting my anger from Giada to him. “You want revenge against Kayden. Using a young, confused girl for that goal makes you a monster. A monster , Detective. Is that what the woman you lost would want you to be?”
    â€œShe’s a grown adult who seems to see Kayden far more clearly than you do.”
    â€œThat’s not the denial I’d hoped you’d give me.”
    â€œShe called for police intervention.”
    â€œNo, she didn’t,” I spout back. “She called you because she wanted to lash out at Kayden and Adriel. I won’t let you hurt her. I’ll call your boss. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her.”
    â€œWhatever it takes? You’d think Kayden just spoke, not you.”
    â€œSaid the man risking his career to hurt another. He didn’t kill the woman you loved. A car accident killed her.”
    â€œRight. He just fucked her and me. Am I calling Giada, or are we going inside?”
    â€œI’m not disrespecting Kayden by inviting you inside his home.”
    â€œKayden isn’t here.”
    â€œIt’s his home.”
    â€œIt seems it’s become yours. A lot seems to have become yours—a topic we’re going to discuss once I’ve seen that Giada is safe and well. What are you hiding . . .” He pauses and adds, “ Eleana ?”
    A shiver of foreboding slides down my spine at the way he says the name, but I decide to walk right through the flames. “I’m still remembering my favorite foods. What am I supposed to hide?”
    â€œMaybe you remember and aren’t telling me.”
    â€œI wish that accusation were right,” I say, thinking of the necklace, the uncertainty about my life, the gun, and that man I keep remembering who I do not want to be Niccolo.
    â€œYou don’t want me in that house,” he accuses.
    â€œYou’re right,” I declare. “I’m protecting Kayden’s privacy from a man who’s