ng a glistening trail of water on the Persian rugs. My jaw ached f

d in warmth. They were laughing. Sofia cradled

red, the la

ng her chest the moment she saw

in mock horror. "It must have fallen

a dangerous shade of purple. "That ring is

voice reduced to a hoarse croa

ou?" Maria accused, stepping for

did

t," Frank

"I'm hypothermic, Frank," I managed, my lip

id ge

d me toward the patio doors. I screamed, c

I stumbled and fell hard o

Elena. Or don't

anding by the fireplace, watching. He could stop this. He was

With a fluid motion, he opened

hope flaring in my c

e straightened, in his

voice devoid of emotion. "If you find

mask on the gro

. The man I had loved for a decad

e was handing me the t

e toward the w

n. I slid into t

e hours

he bottom with my numb fingers, inch by inch. Every time I surfaced for

to catch my breath, Dante poked me with th

at," he

as bad. That meant my core temperature was dropping dangerously lo

drain in the deep en

my lungs screaming. I swam to the edg

t," I wh

ng the ring. "Oh, thank God! It was

t the ring on and sauntered b

Maria fo

wouldn't work. I had no strength left. I hooked my c

ed down at me, his face u

t offer

rom now on, Elena,

inside, locking the slid

and felt the final thread connecting me to him