Dante lit a cigarette, his eyes trained on the massive estate as he paced the perimeter. The night air was cool against his skin, a welcome relief after the stuffy interior of the mansion. He'd been on guard duty for sixteen hours straight, watching over Aria as Cassian had ordered.
Just a few more hours, he thought, checking his watch. The boss had been acting strange lately, more volatile than usual. And it all seemed to center around the girl.
Movement caught his eye—asomething white swings from the second floor. Dante squinted, moving closer to get a better look. His heart stopped.
"f**k," he muttered, dropping his cigarette and sprinting toward the house.
A makeshift rope of bedsheets and clothing dangled from Aria's window, swaying gently in the breeze. He scanned the grounds fra
