Chapter Fifty-One
S hielding myself behind a tall pillar, I watched Amelia’s killer approach Jewel, proving his connection to her as he quite literally led me to his boss—the person who had given the order to murder Amelia. Perhaps she had ordered the hit on me, too, at Dean’s apartment—the attack that had resulted in another innocent man’s death.
My throat tightened with dread, my heart racing, as I willingly put myself in harm’s way. I couldn’t stand back and do nothing while Greyson risked his life.
I sensed he was partly doing this to protect me, but I felt he also needed to avenge Amelia’s death.
Scanning the room for him, I searched for that one dashing masked man in the suave tuxedo who walked with a dangerous grace.
Jewel’s blonde hair was up in her usual style, a halo of evil. Her black gown clung to her figure—its fabric as dark as her secrets. Was her masquerade mask purposefully sculpted to conceal her sinister intentions? Beneath her modern beauty lurked a deadly ferocity, a cold cruelty that threatened anyone who dared to get too close.
The five men who hovered around her might be close acquaintances—I would have to avoid them, too.
Again, I scoured the masked faces looking for Greyson’s eyes, panicking over the possibility he would get to Jewel first.
There were so many guests, all of them in disguise and many of them huddled in cliques, making it challenging to navigate the room without being seen.
I froze, noticing Jewel was on the move.
I followed her, being as surreptitious as possible, gliding across the floor, each step drawing me closer. Glancing behind me, I realized that awful man was gone. He’d slipped into the crowd. The hairs on my arms prickled at the thought he might have seen me.
But so far, no one was following us as we left the ballroom.
Keeping my distance, I let Jewel stay a safe distance ahead of me as I followed her down a stone corridor. She stopped before a long tapestry, lifted it up, and disappeared behind it.
Curiosity had me moving toward it.
“What are you doing here?”
His voice was instantly recognizable. I jolted, pivoting to see Greyson behind me. I was relieved to see him in one piece, but still fearful of his motives. “I could ask you the same thing.”
I hoped he’d missed seeing Jewel slipping behind the tapestry.
“It’s too dangerous for you.” He stabbed a finger at my chest. “Your brother—”
“He’s here, with Jake and Atticus. And Shay.”
“Then why aren’t you with them?”
I waved that off. “We have to find somewhere to stay tonight.”
“The tide,” he said, nodding. “How did you know I’d be here?”
“I went to the office. You told Jewel’s secretary you were building Jewel a mausoleum.”
His lips twitched with amusement, and then his expression became serious. “And she told you Jewel would be here?”
“Yes.”
He mulled that over. “Want a drink?”
I’d planned on following Jewel, but us staying together and me keeping an eye on him was a better idea than facing Jewel and her murderous sidekick. It would give me time to persuade Greyson to come home.
“We have to find Cameron and the others,” I said.
We headed back to the ballroom.
Within seconds, Greyson had snagged a glass of champagne off a tray.
“I don’t want anything to dull my senses,” I said.
“Fake it,” he said. “The more we blend in the better.”
Within the shadows, we stood back, scanning the room.
“I need you to know that Amelia’s murderer is here,” I said. “I saw him talking with Jewel.”
“When?”
“About ten minutes ago.”
His jaw tightened.
I had lost Jewel, but we were all stuck on an island, and she couldn’t go far.
Now I just had to keep Greyson out of trouble for the night.
My curiosity had me wondering what was behind that tapestry.
I pulled out my phone and texted Cameron, almost biting through my lip with the stress of having to share I was here and that I had also found Greyson.
Cameron’s reply: “Hunker down in a room until we get there.”
“What does he say?” asked Greyson.
“Cameron wants us to find a room. They’re almost here.”
He gave me a nod, but it wasn’t convincing.
“Listen to me,” I said, reaching for his hand. “I’ve never met anyone like you, Greyson. You’re remarkable. This might not be the place to say it, but I love you.”
He pulled me into a hug, wrapping his arms around me, and I relaxed against him, feeling safe, feeling nurtured and protected.
“I’ve spent my entire life building walls, not just in the world around me, but within my heart. Each one was a fortress, a defense against feeling too much. But somehow, you came into my life, and without even trying, you’ve torn down the ones that kept me from happiness.” He planted a kiss on the top of my head. “Willa, I never thought I’d find myself saying this, but you have become more precious to me than I ever dreamed possible. In your presence, I’ve discovered a depth of love I never thought I was capable of feeling.”
I pulled away and looked up at him. “Then please, come with me now. We can find a room like Cameron suggested. We can wait for them there. Once we get back to the States, we can all rethink this.”
He gave me a sad smile. “I know you want that.”
“Jewel is surrounded by too many people. There would be too many witnesses. This is not just your fight, Greyson. It’s mine, too.”
His expression softened. “You’re right. We need to find somewhere safe.”
We slipped out of the ballroom and followed a couple who were heading up a flight of stone steps, then we saw the elegant sign indicating that the stairway led to the guest rooms.
Despite everything, it was impossible not to admire the graceful curve of the stone balcony and the dramatic interior that seamlessly blended modern design with a deep reverence for history. The space felt timeless, adorned with rich tapestries that whispered of ancient battles, towering suits of armor gleaming in the candlelight, and intricately carved wooden beams that stretched across the high vaulted ceilings. Each detail, from the polished shields to the faded heraldic banners, honored the castle’s noble past while embracing the present in its bold, sophisticated elegance.
We searched until we found an empty room.
Once inside, he kissed me long and hard and with more passion that I had ever experienced—a way to forget and a way to remember, as we held onto each other.
At last, I had found him. We were together again, and he was safe.
He cupped my face with both hands. “I need to find the others.”
I shook my head. “No, we can guide them here.”
“I need to make sure nothing happens to them. They’ve risks their lives because of me.”
“Greyson, you can’t go back out there.”
He stepped away. “Stay in here. Don’t you dare leave. That’s a fucking order.”
The air grew cold as I watched him open the door. He turned to me and mouthed, “I’ll come back for you.”
And then he was gone.
A sob broke free from deep inside me. Didn’t he know me by now? I had come all this way for him, and there was no way I would let him slip through my fingers now.
I knew him, that was for sure, and there was no way he wasn’t going to finish what he had started.
I had never been one for following orders—ever.
I left the room and hurried through the corridor and down the stone steps, walking swiftly in the direction of where I had last seen Jewel.
Carefully, I eased back the thick material of the tapestry and peered into the dimness. Ahead, was a winding stone stairway.
With my heart in my throat, I continued down the stone steps, grateful for the flickering fake torches lighting the way, hoping to catch up with Greyson if he had come this way.
At the bottom of the twisting staircase, the floor became uneven, my high heels making me unsteady on my feet.
Listening in the dim light, I heard the occasional echo of other footsteps, followed by an oppressive silence.
Faint voices pierced the stillness.
Peeking around the corner, I saw the tunnel widen into a cavernous chamber, its center dominated by a stone altar.
Pressing myself against the wall, I watched Greyson proceed through a doorway, which closed behind him. I hurried that way, amazed to see the word “Crypt” on the door. My pulse quickened as the air around me grew heavy.
I opened the door. I needed to get to him before he moved in on Jewel.
Stop him from doing anything impulsive.
The light vanished entirely, leaving me no choice but to reach out and feel the wall as I carefully made my way along, terrified of missing a step.
There was nothing in the chamber to hint of buried bodies, only an oppressive chill.
I heard music, growing louder as I proceeded, along with the distinct sounds of chatter. A glint of light illuminated large ancient stones.
I held my breath as I peered around the corner. There, in the center of the chamber, Jewel stood poised, caught in the very heart of a circle. The scene before me was unlike anything I’d expected—a dark, primal gathering, an ancient ritual that reeked of power and mystery.
But it wasn’t the ceremony that held me in awe. It was Jewel. She was not a participant, but the focal point. She was being worshipped, venerated in a way that seemed almost otherworldly, as if she were the key to something far greater than I could ever have imagined.
The scent of wild musk hit me as masked revelers swirled and danced, their bodies close but their intentions hidden beneath layers of black silk. Under the blue light, an intoxicating blend of desire and erotica filled the air, each touch lingering like a whisper of danger, a promise of forbidden pleasure.
Then I saw it—the unmistakable symbol of Satan. A naked man was standing before her, his head crowned with the twisting horns of the devil, his cock erect and menacing. His dance movements exuded an unsettling energy, as though the very air around him shifted, thick with something malevolent.
All the while, Jewel looked on, amused in that stark way of hers—as though having a naked man, a supposed powerful deity worshipping her, was only natural.
This was an ancient orgy, one where the scene appeared carefully choreographed and was acted out dramatically. The clash between spontaneous fucking and grand gestures of worship offered up a heady scene.
In the center, Jewel reigned supreme. Even though she was masked, her pleasure at watching this all unfold around her was evident, as though she was high on a drug and completely absorbed in their celebration of her.
It was obvious now. She had tried to turn Pendulum into an American equivalent of this.
I readied myself to face her, to threaten her with revealing the truth about this and what was in Dean’s notebook if she harmed Greyson.
Oh, God.
He was already here—and he was confronting her.
Surprise flashed in her eyes and then recognition that it was him standing before her. I couldn’t hear them, but they were exchanging harsh words, and whatever he was saying alarmed her.
Jewel’s terror was evident, even behind her mask.
She turned and ran, lifting her hem as she bolted through an arched doorway.
Greyson, with his usual calmness, followed her out of the crypt, taking long strides, pursuing her.
I was too late to stop him.