Chapter 77

• Aria watched Dante's facial expression after ending the call, and her stomach turned. She knew his routine too well—calling Luciana meant summoning another willing maid to his chambers. Bile rose in her throat as memories of his cold dismissals after their intimate moments flooded her mind.
• As the knock on his bedroom door signaled the arrival of the maid, Dante rose from the bed without a backward glance at Aria, who lay curled under the sheets pretending to be asleep. He opened the door to reveal Luciana.
• Luciana stepped aside to reveal the girl behind her. She was barely twenty, with long blonde hair and innocent blue eyes that darted nervously around the room before settling on Dante's imposing figure.