Giovanni carried her over his shoulder down the winding corridors of the residential wing. A maid passing by froze.

"Sir—" the maid began hesitantly.

Giovanni cut her off without slowing his stride. "Not now. I am busy teaching my fiancée some manners."

He turned a corner and kicked open a door to a room Rosalia had never seen before. The villa was vast, filled with forgotten guest suites and private quarters, but this room felt entirely different. The moment the door clicked shut behind them, panic flared in her chest. The space was sleek, minimalist, and entirely soundproofed.

"What are you trying to do?" Rosalia demanded, her voice shaking with...