Kade, walking quietly a few steps behind the two noblemen, listened to the conversation.

Kade looked at the floor. He remembered how cold the General was to Lady Camilla for the entire first year of their marriage.

Kade was talking to himself, whispering very, very quietly under his breath so the other passing guests would not hear him. He did not know that Damon could hear his quiet mumbling perfectly.

"Well, the general doesn’t love her..." Kade mumbled to himself softly, stating what he believed was the simple, honest truth.

Damon stopped walking instantly.

He turned his head sharply. He glared directly at Kade. His eyes were fierce and full of sudden, sharp anger. The look was so cold and terrifying it could freeze boiling water.

Kade felt the heavy, deadly glare. He looked up and saw the General staring right at him. Kade’s eyes went wide with pure panic. He quickly raised his hand and clamped it tightly over his own mouth, physically stopping himself from saying another word. He swallowed hard, terrified he had spoken too loudly.

Syrus did not notice the silent threat passing between the General and the aide. Syrus continued walking slowly, forcing Damon to follow.

"It is clear to everyone that she loves you deeply," Syrus spoke, his voice full of serious warning. "And you really screwed up this time, Damon. You distanced yourself from her, thinking she was a spy for your evil

family who wants to hurt you. You treated her like an enemy instead of a wife."

Syrus shook his head again. "I told you a year ago not to hurt her feelings. I told you she was innocent. I hope you realize this huge mistake sooner, before you regret it completely. A broken heart is not easily fixed."

Damon did not answer. He kept his jaw locked tight. He knew he had made mistakes, but he was not going to discuss his personal feelings in a public hallway.

Just then, two young servant girls carrying empty silver trays walked past them in the opposite direction. The girls were walking closely together, whispering excitedly to each other. They did not notice the three men standing near the wall.

"I cannot believe it," the first servant girl whispered, her eyes wide with fresh gossip. "This is the very first time I am seeing a woman order service with more than one man. She asked for six of them!"

The second servant girl nodded her head rapidly in agreement.

"And she is a high-ranking noblewoman!" the second girl whispered back, giggling behind her hand. "She is so beautiful, too. It seems her husband or her intended lover really broke her heart terribly. She is trying to forget her pain by surrounding herself with all the most handsome men in the building."

The two servant girls passed by them and turned a corner, their quiet giggles fading down the hallway.

Syrus stopped walking. He raised his eyebrows in deep surprise. A highly amused smile spread across his face.

"Interesting," Syrus said, looking down the hallway where the girls had disappeared. "A noblewoman with five men? That is quite a bold scandal for a Tuesday afternoon."

Damon rolled his eyes in total annoyance. He hated gossip. He hated places like this.

"Let’s not spend our valuable time on frivolous things," Damon replied strictly. His voice was cold and commanding. "Where is the meeting room? I have to return to the camp soon."

"Right here," Syrus said.

Syrus stopped in front of a carved door. It was the private room he had reserved earlier that morning.

Syrus reached out his hand, turned the brass handle, and pushed the door wide open.

They entered the room.

Inside the private room, the atmosphere was at its absolute peak of luxury and comfort.

Camilla was completely basking in the delightful, perfect service. She felt totally relaxed. The sweet wine tasted wonderful, the cool breeze was refreshing, and the soft music filled her ears.

In the center of the room, ilias , the dark-skinned dancer, finished his slow, mesmerizing routine. He spun one last time and walked gracefully over to Camilla’s side of the velvet sofa. He knelt down smoothly on one knee, his broad, bare chest heaving slightly from the physical exertion. He was covered in a light sheen of sweat that made his skin glow in the dim light.

He looked up at her with his deep, intense eyes, waiting for her approval.

Camilla smiled a wide, highly satisfied smile. She reached into the leather pouch and pulled out a large, shiny gold coin. She leaned forward slightly. She reached out her hand.

Very deliberately, Camilla placed the gold coin directly onto the dancer’s hard, sweaty, perfect abdominal muscle. She let her fingers linger on his warm skin for a tiny second.

"Your dance was so exquisite," Camilla praised him softly, her voice full of genuine appreciation. "You did a very good job entertaining me."

The dancer smiled a deep, sultry smile, pleased by her generous tip and her gentle touch.

Camilla dipped her hand back into the leather pouch. She grabbed a large handful of shiny gold coins, intending to bring them out to generously tip the other five men for their excellent service.

She turned her head slightly, looking toward the open doorway to see if the host had returned with more fruit.

She looked ahead.

Standing right in the open doorway of the private room, frozen like a solid stone statue, was Damon.

Kade and Syrus were standing right behind him, their faces frozen in absolute shock.

Damon’s eyes were locked entirely, completely, and furiously onto Camilla.

He had just seen his wife smiling happily and pressing a gold coin directly onto a half-naked dancer’s sweaty stomach while five other shirtless men surrounded her sofa.

Damon’s face was a terrifying mask of world-shattering shock and rising, explosive anger.

Camilla’s heart stopped completely. The handful of gold coins slipped right out of her loose fingers.

Clatter, clatter, clatter.

The coins fell loudly onto the glass table and rolled onto the red carpet.

The blood instantly drained from her face. Her relaxed, confident smile vanished completely, replaced by pure, absolute panic.

She quickly stood up from the soft red velvet sofa so fast she almost tripped over her own sapphire-blue dress. She stood stiffly in the middle of the room, surrounded by her six beautiful men.

She stared back at her furious husband standing in the doorway. Her throat went completely dry.

"D...Damon?" Camilla whispered to herself, her voice shaking.