Page 179 of Juliet & Her Romeos

Ambrose could discover what’s happened to her, especially if he has methods of surveillance. It would be dangerous, but Ambrose has shown that he doesn’t fear risking his life.

Mom is pack too.

“My only true wish would be to reunite with Mom,” I whisper. “Nova vanished on the same day that I was taken by the Romeos. She’d taken me with her to a meeting at the Romeo academy. But she left me in an empty studio with Laurent, while she worked. Laurent and I were reading a bunch of trashy Omega magazines, which your mom bought him about hair, clothes, and the lives of celebrities to inspire him, and giggling over them together. Then the Dance Master burst in anddragged me away from Laurent into the dorms. I was screaming and crying for my mom. I never saw her again after that.”

“I’m sorry—"

“I don’t want apologies.” I clench my hands on my lap. “Ever since, I’ve been controlled by threats to Mom. If I didn’t behave, obey, or ran, then I was told that Mom would suffer. I’ve had to do everything that I was told.”

Ambrose’s expression crumples.

To my shock, he pushes himself to his knees. “You’ll never forgive me. I don’t ask that. But I’m here, begging on my knees that you don’t hate me. Can you try not to?”

My throat is dry. I feel frozen.

I can’t do this but I have to.

“Where’s Mom?” My voice is very small.

Devastation sheets through the bond.

“I was sworn to secrecy.” Ambrose touches his scar, as if he can’t stop himself. “I would be killed, if I told you.”

I swallow. “Who by? The same person who gave you that scar?”

“Samepeople,” Ambrose grits out. “The same knife that they’d slashed me with, as blood dripped into my eye, was held to my throat. I thought that they were going to kill me.”

Ambrose’s gaze is unfocused like he’s reliving it.

I want him to stop talking. I dread what he’s going to say next.

I shuffle forward just enough to touch his knee.

I never expected Ambrose to kneel in front of me.

Why does he need to?

He’s begging for my forgiveness.

But why?

“You think that they’ll kill you, if you tell anyone what’s happened to Mom.” I force myself to say. “That’s why you never have.”

Ambrose shakes his head. “I didn’t want to distress you, until I could do something about it. Plus, I don’t care what happens to me. I haven’t since that night. But they also swore that they’d killyou.”

I hiss out a shocked breath. Terror floods through me.

“Do you still want to know?” Ambrose’s heavy gaze settles on me. “Whatever the cost?”

“I may die.” My expression hardens. “But I can’t live without knowing.”

“I was in one of my hiding places in a deserted practice room in the abandoned wing, which has a huge closet. Mom was in a rage about my grades because Silvanus had scored higher. It helped to keep out of her way for a couple of hours, until she’d calmed down. Suddenly, outside I heard your mom, Nova, and our principal Beta, Felix.”

Shivers run down my spine.

Was it the same practice room that Swan and I would sneak to dance together in after curfew?

“Felix…? Mom used to talk about him. She told me that he was the best dancer in America. She was secretly sad that she was in a rival company and couldn’t dance with him. But he’s not here now. The rumor was that he tried to run and was caught and sent into exile.”

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