A P

arked. As she headed towards her apart

her walk. When the person almost caught up wit

ght himself. She held the dagger in

ing me?" she demand

tep closer, pressing the dagger in his

ey are and answer the dam

ve again and answered,

eyes. "Your hoo

pulled the hood blocking his f

n't lower the dagger. "What are you doing here,

st wasn't given out easily. Carlo supplied her with information while she gave him file

answered, his expression grim.

h

tep back. "That's my business, Carlo

ouldn't have attracted to you. If something should happen to

m, her use that was making him worried.

his was the world she lived in. T

aightened. "Thank you for your concern, Carlo.

to her apartment, leavin

r apartment to rid herself of that tension that had gripped

ork. And so she

rustrated and decided to take a walk. Per

nd her shoulders, her nightgown clingi

lk without coming across anybody, and it also

id soothe her nerves and she could finally sort

ot what Lena

was known to be involved in all the crimes known to hum

had expected him to be upright, harsh, and ea

ss to her knuckles, trying to get a react

ved her.

le him, to anticipate his moves. But his constant smirking, h

to understand her opponent if she wanted

ger in the shadows. Just barely a week with Moretti and

at was when she knew she was in the garden. She was so locke

ed to Lena's neck from

etty neck of yours," a man's voice grunts, his Italian

but came up empty. She had

dam

r guard down. The man pressed his body

nst Lena's neck, and she gritted her

re playing with fire, tesoro. You're going with

her skin, but she didn't flinch. "Moretti? That man's nothing but

es. This wasn't just some random thug. Whoever sent him was serious. He was here to warn her,

?" she asked, her voice low

her. He was trying to control the situation, to remind her of the power h

ttered. "They have seen you with Moretti. And trust me

lo had said only a few hours ago

u go any further with him, and you're marked. You'll be in the middle of something y

no guarantees that she would survive whatever game she had chosen to play. But she wasn't

don't want to be caught between the dogs, cara. Walk awa

chest. She wasn't going to show weakness. She wasn't g

r tone unwavering. "Message recei

till pressed against her skin. But after

ly backed away, disappearing i

lose encounter. The warning hung in the air, the weight of it pressi

ht be dangerous.

back to her apartment. Once she was there she

bed. She was on her feet and reaching for her pistol and dagger.

ld see her hallway window was shattered. Whoev

ows moving downstairs. She turned on the light-because

olding a gun that was pointed at her, and