phin

ing. Above us, the sky was a bruised gray

lly on the wheel, the other hovering over the gear shift. He exuded a calm,

his voice slicing throug

ied, keeping my gaze fix

without looking away from the road a

need to be sharp. The Russos ar

kles turned white. To him, my pain was nothin

a fortress of glass and steel. It was cold, uninviting, and

. The master bedroom overlooked the water, and I stepped out

s when

e long, winding drivewa

t I recognized the type instantly. He moved with the fluid, lethal grace of a predator. He w

't a dinn

gainst my ribs, I

chen, pouring a drin

asked, my voice t

dn't tur

th the tension in the city, I wan

see it in the rigid

orcing myself to s

, look

he amber liquid in his cryst

out Valeria. I know you don't respect me. But

with a sharp clink. He walked over to me, his f

r behind my ear. His touch was gentle, almost

are here to make sure the Family has a future. Sometimes, to

he lake wind, ran down

the

y forehead. It felt like a

red against my skin. "Wear the w

orcing one foot in front of the othe

r. My hands shook as I turned on the showe

pulled out the burner ph

ournals-a fail-safe from a life I thought I had left behin

hispered the moment

" a distorted, mech

look like an accident. Make it look like a rival

ong pause on

rice i

," I said

ready at

shed the SIM card

irror. I was pale. I was sh

ilk draped over me like a shrou

thing else would rise. Something that would make Dante Moretti

the bathroom door, and walk