na

ove us, the crystal chandelier cast a sickly, yellow light ove

his. To his right sat Gina, draped in the diamonds that should have been mine-heirl

ted to the shadows. Leo was

na purred, sliding her han

know-the exact crooked charm his brother, Matteo, had given me on our w

wrong man, it fel

ss to the brim. He d

e too small for the heavy silver cutlery. His knife slipped, sc

ike a gunshot i

impatient exhale that

doing, boy," he snap

wide, confused eyes to me. I could see the heartbreak there-he couldn't understand

said, my voice soft but cu

is trembling hands. With steady, deliberate move

He turned back t

u, Uncle,

val. He said it with a flat, dull tone, devoid of emotion. It was th

wine glass pausing h

?" Dante asked, h

s gaze, un

thank yo

uffocating. The air grew heavie

as a nervous, jagged so

lena. You should teac

The metallic clink e

s steady; the tremor I had lived with for three

jaw ti

hat suppos

g my chair back and standi

h falling open in a grot

th what?

ity. Done with the

t meet my eyes. They stared at their plates,

ed at

rising. "A father would never choose anoth

et, his face flushin

na. You are be

ghter than I had in year

own and too

on,

y heels clicked rhythmically against th

alls. "You walk out that door, and you get nothing!

ast time, looking at the man w

enunciating every word, "than spend one more n

d the d

instantly. It was cold, bi

time in three year

at me, grippin

e we goin

the darkness that felt infinitely more we

I promised him. "And the