ella

tains hanging around us. The Moretti soldiers, men trained to smell fear, looke

m the armed men to me with frantic desperation. The

ar, but with adrenaline. He grabbed my hand, his grip tight. "I'm ta

ir holsters. The air in the roo

itched to the rough Sicilian dialect we had spoken in that damp cellar two years ago-a language of su

ut finding only the woman who had learned to wear a mask of ice. "They

replied in English, my tone sharp

does not walk out of here free and safe tonight, I don't s

echoed from the ent

ision. His presence sucked the oxygen out of the room. He didn't look at Frankie; his dark

ce smooth like aged whiskey laced with

nd danger-invaded my senses. He reached out, his fingers brushing my arm to

ady to fight a war he couldn't win. Vincenzo's

incenzo's p

zzed again. And again. With a growl of annoyance, he pull

o," he

rds on the other end, but I saw Vincenzo's spine stiffen. The Consig

in his eyes replaced by a cold, calculated mask. "Change of plans. We are

ssuing a silent co

Frankie interjected, stepping

d. "You are testing

ing my resolve,"

"We will all go," I said calmly. "Frankie is hungry. You are hungry

second, I thought he would refuse. Then, he gave a sharp no

place of white tablecloths, dim lighting, and hushe

nzo sat at the head of the table, radiating hostility. Fran

the truth of my engagement-that it was a temporary truce, a thr

with aggressive force. "Some men have all t

ook up from his s

ain. "Because they are blind. A man who cannot see the

of silverw

. He picked up his napkin, dabbed his mouth, and then

orth Side, yes? On Clark St

kie

ygen. Your mother, your sister... they sleep soundly because I allow it. Remember who

fear warring with his pride. He swallowed hard and

to the estate

ng out at the blurring city lights, nursing a glass of scotch he had poure

th a tension that made the hair on my arms stand up. He wa

id suddenly. His voice was rough, strip

at him. "He was

ocking onto mine in the dim light. They were swirling with a sto

incenzo. I saved his li

ser, invading my space. The heat radiating from him was overwhelming. "I saw th

ting my face up to his. His thumb brushed my lowe

venom and a strange, twisted pain. "I understand why you

tightened

" he hissed, "has already