ESSA

mirror, dark fingerprints that would be impossible to hide tomorrow. Dante Moretti had strong ha

t knocking. She never knocked. After five years of pat

damage. Her fingers were clinical, professional

t feel

t." She pulled out her

k that never quite faded. She'd seen all of it before. Every time Nico decided I need

t back," she sai

t have m

an answer,

e I was born. She'd delivered me, actually. Patched up my scraped knees as a kid.

. His whole family. I didn't fight bac

e packed up her bag. "The pills I gav

I reme

ing worse." She headed for the door, then pause

re museum than home, filled with expensive things my mother had collected before she died. Before my father had turned

drinking my father's expensive scotch like he

ws up," he said. "Nice

up,

, little

sive desk, looking every bit the don he was. Dying

tanding, looming lik

n hour ago. He apologized for his man's behavior, but the message was c

d them anyway. Let the old man d

d an alternative. One that would legally bind o

d in my stomach. "Wha

nce. Between you

ilent. Even Nic

be seriou

e means shared assets, shared liability. If either family atta

d up, anger finally breaking through the numbness. "Did you see what

father's eyes were sharp. "

I'm not s

ndro. Too much of your mother in you." He said it like it was

n't d

. Pain exploded through my back where the old scars were. "You'll d

said calmly. "He'll agre

'd built on other people's blood. At Nico, who'd beaten me unconscious five years

ave a c

said. "But I'm

nny. Almost. "Fine

row so the families can see unity." My father pulled out papers, already pr

even know ab

arco says he'll agree. Apparently the boy i

s what I was now. A ch

"This is ridiculous. We should be preparing

r you want," my father said coldly. "Unti

studio before the panic attack hit. The walls closed in. My chest tightened. I

old for seven.

lped when the weight of ev

looked at me tonight with pure hatred burning in his dark eyes. The man who'd wrapped his hands

uzzed. Unk

'll make it work. Three mon

ing, calculating, figuring out how to use thi

. At least with Dante, I knew where I stood. He hated me. Wanted to dest

fore I could th

't fig

came imm

were on your throat. You wanted me to f

hy

s I need you to start acting like you want to survive.

ent and sharp and so certain o

vive. I a

g to destroy you, it's going to

uelty of it. The absolute certainty that

es

papers. Wear something that covers those bruises. I d

ke the bruises were an inconvenien

hing

und tomorrow afternoon. The sooner we start this c

Not even tolerate me. Use

ve thrown the phone across the

be t

message

ke me regret not finishin