ena

and gun oil. It was 4:00 AM. The Queens distillery was a cavernous beast of brick and ir

spattered leather book onto the heavy oak desk. Julia

cles. "Taken off Kirkland's Underboss before he took his last breath. It contains

hing mine. The contact was brief, but elec

We blind him. We deafen him. We blee

dark eyes locked onto mine. "You have ope

know I had planned for this ledger all along; my mentor, The Professor, had ensured I knew exactly which pocket the U

didn't walk away immediately. Leaning against the cold

ct sound of paper tearing. "A dock union boss," Julian ordered. "Verify him befor

burning pleasantly down my throat. A

ntation floor, occupied by the remnants of the Valenzuela family. My family's loyalists

with surprising strength. It was an old Soldier, hi

-year-old face. "You survived when the Don fell. You bring

heir savior, but as a harbinger of death. Derek stepped forward, his massi

Derek," I com

fer comfort. I slowly scanned the room, memorizing his face, and the faces of every man who muttered in agreement. A slow, chilling

g the East River. The sky was bleeding into a bruised purple. The exhausti

York. I had asked The Professor for Julian Morgan's psychological profile. He

ur own eyes?"* the old man had asked, his

had replied, fueled

learn how to play the King. I could feel the weight of a gaze on my back. I didn't need to turn around to know Julian was standin