ella

he firelight cast long, flickering shadows across his exhausted face. He looked every bit the hardened Ca

d muscles of his neck. "It wasn't your fault, Papa," I

yes locked onto mine, sharp and demanding. "What did you say to him, Isabella? To Damien Co

s plot I had uncovered. "I gave him a secret he couldn't refuse," I answered softly, holdin

ely vanish, but it morphed into a wary respect. He was realizing his little girl was playing a

hold. My eldest brother, Enzo, wasn't supposed to be back from his law studies in Chicago until the week of the wedding. His tailore

, crossing the room

but for the agonizing memories of his brutal death in my past life-a fate I was desperately trying to rewr

cold, clinical truth of Jason Brennan'

mask of pure, unadulterated fury. "I'll kill him," Enzo snarled, turning toward the do

absolute authority of a Capo. "The Old Man has made his

ur blood!" Enz

tered fiercely. "We will have our Vendetta, Lorenzo, but on ou

. He forced a sharp nod, but the fire in his

a gust of crisp night air. My mother, Sofia, stepped into the foyer,

gesturing for me to join her. "I supervised her packing my

t-iron gates, under the harsh glare of the streetlamps, Agatha Vance w

one as sharp as a blade. "I declared her a *Rat*. I told them all: anyone who offers th

utation. In our world, social

ft in my heart, only a cold, dark thrill. But as I stared into the night, I knew Agatha and Elena wouldn't jus