Ross

he face of the Patek Philippe watch. Right near the three o'cloc

in the rain. Before the airbags even deployed, I had thrown my body across the center console, wrapping my arms around Dante to shield

stared at Sofia's caption

r of the image. A large white heart popped up on the sc

ion dropped down from the top of m

s. The food here is garbage. I'm

at Sofia's photo. The location tag on her po

ng lurch, but my hands were entir

lf. Stay safe. Come

onto the plush velvet sofa as if

d the shiny new first editions and went straight to the bottom shelf in the

desk. It was a travel poster for the Gold Coast of Australia. The edges were frayed. I had kept this piece of paper since I was ten years ol

fully and slid it into the

ter bedroom. Behind a massive oil painting

s birthdate. The heavy metal

left this here for my "allowance." I knew better than to touch the new bills. The Vitiello family tracked serial num

safe. I pulled out a velvet pouch containing two solid g

rom the back of the rack. I brought it to the bed, grabbed a small sewing kit fro

gold bars deep into the insulation, and

quickly, a skill born out of necessity when I had to men

needle slipped, plunging deep i

ed at it. I didn't get up to find a bandage. I pressed my bleeding finger directly against t

on the back of the closet door. I picked up a thick black

untdown had of

gh the apartment. The priv

of dry-cleaning bags over it. I grabbed a microfiber cloth from the nightst

Heavy, hurried footst

Marco cal

nd. Marco stood in the living room, holding two massi

tened with a look of profound, uncomf

"He won't make it back tonight. He asked me to bring you thes

from his hands, forcing a soft, gentle smile onto my

y. "Tell him I appreciate it. An

hing, to warn me, to apologize for the fact that his boss was currently in a

curtly, and turned away. "

clicked shut, the smile fell fro

d the cabinet under the sink, stepped on the pedal of the trash can, and dum

an's perfume, this trash