na

st thing I saw was a slip of unworn black lace, fallen from his carele

territory-a vicious postscript to

me clinging to its edge stung my nostrils. I picked it up between two fi

hen, where Alessandro wa

od porridge, its rich, savory

re relaxed; he was playing the part o

dining table before me, offe

way without breakin

reviewed my visa and extraction protocols un

's telephone chimed

hia's sweet, provocative voic

before, her tone dripping with a false inn

rk eyes flashed

shame, he pressed t

ice note back to her, his

emon, murmuring promises o

ed on the stove, steaming. I pressed my palm flat against the cold marble of the cente

ck display of power had been happe

oked at me, his demeanor shifting seamle

had not tou

f his fingers, he signed,

down at

signed back that there

gned that it was tainte

essandro's handsome face, a

nd dumped the expensi

ed, asking if I wante

my head

large wall calen

f the page marking my fin

umpled paper int

of the paper caught A

e focus of his eyes, a sudden, dangerous

echoed as he followe

tely began composing a message to the air

d quickly loc

t as I hid the device behind my bac

re dark wit

w who I was textin

id calm as I signed that