The Blood on His Hands

sound of our baby, waiting to share the jo

e clinic flashing a brand-

arried a mafia princess

is secret mistress and

he would pull his protection

him, his new wife orchestrated a f

happen, using my family's

r, my father jumped from

ffered a massive, fatal h

y room, dropping to his knees

ordered the hit, claiming he only want

ld, my bare feet covered in my own blood, my pa

ing left to th

sed the mafia's digital firewall and upl

pte

lla

By dawn, their empire was ash. But this story doesn't st

for eight years walked into the clinic, flashed a wedding band of new-minted solid go

kles of my hand had gone so white with tension that the paper's

g my nostrils; the photograph made a

him, and the heavy bolt of the lock shot home, t

of armed men, controlled the city's underground ports,

ary-he had kept his bloody reality separate from our life. I

harcoal suit, smelling of expensive co

n his left hand, and a knot

s voice devoid of all inflection. "I married Sere

n. I backed away until my spine hit the

whispered, the words

lla. A political all

strides. He reached for my face, but I slapped

e, stripping away the gentle boy I thought I knew to revea

re my true family. I will give you a house, a massive allowance

your mistress," I b

you to b

hest, a wave of nausea rising so shar

child into this world to be a mafia bastard

He grabbed my wrist, his grip a manacle of bone and sin

ella. Do you hear me? You dare destr

d the Don's ring and married that

and I could feel the angry, erratic

bort this baby, I have no reason

ed ice; a chill crept inch by inch up my

the Syndicate's dirty cash. He was a small fish in a shark tank, only

hreatening

adjusting his cuffs with a chilling precision. "Think very carefu

d out of the room w

though it were stuffed with a water-logged sponge, eac

he floor and looked at the tiny gray blur. This was a life bo

ached the front desk. The receptionist

rocedure," I said, my voice soundi

," she replied, clicking her mouse. "I have an

even shake. That scared me