na

final, conspiratorial wave, stepping back in

, sealing us inside the oppressive

the cleaning caddy, the bones of my k

nonexistent scuff on the marble flo

ainst the countertop. She glanced at the screen, a triumphant

rling," Vale

ice. "Is everything ready for the Blood Oath today?

es, running her hands down her perfectly flat, s

ry, Carmela. I never had any intentio

er voice dripping with venomous pride. "So, he simply borro

seemed to drop

suddenly became deafening, vibrating up through the rub

ressed the record button on the concealed Syndicate

eo, who was busy playing with the

ath before the Don today t

chilling, predator

eo will finally

had carried, nursed, and loved-the child whose first word had been 'Ma

lashed beh

five ye

weapons shipment for the Family, and my mother-in-l

l echo against the corrugated metal walls as she screamed that I was a ba

had threatened my sta

ad played th

m active duty, just for a year, to h

sted him

gh to believe my birt

nails of my rubber-gloved hand into my palm until the sl

ated sabotage by Cassio a

g breeding mare, a vessel designed to

ered fingers at me, a sharp

g there like

large, framed canvases lea

s. They are refuse. I want them in th

d to th

e dress next to Cassio, was ha

hung a massive, newly

mposition, printed on archival paper that gave

ttoned velvet chair, lo

and resting intimately on his sho

a was Carmela, smiling warmly at

ad known

tire, ruthless usurpatio

, my eyes scanning the bottom co

que stamped with the photog

18

a dusty Mexican courtyard, bleeding out for

t, while my heart stopped twice on the operating table. They had smiled for the camera. And I realized, staring at their