na

the study, my posture a rigid lin

la the Boss Lady?" I demanded. "It is

med his la

s like a gunshot, and a tremor went throug

a dangerous quiet entering his voice. "And yo

austion from running the Famiglia as

ence, the taste of i

s of strict adherence to Om

he blood out of his shirts, and pl

ing unreasonable?" I asked, the

owering frame casting a dar

he ordered coldly, as if my pain were a household chore to be

line I never thou

no argument. "I need you to lend Isabella th

lungs seemed t

jewelry, a symbol passed d

front photo shoot," he justified smoothly

weight settled

aking through the control in my voice. "I wil

ared with sudde

h the force of blows, calling me petty a

but turned his back on me and s

use was deafening, a high

room and opened the velvet

d cold, just li

se, I packed the glittering neckl

straight to a black-market fen

s heirloom for a fr

ds, but it was the first thin

a thick, unbreathable fog as Dante

wed blood-oath rings, a traditi

e dimly lit jewelry shop, c

yed, rushing the jeweler t

zed violently

ntire demeanor shifted in

la's convoy was pinned down by

coat. "Dante, protocol," I warned him. "A Don does not person

and as if my touc

sprinting out of the shop and

orly concealed pity, a look that s

final payment for

ansfer the funds from our j

d at th

ount wa

ersonal escape funds, our

ngertips up my arms, and the phon

eezing street, the wind scori

, the only man who managed th

demanded, my voice sounding distant

ice heavy with a reluct

nte drained the account this afterno

o purchase a heavily fortified,

up th

itter smile forming on my lips as the jew

both if the Family ever fell. Every resource I had was being siphoned away to protect a woman who already had his