enne

d, my encrypted phone buzzed

, shadowed hallway of th

s Chr

o not want to go to Paris," Christian in

, and a frantic qual

, so it does not reflect po

le floor seeming to seep through the t

father was killed," Christian emphasized, a

m a word; the air seemed to h

a high-pitched giggle t

his shipment of contraband?"

bric, a sound too intima

tened at once, sheddi

rough the logistics,

ow you, ha

e Family's discipline had stitched my lips shut with wire. I

sound. I simply

t to the Consigliere's office to

en doors were

and stepped inside,

oked up from his g

row furrowed as he regist

Christian?

not going," I

his deep leather chair, his e

genuinel

e fiercely protective partner," the Consigl

you go to a foreig

with a thoughtful

d to swear your unio

nd sharp, stung the bridge of my

lood oath, a memory that now

the most important

, my fingers gripping the edge of the d

aid quietly, offering a fragile

nly pushed open behind me,

ited, a waft of cloyin

e Consigliere a stack of papers, her b

er reports for my front bu

s at once. "This is doctored garbage," he barked, slamming the papers back onto t

f her eyes twitched, and her mouth pulled into an irrepressib

a hand on

lucky, Vivi,

her tone heavy wit

uch a powerful, protective Ca

o me, a deliberate i

rely due to Christian's hands-o

iled w

the next few months holed

you

h a triumphant smil

nocence, a time when I trusted t

n settled like a

let my m

expression, maintaining

mind," I s

istian's p

turned sharp

ued by many in the underworld," Lilith

loyalties, would that a

in the eye, refusi

mly n

es

atmosphere, the Consi

" the Consigliere ordered, his

er sweet act falling away

ing a question,

left the room, the heavy do

o transfer documents ac

Christian to reconsider,

ion is a rar

voice, leaning

lose eye

ristian get to

, the political maneuv

t, I already k

rs cannot be tethered, n

heading straight for the front doors of the safeh

h Lilith had already uploaded to the Family network-a photo of Christian's ja