o P

. A low mechanical whir, barely audible over the wind

silver mask caught the late afternoon light, and for a moment, no one breathed

crust, and my hair was coming loose from its pins, and I did not care. Let

mask, his eyes moved over my stained dress, my scratch

, Don Valachi." I kept my voice light. Conversational.

, Don Valachi." I kept my voice light. Conversational.

rom disuse. "Chairman Constantine found you an excelle

piece his brother had placed on the board to test h

taught me that if you want something, you have

e did not seem to find it. Then he turned his head toward the pil

eg

book rattled. The guests stood frozen in their places, too afraid to sit, too afraid to leave. No one sang. No o

take this man, I looked d

ady. Louder than his. Louder than the w

exchanged glances. But Damien did not react. He s

air and addressed the man standing at his side.

d been a prisoner before. The last time, I had walked out

tate. I stood at the glass and let my eyes move across the grounds, marking the guard rot

but he held himself the same way he always did. Alert. Ready. He had not said

us. The whir of the w

en's voice was soft

he window. "My person

t o

A long pause. Then his voice, steady and respectful. "My apologies, Don. M

n a click. Small. Precise. The

urn

the wheelchair. The barrel was aimed directly at Eddie's forehead. Behin

ice had not risen. It had gone flatter, if

s jaw was set. He did not look at me. He did not

ice my own man to save myself? If I gave Eddie up now, I would be giving up everything. Every claim to

ed the space between us until my body stood betw

as inches fr

the Don. I did not blink. I did not flinch. I had stared down worse than a man

, Don Valachi," I said, my voice strong and resolute. "You'd better ge