o P

oul. Damien's finger was steady on the trigger. Behind the si

wills playing out in the space of a few feet. Eddie s

, chaos

AS

lew open, slamming

. I recognized her. Cornelia Gallo, Chairman Constantine's sister, a spoiled p

vious to the guns, the tension, the silent tableau of death sh

me, her hands c

ion beneath the mask one of pure

before she reached m

ge. I didn't

llap

a sharp, precise jab into Eddie's ribs-a pre-arranged signal. He grunted and stumbled back a

ttered with a sou

the per

o my chest as if I'd been struck. I pointed a tre

filled with manufactured terror

ouched me. She stared at me, then at her own hands, then back

rily stunned. They had seen the tru

vy footsteps thundered down the hall. The door, already open, was fi

d on the floor. The Don, armed and watching. And a strange woman

a dozen rifle barrels were aimed at

her!" Cornelia stammered,

sleeve..." I whispered, my voice raspy. "What did

iveled to Cornelia's ela

d, his face grim. "Miss Gallo. Raise yo

dignation. "Do you know who I am? My father is Consta

unmoved. "On the Don's wedding night, anyone who enters his p

The crisis with Eddie was averted. The gun was no longer pointed

t. His gaze flickered between me and Cornelia, his mind clearly working, analyzing, calculating. I could almost hea

s" form, at Damien's impassive mask, and the reality of her sit

shed to my side. "Signora, are you alrigh

head weakly, and cast a terrifi

er my best