co'

n the moonlight felt gentle here. I looked down at his hand.

look on Harper's neck. Her slender neck reminded me of a swan from a ballet p

perfectly with the dr

arden below, shattering the silence. In my mind, I saw ag

ainable irritation

y clearly-her flushed cheeks after the kiss, her lips swollen from the kiss,

chair on the balcony, taking two steps to c

irl's room. The soft scent of sage and roses fi

th soap.I turned his head, spotting a

in the

t shadow as if possessed. She was probably applying

neck, her back, her... legs, and the

bloomed in my absence. She was li

of his daze. I groaned, feeling the unbear

.u

h, and returned to my own room. I drew the

ize just how chaotic

avid had once joked that nothing in this w

ly clean desk stood a photo frame, hol

eft of me with my par

streets of Italy, I had seen beggars, but their

. When you gain something, you

suit, standing out wherever he went. I didn'

would pick me

nt man. His work determine

ere goo

what that really meant. But what trul

safe room, watching as enemies

to even see his wife one last time. After all thes

that nightmare,

but he didn't. Rationally, I understood his father's desire to

merica, my father brought back a

quickly found another woman. He had betrayed our family. But as a son, I

alues and skills of being in the mafia, so I could ne

her da

looked at me with those inno

used those innocent eyes

accept this girl as my sister. Even if

at I told

So when I saw the room my father had prepared

ace flushed from lack of oxygen. Yet, just before she was on the verge o

was I

ter went to my father to

aly, I couldn't help but

ling the trigger, while trying to sle

mn

art-a fire that threatened to consume her. I

d me tightly. After everything in Italy was settled,

thday. I couldn't even remember when I had memorized

suppressing t

me. But as her birthday approached, s

. I scoffed, not responding, but I knew this call was like a drink of water in a

watch her kiss someone else. That rash young b

iful dress and quietly sit at

if it was because she had taken some of my fat

y. Seeing her avoid my gaze made

r expected a gift

be the only

s. Harper, we should be sharing