yes flickered between Luca and the intruders, her heart racing. She didn't know who these people were or why t

one of the SUVs, but the relaxed posture did

smirk, his voice smooth but lace

remained calm. "You're trespassing, Moretti.

d. "No need to get hostile. I'm just here t

move from where he stood, his body a

ee minutes," Lu

His smirk widened. "Ah, and who's this? Quite the

ore she could say anything, Luca's v

his," Luca warned,

, touchy. I'm just curious. Seems like an odd time

rd, his presence radiating menace

the street is you've been losing control. Your alliances are shaky, your m

ou," Luca said, his

ing your back. A storm is coming, DeLorenzo, and when it

a veiled threat that sent

nks for the warning. Now get out before I

e tension between them crackling like a live w

casually, climbing

ound of tires crunching on gr

-

his expression unreada

hat about?" she dema

d, his tone leaving

ith the force of her defiance. "I'm not goin

ht he might explode. But instead, he let out a fr

Moretti is the head of a rival family. He's been looking for an excuse to mov

s that have t

d firmly. "Which is wh

"If it doesn't have anything to do with me,

e people like Moretti will use anything they can to get

, but she refused to show i

that won't stop him from trying to make you one. Which

outh to argue, but

Moretti-or anyone else-thinks they can use you to get to m

d, her voice bare

d, his tone softening slight

ted. She didn't want his protection, didn't want to be another pawn in his twisted wo

-

g with everything that had happened. She couldn't shake the image of Moretti's

own defiance. She couldn't stay locked away fore

ll, she made

-

g way to silence. She slipped on a pair of sneakers she'd found in

pounding in her chest. The drop to the ground wasn't far, but the thou

, she told hers

he windowsill. Her feet found purchase on the trellis below, an

rea for guards. She'd watched their patrols earlier, noting the gaps in

shallow gasps. The main gate was heavily guarded, but she'd spotted a side exi

ng. A guard stood near the gate, his back to her

small rock and hurled it into the bushes nearby. The rustling sou

or n

s she fumbled with the latch. It clicked open, and

into the distance behind her. She didn't know where she was goin

r

-

his gaze fixed on the moonlit garden. His phone buzzed on th

ce called fro

his expressio

e guard said, hi

dark crossing his face. He turned back to

n," he murmured, his v

mfortably. "Do you wan

old smile. "No. Let her run

nt in his eyes a mixture o

rds carrying the weight of an unspok

contin