iet-too quiet fo

ce. One that vibrated with tension, uncertainty, and fear. She stared at the note

The code is i

hell did

d in, this time dressed in all black, the top buttons of his shirt undone. His hair

raightened i

ly, eyes scanning the untou

ed like some animal

ought you were an animal,

. "Why am I h

your father made a deal with the devil, and when i

e motioned toward the shackle o

said quietly, stopping jus

?" she aske

r, trapping her without touching her. "I'm not the one who cau

slightly. "What

omething. Something he had no right to

linked.

it back, every one of my men, my family, and even you-will be hunted

our world," s

smile. "Yo

ing gesture, Lorenzo knelt in front of her. H

anything stupid and I'll

him. "Why the

ard the door. "Because

-

Hour

nned at the opulence. Polished floors, renaissance paintings

council. Lorenzo stood with two other men-one tall and dark-haired with

Matteo. My consigliere

eo simply raised

than I expected

enzo replied, "She jus

e account your father opened with the Salvatore ledger-it was under your mothe

at Elena. "Yo

e said h

ied, she transferred a set of encrypted keys into an offsho

ena whispered, stu

gaze darke

-

That

oom she'd been moved to. The shackle

ist, still feeling

ck ec

me holding a small black box.

otograph-her mother holding a baby El

lost," sh

o said. "It

wh

ted. "You

ha

er protected him by faking a political scandal. But your mother-she knew. She took the rin

ead. "Why are you

just about power or revenge. It's about survival. And

t ga

pped c

rri

topped. "Yo

worn in with blood and vows. If you and I marry, I can legall

hone-Alexander, her ex, bloodi

" she

"He went looking for you.

led. "What

inst her ear: "I want you to walk down that

-

wher

a man in a white suit sipped

e muttered. "And

im smiled cruelly. "Shou

o finish what I started

-

t the

didn't

coul

th about her family. But most of all, she couldn't stop thinking about

ing, she woke

nto her room,

," she whispered.

ho

an explosion rocked the ent

hrew Elena

d her close. "You want answers? You'll get

hoed down t

world sh

t moment,

just the

-

F CHA