ee: A Cage of

first night in a mafia estate

g with slippers, scented lotion, and a black v

no Mo

am but wore them anyway. They wer

ldn't quiet the ch

g the police. Or ru

gold-plated toothbrush in a marble bathroom

t technically. But her fr

el like a choice she

the hallway. She wasn't sure wh

was silent

ng long shadows. She stepped barefoot down the stairs, hugging the velvet robe

n she h

faint mel

ollow

il paintings and security cameras

elf: a grand piano, black and s

ves rolled. Hair

im. The notes were dark

ted from a man with

d-chord, then spo

re up

utifully," sh

shoulder. "Don't s

dn't expect Chopin

"It's Liszt. But

e, drawn forward. "

he said. "Bef

his voice cra

earby chair. "Wh

mus

gestured to the mano

her then, his gaze

n't walk away from a kingdo

reply. Not

: "I think y

ed. "What make

. And you only look alive when you're playin

retched be

aughed. Low. Bitter. "You'r

as heartless a

stared

arn about me, the more re

"Then stop giving

s the city, a st

a rival family's lieutenant held up a p

er?" he

ole n

ters to

ring his house. At

. "Then we'll m

rned to her room and found so

le whi

a

as invisible

gers tr

door. Yanked it

tantly, two gua

ed him t

on darkened.

. No one leaves

at her, ey

lena. And no one to

.

und of Columbia's campus chatter for the sharp

retti estate began not with

feeling. She lay there, wrapped in silk sheets and disoriented, trying to convince herself that this was temporary. T

d sandalwood, and the quiet presence of someone stand

was no

broidered with the letters *LM*. It smelled faintly

r, a man in a dark suit

st is downstairs. Mr.

n't a

and silence. Long mahogany table. Ornate

ci

ing espresso, flipping through a dossier, his

g," she said

ut looking up.

eone bein

witched. "

ed the spread: fresh fruits, p

reakfast o

y looked at he

e we going to talk about the note so

yes darkene

wa

lder down. "T

ur sec

y fam

guilt. His voice, usually smooth

e. Two guards outside. Surveillance on all lev

ed to make me

just a witness anymore, Elena. You're le

ut in. "You'l

le

simply

dered the estate, needi

nto a study li

bound classics. Her fingers trailed

after my

no leaned again

quiet," sh

ined yo

Why are you real

use someone put a target on you. An

arms. "You don't

I know you only drink coffee if it's scalding. And I know you've been

were watching me *

dn't

me," she

at means you're stil

, she coul

ce, felt closer. The silence lo

he w

ces. Past locked doors and marble

eard it ag

e. Fierce. Violent.

d it to the

g across the keys like they were burning. H

raw. It bled an

en-he

tur

ould be

be gentler o

alked towar

idn't s

eep well,"

htma

mor

her head.

as. And the one

"You don't belong i

id you pull

dn't

nd brushed a strand of hair fro

d send y

hy don'

locked

about you makes me

eath c

lse could be said-gun

sharp

sho

ntly, pulling a gun

a-get

BE CONTINU