my side, hearing my husband Eth
taken my kidney without my co
e said, then walked in and lied
d him back from death. In return, he carved me up
eigning concern, I de
this city my hus
pte
phin
physical thing, an anchor pulling me from the black fog of unconsciousness. My throat was raw, my head t
r. Two voices. One was Dr. Gallo, our family's physicia
impatient. The sound of it, usually a comf
ut, Ethan, this was reckless. To take it without her
moved instinctively to my side, fingers probing the thick band
s voice was ice. "Isabella needed it. That's all that ma
bel
comfort after he was nearly killed in an ambush six
s a deep, internal freeze, a paralysis of the soul. He wasn't talking about somet
ight, my head already feeling heavy. Him, smiling that smile that had always made my wo
y a horrifying, crystalline
ype is rare, Ethan. A perfect match for Isabella, yes, but wh
Her body, her blood... it's a family asset. It belongs to the Co
ily a
his legitimate businesses from the ground up, laundering millions and giving the Bratva a respectable face. I nursed him back from the br
a piece of meat to save
elt like my heart was being torn from its moorings. The physical violation was horrific,
d into a mask of concern. He saw my eyes were open and rus
. You collapsed. Your kidney... it failed
h. My eyes flickered to the door, where I could see Dr. G
was my life, my future. I saw him for what
vaporated in that single, cold moment. It left behind a hollow, aching voi
Don't worry. I'm here.
my eyes spill over, playing the part of the frightened, fragile wife. He needed to be
an in this city Ethan feared. One rival powerful enough to challenge the Costello empire. A man w
e Mo
. The pain in my side was a vicious, constant reminder of what he had done. It fueled me. Slowly, painfully, I r
elligence. A number I had never, ever planned to use. A number that mea
d. Ethan had killed t
on the first ring. A lo
ring down the Costello family," I said, the words tasting like ash and freedom.
silence that stretc
ther end said, "Stay whe