phin

the expensive cut of meat

ass to the empty ch

pered, the words foreign on

ate was clean, I

a discreet service specializing i

. Right now," I said, my voi

to charge double the emergency rate,

ut him off. "Cash. Be

before he

called home for nearly seven years. Every piece of furn

nothing more than a

closet. My clothes-a collection of silk dress

ways kept packed for emergency travel

every gift, every piece of jewelry excep

ang that he had never give

n't a tool to ke

d. The movers

four men, their faces impassi

an with kind eyes, gave me

alone," I said, my voic

You got it, miss." He turned to his men

so warm and full was rendered stark and empty. The

It held a photo of Dante and me in Tuscany, smiling.

up, and laid it face do

way without a b

o a hotel. It was heading to a four-bedroom apartment in a discreet b

ingenc

s coming. I was grateful I'd never told Dante about it

mell of fresh paint still lingering in t

hadn't realized I'd

g of being truly

a harsh intrusi

ge from

e with your tantrum. Don't

ea. The pure arrogance of a king w

sage, my thumb hove

ught he had

find out just