a

s of glass and light, perched on the edge

infested. Filled with the

ng of the Five Families to reaffirm alliances. But as I

fun

y to hide the bruising on my arms from the IVs. I felt hollowed out,

ming the Don of the Moretti family, laughing as if

graze my cheek with his lips. It was a performan

ocket. "I forgot to g

family crest, encrusted in sapphires. It was heavy

said, his voice low. "I

nd. A tag on a pi

er, the music swell

ere sh

of fresh arterial blood. It was strapless, tight, and scr

us. The chatter in the room di

through his, effectively pushing me

her with a mixture of lust and prot

room, raising a glass of

voice carrying over the silence. "Ethan a

asps, whispers, the

they were encased in conc

ut then he looked at Chloe's beaming face, looked at

calculat

accepted it. He validated

look at me

who had saved his life, the woman who ha

was looking at me now. The Capos, the wives, the rivals. They we

wd, his face twisted in worry. He reach

pered, my vo

e. Her eyes were

ke sympathy. "This must be so hard for you. But

plucked the sapphire

ged, tearing

the Lady of the house. And you... we

y guard, wrinkling her nose. "Cl

bro

rage, the pain-

ch!" I s

just wanted to wipe that smirk off her fa

rs graze

like a freight

shov

block me. He

e polished marble. I crashed into a wai

ip slamming against the stone. Shards of cr

outed, trying

face twisted in a snarl I h

" he roared. "You'

her for injuries she didn't h

burying her face in his chest. "She's

d my own blood. The pain in my hip was bl

me. To p

me one last time. His

ded the guards. "And don't let h

around Chloe's waist and led her into the b

k over her shoul

nadultera

, her ey

. The crowd turned away, u

legs wouldn't work. I w

s. It mixed with the sparkling w

died on

ezing it until it cut into my palm, gro

to cry. I wasn'

e them pay. Every