he Russos draped in a suit that cost

forehead before he

rfunctory p

of dist

lready thinking about the

n he was do

re had begged

He insisted the Russos were bait

ett didn

o that meeting to

e king of this concrete jungle, capable of b

s motorcade snake through the rain

t not

f

wor

ping in my chest that remi

an hour later

idn't

drink from Bennett's crystal decante

," she said, taking a sip of

," I said, turning a page of my b

he point,

mahogany desk, swinging her

die for me, Kelsey. Doe

ed up

ked tri

gloating, I sa

ulat

said quietly. "You love

lau

e sound that shattered

's debts. I love that no one looks at me like trash anymore because I have the

d, her eyes glitt

lls. I bleed, he burns cities. What do you

at felt

t with the sheer w

was

s fa

t happen because he was t

on the d

the sec

ched the receiver before I c

?" she b

, and then her smile twis

ooked

e said.

g up th

dn't l

, fueled by the su

"Bennett walked into an ambush

started ringin

ett's perso

dier calling t

ng th

break, to scream, to rush to the ho

d at th

white letters agains

he contract hidde

the scarf left

t Aria's words

d the re

ined t

widened in g

e dying," s

ow,"

hone face down

for you, Aria. You

, leaving the silence heavy

time in years,