as a heavy, suffocating silenc

l Park, and modern art that resembled blood splatters on s

and, staring at my phone

iness. Not

he summary of

umber. My finger hovered over the delete button. I couldn't block the Don-that wo

Dante vanished, replaced b

rebellion, but it felt

den panel in the pantry. Behind a row of i

rypted flash drives. A pa

and opened my laptop. It wa

ophole for the Moretti empire. Methodically, I removed my authorization. I unlinked my biometric

sting my

d. An Instagra

shouldn't have. Pain was an addi

ned t

he was.

glittering backdrop. She was holding a glass of champagne, w

: *Safe

d rise in

y that required the Don to leave

boat with his ex-mistress wh

the date o

ber

y-third bir

he laptop

It was a traditional recipe, one his mother had taught me. I though

burner. The blue fla

nions. The rhythmic sound of the k

Chop.

evator

asn't suppose

e was loose, his top button undone. He smelle

ing a white

, looking surprised to fi

cooking,"

ok up. I ke

ou were work

e," he said, placing

ed it t

red. It sounded like an ob

e knife and o

eneric, store-bought vanil

I was a child. Dante knew this. Or at least,

nse of sugar. It looked li

hungry,

t was a heavy,

ul, Elena. I made

, brittle sound. "Did the negotiatio

ened. His e

you talk

on my phone and turned

looks very safe, Dante. And

y. He looked annoyed that he had been cau

the only secure location available on short

e?" I asked. "Was

ned. His voice dropped an octave. "

didn't come home, Dante. You just changed location

dropped it into the trash can

t eatin

my wrist. His

otect this family. I protect you. Sofia is a res

you wish you had m

hat followed

at me. He d

ased my

ner pho

It sat on the marble

t up. "Luca

s eyes flicked

and. I'm o

hun

to go,"

" I said. I turned

," he

Dan

a second, I saw a flicker of some

lammed back down. T

s your attitude

ked out. The elev

alone

The half-chopped veget

and pulled out a si

ld it up in th

" I whispered t

top loving

e curled up into the air, v