began the fol

a cup of black coffee, when

rst, hauling a matching se

them ca

theatricality. Her limp was a migrating performance, shifting

practiced and raspy. "Thank you

the counter. My han

suit, immaculately tailored to hide the stit

no room for debate. "The Genovese know where she

request. It

fore the mask slipped back on. She reached int

hanks for lending me yo

at the

o roses," I sai

k surprise. "Oh! I forgot. Dante sent me

g in the air. A poisoned

ound his eyes. "Enough. Pack a bag, Elena. We are mov

am not going to be locked in a

ng off the marble walls like a gunshot. "Not a mistress

o, we

ront seat with Dante. I sat in the back, behind the privacy partitio

fortress carved into the heart of the sno

Dante had taken me

, touching the furniture, claiming the

hand over the fireplace mantle. "We had a... memorabl

tirely on the tactical situatio

ed over

," he

fia a glass

me a tumbler o

is

the glass

it tastes like gasoline

rinks w

. He was looking at his phone, checking securit

n realize wha

completely that he couldn't even d

k the

u," I sai

her if she needed pain medication for her

as invisible. I wasn't a person to him anym

ed whiskey down

the pool house

Don't leave the perimeter, Ele

ofia, who was sipping her wine and

I said, my voice steady. "It'

n flickering across

turned and walked

tly. Snow was falling softly,

the pool house,

knew their rotation by heart; I had watche

he treeline, a g

ut the bur

ed Isa

timeline

he large glass window, I saw Dante. He was laughing

even know

n the warmth and w

it was a mercy compared t

side the

sn't com