Vitiel

ay hummed with a low, electric buzz. It was

My neck was stiff, and my dress was

in the chair nex

trudged to the

agged. He saw me and stood u

she?"

Are you okay?" Not "I'm sorr

voice flat. "The doctors said

med to have been holding for

d. G

bed hi

ed you to do

ait

earby. Get a basket. Flowers. Something ni

acity was breathtaking.

ife to buy a gif

hung in

rkened. He stepped cl

wled. "She is a victim. Be use

tt

scream. Inst

be usefu

and wal

l cafeteria. I bought a black coffee and sat the

needed to survi

he third floor. I did

hter coming

aumatized woman. It was the la

e the door. It w

eeful. "He left her in a snowbank, Enzo. Literally dropped h

chuckled. Lo

New York," the man said. "B

d the d

bed, checking her make

when I entered. I saw a flash of a snake tattoo on his neck be

A rival soldi

. Her smile didn't

my basket?

o the foot

t love hi

n't a fairy tale. I want the seat at the head

aned f

me. He will always choose me. You are nothin

ped. It wasn't a loud sn

around

tched me

hand and s

with her cheekbone with a satisfying

ch!" she

d at me,

or bur

nt

onto the pillows. She b

d. "Dante! She's crazy!

aw it happen. The

the room in

e didn't look at me. He looked

hove

It was a forceful shove

w bac

it the wa

nd my eyes. I slid

my head. My fingers

kneeling by the bed, stroking S

ay? Did she

lder at me. His eyes we

of my sig

the blood on

who had just drawn my bl

," I wh

p. The ro

I walked down the hall. I

led a

port?" the

me home. I have to