Vitiel

protection, but tonight, looming against the dark sk

bag. I ha

y coat pocket, I had t

ng driveway, the gravel crunc

t sneak

walkin

stop me, I would shoo

game where the rules changed

d the ga

epped out. He looked skittish, his eye

ered. "It's late. Does the

, my voice brittle like ic

is hand hovered

ton, a car pulled up on the o

ned, and she

fi

jured. She wa

dress and a coat that cost m

rs. A slow, venomous smil

, Princess?"

t, teasing. But he

in her mind: Finally. The weak little bitch i

my chest. It wasn't a sp

ate," I ord

open, too con

ofia on the pavement just as

ou doing he

. "He said he needed comfor

s whispered. But he won't t

" I said. "You are

stepped closer, b

me again. It was the sa

k? It felt amazing against my skin. Dante watche

e exactly what she had done: I made sure to rub my

rld we

ink. I didn

ng my

her cheek with a soun

g her face. She didn't fight

past me, her eyes wi

Please

fr

he headlights. The black SUV scre

nt

fully stopped. He was wearing his tuxe

looked

l is going on

ew hersel

just came to drop off the keys to t

her waist to steady her. He looked at

were abys

struc

estion. It was

d. "She told me she wore

" Dante

hoed off the

r size. She is a widow. And you are

e as if Vitale's warnings were finally ringing true-as

ht I was

ely plotting our destruction, a

ze," Dan

at him.

Sofia," he com

burying her face in Dante

er silence lo

down to me

n I had saved from a bullet two months ago

" I

forward, rel

le

rather di

ned a

dn't

ack throug

Get ba

nore

raight, my heart shattering into a m

heard him c

he's gone. I

ak front doors of the

I engaged the deadbolt.

our bedroom. I lo

set and pulled ou

my sc

ut

ntil it was nothing but ribbo

d waited for him to come

didn'