n armored SUV, a

black-I couldn't see out, and

ading to t

ay d

Dante had sent

nt sheath of silk, and

eavy with the ring, like a s

, thumbs moving rapi

word since we lef

ing," he anno

away and turned hi

house. She wants great-grandchildren. Do not p

voice sounding smal

oice hardened, the temperature in the car dropping.

I say?"

ed out and

was firm,

"You look at me. You trust m

rolled t

oor o

o a driveway crowd

rawling and beautiful, bath

ith submachine guns standing in th

asn't

ress disguise

s hand on the s

rned through the silk o

whispered ag

lked

smell of garlic and si

draped in black

!" she

ace and kissed hi

e turne

p, intelligent, an

is her?"

nte said. "

ed, clasping he

hug that smelled of l

utiful. Not like those tra

ced a

u, Nonna,

to the di

r twenty people, laden

it, drinking wine and

on died the mo

es wer

dging. Calcul

end of the ta

arper version of Dante, but

ere restle

cc

oming. "The rumors are true

wirling a glass o

down, stripping me

find her, Dante

didn't

ournalist," h

d, a harsh,

is house? That's d

e, the smell of expensi

hat we do to r

od ran

tened on my waist

e was quiet, but it carried across

t d

d at Dante

as thick enou

ing the battle but not the

couple," he

at d

of courses and s

g food on my plate, a

li

parents were r

r I loved

er, brick by brick, hiding my tr

ide me, silen

my stea

lled my

t of the attentiv

radiating off him in waves e

t, my jaw ached fro

ked me to

well,"

d almost

back at t

rom the window, a dark

said. "Rocco k

d the car d

ed. "But as long as you are

his eyes intens

lves, Elena. But the