na

gold and cream, offering a pristine

bars, yet the roo

They were Dante's loyalists-men who looked at me with cold

. The graze wasn't deep, but

line of r

been th

ock c

or swu

ey and expensive sandalwood cologne prec

ruised the skin beneath his eye

I was sitting. He placed a vel

it," h

dn't

self. Inside sat a pink diamond the size of a quail's egg

ry," he said. "And

e ring. Then I

an buy forgivene

a sharp tug. "I'm reminding you of your place. You are my wife

sho

ake you couldn't come back from,"

is a pa

I pulled out a thick envelope and tosse

this?"

he Church, the Commission... I know the rules. But I wan

His face darkened, shadows s

iolent in the quiet room. Then he ripped the halves again. He le

" he

asking,

digging into my jaw bruisingly h

me. I claimed you. I killed for you. Yo

id, my voice hollow. "You buried

gusted. He turned an

d outside. He didn't close the door all

ed me t

g down, Boss?"

low but carrying. "She's sharp. Too sharp

about the girl,"

"Sofia is pure. She's innocent. She reminds me that

uld feel his words

ugh handling. She's survived worse than a graz

l and sat on the floor, su

ke the rou

t was the truth

t I was already broken, so a few more cracks wouldn't matter. He th

as w

t going to s

g to burn