t for the je

ck to the estate. I had to get my papers, but more impor

still sodden and plastering to my

nto the m

heavy, suffocating silenc

, my voice echoin

ans

ed was unmade, sheets torn. A lamp lay s

rrifying, clawed it

itchen, to the heavy door that l

l door w

ved i

tallic tang of copper mixed wi

ded his jacket. His crisp white shirt was rolled up

thick, braided leather lash t

wall, her head ha

ollen, unrecognizable. A thin stream

lungs. I fell to my knees, the st

at me. His face was a mask

ed Luca,"

uestion. It w

New York and told him

rambling to my feet, adrenaline ov

his voice terrifyingly calm. "You

roken sound that scraped my throat. "

d the safety of this family by calling your brother. You brok

leavin

me. The air around him crackled with violence. "Y

standing in the shadows of

s darting between me and his Bo

" Dante

nst the concrete walls

d, I clawed, I screamed until my thro

enter of the room. Rough hands shackled my

orn open. My skin was expo

Dante said. His footsteps ec

or the last, fraying thread of love I still held for him.

," he

st lash

of molten iron sear

cre

e my breath, shattered my real

ac

econd

ard I tasted warm

ac

cusing on Mia's unconscio

ac

e, something ins

my b

The girl who had dreamed of a dark prince coming to sav

di

n the cold concrete flo

s breathing hard, his ra

er shouted, stepping forward. "Sh

e fr

hat followed

re. I couldn't fe

chains, the metal b

at my tear-stained, pale face. He looked

widened. As if he was w

ered. He reached o

ked a

darkness creeping in at

oice was nothing more than

ce shaking for the first tim

oyed us,"

lf to look hi

e," I whispered. "Th

went

truth spilling out with my last

lor drained from his skin, lea

he cho

ated softly. "And y

ness too

welcom