na

shards of glass from my skin, a tedious exca

es from wrist to elbow; my side w

ed the bill

to force his w

in, I would rip every single stitch

t my eyes an

morning, signing the release

state, but the sterile city apartment whe

just needed my pas

ling like a heavy construct

ed him to be th

nursing a glass of whisk

eyes were bloodshot m

" he said, hi

ings," I replie

im toward the study, b

p, swaying slightly on hi

othing to t

mered, stepping closer. "I didn't mean to

," I finished f

d through his disheveled hair. "She's not

pped

e movement pulling

ash. "Because I took the whipping? Because I took th

oze.

the revelation. "Nothing.

mand. "You're not leaving. You need me. Who else is going to protect

," I said softly. "You k

the narrative. "You need a man to survive in this world. You

tch

ear flickered behind his eyes. "You'll

nify that wi

passport and the stack of emerg

to the living room,

as g

low murmur fr

lked

was

marble counter, casua

standing bet

forehead resting agai

n the very arms that ha

't hear m

them for a

rfect, twis

ce and his fr

sation in my chest-n

inal snap of

into th

part like gui

om her lip. Dante looked guilt

you left,

d into m

eparation agreemen

with a single drop of my

counter next to

ving now

ed at

e eye, stripping away e

hand-the one tha

Omertà," I declared, my voice cutting

ed in horror. "Ele

was binding. It was

g through me. "That I sever my tie to you. And if I ever love you again...

went deat

lly charged, heavy wit

uth slightly open, the col

ab the paper, his ha

nocked a paring kn

, he tried

ound the blade, slici

ed, dripping onto the pri

dn't

t look a

looked

ked te

ke that back,

want to

ned a

ically on the floor, a

t of the building, and into the b

led a

t," I told

't loo

ng onto the floor, staring at a door

was fin

rd had

was left alo