na

sat like a bruise on th

ked on th

un from the glo

re," he

ing before the eng

dn't

lowed

to witn

ice he made when the st

for an overturned table and

er, her makeup smeared into da

drug pusher Dante had fired last mont

eyes wild. "I'll cut her! I

t away, his gun lev

was calm, terrifyingly steady. "W

, spittle flying. "You took m

art of this,

nic, broken sound. "Everyone knows it. The g

e shadows of

of the

ailed. "He touched me! H

ed, though his eyes

nded. "Or I carve a smil

Sofia's cheek. A bead of bloo

idn't h

n on the floor a

aid, raising his hand

art s

ing his lif

inned.

ed Sofi

awling under a table l

nged a

r, stronger, bu

the momentum carried them

shat

a tangle of li

e flash

wet thud of ste

e gr

ing the man sprawling u

idn't stand

back, clutch

o seep through his fingers, st

Sofia s

om under the table

of the bar, collapsin

e wheezed. "A

g over him but not touching the blood.

looked

pale, slick

touched her cheek

t him hurt you

bbed. "Why di

love you,"

in the stale

ozen in th

t a hall

a misund

sai

is voice getting weaker. "I let my grandfather push m

face. "Don't talk like tha

en this is over... we end it. I

ensation wa

sn't

weightl

that held my so

h a bang. It snapp

e man bleeding

d loved for

saved from f

bullet for in my dre

a str

man who loved

tching a tragedy that did

led in the

lance wa

es started

busy crying

a ste

ano

d and walked o

the arriving

aramedics rushing i

ntil I fou

?" the dr

nds. They were shaking

blo

this

aid. "I have some p