Luca, but it woul

in the house where another woman was raising my son. So he

cage, luxurious

he service entr

hadows of an alley. He didn't look like a savior. He looked like a weapon. H

, handing me a

's license. Social Security card.

" I a

n," he said, his voice low and rough. "And because Dante is a fo

him. In our world, gratitude was a

o the hotel

e suite. He was pacing, a glass of scotch in his

e you?" he

ng my voice even. "Tryin

walked over to me. He smelled of expensive cologn

ou, Elena.

ket and pulled out a ve

yellow diamond. It was gaudy. It w

d. "To replace th

d. He slid the ri

past my knuckle and spun loo

s too

, Dante used to call them. Sofia has

ed to adjust it, hi

lost weight," he stamm

The ring fell onto the

my voice cold. "You bought this for her, and s

no, that

ar today, Dante, right now... who do yo

his mouth

hone

t was the one he used for hi

. His eyes darted to me

this," he said

er, isn

ness, Elena. I wi

glass door shut. I watched him answer the ca

g a war. He was soot

ed under the chandelier lights, a million dollars

ked i

trash can in t

ed against an empty soda ca

prize, Dante," I whisp

few clothes I had. I put the Kate Hardi

e back in, he

t a minor issue with a shipm

to the t

aid. "Just like I do