na

ived with the

rom the prying ears of the house staff. The air was

spasm rattled my ribs, a deep, wet sou

of bright red blood against the white fabric.

d at it with gr

d, his voice low. "The stre

ong?"

t rest. Elena, you need to be in a hospital

leaving no room for argument.

the p

handl

e from my purse and pr

. Omertà. No one knows. N

fearful. To keep a secret from the Don w

ish, Donn

tiff bow

the leaves fall from the oak tree

e tranquilit

side of the hedge. I heard runni

!" a voi

as D

was the voice of the Don. Thunderous. Co

s shaky, and walke

en was i

g through the grass like desperate animals. Ma

one of his old suits, tailored to perfection, but hi

ting on a b

buried in her hands. "I didn't m

topped

in fron

arring shift from the monster who had just been screaming. "We

soldiers, his eyes b

it in five minute

st a tree, wat

was magnificent. He

wer. He wasn't tearing the worl

cause a girl from

near the fountain, m

elled, breathless.

there in

e soldier's hand with a desper

t up to t

r. It glinte

ized it

skip a beat; it stopp