ella

gine and the ragged edge of Vincenzo's breathing. His accusation hung in the

nfession. He didn't know who I was. He didn't know that a Falcon

pull away from his grip; instead, I leaned into

the thick tension like a blade. "You think I would give my soul to a man who sings for

em darkening. His thumb pressed harder agains

t is the one thing you cannot take with violence, and you certainly cannot win it with these childish tantr

For a second, I thought he might snap my neck. The violenc

wled, his voice vibrating against my skin.

ned his gaze out the window, effectively dismissing me. The rest of the ride was spent in a silence so cold it could have frozen hell over. He

s, and the air smelled of expensive perfume and old money. Vincenzo had left my side the moment we entered the Gr

es' powder room, needing a moment to reassem

r was quiet, the muffled sounds of the orches

aning against the w

t clung to her curves, and eyes that held the cold shine of a reptile. As the daughter of the

a hand; she offered a look of pitying disdain. "You look... qua

bored. "Is there a point to this ambush, Alida

lack velvet pouch. With a theatrical flick of her wrist, she upended it into her palm. Thr

ial whisper. "You're a poor girl from New York looking for a golden ticket. Vincenzo is

r entire life. Leave Chicago. Go back to whatever hole you crawled o

flawless, likely D-color, worth a small fortune.

, they were

nd picked up the largest diamond between two fingers. I held it up to the light, inspecting

eated, my tone dripping wi

gh to show her the abyss beneath. "In New York

ed my

sharp clack, bouncing once before roll

rder than a physical blow. She had expected greed. She had expected grat

er. "You'll need them to buy your way into someone els

anding in the hallway, her fa

y was sho

lamped onto my upper arm. It wasn't Vincenzo's posse

aring at me. She was a woman made of steel and hairsp

o the nearby guests wouldn't hear. "Wandering the

rm from her grasp. "I was

address me as Mrs. Moretti. You are not fami

lace is beside him, silent and decorative. Not roaming around making us look disorganized. Yo

arched away, expecting me to

hter of the guests sounding like broken glass. Alida wanted to buy

as a lamb walking in

n until it hurt. They were about to fin