Vitie

ill carried his scent. Ceda

had closed on it six months ago-the to

e for the counters. I had chosen the

s, my voice flat. "Clear the furniture in

mbler of water. My grip was white-knuckled, but my hand was stea

te elevat

wasn't alone; two of his soldiers flanked hi

aze swept over the chaos, landing on

was already tagged for removal. "Unless you want to buy me out? But w

ing but trying to convince himself he was swimming. T

" he rasped. "I

the church, Luca. Y

ards. You saw how they treated me. I couldn't condemn my little girl to that life. Elena threatened to go to th

said, cold as ice. "And in t

e whispered. He

my arm. The touch that used to set my s

ie to me

her for the paper. For th

been simmering in my gut for weeks finally boiled over. "You humiliated me!

ng my

ac

hot. My palm stung violently. His head snapped to the s

, he could have killed me for laying a hand on him.

, his eyes shimmerin

rry," h

or, Luca," I spat. "An

rching to the elevator

fusing to look back as the doors