ien

Onyx Club faded into a dull, meaningless hum. On

bel

ow-fragile, shattered, yet laced with a silent, desperate plea-was a ghost brought to life. It was Adela. But beneath that haunting res

ardice drifted up the stairs, polluting the air around her. He gripped her arm, his knuckles white, dragging her toward the exit like

eartbeat, Isabella Flores ceased to be just a curious re

velvet curtains were drawn back just enough to let the city lights bleed into the dark room, the air thick with the scent of aged

ough the thick glass, I could read the violent, erratic jerks of his body. He was shouting at her, his face twisted

e window into the night, completely indifferent to his t

was putting his filthy hands on something tha

. As my Consigliere, Freddie was a man with snake-like eyes and a mind built for the famil

opener from my mahogany desk, the cold metal groun

le introduction, Freddie?" My

though keeping a respectful distance. "Isabella Flores. Daughter of a ruined legitimate family. She came with a heavy dowry, which went straight to the man

my thumb. An Associate. A bottom-feeder

of the silver blade toward the window, towa

in my tone making Freddie stiffen,

ming at his temple. He knew better than to

, final clatter. I thought of Isabella's straight back, her haun

air as her," I said, my voice dropping to a lethal re