Vitiel

hospital mattress, staring up at

It radiated from my lower back, sharp and biting, like broken glass grinding against my muscles with every breath. I refused

suddenly broken by the squeak o

h the thin walls. The bottom-tier staff in this private mob ho

heavily medicated woman inside was dead to the world. They didn't bother to lower their

use VIP suite?" the older nurse muttered, her voice drip

a Bia

nervous system. My breath hitched, and the

is practically sleeping in the chair next to her bed. He even yelled at Dr. Evans

led into tight fists. My fingernails bit so de

fia was the exact warmth he had system

elly. "The lawful wife is rotting down here in general admission. She d

a stranger's mouth sliced

insane. The Boss of the Chicago Outfit, c

retti is up there right now, personally spoon-feeding he

eized in a vice grip, squee

onal Italian broth. I had accidentally grabbed a boiling pot handle, suffering second-degree burns across my entire ri

irst Lady soon," the younger nurse chi

the corridor, leaving the cold,

, my eyes burned with a dry, intense heat. The suffocating grief had crossed

nd forced my upper b

my back felt like it was tearing open all over again. I locked my jaw to trap

ssed carelessly onto the bedside table. My phone was

cold sweat broke out on my forehead, sliding down my nose and splashing onto the whi

inkling plastic. I clamped my hand d

of control back into my system. I ripped the plastic

hem were from the Outfit's legitimate business managers and money launderers. Not a sin

l-encrypted contact list. As the family's shadow account

a contact with no name

urning my bridges to the ground. It meant betraying

ce in the operating room rang in my e

rning as cold and unforgiving as the Siberian tundra. The obedient wife

ear. The encrypted digital ringing pulsed against m

teps echoed in the hallway,

lanket, pressed my head back onto the pillow, and closed my eyes,

ew inches. A janitor peeked in, holding a mop. Seeing

rolled breath and pull

e slow, heavy, predatory breathing of a man who owned the w

of pain in my chest, and spoke a single,

uto." *The falc

rs ago in a dark alley, when I saved h

lf a second. Then, a low, dark chuckle vibrated th

nchoring myself to the monster

t to cash in