na

vorce_ had barely left my

y cheek with the forc

and the taste of fresh copp

the heavy oak doorframe, gasping for air as th

oke to win an argument," Vincent roared, his vo

veins stood out against the

nd and more a predator

in here, curse my bloo

perimeter of his office

forcers whispered from the d

g the Matriar

t keep still to my stinging ch

weight of grief. "She took the bag because I was too sick

sted into a mask o

yes that he did not

manipulative game to pull h

igid finger at the two enforcers

chilling authority of a Mafia Don. "Get her out

orward, their rough hands s

hing, but my fever-weakened body

long hallway, my shoes scraping

z starting back up in Vincent's office-the dark, cele

ed me through the

landed hard onto the wet, unfor

rashed into my back, soaki

ny doors slammed shut behind me,

e ground for a long time,

ed the blood from th

pitch-black sky, I

n Vincent was away on business, telling me in

eakness, and for my foolish inability to

dragged myself up from the pavement an

arranged Rosa's undergro

the heavy mar

d cash to hasten the process and keep

m, I watched the flames take her body, feeling utterly and irr

h in the penthouse apartment that had become my prison, a vital IV drip taped

en, leaving a hollowed-out and

he silence, and Vincent walked in, using his

, rain-slicked coat and tos

, opening his arms slightly as

k with condescension as he walked past me, stra

l events of the last thr

aking a slow sip of his amber liquor. "You threw a massive tantrum over

ed over and pulled the

blood welled up and fel

up on legs that did not feel

r mother," I said, my voic

ss onto the granite counter, th

, stepping into my personal space. "You are testing th

e reached into his tailored suit poc

to the counter

gant indifference. "An apology for being rough

, I reached out a

glittering di

weight of the metal beneath the flashy

raised my hand, and threw th

ck, the thin metal snapping and sending the false