nna

ily Estate, the soldiers nod in deference

room, the long mahogan

t to Dante, in the place t

l of shrimp, carefully placin

ffering me a brigh

!" she says. "We have

s smile held. But her eyes changed-a flicker of cool appraisal, the way a collector checks a

half-empty plate, knowin

walking instead to the far end of

efore us was an homage to

d quietly resigned myse

able, Carmela's voice

icate banquet menu next week. We need to

looking up f

m," Carmela states, as if

sty, Serena dropped

ve to do that," she murmure

ping the Family's ward happy is our prio

my gaze

on a linen napkin, offering not a si

anquet is just anoth

e word tasting of

dinner passed in

ere finally clear

" she commanded. "Serena, be a dear

te frowns and his hand shot o

softly. "You are on your cycle.

impassive eyes

ou do it,"

ug into my palm, the sharp ridges leavin

racked his ward's menstrual cycle, yet had consistently

en let out a sharp

ily," she decided coldly. "Gianna, you clear the table. Dante,

out a second th

the study doorframe to happily monopolize t

tchen with the dirty pla

out my own life, forced to watch som

tic torture before Serena fin

d from the study and sn

he declares. "

into Dante'

to Serena's heavily for

ks from our own penthouse-a pro

e able to reach her instantly

ing, Serena hops out an

fixed on her retreating figure until she p

until he was certain

car became a heav

the tension. "Do you think your

evening, and he reaches over to stroke the

Gianna?" he asks, a faint

d my ha

a well-rehearsed speech. "If I wanted her, I would have taken her. You are

an exhau

lk tomorrow, D

ng his mouth to dismiss me and

s features as he remembers I found out a

mouth shut and

oldly. "I will make t