phin

l roar of heavy engines rattled t

the second-floor landing, my shadow fal

ing laundry, was stiff and smelled of stale, dirty water. My fac

s with New York plates consumed the driveway

in unison, the sound cracking thr

c, lowering their weapons. No one in their r

olor had drained from my father's face, leaving it

rass, the two walnut fron

threshold. He wore a tailored b

ing in the foyer's light were thrown into a frantic swirl by his sudden sh

ers and his Consigliere, a stern man

atory ambition lit her eyes at

lunging neckline of her dress. Elena hissed at her to sho

owing his head in a path

ctive smile. "Welcome t

were no more than a piece of furnitur

is wife, and the nervous associates in the p

p at me, finding me where I stood half-h

taircase. His footsteps wer

ive Falcone soldier stepped into his path,

didn't stop until he was st

ale scar cut through his left eyebrow, adding to his dangerous

posture. He noticed the way my shoulder dipp

ached

body braced for

s tightened jaw. When he moved aga

round my wrist, pulling my hidd

posing the angry, blistere

dable mask of stone. But his gentle gri

eemed to plummet, and the silenc

asked, his voice a

dden vacuum, I could hear the tick of the grandfather clock in the hall below

gner heels clicking frantically against the hardwood. S

s. "You must have mistaken her identity. That is just Seraph

ur true pride. She has been meticulously groomed for the

cuse my sister, Don Falcone. She severely lacks the class for someone of your imme

ir pathetic chorus. H

of his thumb beginning to lightly, soothingly b

Dante turned his head just

nothing. He looked back at me, and when he spoke,

e slipping from his lips sent an

nte stated, his voice ringing out as a

atever deal he had brewing. "But Don Falcone, we already have an

ried the heavy, undeniable promise of a bloodbath. "I am here only fo

ht smile. "But how could a girl who knows nothing of our wor

fyingly dead. "She doesn't need to hold up the Fal

tact with my stepmother,

gany briefcase on a hall table and clicking it op

ng in the foyer. "All assets listed are strictly in Seraphina's na

Five percent of the Falcone Family's legitimate port operations. Untr

overpowered his fear of the Don. "By mafia tradition, the d

nal space. The violent energy rolling off the younger Don made

ng with lethal disgust. "You treated her lik

smile lines deepened. Below them, Isabella gripped the expensive fabric of her dress unti

mily. He looked back up to where I stood on the landi

with me right now?" he asked softl

let my gaze drop to the cruel, shocked face

erated hatred. But for the first time in my m

placed my uninjured hand

s grip warm and possessive. He pulled me gently

ut the front doors of the estate. I walked out into the

is guards. But their voices faded with every step I took toward the convoy. The heavy doors of the bulletproof SUV o

dy looke