fina

the topography

face, leaving him looking like

puckered burn marks on my stomach to

t stoppe

he undeniable evidence carved into my flesh. He wanted to look away. Looking away would have been easier.

even with a desperate tremor. "She sold her innocence to secure the

m for a long,

started

at and grew into a harsh, echoing sound that scrap

cked the corn

irl who used to fetch my coats walked into the Chicago Outfit and demanded a truce? I am a Romano.

d so hard I heard th

fusion crossed his dark eyes, at

ingle stride, his palm landin

violating Omertà by spreading poison against the woman wh

desk met the small of my back, sendin

ssing his large, muscu

m his body-a terrifying mix of blin

ist, his calloused fing

isse

ent clash of teeth and bruised lips, a p

t close

anted, my body rigid and

my chest flat against the

ped the rest of the fabric down, the soun

exposed to the harsh overhea

nd that was half

ce trembling with an emot

and flipped me over so

ace, searching for the

ipped from my eye and tr

red at tha

rn him worse th

ing as if he had been struck,

ilored suit jacket

turning his back to me. "I cann

ket over my shiv

ve, woodsy cologne and th

t that used t

st made me

ocket and pulled out a th

aper-the universal sign

it over hi

and slid to the floor, land

th the degrading street name the club patr

y knees and ga

neatly, my movements

" I said, my voice perfe

id not l

nlocked it, and walked o

clutching the bloo

ed shut, seali

Rosa walked in, her heels c

in my hands and smiled a

y think the Don finally took pity on you and threw you a massive severance payout just to get rid of

od up, my jo

inconspicuous wall safe hidd

tossed Cassio'

d stacks of bills I had accumulate

payout was blood money thrown at me by

my gaze fixed on Rosa. "I am buy

her smile fading into

ticket. If you want to officially leave the Syndicate alive

basement. One more night in a room full of the men who had paid to d