ate, Sera

d weaponize. I froze mid step on the staircase, one heel dangling from my fingers, the other still strapped

y bought me five extra minutes of freedom. "Missed you too

brows. At thirty three he looked every inch the head of the Moretti Famiglia: broad shouldered, lethal, the kind of man who could sign a death warr

He caught my wrist before I could hide my hands behind my back, brushing the smear of red and blue t

d. Only the five of us behind these walls had any clue the anonymous painter raking in millions w

y heels onto the bottom step and walked past him in bare feet, my gown moving against my thighs. The estate w

ehind me, his

ing like a caged tiger, Nico's already pulled the traffic cam feeds from

ant one thing: family business. The kind that ended in bl

start the lecture, yes, I know the rules. No risks. No fun. N

ered in his eyes. The same look he'd given me since

ne asshole who connects the dots between you and Starry..." He dragged a hand through his hair, the first crack i

the world for me. I knew that. They'd killed for les

It sold for five million. Five. Million. Dollars. For something I painted because I can't scream it in this house without you

ost of a smile tugged his mouth. The rare one that reminded me he was still my big brother under the Don mas

fourteen. Try telling Dante that when he drags me to the ra

cked a stray wave of hair behind my ear, thumb lingering a second too long on my cheek. "Just... be careful. Yo

my best defiant grin even as my pulse hamme

of barely leashed rage, leather jacket slung over one shoulder, knuckles still bruised from wh

rt supply store exploded. Where the hell were you? I was

tried to pull me into a bear hug that would've crushed ribs

iss themselves. "Traffic cams say you took the long way home. Care to explain wh

just like the scenic route. You know, waves, moonlight, no

Turpentine. And something else. You've been painting again

oice that still worked on all of us. "Library. Now. Papa's been wai

without thinking. Dante on my left, Nico on my right, Loren

omed ahead, heavy oak carved with the Moretti crest. A lion and olive branch, blood and peace in one twiste

he doors open wi

harp as the day he'd handed the reins to Lorenzo. Mama stood at his shoulder, elegant in a silk robe wi

me first. "Serafina. G

my tongue and dipped my head. "S

s eyes deepened. "Sit. All of you. This

chair closest to the desk like he was already testing the weight of the crown. The fire crackled

ntertwining his finger

Bratva's pushing harder than we anticipated. Shipments lost. Docks bleeding. An

nees. Nico's eyes narrowed to slits. Lorenzo didn't

ke some medieval treaty? What, are we trading oliv

. "It's already decided, Sera. The contra

ung there,

ammed hard,

Not

welve years

scotch, untouched and my fingers slipped. The glass hit the

sing, Lorenzo already moving toward me, but all I

ndro D

promised to

ut a word and left me painti

floor, my pulse roaring in my ears, and

n't an a

a life