na

P box stepped aside when they sa

the heavy

y the display table, fawning

te," she cooed, picking up

te said, pouring hims

and placed a hand o

silent reminder of the mafia he

mplex mix of duty and dark satisf

family," I said, ste

a slow sip

compensation. You o

er's signet ring, tossin

were so weak," she sneered

eces and strung them up like meat in a but

ed my ears, and the room s

tion, I lunged

gainst the mahogany table, and laid the edge of

e of blood

ne and sinew. He used his weight, twisting my arm back with such brutal force that my

el, still cold from the air-conditioned hall, made contact with the silk stretched taut over her belly. In the

is voice shaking the gla

of their own incompetence and the enemies the

a blade twist

hbacks crashe

y parents' desecrated corpses, and Dante holding me, sw

to a killer, realizing my entire life wa

mething cold and solid, an

ning his unborn heir. He raised his hands in a sl

with one hand, while my other hand pulled a

red, a thin,

e burning cherry of the cigarette in

so hard a muscle ticked in his cheek, but with the Glock press

ssing my gun onto

et and pulled out a he

te with a mocking smile. "Try it on.

tective instincts warr

eached his hand ou

ade flashed

swipe, I severed his ri

oss the pristine

t of your debt," I declared,

ven look at his

to the floor with his massive w

heavy hands gripping my wrist

of protection to you," he growle

ht of his body that used to make me feel safe

xic wasteland, and the only w

just struc