locked her door. Instead she found herself moving toward the stairs, some reckless pull stronger than fear, because the ma

ut of it, the night air sharp against her skin, her bare feet

manded, stopping a ca

dges of a man who'd spent twenty-five years carrying something heavy. "My name doesn't matte

plain it

, his nerves clearly stretched thin. "Your father isn't who you think he is. And Luca - Luca's chasing

na stepped closer, urgency overtaking

, papers, the De Santis family eventually, because it was easier than the alternative. B

re you

on hers, dead serious. "And the people who did it have spent t

pped. "Why are you

re walking into before you do." He took a breath, glanced toward the house again,

gunfire shatt

the gate. Shouting erupted - the guards, voices overlapping, the heavy thud of boots against grass. A second volley of shots cut thro

ting across the lawn toward her, weapon raised to

until the gunfire stopped as abruptly as it had started, replaced

e her seconds ago was on the ground a few feet away, dark patch spr

knees, ignoring the guard reaching for her arm.

aker than it should have been, eye

is throat, each word costing him more than th

nd wen

whatever came next - whatever name he'd been about to give