a's

tle was a dead weight over my arm. Heavy silk, embroidered with the Moretti family crest-the

ng the lapels of his suit jacket. The same jacket I had

es wide and brimming with a

s just being protective of her. She begged me not to be angry about him helping her fir

white‑knuckled grip

ale crest of her knuckle until she inhaled sharply, a

a monotone. "And so is whatever twi

d between us, his body a

not to cause a scene in front of the men.

at once today's Gala was over, he would finally get around to claiming me. "You've ear

out to ruff

lexive jerk that left his han

flickered in his eyes-confusion, then a flash

red, the words clipp

ut an agita

y ceremonial mantle-which had slipped from my arm onto the rough cob

constant nagging wa

g, Serena edged cl

rs to hear. With practiced skill, she weaponized the memory of her dead parents, reminding everyone that they had died as Famil

she felt so alone

ped Serena's hand and wrapped a

Before stepping inside, he looked over his shoulder and o

d under my breath. The w

y face a mask of p

leave the cou

he whispers rose like smoke from a smoldering fire. Pity. Amusement. Specula

m across the yard, I walked the rest o

epped up to the mass

litude. The ancient words tasted like ash on my tongue. Ev

crowd washed over me

to the estate hours later, the atmosp

g Capos, and estate staff flooded into Serena's suite next door. They carried silver trays of roasted meats and b

ier came to my d

shifting his weight from foot to foot under my deadpan stare. Leftovers

he door with a solid, definitive

s the dead of night settled over the estate, the contrast became a physical pressure. My courty

oarious cheering echoed from the entire

ing alcohol. My fingers brushed the burner phone

e wooden door to my