a's

h echoed fr

urtyard gates and march

f black lockboxes and

preparing your own dowry to marry me?" he mocked. "You reall

s and offered a co

g over Carmela's bridal gifts," he stated. "A pearl set. Nineteenth

the smoke drifting from

ything that isn'

ng someone else,

wave of his hand, roll

taking Serena on a short trip to Japan to calm her nerves. When I get back, w

began to shake the gr

is throat as he turned

d gathered, pointing and whisp

lled the air, a vibration that

over the wind, confirmi

t Butcher.

he North had co

ance, kicking up clouds of grit and dust. Not civilian vehicles

to a halt in a perfect,

efront was

out of th

ad shoulders, a study in contained power. No tie. Top two b

at a single, unspoken command. Their hands rested on the

the gravel, his dark, int

d him, leaving Silas st

ro met m

et, breathless words, som

heek out of what looked like nervous reverence. "You called," he said, low e

f the SUVs, a rugged, percussive encouragement

n softened as he place

ssly into the back of

ast the gates, I peered out

of his own car, staring after me with wide, blood

gatehouse, trying to g

way, sending her stumbling into the dirt. Sh

ies, Silas gun

ore off, chasing Alessandro's motorc

r the back of my seat, anchoring me. His hand didn't wander

nging with him the scen

, all those years ago. "You wore a white sundress. You laughed at something your m

himself to the desolate Northern Estate for eleven years just to guard me from the shadows. "Every deal. Every

nt, jarring screech of tires, Silas's car swerved to

and stepped out of his v

d rimmed with red, a m

nd pounded on the glass as

could just go back, that we could pretend none of this had eve

rolled down the window

much, he had neglected me for eleven years. "Eleven years, Silas. Elev

w because another man was finally claimin

" I said. "You love

ays been Serena, and that he had only ever k

frame, his knuckles turning a stark

in mine but a flat, dead calm. I told him with abs

s. Hate would mean you

sandro's driver

leaned back into Alessandro

earing metal, the SUV pushe

the horizon, I

" Alessandro murmu

ed. For the first t