the dark, Melina remembers the day

Mont

ver that he’s run away with all the money, leaving her signed d

fe. It’s Thomas standing in a bar beating someone. Thomas takes the man’s head, banging it against a table over and over again. Melina cringes as she hears the bone in the man’s nose break and his bloods splash all over Thomas’s f

gh because he grabs his hands and pulls them behind him, twisting them. Melina hears bones crac

fake” She throws her phone across the room and wraps her arms aro

gets up from the kitchen stool and walks to grab her phone. She be

he Costanzo mafia. No one crosses me and lives to

d!” Melin

hot

The color drains from her face as she sees Thomas standing

round. She stares blankly in front of her a

fuck just

ttle odd that a boss and his bodyguards would have the same tattoos but never put two and two together. The tattoos must be the mafia family’s symbol, she realizes

d I not see this?”

ames must know he’s dead if Thomas finds him. She wonders w

he needs to get out of here before Thomas arrives. He’ll be coming for

es

stares at the ceiling wondering when Thomas is going to

here and just stares at her. She tries to hold his stare, but the burning rage in his eyes is too painful to look at because she knows she’s the reason for it. Thomas bends down, his face right in hers, his breath fanning her face. She closes her eyes when

t believe it,

eve w

I didn'

e w

you are," he says, t

s a vixen but hearing him say it feels like a bullet pierc

im and the crack in her heart expands. There’s so much hatred in h

ooks down at her fingers. There’s dried blood on her broken nails. She shakes he

omas says, snapping he

ha

s Italian accent rips out as he says his

m so

g straight. Melina flinches and puts her hands up in defense as sh

n't k

derwent tonight wasn’t

not l

me where he

cries out, frustrated

decide

u mean? Dec

ow," he says, walk

*

ering how Thomas used to gaze at her. Those beautiful eyes of his will never be soft

ied it until that day. Thomas got into an accident, and the thought of being in the world without him scared Melina more than James’ wrath. It made her realize

ing. She never wanted to steal his money. But he’d never believe her. She approached him for his money, and that’s always going to be