f change is to plunge into it, mo

an

------

radiating off him like a bad smell, his mind burning up with anger, but for some reason, he decided to play the strong, silent type today. Usually, he'd crack so

phone tapping away like she didn't have a care in the world. But my stomach was doing flips because, knowing her,

nah, he'd be pissed that I let Amalia outsmart me. Deep down, for all his tough-gu

t to the thick, awkward silence filling the car. I tried to break the ice, if not with her,

eyes glued to the road. "Not

eating at him was serious, and that alone made my skin crawl. But I knew better than to poke the bear-the "don

like the whole world had hit pause, waiting for the other shoe to drop. And let's be real, when I got this feeling, it

beeped, sucking me into a fresh vortex of angst. Jake's me

E: W

t obligated to sp

e were better fr

eamed: guil

the final

Say som

vigate. I watched those little dots appear and disa

t my

s? Hil

n the matter, but still, it was convenient. Need a partner in crime? Sibling's got your back. Want some juicy

ed from existence. Staring at the screen, I felt a pang of guilt, but it was misplaced-more about ge

I kind of

I'd have a chance to explain everything to Jake. But if she blabbed before the weekend, well, there'd be no proo

l th

g nervously between Cosimo, the

simo made a wrong turn. For once, we we

, and a few minutes later,

my stomach tying itself in knots as she marched over to a Mercedes. The door swung open, and Young Dario leaned out

breath and loosened the top two buttons of his shirt.

o picking Amalia

't even blink, as he ordered with a

shook as I reached for the glove compartment, where I knew his gun rested. The metal felt heavy, ominous,

more. "Cosimo!" I snapped, "What the

acking down. "You have to tell me something. Why is Amalia car

face. "Just keep your eyes on the

That'll ca

t the look in his eyes said that wouldn't end well. I'd seen that look before-cold, u

ther's restaurant when he finally

't this bad, where we had to run around like headless chickens. They were supposed to be dealt with swift

f, parking so abruptly it almo

oth jumped out. He pulled me close, one arm around my

g strange. It was closed. That never happened-especially not during the day. They ran

h our security, Father would have us taken to the trench, where safety was airtight. But we weren't going there, which meant only one

siness. The usual buzz of activity was absent. Everything-white powder, mainly-was left aban

ess. I spotted Vi, sitting at one of the tables, looking pale and drawn, surr

s she rushed over to me, pulling me into a tight

ed, my voice trembling like hers as I pu

hear her say, "They've attacked again," because it was obvious. That's why Elio had been shot earlier, why Cosimo picked me up sooner than us

f too many of our own, the fist of my father into a wall, the groans of a checkmated Consigliere. Ev

een our families, only that it was about power, m

ce to face Vi. I dropped my bag on the table, and s

casually. "It was just a g

d N

ing to contain the threat. Hopefully, this won't last long." S

. It was about Tiziano's prized possession-me. She wasn't a bad mother, not re

finger, and she gasped like I'd committ

cross from Vi. "With all this chaos

bought it. Thankfully. I would've

nd through his hair and gave the men strict ord

he going?

hair if he has to. If that'll get her out of the infir

was sure. She stepped into another room to take t

and for all," Vi muttered, leaning back in her chair. "I'm starting to

de, phone gripped so tight it was a miracle she hadn't crushed it. But

Whore," she spat, her words cutting into me like a knife. The last part of her statement dropped me back into my s