with Marco earlier. As she entered the room, she was struck by the intensity of Alexander's gaze. He

meet you."Rory's instincts screamed at her to be wary, but she forced herself to rem

er down Rory's spine. "I'm sure you have," he said

arrowed. "Wha

our father and I had different ideas about how to run the family business. H

rds mean? Was he implying that her father's dea

p her tone neutral. "And what do

I want to help you, Miss DeSanto. I want to help you navigate the c

of her was tempted to accept his offer. She needed all the help she cou

e the room, followed by the sound of shouting and footsteps. Rory

" she demanded, r

"Miss DeSanto, we have a problem. The Rizzo family has made t

is was it. This was the mo

s voice cold and calculating. "We need t

and for a moment, she saw something

bed her arm, pulling her toward the do

pse of Alexander's face, his eyes glinting with a

pact. She struggled to sit up, but a wave of dizzines

de her, his eyes closed. The SUV was still moving, but t

the mercy of their unknown captor. She tried to move, but

owing Rory forward. She cried out, her hea

was dragged from the vehicle. They were in a deserte

black mask. "Welcome, Don DeSanto," they sneered, their

ure pulled off their mask, revealing a sho

s Ale

attack," Rory spat, her a

ng with amusement. "Oh, no, Miss

xander's betrayal. She struggled to sit up, but a wave of dizzine

a malevolent intensity in the dim light of the alleyway. Marco was nowhere to be seen, a

she spat, her anger

ust a realist, Miss DeSanto," he said. "And I know that the only way

he had to escape, no matter what it took. She feigned a weakness, letting he

Alexander crashing to the ground, and then she was running, h

she didn't dare look back. She kept her eyes fixed on

waiting for her, his eyes locked onto hers with an intense gaze. It was An

bbing her arm and pulling her toward a wait

door shut behind her. As they sped away from the curb, Rory caught a glimpse of

whispered, her heart

mirror. "I know," he said. "But for now,

stions. What did Alexander want from h

consumed by a single, terrifying realization: she was i

uilding, Antonio leaping out to open Rory's door. "This

. She knew that she couldn't stay hidden fore

ure watching her from across the street. It was a woman with

man vanished into thin air. Who

t he was staring at her with a strange

ry, I have something to tell you. So

hat could Antonio possibly say

about to speak, the wor

contin