ndaries of his private study, where secrets h
ers of light from one desk lamp creating
governed under terror and control, hi
lowed down his throat, a continual reminder of his power and his alon
ets, his influence felt in every alley,
s in the underworld had sharpened his instincts, whic
d to be waiting for any
knock on
ce like gravel ground to smo
quiet efficiency. Bound by blood, survival, and an unwritten loyalty, Stoc
d. "We have a poorer district scenari
k. He set down his
wh
a and trying to move in. Enzo's mouth turned in a slightly co
d to icy attention. Though the DiGregorios had alwa
vocations very seriously. Iron resolve and merciless choices had help
e shockingly quiet. Clearly state that
, staring back at Dante wit
so something
d and arche
She is pa
ation bubbled under the surface. The "girl" in issue was Elena Ro
l. She had made her views about men like him well-known, a fiery
put her directly in danger rather than o
re?" ask Dante insist
of danger. Her meddling made the DiGregorios
er and writing her off as another do-gooder engaged in a fruitless strug
head; her blazing stare tormented hi
ss-twisted something inside him that felt uncomfortably
he said, pushing hi
ss, are you qui
terated, more sharply this time. Ma
he rapidly discounted. Elena was only a variable in his equation o
s fingertips together as E
ture in his carefully put on front. She stood for a
ng in him soug
in the shadows merging into the night. He stayed in the lanes, wher
nvisible, how to use terror like a weapon, and h
range, like though it murmured ques
taken place, he discovered it empty except for the
ost serene, Dante could feel the
ng for s
silence with unexpected clarity. He turned and looked
and her eyes glinted fiercely, yet she stood as ta
ravation in his
are you
d her arms and shot back. Her voice was courag
Moretti bothered about someth
w "trivial" he could create. But the fire in her eye kept
this is?" His voice low, he said, step
ur note cutting thr
ind me ignor
this hom
Not everyone enjoys playing
or a moment he felt the layers of his
tti felt more exposed than he h
he could see great det
you who does
uld answer. Both turned, and Dante's han
puffing and clearly experiencing
ng toward the alley. "The Di Greg
xact clearly who possessed authority in these neighborhoods to remind his opponents but
dvised, his tone
minating her eyes. Dante, you are not t
: a curiosity, a thrill, a warning. This was not a fight for dominance al
moved to follow her: chang