old blood that never really washed away. It blurred the streetlights, softened th

g against the wet asphalt. He adjusted the cuffs of his coat,

ari

g that had already been lost. The bar had stood longer than most men in this city. Before Dom. B

tale smoke, and the kind of

since the ghosts he used to drink with stopped being memo

of those ghosts w

-

ngers drumming lightly against the countertop. He looked worse than t

-not from years, but from eve

already brac

he said, sliding ont

er chuckle, not looking up.

, wordlessly set another glass in front of Marco. Marco's fingers curled around it inst

ed him fo

n't the

s fixed on the counter like he

iet, raw. "You think I don't wake up every day

off. Marco noticed but didn't argue. Maybe he

" Dom said. "You still got

t a sharp, h

alms. He turned then, finally meeting Dom's gaze. There was something t

's gone,"

er because Marc

out all the fights they'd won together, all the battles they'd survived. And now, h

aid finally, surpr

"Sorry for what? For making me the man I

d respond, the

-

stepped inside like she

on, her dark hair pulled back into something effortlessly elegant. She w

n the bar

reath. "Well, well. The g

other side. She smelled like something expen

a mouth on

mock salute. "And you still

his temple. "What

the bartender. A glass of bourbon appeared in front o

nally, s

ok tire

uch humor in it. "You didn't come

glass down. "I came to remind yo

ou always did love y

" she said. "You built this empire with your

fingers tapping aga

u here to wa

her head, st

re because I want to know if you're

ickered tow

s it,"

red laugh, swirling wha

he muttered. "They don't hau

-

ox switch

melody drifted

he and Izzy sat in this very bar, years ago, before everything c

er fingers tapped once against her gla

member

about saying something

ssed before he co

e rest of her d

said, tossing a few bills on the c

h of

ut without l

d, staring a

en like," he said, his voice quieter

cause he did. More t

alling when Dom fina

bright and hollow, full of pro

ve felt in

he d

there, somethin

losing in-they were crac

t ready to a

, exhaling smoke i

he walked ba

of Rosario's, the ghosts stayed