e is

ood still wet on the marble floor m

ovanni said, gripping my

I said, voi

dn't

are play soldier with

der his breath, pulled me by the wrist

al hung in the air like ghosts. Two men lay de

slouched on the leather chaise, shirt

with a first-aid kit s

n your room," she sna

d dropped to my

I whispered.

slowly. Bleary.

posed to be her

I wasn't going to let that be

up. I pressed

," I whispered.

dn't

The bullet missed anything vita

p him," I

nt to play nurse, fine. But he

to her, v

rimeter. He nearly died because

cond. Just long enough fo

ced. "Both of

nce... we

ld've let

as cleaned from the floor. Alessandro lay on his bed, shirtless,

mean that,"

slowly. "You don't

e edge of the be

u think this-what

eel," I admitted. "But

sharp. "I've killed men for less

u afraid of,

ness. And someone will

bling but sure. "Then l

dn't

t hav

for mine, hesitat

ht. Jus

e, something old b

ng older be

le gunshot echo

thing cha

Not De

sa!" Giovanni's voice

stairs barefo

door, arms crossed, blocking t

oing on?"

wled. "Someone in this house l

ded. "You thi

rse he does. He's always

ovanni shot back. "And the cameras were loo

family longer than

u're trying

ng between them. "This is

at me. "This i

is n

sandro's voice, hoarse and d

her

ll f

p of the stairs. P

said. "Bring I

ace drained.

truth. And I

ped aside. I

dn't r

w it in

oiled. Someth

has a pric

without blinkin

wine cellar, candlelight flickering o

out?" he as

blink. "I t

wh

your empire. You got sloppy. And she-"

clenched. "You t

you," she spat.

but steel. "You thin

't need forgivenes

rned

ave

my hea

a," he

ne has a price. So t

lickered. "You re

now everythi

r tried to bury six years ago-he's b

o's face

re ly

. Check the old ac

ped back like s

m. "Who is she

oke as he sa

o Ri