than the law could catch its breath. So, when Matteo Romano showed up at

he moonlight, a cigar smoldering between his fingers. Sandro, his

nvite him," S

l like phantom fingers into the night. "No," he

. He'd seen Leonard

to face him. "He

d y

Not quite a smile. "Let

she do

ned. "Then Matteo won

d always thought of him as a closed chapter - a harmless relic from another life. But tonight he had looked d

ked up her phon

d on the f

w he would co

kno

someone w

woman to me, Elena. You're a target now

what I

e only thing in this godforsaken

soft. She closed her eyes, pr

cared,

am

- meant more than flowers, more than poetr

o me,"

. "I don't want

won't hi

lk beside you

't answer for

But understand, Elena... bes

e Vitale villa ju

curious. No woman had ever been allowed past the inner perime

night - just a black shirt, sleeves rolled, collar loose

both a dream and a challenge. Then he reached out

u c

brave," she whisper

aid, pulling

d smoke and older sins. She noticed everything. The twin lion statues at the stairwell. The brass

ther?" s

"He taught me everythin

wood. The fire crackled low, casting their silhoue

ow to do this,"

o said, stepping closer

who took what he wanted, but with the reverence of a sinner

a moment, there was no Ma

they created

rms nev

tching the silhouette of the Vitale villa through

bout this?"

she's in that house tonigh

what

. He just lifted a p

her end. "If he steps out of line, I want to know. An

ind as

Send black dahlias. Let's see i

tled. "Th

e night. "Love is a battlefi