ed with

blanket soaked in oil. Casey woke to it-not the sound, but the abse

still

me the

rrels were stored. A second boom followed, sending a plume of black

ot on the cold tiles. She didn'

shouted, h

her room first, gun in one hand, b

go. Now. The

leeding when he re

d like vineyard workers but with dead eyes and military precision. Luca foug

e estate," Luca growled.

from the fallen man at his

lla yelled from the l

ck exit," Luca sai

lood soaking into his shirt

ow hallway, gripping her s

d for a moment, there was n

," he sai

rough the wall just behind her, and he dove forward

Screams echoed. T

precision, taking down one man

behind a wine rac

"The baby-it's fin

roar in his chest

va

I'll kill every l

t. "And then what?

the hill, dressed in all black, a curved dagger in on

with a scar running down her ja

ou really wanted to kill your broth

ant to see her with my own eyes. The child she c

passage used decades ago during mafia crackdowns.

n! N

, looking back.

t him,"

eaving wit

"You will. He wouldn't forgive

hem got too close and drove a blade into his side. He cried out bu

rything

swam. His kn

-hands.

old. The other w

se

, but she was holding him u

whispered. "Why

," he raspe

hind her, Da

Ivan. Eyes

said softly. "Is

t inhuman. The resemblance was there in the jawline, in the cruel curve of the

whispered.

soaked through his shirt, his hand pres

lightly. "So this is the

dagger glinting in the firelight behind him. "You sho

teeth. "She's not

steps away. "The prophecy says the one born of shadow and light would bring

rt of this,"

n snapped. "You reall

bli

ell him. Tell him whose blo

your father's prisoner. But she wasn't just anyone. She was from the line of the R

uth parte

it isn't just the next Park heir. It's the resurrection of two

bella raised her gu

th

. But it wasn't

ll smoking, eyes wide. Isabella c

d, voice shaking. "Or I swear I'l

ch. "You're loyal.

stepped into the light, rif

used. His

e said finally. "You

sey-almost... curious-he turne

arely stand. Luca drove like a madman down winding ba

le time, whispering nonsens

he murmured

t?" she

you. For hurting you. I d

ached. "I'm

es flutte

just before passing

n the Tuscan hills-hidden, ancient

s alive

ght after night, as Luca and

t orange light across the floor, Casey ran

she whispered. "And I won't

growing belly. A tear

ld, "you were born in fire. But I'll r

ar up on the hill, Da

e and watched the

he would br

... there wou