h

eing wanted to go back, to hold Maya in my arms and tell her everything, the truth about who I was, the dange

from view but impossible to ignore. I'd removed it from my finger this morning, the most painful act of

Vivian waited. The suite Maya and I had shared just yesterday morning. The bedroom where I'd

hair spilling across the pillows where Maya's hea

g the space beside her. "I was beginning to

he words came out as a growl, barely containing my rage. "I warned you not to lay

to throw herself at you." She examined her manicured nails. "The only reason she's alive is because you agreed to marry me, my first love." Her voice turned moc

over her with barely contained violence. "Don

e shots, remember? Her sister is still alive. Her parents' deaths were drastic, of c

flooding my veins. "Your father said t

ed, rising from the bed to circle me like a pred

throat. "I can't let her go because I know

ement ring, the gaudy monstrosity that had replaced the simp

hard. "And don't threaten me with her sister

n's eyes wide

rame to tower over her. "I still call the shots, remember

throughout the mansion straightened as I passed, a grim reminder of the empire I'd built and the power I

my most trusted lieutenant: Surveillance in place

le the watch. They'

chosen it specifically, centrally located in the mansion, easily defensible, with

ement?"

plied. "She's been quiet sin

tch from the end of the hallway. Then, using the key I k

moment, I thought she was asleep, her chest rising and falling in the even rhythm I'd memorized over our nigh

. I never imagined the greatest threat would come from my own

ist with surprising strength. I froze, my heart hammerin

I said, my voice ro

nd my wrist like a lifeline. "Why are you doing this to me? Please, let me go if you don'

op myself to brush a tear from her cheek. "Stop crying

times when she came home exhausted from losing a patient, when she pushed herself

every word was being monitored. "Just endure for tonight," I said, choosing my words ca

ain. Her questions hung in the air between us, but I couldn't an

ers into my chest. I signaled the guards to resume their posts, then walked down

rom Lina, Maya's sister. I stared at the screen, at the photo of the two sisters that served as Maya's wallpaper, t

calculating tone I used for business. "Lina is be

ollow my instructions exactly, that was our de

d, ice in my veins. "Now I'm making a new deal. The sisters live

f security. "Bring my wife's sister h

g about. I was Shawn Harrison, a respected businessman by day, ruthless mafia don by night. I'd kept my worlds separate until th

take her away from me. Even if i

e. A photo of Lina, blindfolded but unharmed, in the

her out of the country, away from the blood feud that ha

enough to stay away until I

thought I was, when all I wanted was to

a reminder of promises I'd meant to keep,

whispered to the empt