d in Aria's ear

m here to kill

r silk dress as Dante-no, Viper-tugged her towa

corpse slumped inside, and she realized with a sickeni

she hissed, yan

od from his cheek. "Not insane. Just hones

. You just told me

he said calmly, straddling the bike

rembling with adrena

Because I'm not your enemy

e and someone else would come looking for her-some

around his waist, muscles like coiled steel under her fing

d by overgrowth and time. Inside, everything smelled like dust a

door and disabling a series of hidden

ne," sh

is chest. His black shirt clung to his skin. He moved like a shadow-silent, lethal, preci

ber and handed it to her. She too

said you were supposed to meet me to

o to eliminate Don Moretti. Standard job.

wh

er. He offered a deal-marriage to his

He wanted to trad

Thought marrying me would

ed. "And y

t wear

ething dark and electr

ed away

eet is, he's been working both sides-selling intel to rival syndicates while pre

do I fall in

ssing his arms. "What do you want, Aria? To go

d the glass. "You're asking

to choose who yo

allowe

ear. She had ignored the rumors-the missing men, the silenced voices

saw th

he said softly. "But I

flickered. "T

und the room.

e said, "we

, sleep di

ery word Dante said replayed over and over. He was a kille

moking, the city lights casting shadows across the scars on hi

nsing her bef

sleep?"

N

htma

mor

as if he

er. "You don't lo

really good a

What happens after t

That was alw

d m

Or you don't

d. "And if I

d in his eyes. A

know what t

y m

, the rain still whispering against the stone

" he wh

hy

I kiss you,

n-he ki

entle. It w

emanding. A clash o

is body pressing hers back into the door. Every nerve in her body came alive. H

quickly, he

oughly, his voice ragg

ere, breathl

o l

Dante w

he kitchen counter in

the door for anyone except me. There's a second wea

e note, her st

had he

't he ta

-why did

cage. She checked the time obsessi

panic clawed

otsteps

d under the sink.

kn

Fami

?" she

ans

d the door, h

knock.

ndid the lock slowly.

sn't

ry jacket, eyes sunken,

"He told me to b

it. "Wher

sad smile. "H

side was a photo-a surveillance still. Dante. Cuffed

to were four words wri

him? Co