ked with the s

alls, casting shadows that danced like spirits of the past. Outside, the woods

ced over

ke of violence and survival. The firelight caught his features-the sharp lin

s bea

as d

s hiding

eir head, the twitch of their fingers, the lies behind sm

ng in his eyes tonight.

ep?" she a

adn't realized she was awake

blanket around her shoulders. "You're watc

ere's always some

not what

ence stretche

aid," she s

nched. "I'm not

n wh

the room and crouched before her. His voice was

I d

led a ma

ere wo

d she noticed it again-that shift.

you're hiding,

oked

e lies,

then sat beside her, elbows on his

A hired blade. A ghost sent

I wr

oice flat. "But

wa

t hurt. "My real

art skipp

is Luca C

s one of the Old Families. A bloodline long thoug

whole family was mur

to sell out our territory. So they came. They burned the house, s

went dry. "And

Hid for weeks. U

ho

ted. "You

urned cold.

me. Mold me into something that would make

ly a whisper. "He tur

I burned for him. And I waited. For a decade. For

. "You think my fa

said, his voice dark

room

of her father, every lesson, every sof

her wou

sold out the Castellanos to claim their ports and sm

the blanket. "Then why

just another lie," he said. "I neede

a f

" he continued. "Another spoiled mafia heiress wit

nocent," sh

not your fat

le

you the first nigh

t here

yes met

n them-just a fragile bridge of tr

hand resting gently

said. "I expose your father. Bur

Her voic

ou out of

ink I can go back to my penthouse aft

kering in his gaze. "You'd stay?

rushing his. "I'm not loyal t

nd deep, like the kind of

ind them. The past

l, they

of fire and glass and a little boy with eyes like

to find L

she found the note

'm not back by sunrise, destroy

ed the note

't going

her first k

chosen h

cover just how deep the secre