You litt

the De Luca estate, followed by the sound of ba

ter bubbling out of her as she ducked behind

torming after her. "You threw

a warnin

is shit, s

her by the waist, hoisting her off the ground like a sack of f

ck! I swear I'll spi

ut he was laughing too-at least until their younger cousin, Nico,

d, squirming in her brot

inned like a devil. "You w

own the d

and times before. But the yelling, the swearing, the ch

he heavy iron do

e a voice sharp as

e word-Nonna Luisa, their housekeeper, their mother figure since th

hips. Her gray hair was pulled tight in a bun, and her floral dress fluttere

ca, you're 19-stop acting like a child. And Elena, for Ch

n her brother's arms, shri

n she'd brought from the kitchen. "It is if y

ing not to laugh. "You missed your ca

Now get your asses inside. Lunch is

opped t

nked. "Pa

s something... strained in her

re. His jaw had gone tight, his blue eyes dark and unreada

, the three of them

ystal chandelier. A painting of the Virgin Mary staring down at them like

d. His silver-streaked hair was slicked back, but there were deep lines beneath his eyes-lines Elena didn't r

and sharp like a blade that had never been used for anything but cutting throat

s hear

ike a ghost, casting a q

id, sweet as honey.

ro grunt

t even ackn

roasted chicken, bread, olives, and pasta with a dark r

Something bad. She could feel it in the way Dario's fists were clenched around his fork like it was a weap

said an

k t

r hands under her chin, and cooed, "Papà, you look so

m Luisa and a stifled snort from

ips twitched-a

t at the table

"It's not like you ha

muttered, "it's n

. I just thought we could all use a little cheer.

" Luisa

same face you had when Nonno died. If we're g

his fork down

na.

s all h

ion eased ju

till cold, but there was a flicker of somet

intest echo of the b

weetly and whispered,

eyes. "You're

us

ing p

ve yo

red sigh. "Madonna

e always did-forced a little light into a room full of shadows. She didn't know what w

brother went cold, someone

meant playi

ng the walls weren't abou