u

eve I was immu

t was barely cracked bit at my skin . I let it. Somet

in the hallway yesterday. She avoided my eyes, moved li

know the

that was f

g in particular. The silence had grown louder these past few days, now that she was here. It wasn't that

She paused, probably noticing I was there. But she

n't f

asn't stupid. No one ever thanked the man who dragged them

. My sister, Miucca, reminded me of that every time we spoke. "You bleed for strangers

I preferred

ssie was

was beautiful...

remind myself she was just a job,

era

sed to. I'd met women who wanted power, wanted me, wanted money. Cassie did

m

oth

zzed on the

ng's moving on the Romano accoun

My pulse spiked, but my

p, and now that he was dead, everyone

her name was more than jus

he only one standing between her and t

oward the kitchen, heari

many bullets I'd alr

day, s

d she wouldn't hate me more than sh

ng hair tied up messily like she hadn't m

e stil

hen doorway. "You always

und. "You always sn

me smirk

to her lips. Her eyes met mine for a s

d with fear. J

I said quietly, stepping closer. "You've

n more now that I'm sup

u're here for y

u, I don't nee

break it right away. She needed honesty-hell, she deser

y. "But the people coming for you... they do

ss. "Why me? Why not my mother? W

ore than anyone. You might not realize it, bu

nd, the fire in her eyes flickered into fear. "

head. "A s

ly. "Is that suppo

ce low. "It's sup

cross her face. I knew that look. She wanted

he left behind?" she as

oking. And if they find it before I do, you

ked awa

ped closer, enough to catch the faint shiver that

softer now. "I'm

ain. And this time,

t you're trying t

a

me," I told her.

r. Just turned b

dn't walk

stood the

back to me, her voice cut through

er figure it out first