Kingdom of Ash and Blood

ly - Three

ed of salt a

ruised Sicilian sky. Below him, the Tyrrhenian Sea foamed and churned, dark and endless, as if echoing the turmoi

t fifteen now whispered in waves - asking wha

urned through cities. Made enemies of al

she is in

t, like a curse whispered from the grave

protect and destroy

scream. Beneath the limestone was iron, beneath the iron was bone. He'd built this estate as a sanct

idea what w

ired off by Matteo. But Luca stayed rooted to the storm, letting its fury match his own. Ev

n her, she was painted

st in

he van

tence. That night had made a monster

men... until the world s

voice broke through

idn't

tteo continued. "Worki

turn. Slowly.

ess - burned beneath the low l

on Matteo would have m

e exa

No ties to any family." A pause. "She's smart, boss

ce grew thic

oftly -

e estate. The wind slammed the balcony doors shut behind him like a tomb

longer abo

about pos

is boots echoing down the marble corridor

called behind him. "

otsteps faltered. "B

ce a blade. "Her soul remembers me

tter than to challenge Luca when his v

silk. He stood before the mirror, bare to the waist. The reflection that stared back was

er from a recent standoff with the Romano syndicate. A jagged sc

it mat

toni

The face staring back was no longer that of the boy who

d like a

he

She would remember.

ld never le

. No tie. No armor. He wanted her to see him bare - the way she

had touched him

n't le

ve pleasure.

lood beneath his nails. He

gain - and he would -

ld be

o – 10

o – Vucciri

ickered over crumbling walls stained with smoke and sin. It reeked of

ke she owned

ist, her movements lean and efficient. Black tank top, worn jeans, boots with

sharp for a

oo practiced

told the same story twice. No one here knew who sh

t somethin

fted. Not the music. Not

ke a noose arou

w him - a heat crawling up her sp

lance

here

n black like a devil dress

ilent. W

u

how to function.

t the floor a

else shatte

been prepar

w who she truly was. And she'd been content with that. Safe. But the moment his eyes met hers across the crowded r

as h

that storm she'd once loved, that monster wh

sn't a bo

s the

ad come

e air like the storm outside, thick and suffocating. She wan

that mirrored the beat of her panicked heart. She coul

ing this way - weak, vulnerable, seen. But

the world stopped. The noise of the club. The li

st the tw

that burned