The West

ty lights of Chicago sparkled below like a field of falling stars. But Elena saw only the darkness, the fortress beyond the g

our a glass of red. The wine tasted like iron, bitter, forceful,

knocking o

ath stu

is

sme, standing flawlessl

t is

n at 1:00 A.M. in the pr

trust. Yes, Dante trusted Esme, a Phoenix-level operator and ex-MI6. She

ca that the guard team rotates every fiftee

stiffened.

click, she cl

llahan Pri

hes, crystal decanters, and a wall of black books, the le

ow resting on the armrest. Esme stood at attention at the door

ce soft as silk and sharp as

e if I'd be i

her, with rare steak and asp

fuel, Mrs.

ith her for

ws. Syndicate soldiers are monitoring. Bodies

e chest, already? She put down h

w b

d. The wall planted w

ced, with profo

you power. Tonight, your husband's w

it, cut t

ting us. But this we

ped the

s died in separate drive-by shootings. Ruino

n burned. And since she wedded Dante, she lost faithf

om was

e replied softly. "Unless yo

emples. "Headaches

ecent wine instea

yes na

De

nod

red two

liances, he

ss, noting the stra

vive, s

Room, Underg

banks of monitor

cross from the De Luca mansion. Shot at one of

Chicago highlighted wit

ted by hushed talk

ed pacing.

her forehead

g glance. "You're

ed transcripts. "These mess

file named

kan connections. Gun traff

his jaw. "Mil

a fr

ers were coordinated. Three unique t

ght of that. "Who do

with resources. Someone w

o wants us

who knows terror and wan

roked her hand. "If you want

e'd ever uttered. She recognized it,

ked somethi

idn't survive my father

d her, eye

ce ex

s phone

nte's Priv

a hunted beast. Esme opened the hood; the automobil

clim

d into the d

sat

ted the

are w

at her. "

ssan

omeone

ind of

the road. "Rec

se don't dou

wed heavil

eeting an associate

fened. "

. "She'll

ivate Waterfr

floodlights that s

se sat on a

in red on a wooden

e

pulse

d out, exten

filled with shipping crates and stee

iner splintered in half, charred wood,

or the first time, an

ing t

years ago, shortly before

's house i

no recital in

pt, fingers dan

eone new, a tal

er mo

one

graceful, confident, scars dis

ena's past

le

ame rich accent, but

ened. "Who.

erved her. "I

Re

echoed,

e,

er, letting the

way when I was born. T

Lucas

dn't a

world

ized. "How,

reached in

ed out a

ket, two mothers in the

en

cked in

dn't r

ster swall

e wasn't ready. Not while two families w

, this

voice broke.

ed closer

n. It was my father's insurance policy. And now

ays knew where I was. My

stared

rash. Milo survived, an

s head

st. Her gh

ade no

ster, rais

ded quiet. "A small con

clenched. "Wha

ster h

ttered. "I want my inheritance. My name

breath

oulder

rap U

s taut. "You l

of war. Out of he

n't choose this, but I'll p

eated a st

ouse swal

know you're tel

held up b

irthmark, a rose, behind h

ught her

on Betwee

ared her

y n

brother survived. I could have st

oked a

took everythi

trembled. "T

ed forward. "You

what do

a ex

nfu

ster n

e

tepped

you wan

turned, eye

e. Or a

slowly. "An

on at

l rippled beneath the

screeched int

me emerged,

automatic, echoi

dove behi

s hear

is sidearm and cov

ay

nced, protective ge

twenty seconds tha

e sh

fell.

pped behind Elena, sho

ce re

n, checks fo

fed the woun

hed her si