ana'

-

were so soft, I almost f

mo

ored memory foam. Every bump in the road made my ribs scream and reminded me that this wasn't

glued shut or maybe they'd taken a vow of mafia monkhood. I didn't ask. I just glared at

tion. Just the low hum of the engine and t

hints at morning. The sky was soft and blue, like it

ring how Renzo could vanish like that. How someone who'd held

up

s st

always h

ritical thinking when you're being

the gates ju

se were gates that had opinions. They were tall, black, and ornate-l

ed, then rol

have real problems here. The lawn was the type of green that probably had its own skincare routine. Birds chirpe

e house cam

ion: Th

he emotional warmth of a bank vault. If this was my new home, I hoped they offered a map. Or

eway. One of the silent mafia monks opene

red a

Family' balloon, or do we sk

answer.

i

s shaky, pride

ight across the marble steps. For a sec

bered who I

ty turne

-

ting in th

Maur

e something you'd find pr

d would arrive less wrinkled. He wore a black shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, the k

t to notic

ally

tely, my brai

iful. The kind of man you should never be alone with

ating. And for some reason, they linge

," he sa

a brunch meeting. No

dn't

ust slightly. "I don't

ged into stranger mansions,"

men behin

we're already getting to

. The entrance hall was massive. Everything was polished marble, silver fixtures, and weal

gan I'd worn during my botched escape. She didn't look at me. Pr

t looked like it had never hosted a single

red to t

sa

one-like armchair. A glass of something amber sat on th

silence fo

freedom barefoot through wolf-infested woods, or di

burned. "E

ce calm but sharp. "I

't know what you'

ter. If you want to survive here, yo

al required performanc

se, everything i

d himsel

offer

u

elf, "what now? Do I get a tour?

nd unsettling. "That depends

n't a

u'd be dead before you

turned. "

Then just when I thought he might lean down an

me a pac

your

d to slap it o

s already swoll

ook

said, through

n't re

A maid will show you to your room. You'll stay there

if I

lancing over

t how little patience I h

n he wa

allway that looked like it belonged in a museum. The room she opened was ridiculous. A c

like it didn

I was too tired

d the door qui

n I was

artbreaki

bed and stared at the u

ta's insults. Now I was in a mansion owned by a m

ce against my c

sons I'll never f

lau

a l

e if I

ard the wall

ive me something to eat. I am just a girl, I said under my breath. I think