-

d counting

hem meant acknowle

ng meant admitt

d. Each encounter was folded away in the dark corners of her memory like a pressed

e hated hers

ed herself more f

-

spoke of he

softened in the most brutal places, hardening in others. There was no room for softness in their world

nd he didn't

-

iet spaces between

el where the saints

zz club whose piano wep

abandoned villa where dust c

dden. Alw

s at

h what they had. It was too pu

ent, the tension

-

re no co

rations

tolen

said what mout

way they never did around anyone else. She'd cross her arms, like she needed armor again

bout everythi

ey'd do if they hadn't

er he would've

. "You, wri

e said. "It starts an

sleep. Her name had nev

-

sion wa

held for

it in a d

hem ever sai

it burned to touch her. In the way she'd linger at the do

ever

s wished

-

ey came closer than ever b

De Luca-owned restaurant. Retaliation was already being pl

till found

ople run toward the o

-

the war

oned. Smelling of

he arrived, his shirt stain

and fear clashing in h

aid. "It's

es. At the stillness in him that a

happ

age," he said. "S

o d

esit

finally, "it w

eath c

urse

found a way to ma

-

rom him, fis

wants to s

father wan

iend is lying t

s me like he's waitin

ce stretched

he said i

e part wher

back to h

what yo

e cracke

pped to

epped

ispered. "Don'

hy

I'll to

touc

that, the

her like a man

nd his shirt, gripping it like it anchored her. His fingers tangl

sn't

sn't

nherited hatred b

everything they were

-

only when the wor

s. Eyes closed. Hearts

orry," she

, fierce and rever

will des

estroyed than fe

-

night, thin

talk about w

y looked at eac

e pret

re si

ill, n

Enzo was

e was su

as watching

ast was c

-

, the

n it was

en it w

e only thing that

in the marrow of th

ouldn'

does in a world made

ll they

es the most dan

h

-