ardo

to the man's jaw w

to be, Joshua. St

aking out of his mouth and on

ty. I need at least a few minutes to get myself cle

of broken teeth. "Pffea-" I punch him again.

wouldn't turn into

say a word, make it

tonio lets ou

He's a vain bastard. I don't think he'd

st. Did the fucker just pass out? I

e's been paying his twenty percent dutifully for over a decade. Then last week, he disappeared. Joshua took over in his stead, but th

, and my hunch is that the only person who kno

the adre

ater, a syringe is placed in my open hand. I t

sharp breath, his

serrated knife off the tray, grab Joshua's

ams fill

ice so that h

mails. You won't be typing any time soon. Or ever,

h bone, Jos

se in Poughkeeps

ife. That's an hour

d you do

t he was when I checked

kind of man to run away from his own problems. It's why I've always liked him. He pays his protection money on time and in full. And we're not t

ell them to take Doc with them. Conor m

a towel and do my best to wipe my hands clean of Joshua's blood so that

while showing up with blood on my hands would certainly send a message to those wh

t a glimpse of the woma

nights ago, they thought

as lucky as you. Your father croaked all on his own. Some of us have

e loathed dying slowly, rotting like a vegetable in his bed while his kingdom slowly sl

d heard him say very often. We can't r

t impat

e ground. "The plan you

was tired of sitting on the

t. I lean forward unt

il you learn to not be a

ng something, but I'm done with this conversati

y has low ceilings, so he has to hunch slightly to make his six-five frame fit. He glances at me and gives me a nod. There's no need for m

when Antonio calls out my nam

t is

is palm over the

re abou

talking a

rson to ask me that questi

control, and yet I'm about to mar

e herself unattractive as a marriage prospect, incl

il I display our bloody wedding s

reservation, and drinks enough to qua

very traditional Italian

e instead, I agreed to the outrageous proposition before I even realized the words were out of my mouth. On paper, Isabella was the p

payment Garzolo owes

so full

tch

g before she got served t

e got, but that doesn't change the fact that he's my subordinate. We're close, but not so close that I'd

I'm marrying in

owes me through force, or I can marry his daughter. The latter is the logical choice for

looks

t's the logic behind all the times

es I forget how observan

nd I'll enjoy having her in

ill said yes to marrying her. All that for a lay who'll likely try

bite anyt

fucking insane w

ing marriage. She failed. Why would she con

She's marrying you because of her sister, not because she likes you, a

h a b

r being married to me. How have you

ion," he says with a grin befo

w she gets und

nder my skin. Unlike Joshua, I'm not ruled by

ou know what does get under my s

io la

h out for you. Keep an eye on your dri

ir?" She doesn't have access to anything remo

woman being a witch, i

I turn away from him a

mistake by underestimating

of her father's incompetence. Stefano Garzolo is a fo

ense in me. I'll give it a w