ate, Sera
d weaponize. I froze mid step on the staircase, one heel dangling from my fingers, the other still strapped
y bought me five extra minutes of freedom. "Missed you too
brows. At thirty three he looked every inch the head of the Moretti Famiglia: broad shouldered, lethal, the kind of man who could sign a death warr
He caught my wrist before I could hide my hands behind my back, brushing the smear of red and blue t
d. Only the five of us behind these walls had any clue the anonymous painter raking in millions w
y heels onto the bottom step and walked past him in bare feet, my gown moving against my thighs. The estate w
ehind me, his
ing like a caged tiger, Nico's already pulled the traffic cam feeds from
ant one thing: family business. The kind that ended in bl
start the lecture, yes, I know the rules. No risks. No fun. N
ered in his eyes. The same look he'd given me since
ne asshole who connects the dots between you and Starry..." He dragged a hand through his hair, the first crack i
the world for me. I knew that. They'd killed for les
It sold for five million. Five. Million. Dollars. For something I painted because I can't scream it in this house without you
ost of a smile tugged his mouth. The rare one that reminded me he was still my big brother under the Don mas
fourteen. Try telling Dante that when he drags me to the ra
cked a stray wave of hair behind my ear, thumb lingering a second too long on my cheek. "Just... be careful. Yo
my best defiant grin even as my pulse hamme
of barely leashed rage, leather jacket slung over one shoulder, knuckles still bruised from wh
rt supply store exploded. Where the hell were you? I was
tried to pull me into a bear hug that would've crushed ribs
iss themselves. "Traffic cams say you took the long way home. Care to explain wh
just like the scenic route. You know, waves, moonlight, no
Turpentine. And something else. You've been painting again
oice that still worked on all of us. "Library. Now. Papa's been wai
without thinking. Dante on my left, Nico on my right, Loren
omed ahead, heavy oak carved with the Moretti crest. A lion and olive branch, blood and peace in one twiste
he doors open wi
harp as the day he'd handed the reins to Lorenzo. Mama stood at his shoulder, elegant in a silk robe wi
me first. "Serafina. G
my tongue and dipped my head. "S
s eyes deepened. "Sit. All of you. This
chair closest to the desk like he was already testing the weight of the crown. The fire crackled
ntertwining his finger
Bratva's pushing harder than we anticipated. Shipments lost. Docks bleeding. An
nees. Nico's eyes narrowed to slits. Lorenzo didn't
ke some medieval treaty? What, are we trading oliv
. "It's already decided, Sera. The contra
ung there,
ammed hard,
Not
welve years
scotch, untouched and my fingers slipped. The glass hit the
sing, Lorenzo already moving toward me, but all I
ndro D
promised to
ut a word and left me painti
floor, my pulse roaring in my ears, and
n't an a
a life
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