a
w, freezing register as he sta
demanded. "Do you plan to
wer. Without a second of hesitation, I reached for m
ed their backs. They were terrified of witn
ked as he watche
second button.
the immense tearing force, the silk cuff of my shirt emitted the faint
, his grip a cage of bone and sin
armored SUV. Behind us, the sharp, frantic clicking of high heels echoed against the pavement. Serafina scurri
and the heavy convoy sped
cologne and the stuffy, animal scent of leather warmed by body heat, forcing one to t
ence," she whined, berating Cassio for ever
ice carried the terrifying, deadened
uth, Serafina
oiled in her
ath on me?" she demanded, ac
nterrupted
e Syndicate," I stated.
r. He accused me of mimicking Serafina's manipulation
me dangerous, yet I unflinchingly
to his driver. The convoy shuddered to
open. A storm raged in Cassio's eyes as he snatched the de
"Let's see how long you survive witho
and I stumbled out of the high cabin,
rated away, leaving me
the Don had frozen the meager emergency funds attached to my name. Disgusted, I tossed the useless, traceable device into a nearby storm drain. I pulled
s until Leo's signal had promised he would land.
neutral territory. I paid the clerk and locked mys
knew Leo would not return from his operations for three more days,
ty streets, attempting to find le
tores, but I was turned away by every establish
counter and whispered a warning. A decree had come down from the Syndica
ended the Don
ng my throat. I acknowledged Cassio's methods: he was
sy street, and walked toward the derelict warehouses
he landed, Cassio's entire empire would learn w
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