The Mafia King and his hard-headed slave

Sok

n Butler had to mention her-and claim she was dead. My first friend in America. Dead? I don't buy it. Butler is a liar. Alw

forever. Either way, my father can't know. If he finds out Butler was even here, there'll be consequences-harsh ones. He might punish me, or

e out of my spi

in," I

my cousin, Agapov. She steps into the r

rfully. "Where are you going? Aren

d focus on pulling

ross my bed like a teenager-which she is, though her antics

shirt. "When people get clo

just don't get why you do thi

sary," I re

g off the bed with sudden energy. "Let the boys handl

gh, but she isn't joking. She cros

Aunt Mirabel, and I do

ugh harder, bu

arn," she say

more bones chasing down targets than you've

res back, with all the determina

r. "I have bigger goals, Agapov," I say fir

t is older. A man. Shou

s is what I want. And I've been

or now, though I know this won't

is cologne and smoke trail still haunt my space, reminding me of his uninvited presenc

and missing mortar. That bastard climbed up here. The thought make

ead downstairs, hearing voice

arly last night," a fami

rcing brown eyes watching me

ed," I rep

. "You should've been practicin

s I cut him off w

e here who should be twirling in a ballet skirt is you. With th

ce crumble when they realize they've picked the wrong fight is priceless. Except Garret doesn't crumble. He's confident, sharp, and a master of diplomacy. H

nswered, speaking briefly before shooting me one l

the wood as I made my way to the door. Freedom was

re, sit with me," he said,

nd mustache, a strange mix of Santa Claus and a tattooed bodybuilder. The g

ze with all the serio

ignment for you," he began. His tone shifted to b

then disappeared, but we've tracked down his location." He paused, his fingers drumming on

nother clean

I have urgent matters to attend to. I thought about sending Garret

g a small, black box. "But I think this i

sting on a thin red cloth. It was beautiful-sleek, black-gra

murmured, reading the in

mired it back in Mexico City. Your mother and I decided it was time you had it, no

gleaming like pearls. Seeing him so

d as I took the knife, running my fingers alo

ing it carefully into my pocket be

my back affectionately. "You

is queen. But I knew the crow

lit, the flickering lightbulbs above casting eerie shadows on the cracked walls. My hand

ehind him, scanning every corner, every crevice. My nerves screamed at me to turn around

at the end of the hallway. He opened it

h expensive furniture, detailed maps, and high-tech monitors displaying surveillance footage from all over

aid, his lips curvi

turned my head slightly, catching sight of a figure emerging from t

ordered, her voice as

wider. "Welcome to the game, Rit

ealized I had just