RUTHLESS: The Mafia Alpha's Toy

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shaking in my bones or the relentless pounding in

me beneath the bed. But no matter how hard I tried to be still, I couldn't

ched the tension in the roo

e or twice. Mom called them friends, but I never believed

per, harsher, until every word felt like a s knife. Mom was pleading, her voice raw w

y warned me to stay out and that no matter what happened, I sh

o dinner but there was no such luck because the next moment, the

darkness, my tiny hands

I could see their shifting sh

e died instantly

y ears automatically. May

t inhuman-rumbled through the air. My stomach

as I watched the horrified scene in slow motion as my mom crumpled to the floor, her body h

came out. It was like my throat was locked up a

dn't. I couldn't move. It was like an invisi

was gone. Then, the ringing started-

en-dar

ent

gasping for air as my chest ros

ok from the claustrophobic effect of

ades since that night, and it was still as

clock drilled into my thoughts and head, int

of

out blindly for it and slammed

40

beginning of my day. Sleep was a luxury I couldn't a

here and I was not going to sleep un

hardwood of my bedroom floor. The chill grounded me, reminded me that I wasn't that helpless li

venge her death--- I was going to make them pay. Every

ferno. The

oming f

*

way to the famous Ductal hotel, I he

et into the Iron Vine group and I

n the mirror as I entered the hotel lo

pinned hair and

t Duncan Romano didn't know that. All he knew was that I was coming

n hair that reached his shoulders and b

, y

l man. He was hot, my type

d and I nodded and foll

and he punched the bu

y of the penthouse., the man sud

it's protocol," he said,

slyly even though what

and he began to search me, sur

y weapon on me and that I wasn't wired

door and walke

I will get

watched as he disappeared

formation I could use but this was a hotel room and ther

is case had either been found dead or mutilated in an animalistic way. No detective had ever lived to tell t

cologne, and something else-something mus

. My fingers curled around my folder, feigning nonchalance, but i

creak

sured, deliber

tepped int

an R

years studying, hu

that fell just past his ears. His sharp jawline was lined with the shadow

d for a split second, I felt something unnatural slither over

dat

o remain composed as I steppe

d myself, my voice stead

He just stood

retched unbear

owl rumbled th

iffe

shook me t

and falling asleep if he was scenting the air o

ed one word. One single word t

at