The Empire of Darkness
l
e the clinic
m scared. Not
dangerous places, from replaying the way Gabriel Moretti invaded my space,
I shouldn't feel
ble when I stitch up a pa
my skin, and that infuriates
at evening, and he walks in like he owns the damn
sn't just enter a r
ting. This time, there's no blood on his clothes, no sign of
r, his dark eyes sweeping th
ys this reckl
"Are you always
rk. "When
, every movement is deliberate, calcula
that I feel
lp the other night," I sa
between us in a way that makes my br
t let him get to me. I won't let him
my own p
mused. "No
m. "I don't w
I've just said something
in my chest. "You think you can just
oice is quiet, but it cuts like stee
gainst my ribs.
h lifts in a slow, kno
nfuriating.
but he follows, refu
want from m
yal
ds a chill d
assessing. "I need a doctor. Someone who d
r laugh. "And you
ow it
in his voice
"You don't know a
something." He tilts his
t let it show. "You don't kno
per. "If someone's after you, that makes you vulner
pa
you're
catches i
i
, that possessive
e it. I shou
now what he'
tec
fe
with th
myself to keep my voice
his eyes-something d
won
alle
arn
between us i
he reaches into his jacket and
ree
rs is a pendant-a tiny
pen
to me like a bul
years ago, before I
's here. I
that?" My voice i
It was found in an alley. Next
orld
o
ght I fled Italy. If it's here-if
n are closer t
t down. Gabriel Moretti may be dangerou
pulse thundering.
erate smirk c
lready
are a deat
salva
n't decided
sleep th
staring at the pendant, the
warning.
is still h
attention of the most p
around the pendant,
ust Gabrie
t not have
y past is co
only one who
ies me more tha