Veils of Thorns

never kil

knuckles, shattered glass, the sound of gunfire in the d

that woul

ess. Inside, Luca sat in the backseat, Niccolo beside him, a gun resting on his

ut," Niccolo said, wa

, tightening his gr

sn't an option

rcer who had sold information to the Feds. His betrayal cost the family two major a

at

e low and measured. "The firs

d of blood. He was afraid of what it

t? Regret? Or wors

nd two other men were already there, standing over a man bound to a chair.

s heartbeat steady but heavy, h

then at Niccolo. "Y

t answer. He

s Luca'

ough the blood. When he saw Luca, a

. "They're sendin

idn't

h chuckle. "Your fat

He stepped forward, gun raised, the col

ughter

silent except for the dist

ver the trigger. His br

't sound like his own, he

lowed. "Re

aying

Then Marco gave a w

N

led the

snapped back, the chair rocking slightly before settling. Bl

move. He d

nt of him was j

No regre

ng a heavy hand on Luca

teady. He turned away from the b

him-not as a boy, not as a weak heir

at him as so

one

eLu

Do

his father's death, Luca felt

we