A Deal with the mafia Devil

er 3:

eakfast. No warning. No

re tinted, swallowing reflections. The doors opened in unison, and men in black s

, her hand frozen mid-air with a spoonfu

re here

harply towar

ncast, fingers trembling around a chipped teacup.

ia's voic

th

he'd been expecting this moment forever. "Don't fig

spered. "You knew th

ungeon," he said sharply. "You'r

he spat. "Call

, but the knock at

t raps. Sh

dn't hesitate

eyard. Tall, bald, with an earpiece curled behind one ear a

ady?" the

plied. Then turned to A

acking a d

his," he said,

eady sold me. Don't expect

d forward, but her

wo minutes

nod. "Two. Then we

shut the door and turned t

at you sold me. Not that you lied. It's that you're acting like this

outh pressed i

hing?" she demanded. "

nce was

er. "Mom. Please. Say

didn't li

om

th

a man put a collar on me. You told me I

trembled. But th

silence was a betraya

d down Ari

," she whispered

't move

fury, as the door opened again

gloves were black leather.

coming w

k instinctively.

m reached

ped his

mist

her back. The other grabbed her bag-pre-pack

outed, struggling.

could. An

er didn'

till didn't

or, her eyes locked on her mo

olled down her

la

ir was cold. The car door opened, a

r slamm

kne

le

we

as tr

-

de t

he man across from her-clearly the one in charge-watched her

?" he asked, his

lready

he replied

ared.

f security for the Moretti family. I'll b

the word I'd use

ou," he said. "Unless y

's next? You drop me off like a delivery packa

ate disrespect. If you value your tongue,

ped. "At least then I wouldn't

smiled. "He'

he window, blinking back

st. Trees. Roads.

hose gates..

fort

Spiked fences

sweet

-

onald's

pped. The d

didn'

n. "Get out. Or

nees trembled, but her

lled like r

above her like

el accents. Cold,

ilent-stepped forward and

proached. Pale gray unif

sehold staff. You will addr

a d

he house

s like icicles. Mirrors that didn't

a hallway lin

room," Miss Lora

ent

Modern.

lden

but paused. "He'll

ood chill

a brow. "Y

she

-

rs

moon watched from a dist

d in the same jeans and sweater she'd worn al

idn't

at the do

came at

tent

imi

, heart

oor o

here

McDo

irt, sleeves rolled up, veins dancing down his

nd closed the d

have to send your dogs. I'd have

head. "No. You

s smooth. Lo

to solve. "So this is it? The grand reveal? The

e," he said.

ather

ou will. But not for

breath

want from m

e. Then: "Obedience. Loyalty

l get

"That's what they

You might own my time. Maybe eve

ng her like a chessboard. "Good.

like that

g her

ak

ot br

t