Scarlet Ink

her father had pinned on their living room wall during the years of his investigation into the mafia. Drug trafficking, racketeering, murder. The Romanovs weren't just criminals; they were legends of

'espresso enthusiast,'" she muttered. Kael chuckled, stepping closer. "You've done your homework. Impressive." She stared him down. "I don't have to dig deep. Your name's practically a warning sign." His smile faded slightly, just for a second. "Not all stories are true." "And some are worse than what's printed," she shot back. They grabbed their drinks, and to her dismay, he followed her to an empty table. "Why are you here, Kael?" she asked, her voice low. He stirred his coffee slowly. "Maybe I needed a change. Maybe I