Crown of Blood: The Don's Reckoning

ly against the bulletproof glass windows of the black SUV as i

e. The news cycle hadn't picked up on the attack outside Nocturne, but she knew

f yours will talk?" she aske

n the rhythm of the city he ruled like a silent god. "He's a broker.

scar at his temple, the perpetual calm behind his

with a neck tattoo of a crowned dagger, pulled into a nondescript parking garage.

bed to th

hands trembling as he lit a cigarette. Gavin Moore, once a Wall Street

avin's voice cracked. "You

reporter," Tino sa

Family? That meant something in t

the truth," she said. "Not

s nose. "Then you better b

Tino. "Encrypted files. Names. Drop locations. Communic

oulders s

ned. "Vict

f he's back, that means bodies

ed his jaw.

Knightly. And too clean. That makes yo

ond, a sharp crack ech

n dr

ed across t

in a single, fluid motion. Another shot rang out, sparking agains

omm. "Northeast roofline-glass b

rged from stairwells, weapons drawn. Sandy crawled

de her, grabbing h

tammered. "Gavi

st ending he could've

led in the

oward the garage stairwell. His men fell in behind

fehouse, the t

cca worked on decrypting the flash drive Gav

e couch, hands

ed. "Everyone's terrified of him, but I can't

rints, no paper trails. Just ashes. He used to work with Tino... years ago, when the S

chaos. I wanted control. We both got wha

aliated?" S

hers. "He disapp

d forward. "I've got names. One

You're not g

," Tino

nn. Your logi

arkened. "He's been

outes and ops to Drazen

d. "That's

him alive,

ent off-grid three hours ago. Took a private

closer to Tino

her, jaw set.

Below, the city lights flickered like dying stars. Behind her, the glass doors were c

anding her a gla

"Irish. A favorite

epted it

in silence

elping me?" she asked

t I'm also tired, Sandy. Tired of burying people I care about. Tir

d m

hat I expected. You're bold. Sharp. R

his eyes

he part of myself I

ng between them, e

thought you were," she s

lied, stepping closer. "Th

ent shifted. It wasn't violenc

as w

rprise, it echoed

pulse racing. "I

ut the tensi

, Tino looked out

ey would cha

, he let hi

ndy Rhune because sh

ing up something in him t

city's lights cutting faint patterns across the walls. The events of the last twenty-four hours raced through her

This wasn't supposed to be personal. She

t completely, not yet. But enough to make her question how far she'd be wi

n the door bro

t up.

usual suit but in a black T-shirt and dark slacks. Even relaxe

leep," he s

neit

lly. "I thought you m

ed her

grainy but clear enough. A private hang

rewinding the clip. "He's not runn

ion. Or a promise," Tino said. "Eith

back. "And whe

ons," Tino said, voice low. "

"That doesn't sou

. "That sounds

ws or ideals. It lived and died by rules of blood, loy

ked softly, "when you thought y

een. Her name was Lucia. She worked in a bookstore, used to give me novels

d. "What hap

A message from my father's enemi

at tightened

forced. "It's the price of the throne. E

paused at the door. "But

ow

ked at her, really looked. "You

ine between them, like a live wir

unsure if she was wa

faint nod. "Go

n he wa

-

d Tino in the kitchen, where he stood in front of a massive digital map sprawled across one wall

ected to a tower in Zurich six hours ago. Interpol is slow-walking it. I've

ng the black coffee Tino had

used only for high-level cleanings.

lans to disappe

less than 48 ho

Get the jet ready. We'r

dded and

. "You're takin

ehind. Not with Drazen

rust me?"

. "But I respect you.

pping under her skin. "What

haven't thought

the coffee. "Then let's

-

rnment bunker. Tino sat across from Sandy as they flew over the Atlantic, files s

a woman in her mid-fort

's s

ster. Runs a pharmaceutical front in Liechtenstein. But rum

the gat

e corrected. "And Vi

"So we take t

e them, Sandy. We dismantle them, piece by piece, unt

, eyes heav

r just a second-enough to ground her. E

e sleep,

But neither

the dark, flying str