Crown of Blood: The Don's Reckoning

w, and an air that felt like it could slice through steel. The private jet touched down just after dusk, its e

ne hand resting near the concealed weapon beneath his coat. Beside him, San

ls too clean,"

t's dangerous. Zurich hides its sins

luxury boutiques, watch shops, and discree

ca, driving with one hand on the wheel and the other gripping his Glock. "The plac

"They're hiding arms

amazed what passes for

etween old-world apartments. Security cameras panned

"Sandy, stay close. Rocca and I swee

en's here?"

ed to stone. "Th

halls, rooms labeled in Swiss and Latin. But beneath the

oor at the far end. Rocca h

or sli

. Plush seats. And standing near the wi

tore

aid coolly, not re

orward, gun ra

eloc

etraye

y, but you never saw the cracks forming beneath your throne. I d

n't waver. "Wh

ltered. "Closer

detonated with searing light and sound. Sandy dropped behind a tabl

door as masked shooters stormed in, firin

king behind a marble pi

mming in her chest. She saw Tino sprint through

her!" he or

dy shouted, brea

just as more bullets chew

into a stairwell. Ahead, Penn race

t, Sal!" Ti

idn't

r blades churned the air overhead-a sleek bl

azen stoo

r. His eyes were voids-cold, calculated, ageles

enced pistol... And

d blooming across his chest. Sandy and

grabbing Tino's coat

ge twisting his features.

choked once, t

kingly-and the helicopter

were

or the wail of distant sirens and th

r his breath. "T

clenched, his face

close just to

m, shaken but grounded.

, voice low. "He wanted me to see him

didn't he?" San

the answer already

thing open in her ches

im brought down. I want every secre

er wrist. "Then stay close.

"I'm not afraid of

red. "Because we

d at herself in the mirror. She looked the same-same eyes,

rnalist hunting

with the most dangerous man she'd ever met-and realizing she belonged in t

that?" s

a compact pistol. Mat

arry this from n

n't s

l if you

heavier than she expected- n

loser. "You di

his orbit again. "So did you. Exce

dark. "I'll catch him

ng enough for breath

no.

oss her jaw, his voice

di

heat and something dangerously close to need. She kissed him back, be

that lingered. It was something worse. Hop

st beneath her. Her fingers curled around the pistol Tino had given her, the weapon resti

ught ab

ing her to keep out of trouble. Always looking out for her, even from behind enemy lines. He had

le was

had just flown away into the

" she wh

s a storm on the horizon. And she wo

approached

Tino asked

turn. "De

s his chest. "I've learned not to ask

" she said. "I'

ze. "The people in our world-they don't change. They ha

ne of your

lse entirely. That's wh

e or f

tead, he slid a file on

ntents. Photos. Financial logs. A memo from

Cole's last

en's shell companies and a missing shipment of biochemical agents-unregistered

ed. "He thought they w

mething bigger than anything we'd seen. That he was g

w Penn'

s we're out

. There's always somethin

"You're thinking l

someone who wants t

e for a moment, watc

im. "You ever lose som

d away. "E

lcony, the door swin

s room. Rocca leaned over a bank of monitors, files sp

e's one name that keeps coming up-Jakob Hess. Swiss banker, connec

"And he's sti

No criminal record. But if Evely

d. "Where

a gala. Tonight. Kunsthaus Züric

d. "Sounds l

usly suggesting w

to Sandy. "Y

e table and slipped it into h

men in tuxedos and women in diamonds stepped into the warmth of curated extravagance. Inside, w

ooked s

d up, revealing the soft line of her throat. She mov

rowd like he belonged there. And in a way, he did. His name wasn't

a pale man with silver spectacles n

t him. You wat

respond, Tino w

one hand in his pocket, the o

voice polished with

nking. "I'm sorr

ause if I were you, I'd want to know who w

s p

w what you're

ck ops through clean accounts. And you have thirty seconds to start talkin

owed. "You

said. "I'm

se, hand hovering near her purse. Secur

ess cr

edral district. Access code only Evelyn has. But Drazen..

s narrowed

fe

He collapsed, seizing. Tino dropped his glass and spun. A man in a wai

shouted, alr

d guests and shattered glasses. He chased the man thro

ce. Sandy reached him seconds later. The assassin was gone. But t