Caged Bride

rridor, her fingers brushing the cool stone wall as if grounding herself. The morning orientation had ended, but the unease h

ape the stifling quiet of her quarters or the surveillance she felt in every step. It wasn't just the cameras. It was the way the st

listened. Voices-two men, speaking in hushed Italian. She didn't understand the

d around

with a face like carved steel and eyes that didn't blink enough. The

into English, unaware of her presence. "You've marr

vicious. "Careful. That pawn

norted. "

reaked beneath her foot. Too late. M

or harden. It simply was. As if he'd already known sh

he asked, voice

ng the instinct to run.

. "Brave thing, wande

at him. "She is al

sparkled with derision. "We'

g himself subtly between her and the s

stiff

atteo said. "Mrs. Cossimo

itated, just long enough to feel the danger coiling tighter

But something told her he didn't

o a drawer. She didn't look up when Aura entered, but her po

hat man?"

immediately. Her hands

aw som

he scar on his temple. The

e. "That would be Rocco Valente. He's not

Dant

his fa

closer. "Why

this marriage. Rocco believes Signor Moretti's choices weaken the fam

terly. "Dante is many things

you as a threat. To tradition. To

ruises-quiet and deep. She hadn't just married into we

member delivered a simple note on thick stat

ourtya

igna

en she read over Aura'

nk I h

e arrived, save for one figure sitti

Cos

mething in the woman's posture-ri

with Valente," Mrs. Coss

him. I didn

in the restricted corri

n. "No one told me

thinning into a razor slash. "You

rve to know wha

marriage, not

ward. "Then why does

ht in her grasp. "Because you've been droppe

hroat ti

ce as crisp as winter air. "Do not confuse your wedding ring with protecti

ura without waiti

horizon, mind racing. She hadn't seen blood. Not yet. But she had seen what

, warnings were n

her feet as she padded quietly to the window. Below, the gardens swaye

ving across the lawn

prec

e figure paused near th

art st

e appeared from the shadows o

nt

out. He simply watched. And then, a

gazes

othing. D

wind that carried the scent of stee

was not a

alrea