lent, but the t

eavy with everything unsaid. Her father leaned back in his chair, looking f

asked, voice cold eno

s with a wedding," Alessio said, s

ke poison. "You want me to marry the man

moothly. "I want y

art st

g mafia bride, the trusted wife. You'll smile at his men, eat at his table, sleep in his ho

them from the inside

ed. "Ex

craped violently across the floo

are. A Moretti. You were raised for this. All those years watching

d been many things for him, his shadow, his secret, his wea

her word, her father's voic

in the war room, face hard, fingers steepled under his chin. Marsh

t?" Marsh finall

Kai answered. "W

na?" Luc

offered it. Said he's tired o

im?" Marsh asked,

ieve in strategy. And I believ

ess, Kai. This is your life. You're marrying someone wh

steel. "I don't trust her. But I respec

t of the plan?" L

long beat. Then, "T

ht echoed loud in his head: She

art of him that remembered the way she'd looked at him

rm waiting

ement came

nion. The war postponed.

s through blood and rings. Kai and Gianna's wedding was set for a week's t

s started i

's bein

turn o

l kill h

artment, Gianna stared at her reflection. The mir

side?

A single message

who you

s for a long time, the

dn't r

unge overlooking the city skyline. They were alone. No guards. No weapons. J

g, as always, dressed in black, hair pinned

he said, break

nking about how strange it is. Peac

or. "Peace never lasts.

m now. "Are you going

said softly. "You'll a

Not heat. Just two people standing on a

small velvet box. She tossed it on the table

e said. "If we're doing th

ked control. She just r

r, he found somethi

flicker of somethin

hing in h

ing at a photo of her mother. The woman who had died too soon, too quietly

hand shoo

ening their patrols. Her father was pr

r phone bu

the same. You kn

hone face-down.

r life, Gianna Moretti d

r who had

who might

she

tray

could end t

uld start

g was in t

etti was runni