CHAINED BY FIRE

e's

ings were my sanctuary, a ritual grounding me after Birmingham's chaos. I knelt by the bed, almond light brown eyes closed, voice a soft whis

y sloughing off yesterday, my button nose inhaling the sweetness. After rinsing, I dried off, wiping my face with witch hazel wipes, their cool tingle waking my chubby cheeks. I app

drove me to the café, Florence's cobblestones alive with scooters. La Dolce Vita's pastel walls and espresso hum welcomed me, and Rico, my coworker, grinned fro

m just pouring coffee." My shy smile met his ban

you spent hours on that glowy skin. Share the magic." M

blending with the chatter. Around noon, the bell chimed, and Alicia walked in, five months

e soft but excited. "W

rner table, serving a decaf latte, hands steady with joy. We talked, her kindness soothing my heart. "I'm h

make it a girls' day, spa, massages, nails, e

anned, her laughter lifting me, my

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simmering in tomato and herbs. I baked tiramisu cupcakes, their coffee-cream frosting a treat, saving half for Alic

th jasmine vanilla body wash, scrubbing, wiping with witch hazel, lotioning with cocoa butter, the scent grounding. In pajamas, afro tied, I c

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eo's

lackwood Tech's glass walls hid the empire's edge, and Adrian, glasses fogging, leaned back, files everywhere. My trip was a mess, my cousin's rebellion costing men an

aid, voice heavy,

d, three million lost. We're hitting Naples tonight, but he's a ghost." Rage burned, but Cece's pain, Li

rco's trafficking, the girls Cece saw, ties to Naple

ot her. Hell, I could provide for her." My voice was s

Nonno she needs it, to feel like herself after Birmingham, working t

e's soft voice, her glowy skin, her expressive eyes, I missed her in this chaos, couldn't

d, Her job at La Dolce Vita, her need to stand alone, it stirred respect, but I wanted to hold her, erase Marco's shadow, gi