The Mafia king stolen heir

S THAT BE

New York

the empty swing swaying in the w

hers turned to stare. A few kids paused mid-laugh. But all she could see was the red hoodie-

alled, voice c

an

ruck. The jungle gym. The woman with the golden retrieve

Lu

turned toward the security cameras mounted on the

panic. Panic meant exposure. And exposure meant the man she

o l

one buzzed in

own N

he screen, and t

ered with

en a deep,

hiding somethi

e f

N

t h

t n

. Her throat dried instan

g you've been playing house with my blood.

move. Couldn't spe

" she whispered. "

len

problem. He looks

Hours

had started l

up, his black curls falling over his forehead. She watched him draw on the p

e asked, sliding into t

rity bot with retina scanners and lase

d her cheekbones, her chin-but Dante's sapphire eyes. Tha

hair. Moved to Europe. C

ed better than a

he would p

s Private Estate,

lled like lea

monolithic black desk, watch

. Black gloves. Unmarke

eam-just blinked at h

n Valentina vanished into the night with nothing bu

Enzo, his consigliere,

didn't

n on the boy's face-those eyes, unmist

"But stealing my heir? She could've put a b

ded him. "Their whole family w

rkly. "They were rat

s Apartment

lready ajar whe

as useless. The room had been stripped bare of warmth. The curtain

ything that made

as a manila envelope

it with shak

ping peacefully in a grand king-sized b

oss the photo

an. Now

-

eyes, but she did

t y

e stove and pulled out the burner phone

rang

wi

ered: clipped, mal

epo

she said. "Da

pau

it be

Estate -

ndow as the black SUV roll

xpected r

-stepping out of the vehicle in heels, b

ch as two guards

uch me," s

carved in shadow. All black suit. Cold blue eye

dly, as if they were old

ere for

led, slow

o a

tep forward,

re is

long as you

aw tig

od, Dante, if

rs, each step echoing

stopping just inches from her face. "No, Val

s gaze, ste

er. You're a monste

blink. Di

der my roof. Me, still the mons

hit her l

ur

oice dropping to

eans to be a Luciano. And you, pr

Room - 9

entire apartment, curled in the middle of a

s flutte

Ma

him in her arms, held o

urying her face in his hair.

onfused. "The men said I hav

ntina

hed her cheek,

pered. "Do I rea

er, a voice cut throug

d've told h

ood in th

a tu

es met-bl

he boy

my dad?"