Marked by the Mafia king

e constellations I could name. It was early. The kind of early that felt like the world hadn't q

past. Guilt pressed into my chest as heavily as the motel's scratchy blanket. Rosa. I had

when she reali

ting building behind them. I c

rough threadbare curtains. My wedding dress was still crumpled in the corner where I had tossed it the night before. It looked

ess

but that felt safe somehow. I tied my hair back, slipped on

g signs. It was the kind of place people passed through, not stayed in. Which made me stand out mo

sharp in the sleepy silence. Same waitress.

asked, barely

She poured without asking. Black. No sugar. Like

gain. A man sat at the counter with a newspaper folded beside him. It took everyt

ounter, and left the paper behind. I didn't run. I

x. Ther

nishes: Elara We

. Staring back at m

y. I looked like a deer caught in headlights. Lik

t back onto the counter. The

ou look like you'

ll," I said quickly,

ss. Just refil

differently. A black sedan had driven past the diner earlier, slowly. It looked like the sa

t it as I slipped inside. Lock

e floorboards setting my nerves on edge. I needed to

didn't work. Of

gas station. It smelled like cigarettes and rain. I dug into my pocket, fingers closing ar

ce. Twice.

cem

it's me. I

think I'm

t... let me kno

thank you. Fo

before I

s gone. Or maybe I was imagining it. I couldn't tell anymore. My mind was a blur

m and smelled faintly of iron. I dressed again. Ate stale chips from the

I s

. Slipped beneath the d

No return

written in eleg

ld've ru

caught. My

one

was alre

ose in. My throat tightened, and th

, the thought of being found, or the

it was, they w

nted me

ere wa

y were