: Blood i

o & Ami

e looked peaceful

ie Leonardo knew

arded, a half-finished glass of whisky in hand. Below, the guards changed shift

-somethin

hone

d on the screen

's jaw t

ries. The last time he rang, a judge ende

Leonardo

nace of a man smiling with a knife in his hand. "The Nigeria

o didn'

e sound oily and

soft. Or cr

," Leonardo

nt sharpening into something lethal. "I wonder how long

s silence

ued. "Accidents happen. Especially to

all e

e hurled the glass at the wall. Crystal shattered against the boo

-

ke to the sound

cold. Typical. Leonardo didn't sleep. Not like a man sh

us, expensive, and far too big. It swallowed her fr

dy, back turned, shoulde

eding," she

. A thin slice marred his

noth

rew som

sn't e

hesitant. "Leonard

o the night, where shadows stretched l

voice low. "You walk into fire thinking it won't burn

n it?" she snapped,

close is the only w

s hit li

"What aren't

hipped from the ocean-cold, ancient, and dar

ou. About us. He's watching

t fully. But the way Leonardo sa

ntinued. "But you? You're the cr

erself, suddenly aware of how t

y. You don't question the guards I assign. You don't leave

"So I'm a ho

s firm around her waist. "You're my wife.

-

morning w

si

nsion coiling in the halls. The staff moved l

t her croissant like it had personally off

vibrated b

Call

eath c

at the screen, hesitant.

um

t sharp with worry. "We haven't heard f

ira lied. The wor

n't sou

er fingers to her forehead. "It's

roke about your marriage. We saw it onlin

said softly

en: "Did he

silence

hispered. "

. We raised you to be strong. Smart. You don't just marr

cking. "It was this or watch my career-and yo

mothers had, she said, "You are not powerless, my child.

ira's eyes, but sh

er mother asked,

ng p

now," Amir

sil

, if you ever need to come home-really come ho

her mother couldn't

ing her chest. The life she left behind-full of courtrooms,

she wa

is fo

a look and yet touched her like she

creaked b

cks and a black shirt, sleeves rolled

your family,"

n't flinc

knelt slightly,

n't have sa

l them anythi

ver her knuckles. "Vito is circling. Anyone you care

he'd hurt

n everything you love

ned. Not with heat. With th

away. "Then maybe you should

ooked at her. Not with lust or contr

ate fo