You Can't Buy My Heart, Mr. Vitiello

Ross

off slice after slice of paradise-vacations, vintage

nuckling a glass of water. My

em

n like deep river water, with a sm

shark, just before he got in too deep with the Vitiello family. I had spent

exquisite antique jade bangle. B

nd sh

he lady in the back,"

a voice c

It was a facele

nty,"

ght

t shake, though my insides were trembl

ok at the woman in the black dress, watc

thousand go

ndred t

om the front row.

a Mo

me. She was chatting with the woman next to her. Sh

ainst my ribs. "Thre

sound like breaking crysta

ped together from the allowance Dante gave me, hoarding it instead

my mother's tears. It

and... fifty,"

at me, her eyes narrowing. She recognize

and whispered so

ted his gaze back to me. His face

ut and took the padd

lion," D

d. A hush fell

dly enough for the microphone

carrying to every corner of

my family's heirloom to court his future wife. He was taking the sy

tiello for one m

ed. It sounded

Dante took the bracelet out. He didn't look at the crack in the jad

eek, preening. Th

. My legs

the security, past the cameras. I

clutch. My fingers were shaki

draft to the Nation

ellowship A

ition in Switzerland. I

it

cry when you're dead.