When The Mafia Marriage Contract Expires

off my father's blood debt. For three years, I played the obedient

dining alone, openly flaunting his cartel

iddle of entertaining our southern allies, Aria. Stop being dramatic." He hung up on me. Through the receiver,

s mistress's phone call. When he finally came home, he didn't offe

bt was paid, but he tore them to shreds. "Nobody le

t. I didn't understand why I had wasted my youth hoping to ch

fake passport, snapped my SIM

pte

a's

third wedding anniversary, I stare at the fresh photo burning on the screen of

the floorboard beneath my bed tonight, the Falcone Famiglia will swallow me who

e candle on my table has burned down to a stub, wax pooling on the damask tablecloth like congealed blood. I look at the unto

Not Zane. Rocco

Don cannot make it tonight. Urgent syndicate busin

stakably a luxury hotel suite-crisp white sheets, champagne flutes on the nightstand, the glitter

I understa

Those tears dried up so

e later. I force a brig

you and Zane having a wond

azing. Zane rented out the

feel it through the receiver. "He is a good man, Aria. He

uckles turn white. The bones press again

Very l

k window-a pale ghost in a burgundy dress I spent tw

never d

e Famiglia demanded a union to settle the score. I was seventeen-young enough to still b

He threw a thick, three-year contract onto my bed and said, "This is a transaction, Aria. Do not harbor any romantic ill

he far end of the hall, as far from his as the floor plan would al

dnight, watching candles burn down to nothing. The next morning, Rocco told me Vivianna had a "medica

d beating for him. Just... stopped.

waiter steps in, eyes darting

his up for you,

from three hours of stillness

es through my coat. Rocco holds

l Syndicate Gala is tomorrow night. Th

leather seat wi

beside my bed, pry up the loose floorboard, and check that the envelope is still there. Fa

re. Still

phone vibrates in my clutch. I pull it out, expecti

ri

w and broken with terror. The sound hits my nerv

What's

an coming apart at the seams. "He collapsed. He is cough

slicked hand. I catch it, pr

fractures into something b