f the car,

ictor Salvatore's vehicle. Two Moretti guards appeared

assenger seat. "You're m

ily into a negotiation. You should

or handle. "You said yo

sharpened. "Come with

epped closer.

ow that," Isa

sell his own shadow if

nyone if it prote

moment, the rain and the traffic

thinks he can order you around. Come on, Isab

her. "If you get into that

r asked

tly. "You only ask

stopp

faded. "Enough.

Alessandro. She hated that the only person who might know the t

d away fro

my brother is

. "You've just waste

sn't much o

pulled away, leaving a sheet

lbow as she stumbled back from the

t tou

walking i

ing as if

exed. "Get

N

t you a message using information that should never have left my

get to give

cure and help me find your brother, or wa

ld you h

the key to a problem

e missed her. Because she a

d. "But I'm not

outside your bedroo

d meaning anythin

nto the c

-

the city. He dismissed the two guards waiting i

imits unless I'm with you. Don't leave

him a f

uctions," he said

onder why

landed bet

t and tossed it over a chair. "Y

t a le

wanted to see me again. No exp

an explanation. I'm sure you fo

"You believe

u with my

nt and decided yo

e kissed you. Then I heard you tell your me

lost it

heard

bled, and she hated it. "I had c

wallowed

t her as if she had

alone in a hospital, Alessandro. I ca

then stopped himself. "I

rse you

swe

hand. "You don't get t

for the first time that even

regnant wit

any

him this a thousand times. In some versions he begged her to forgive him. In others he b

" Isabella asked. "

be seen with me. I was trying to stop a hostile takeover

ld have

I spent hours at the hospital, then found out your ap

t me to be

ou to hate me. But I will not let you

nknown number: Matteo outside a warehouse, bruised

re he is. Ask him what he tra

the screen tow

nd his expres

something," s

picture. It belongs to a she

the t

eement to keep

d you gi

could use

sn't an

an give until I know w

"You're still k

ep you

ur protection. I

rom her bag and placed it on the counter. "You

m. "You rejected

to Salvatore's hands. Now I know someon

s is bu

irst,

aft

find out whether there's anythi

ayed her with

you because you ca

rangement after thirty days. I won't touch you unless you want me to. But in publ

f I re

n search too, but you'll be doing it wi

ld refuse and risk losing her only lead, or accept

ked up

tion. No m

dropped to the c

name. He sign

said. "Then we're

er strangers

ot tightly, just enough to stop her. She look

"When you thought I betrayed

. "I stopped believ

ke open in hi

using for her to st

her mouth, then re

o stop," h

hould

the front of his s

naged to bury. Alessandro kissed her back, but Isabe

shed h

e one kiss fo

won

e I still don

I'll e

ne buzz

, this time from a num

ro what happened at the docks-and why he wa

er eyes to the man she h

voice suddenly steady. "Wh