risp sound cut through the low mur

thick with artificial sweetness. "Right here on the lawn, by the p

the clink of champagne glasses mingled as they gathered aroun

raised the heavy camera, and squinted throu

or flooded his eyes, and he pointed a tr

led back a step. "There's someone at th

ng into the expensive fabric. She was the last blood of the Ferrara family, whose territory Dante had swallowed whole, and she had never once

ded through her voice. "That's just a dummy Xianna put down there as a prank. She wanted

ot look at that shadow that was my body. He only turned his head a

boss, he ga

the bottom of the pool." There was

ast remnant of conscience and caution, he hesitated, took a step forward, and t

Dante took a step closer, radiati

The quiet challenge carried a killin

e authority he broke completely: he lowered his he

murk. The dark took me out of their sight, and he thought that was the end of

era again. The flash tore through the night like a sudden, bloodless bolt of lightnin

s the lawn in twos and threes, glasses in hand. The photographer's assistant wiped e

d produced a long velvet box. He opened it in front of everyone. A custom teardrop-diamond ne

oned months ago. It was supposed to

e box and fastened i

ght she gave you tonight," he said sof

a frail, false apology: "Taking something that was hers... I really do feel terrible abou

and announced to the entire party: "If she doesn't crawl out of that black

a king on a high throne, passing judgm

of the party. It came from the untraceable burner phone

, illuminating a truth no one knew: the caller ID show