na

r in the hospital

splitting my face into two j

Mafia Queen, pa

rat from the Bronx, bleed

houlder with tweezers I had stolen

I was still in a body, even if my soul felt

s from the champagne flutes, from the nail

work

afe house in Germany was paid for in cash. A medical transp

to survive

ook the elevator up to the fourth floo

colder the

. It wasn't the hushed tones of doctors. It was the shril

ra

orner to Luca's

full of black su

room, cha

londe hair-Sofia's mother-

ed. "My daughter says this vegetabl

ails. She looked bored, as if she were wa

t. "Just pull the plug. Dante said I co

I sc

ink. I didn't plan. I was ten years old agai

and threw her back. She stumbled, her e

I roared, standing betw

rt monitor was the

Then, with the dramatic flair of a soap oper

ng me!" she wailed

cream. "Dante! Help! The crazy

oak doors

illed t

on the floor. His mistress screaming in terror. And me, wild-ha

He didn't look at the te

me with cold,

gh, E

what happened.

pointed at the woman on the floo

e's side. "She's jealous! She attacke

jaw ti

" he ordered

stepped

ed, dropping to my knees. "

or behind him, his voice devoid of emotion. "We nee

rld st

oving me. He was e

, a sound that t

larm on the wall. My hand sl

flashed. Doctors from the main

oorway. He blocked them

owled at the chief sur

eeds oxygen!

. They dragged me backward

umbers on Luca'

0

0

rding the door, ensuring his w

or the stairwell, thinking I could ge

rip

. I tumbled down a flight, my he

danced acros

I cr

ood dripping into my eyes. I dra

le

opped. The screa

d into

was a flat

checking

smiling at

Lu

L

as g

wn at me, spraw

e, Elena.