bel

able relief of a disaster narrowly averted. My father, Jerrold, didn't waste time. He was a man who trea

a penitent schoolboy. He was handsome in a soft, unthreatening way,

cotch, his hand shaking slightly. "But it happens tonight. A civil ceremony. No guests, no recept

what he was-the son of a *Rat*, a man whose father had squealed to the Feds before being silence

ce now glowing with a triumphant smirk. She looked at me, standing in the shad

ve found something like this. Real love." She squeezed Coleton's bicep. "But don't worry.

rfect mask of resignation.

your cardboard life an

ard the door. He wanted to escape before Jerrold changed his

behind them, the silence rush

red. He turned his glare on m

arp over the years, finally stepped forward. She had been watching me with nar

ed, beckoning me to the low ta

lowly, keeping

elvet box. It wasn't the mahogany chest where the family heir

ice dripping with false sweetness, "you will need to look pres

eads pretending to be pearls, a gold-plated chain that was already tarni

. "They should be enough for a girl of your... station. The Don won't be

ys. If he wants to cut you, you bleed quietly. If he wants to fuck you,

sult. A final slap in the face. They were send

t-he wouldn't just kill me. He would laugh at me first. In our world, a br

t let tha

tting my hand tremble visibly. I forced my breathin

my voice quivering with

d. "Don't tell me you'r

with unshed tears. "No, Father. I will do my duty. But.

froze. "

opping to a conspiratorial hush. "They say he is a man of imme

d chain, letting it dangle fr

rd. "Will he not think the Talley family is mocking him? Will he not think you are se

went deat

e flushed red. "You

liquid sloshing over the rim. His eyes were fixed on the cheap ne

per. "He might think you are laughing at him. And if the Don feels insulted..

cowardice do the work for me. I didn't ask for the money. I didn't a

her," I said. "I don't want him to star

sickly grey. He looked from the trash on the table to me, and for the fi

zed I wa

," he wh