ella

rature in the study seemed to drop. Billie step

er pale face, and her doe eyes were wide with manufactured terror. She looked exactly

ft, broken gasp, her expression twisting into a mask of profound guilt and so

floor right in front of my father, burying her face

oice muffled and trembling. "Pl

al instinct Elizabeth Wolfe harbored for the orphaned girl overrode her initial sus

ier explosive rage, but heavy with the absolute authority of a Don. He leaned forwar

white dress. "Ever since the engagement, he kept cornering me. He sent me letters, whispered things when no one was looking. I

n't run away with him, he would ruin me. But I would never betray Izzy. I would never betray

of her dead father, striking the one vulnerability Adrian Wolfe p

und his eyes softened marginally. The memory of blood

mous hatred for Daniel. She pulled Celine into a protective embrace. "He

n my mother's shoulder, and for a fraction of a second, her eyes met mine.

t; I was going to u

. "Papa, Mama," I said, my voice thick with emotion but laced with

r looked at me, his sharp eye

s will spread through Chicago," I said, walking slowly toward the center of the room. "They will say

ntly, her eyes wideni

afted expression of sisterly devotion. "And we must cut off Daniel's obsession permanently. There

r, holding his gaze.

wed was absolute, heav

s fiercely loyal, brutally efficient, and nearly twenty years older tha

r lips parted, but no sound came out. The gi

s heartbroken little girl anymore; he was looking at a Mafia Princess who understood the ruthless arithmetic of power.

ure of awe and a chilling pride. "It is the perfect solution. No one will dare speak

heavy mahogany wood and stopped in front of Celine, w

of a judge's gavel. He looked down at the trembling girl. "This is the best protection we can offer you, Celi

stion. It was a

fuse meant exile, or worse. Celine was trappe

sk slipped. I saw the raw, suffocating terror in

s she bowed her head to the marble floor. "I acce