enzo

tayed locked insid

ts of planning and mapping out

I scrolled through Julian's soci

was gett

m posing on the boarding stairs of the S

ad: "Reaching new h

the reflection in the jet's polished window: the

st onto the metal table, rattli

rowled, his dark eyes locked on the glowing screen. "He is pa

ossed it aside, where it clatte

imple a solution. I

chair, I stared up

nse. She gave him the crown. Now, s

scraping harshly against the floo

fects from the penthouse," I said,

old glance

It belongs to the Salvatore

sidearm from the table and signaling

the city lights reflecting like smeared p

r ride up to the pe

d the satisfying click of the lock, an

nfamiliar, expensive co

s not

f the kitchen, freezing the second

ilt and feigned annoyance. "You could have call

d crash echoed from the hallw

d settled i

d her, my boots thudding

vault door open,

ior was a

across the floor, and my mother's vel

e center pedestal, th

Julian, his

s, he held the shattered pieces

he massive, flawless green stone was

The fabric at the seam of his trousers tore, but he seem

etic sobs, the illusion

o sorry, Mr

ots, begging for a merc

cuments! I slipped, I swear to God. It

the broken, scattered pieces of my mother's lega