ex

liances

lders squared, and carved with swirling vines. An enormous leather

rectly on me. Most people called him Sebastian Moretti, but to me he

Vivian, Dad.

hat's so bad about marrying her now? I know you're not seeing anyone, so ma

k. "I have a girlfriend. Since you're pushing me

girlfriend? I know you, Alex

s I barely remembered. But thinking about Adeline was different. I'd never fantasized

Dad," I said. "I h

at you want, fine by me. Bring her tom

w it felt as if there was something between him and Vivian's family I didn't understand. Even when he'd wanted me to take over

one b

ink there is something

, "Hey, let him in," I told the gu

Alex Moretti," he s

, "Xavier

; I'd learned to throw it back at him whe

turned stern, "Let's

Is it about the new re

fty thousand dollars. He's about to disappear. My father, what's to know if you

old you. I don't mix my company w

t storage space. You have wa

someone gets shot over that?

You're Moretti, you

terested,"

er touched his loan business. But he's threatening me, Alex. If I d

h, "You should've

into it," he said. "But I

e of man trying to pull me into

said. "You've kept clean a

laugh, "Try te

lder, "Alright, I'll help you. But we do it m

, "Thank

ed, "Wh

e can't just slap a name on it and expect people to come.

las. Private pools, it shouldn't be that flashy, but luxurious in a subtle way.

ned, "E

think of

me," he said. "

my brow

You claimed to h

y knew my father wouldn't believe me and would run a bac

e was on my back and there was no sha

a brow. "The same girl you kept

nd opened my

urred. "Why are

nore

it? You came to meet my father and did what you've never done in y

that he'd pieced it together.

owned half the city's debts, I thought she was the one who borrowed money, then I

love, not the way people write songs about it. I wanted to know ever

that wasn't my business. I only cared about my company bu

d a half that's what I became. Whether her mother accepted