Albert's POVThe warehouse was a cavernous space, the air thick with the metallic tang of blood and the stale scent of fear. Two figures, trussed up like turkeys, hung suspended from the rafters, their faces contorted in a mask of terror. My men, ever efficient, flanked the entrance, their expressio
MiaThe afternoon light filtered through the train window, casting shadows across the car. I looked out on the almost glowing city. It was views like this that made the ugliness of the city seem so unreal, as if I could close my eyes for a moment and when I opened them, the facts of my life would so
A wave of guilt washed over me. She suffered so much because of me, and now it was probably only going to get worse. Sure, it wasn't my fault that Lorenzo was crazy. It wasn't my fault that she'd gotten involved with the Mafia Don, but it felt like I was only making things worse.I'd never understan
AlbertThe city stretched out before me, a concrete jungle pulsating with life. I was on my way to the hospital to join Mia and Diane when my phone rang, the sharp chime cutting through the sound of traffic. It was one of my men, his voice tight with urgency."Sir, we have a situation," he began, hi
I paused at the thought, turning it over in my mind."Tell him we're willing to provide additional security for the party," I said, my tone carefully measured. "A show of goodwill, if you will.""Is there something I should know, sir?""I hope it's just a precaution, but something tells me that it's
AlbertI settled into a chair beside Mia, the soft hum of hospital equipment providing a muted backdrop to our conversation. My gaze lingered on Mia, her face a mask of quiet determination. The surgery loomed large, a looming shadow casting its darkness over the room.Slowly, Diane started to wake u
Mom stirred in her sleep, her hand reaching out for mine. I squeezed it, offering silent reassurance. I hated that she was so restless already. It was hours before her surgery. Maybe she had noticed how restless I was and was reacting to it. "Albert?""Hm?"I hesitated, gauging his reaction. "Do yo
AlbertThe hospital doors slid shut behind me, the sterile environment replaced by the cacophony of the city. Mia's words echoed in my mind, her fear and vulnerability were obvious. I had to protect her. But to do that, I needed to understand the full extent of the threat.As I walked towards my car
She leaned against the bar.“Thank you for the flowers,” she said quietly. “What did you want to talk about?”I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I didn't expect it to be easy, but I had hoped for a slightly warmer reception.“There’s a lot we need to discuss. About us, about what happened, and
MiaNearly a month had passed since the raid, and life had settled into a new routine. I was working as a nurse, and the steady rhythm of the hospital shifts was both grounding and exhausting. Mom was at the penthouse on bedrest, recovering from her surgery, but her spirits were high. She had a job
"Everybody on the ground now!"Agents burst into the room, guns drawn. The attendees opened fire on them but they were overwhelmed.In the midst of the chaos, I spotted Dimitri, clutching his shoulder. Glaring at me, his face twisted in a mix of anger and fear. He tried to get toward the backdoors a
AlbertPolina was mingling with various guests, a smile plastered on her face that took over her whole face. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration when I thought of her. She really thought this was going to go a certain way.I moved through the crowd avoiding her. I noticed several of Dimit
It was bittersweet and lonely and not the mood I needed to be in the day before all my plans would come to fruition.Ivan came into the study nearly an hour later, already dressed for bed. He poured himself a cup of whiskey and sat across the table from me.“I’ve been looking for places for Katie an
AlbertThat night, I found myself sitting across from a few government operatives in a discreet, dimly lit office. The atmosphere was tense as we went over the final elements of the plan, including the layout of the Kulak Estate.The operatives were efficient and to the point. Things were going well
I shook my head. "I don't have to explain myself to you."She set her jaw. "Because you can't.""Because it's none of your business. My relationship with Mia, whatever it is or was, has nothing to do with you. Leave her alone, Polina. I mean it."Polina’s face twisted with a mixture of hurt and disb
AlbertI set my jaw at the sound of the knock. It might be the whiskey, but I really wanted to kiss her. I was almost sure that she'd let me. I turned to answer the door. It was one of my subordinates with a report from Ivan.Definitely more important than almost kissing my soon-to-be ex-wife.Mia s
“How did you get here?” I asked. "I didn't think you had a casino in the city."He glanced around briefly before responding. His tone clipped but informative. “It was Elio’s. I'm doing my rounds.”I winced at that. I wanted to know what that meant and I didn't want to know. Had Elio just paid Albert