Aldo I leaned against the hood of the old Corvette, my gaze fixed on the soft line of trees around the lake as I tried to clear my mind. Lately, my usual distractions—guns, fighting, and cars—weren’t working. My mind kept drifting back to … The slight rasp of a throat clearing dragged me back fro
I beckoned Eli over to the car. “You ready?” He nodded, his little face fixed with determination, and somehow I just knew he’d be good at this. I knew he’d watch and listen with unwavering focus as I leaned over the engine. Eli leaned over next to me, and when I pointed, he didn’t hesitate. He fol
Layla The clinking of cutlery and the soft murmur of Eli’s voice filled the small dining room. Aldo’s presence was like a shadow on our dinner, turning the taste of my Nonna’s lasagne recipe to ash in my mouth. But as Eli talked, relating the hours spent with Aldo working on the car, his eager gri
Aldo Afternoon light streamed through the oversized windows of the manor as I made my way from my office to the kitchen, drawn by the very distinct smell of Melissa Marcello’s cooking. I had not one but two personal chefs—and still, my mother’s cooking was better. She didn’t venture into the kitc
She shook her head. “I didn’t expect it. I got home from work and … there they were.” “That’s my mother for you,” I admitted, and for the first time I saw the flip side to her unyielding determination. “When she decides something is important, there’s no stopping her. Layla’s gaze stayed fixed on
Dinners at the Marcello estate ranged from lonely—when I arrived home from work at an odd hour and gobbled leftovers at the kitchen counter—to downright boisterous. Today was the latter. Eli had insisted we join Aldo and his mother Melissa, along with Carlo and another of Aldo’s closer confidants.
Naturally, I bristled at that, too. “Maybe I want to go.” His perfect black brows curved upwards in a perfect arch. “Oh? And why is that?” “Clearly, I’m part of this world now, whether I like it or not.” I crossed my arms, leveled him with an unblinking stare. “Might as well know what I’m up again
Aldo Breath flowed smoothly from my nose, and my heart beat steadily against my ribs. I kept my gaze fixed on the woman in front of me as we circled each other. The mats beneath our feet softened the sound of our movements, but nothing escaped my notice. Layla lunged. I feinted sideways, caught
Maybe that’s what made the next words tumble from my lips. “Have we met before?” Ethan’s dark brow furrowed, and his words came out softly. “Why do you ask?” “You just …” I chewed my lower lip, trying to find the right words. “You remind me of someone.” “Do I?” The lines of Ethan’s face smoothed
Layla I’d barely stepped back inside the front doors of the hospital before I was returned to the demanding pace of medical life—hadn’t even made it back to my office. “Incoming! Stab victim, male, mid-thirties!” a nurse called, her voice sharp with urgency. In no time at all, I was gloved and ma
Dammit! It wasn’t a shortcut; it was a dead end. My heart plummeted. “No.” The footsteps grew louder, slowing as my follower approached. I turned around, that brick wall to my back, to face the hooded stalker. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. Weeks of self-defense training wouldn’t go to
Layla The hospital’s signature fluorescent lights hummed in my ears as I completed my final round before my dinner break. It was late—far too late for dinner for anyone but a healthcare worker—and most of the staff had gone home. The quiet hours gave me time to think. I wasn’t sure if that was a
“You’d really do that?” she asked, and my chest clenched tighter at the sound of hope in her voice. “Yeah,” I murmured. “I would.” For a long moment, she said nothing. Just studied my face, like maybe she was searching out lies. But this night had been only truths. Relieving ones. Painful ones.
Aldo The light and music of the ball faded behind us as we strolled from the manor. Our footsteps crunched lightly against the flagstones, and the cool night air kissed my cheeks in a welcome respite from the stifling perfumes and colognes and potpourris of the ballroom. A gentle wind wove its fi
I knew what it was to be driven by ambition. I knew what it was to work hard, every day, trying to fill the emptiness in your chest. Only to wonder if you’d be hollow forever. I knew what it was to get the things you wanted, to grow and achieve and prosper, and still lie away in bed at night. That
Layla I found solace out on the rear balcony, in a quiet corner of the night. Free of Marco’s smile and Aldo’s steadfast presence, I felt suddenly shaky, my chest too tight. The champagne in my fingers did little to calm me. The cool air caressed my skin, a welcome reprieve from the suffocating te
The floor was almost entirely filled with guests dressed to make my new attire feel shabby. I lingered along the fringes of the room, tongue-tied, overwhelmed, and outclassed. How long was I supposed to stay here? Maybe I could walk around, nod and smile, and be on my way? “You look beautiful.” Al