LOGINI woke to the sound of steady breathing.
Not my own—mine was shallow and careful, each inhale a reminder of my broken ribs.
This breathing was deeper. Rhythmic. Peaceful.
I forced my good eye open—the other was still swollen shut—and found Jameson slumped over the side of my hospital bed, his head resting on his folded arms near my hip.
He was still here.
He'd stayed all night.
JAMESONThe interrogation room was cold and sterile, designed that way intentionally. The two Collucci brothers sat across from me, hands cuffed to the table, defiant smirks on their bruised faces."So let me get this straight," I said, leaning back in my chair. "You expected to drug me, force me to sign a contract breaking ties with the Vitales, and somehow walk away from this?""We acted alone," the older one said. "No Russian involvement, no outside funding. We wanted the Vitale territory. Simple business.""Simple business," I repeated, shaking my head. "You thought you could waltz into a restaurant, drug the head of the Irish family, and walk out with a signed contract. You didn't account for my wife. You didn't account for the fact that she'd burn the entire city to the ground to protect me. That's not simple. That's stupidity."The younger one laughed—actually laughed—and started speaking rapid Italian to his brother. I caught maybe half of it, but what I did catch made my jaw
"That's what I need to find out," Jameson said. "The Colluccis don't have the resources to pull off something this sophisticated on their own. Someone had to finance this operation, coordinate the logistics, brief them on the restaurant layout.""You think they have backing?""I think it's possible. Which is why we need to get back to the compound and interrogate those Collucci men. They'll know who's pulling the strings, who's funding them, whether this is part of something bigger.""And if they don't know?""Then we figure out who benefits from destabilizing the Connelly-Vitale alliance. Who has the resources and the motivation to orchestrate something like this." He paused, his expression hardening. "And we find out if this is just the beginning.""One problem," I said."What?""You're still half-drugged. You're not interrogating anyone in this state. You need at least another hour of rest, some food in your stomach, and probably a shower to help your body process the chemicals fas
JAMESON The bedroom was tense as I dressed for the lunch meeting. Cat sat on the edge of the bed, still in her tank top and shorts, arms crossed over her chest. She hadn't spoken to me all morning. Not when I'd kissed her forehead. Not when I'd invited her to shower with me. Not even now, as I buttoned my shirt. "You're sure about this?" I asked, trying one more time. "I'm sure you're leaving me behind," she said flatly. "Because you're just getting your strength back. Because I need to know you're safe.""Mmhmm." I crossed the room and tilted her chin up so she'd look at me. "Cat, I'm coming back. This is just a business lunch." "With a family that wants to take over my father's territory." "Which is why I'm meeting with them. To see what they really want. To assess the threat level." S
JAMESONPatrick Fitzpatrick looked small in the interrogation room.That was my first thought when Declan hauled him in, zip-tied and terrified. The mid-level associate who I'd thought was solid, loyal, was now looking at the cold steel table like it might bite him."Leave us," I said to Declan."Sir—""I said leave."Once he was gone, I pulled out the chair across from Patrick and sat down slowly. Deliberately. I let the silence stretch between us, watching the way his eyes darted around the room like a cornered animal."Patrick," I said finally. "We need to talk about your Russian friends.""I don't know what you're talking about," he said, but his voice cracked."Really?" I leaned back in the chair. "Because we have evidence suggesting otherwise."He started sweating. Actual beads of sweat forming on his forehead."I swear, Mr. Connelly, I'
JAMESON"We'll find him," Declan said, studying the surveillance footage. "Give us a few hours."I wanted to argue, wanted to push forward, but I was exhausted. More than that, I was done. Done with Patrick, done with threats, done with everything except the woman standing quietly in the corner of the war room."No," I said, surprising myself. "Call it for the night. Send teams to his known locations, but nothing aggressive until morning. If he runs, we track him. We have time."Declan looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "You sure?"I glanced at Cat. She was watching me with an unreadable expression, but there was a slight curve to her lips that suggested she knew exactly what I was thinking."Yeah," I confirmed. "I'm sure. Get some rest. We reconvene at 0600."The team filed out quietly, sensing that their boss had reached his limit. I waited until the last man left b
JAMESONWe settled on the couch, and I pulled her close, needing to understand what had shifted during that meeting."Tell me everything," I said.Cat took a breath and laid it out: Viktor Volkov, the new Russian leader. More vicious. More vengeful. A direct threat not just to me, but to both families."Your father's not wrong," I said when she finished. "We do have a problem with loyalty. I've been discussing it with Declan. We've identified at least six men who were close to Isaac. Patrick Fitzpatrick is flagged as a priority suspect.""Fiona's father?" Cat's eyes narrowed."He has grievances," I confirmed. "And opportunity. Someone fed Isaac information about your schedule that day, Cat. Someone knew when you'd be on that road."She was quiet for a moment, processing."So we have external threats and internal ones," she said finally."And the two are
CATARINAThe reception was a special kind of torture.Four hours of smiling for photographers, cutting a cake I had no intention of eating, and dancing with a man who held me like I was a business asset he'd just acquired. Which, technically, I was.The first dance had been particularly excruciating
CATARINAThe dress was a fucking nightmare.I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my childhood bedroom, staring at the monstrosity of white silk and lace that had taken three people to wrestle me into. The bodice was so tight I could barely breathe, the skirt so voluminous I couldn't see my
CATARINAThe dress hung in my room like a ghost.White silk and lace, layers upon layers of tulle that made it look less like a wedding gown and more like a monument to everything I wasn't. Everything I'd never wanted to be.My mother had chosen well. It was traditional, elegant, suffocating. The k
CATARINAIf there were a hell specifically designed for women like me, it would look exactly like Bella Sposa Bridal Boutique.All white silk and champagne flutes and mirrors that reflected back a version of myself I barely recognized. The air smelled like expensive perfume and desperation, and eve







