THE MAFIA'S PRICE
I felt the weight of his words settle over me, cold and heavy.
“You are the key, Alessia,” he said. “The one thing he cannot think about. Cannot sacrifice. Cannot be replaced.”
He leaned closer, his mouth near my ear, his breath warm enough to make my skin crawl.
“He is so desperate to save you,” Alexei whispered, “that he’s forgotten how to protect himself.”
I closed my eyes for a brief second, not in fear, but in focus.
“And that,” he finished softly, “is his fatal flaw.”
When he straightened, his smile was wide and satisfied.