Prologue

Where Have You Been?

Julian

I 'm sick of being in the hospital. I wanted to leave as soon as they patched me up, but Alessio gave me an order to stay put. Denying a direct order is a good way to move from the hospital to the morgue. Luciano went down for coffee, and from what I hear, there are men from every family either in front of the room, on the floor, or at all the entrances. I'm being guarded better than the president of the United States.

There's a meeting of the capos later today, and with any luck, I'll be able to join them. When the door creaks open, I hope to see the doctor with release papers. Instead, a nurse comes through carrying a breakfast tray. She sets it down on the tray table.

As she comes closer, I see my angel appear right before my eyes. Before I can say a word, she puts her index finger over her lips to shush me.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." Her voice is barely above a whisper.

"Who are you?" Her brilliant emerald eyes flit to the door and back to me. She's scared and doesn't answer my question. "You're safer here than anywhere in the world right now. This place is bursting at the seams with our men," I say, hoping to ease her mind and get her to talk to me, but that just seems to agitate her more.

"I came to give you this." She pulls a folder out from under the tray and hands it to me. "You'll find where Boris Yelchinov is hiding."

"Where did you get this?" I look at the plain, brown, letter-size envelope. Who is this beguiling woman who I can't get out of my mind? How the hell did she get past all the men outside?

"I try so hard to stay hidden. I don't want anything to do with this," she insists quietly. "I lived in the shadows, changed my name, and just closed my eyes to everything around me. But that day when I saw them beat you, I couldn't help myself."

She's not making any sense. I don't get what she's saying.

"I'm glad you didn't. Otherwise, I'd be dead by now," I tell her. I try reaching for her hand, but she moves back a step.

"I have to go, but that"—she points to the envelope in my hand—"is information, and it's as good as it gets. Barry may be inebriated from time to time, but he's sharp and sees everything." She turns to leave. "Stay safe." She reaches for the door.

If she walks out of this room, I know I'll never see her again. I try to get out of bed, only to have Luciano push the door open and come face-to-face with my mystery woman.

"What the fuck!" he exclaims. "Milana Manille? From Il Destino ? Is that you? Where have you been?"

She makes a break for the door, but Luciano has it blocked and grabs her by the arm. "Let me go. Please, I beg you, let me go."

"I can't do that. Alessio has been looking for you. And Marco would kill me if I let you walk away," Luciano says with a heavy sigh. "We've been trying to track down this woman who saved Julian's life, and dear God, it was you. We thought you were dead. We've heard rumblings through the years, but nothing ever came of it. Jesus Christ! Things just got complicated."

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Milana tries to break free from Luciano's grasp without success. She turns to me, her green eyes pleading. "Please, I just want to live my life in peace. You'll never see me again. Just let me go."

"What the fuck is going on?" I demand, my gaze moving to Luciano, who already has his phone in hand.