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He follows my gaze. “It’s not mine,” he says, already knowing I was about to ask.

Kota kneels down, checking for a pulse. “He’s gone,” I tell them, feeling the tears sting my eyes. “He took a bullet for me,” I say, letting them fall. Kota gently pulls Alonzo off my lap and steps back, standing beside Alessio.

Alessio pulls me into his arms, holding me close. The pain in my chest outweighs the pain from my wound. And if it weren’t for Alessio’s tight grip, I don’t think I could stand on my own feet.

“He was an ass,” Kota says, looking down at Alonzo’s lifeless body. “But he’d do anything for Alessio. Well, maybe notanything, like actually listen to him. But he always had Alessio’s best interest at heart, and this proves it.”

Clover backs away from Alonzo’s body and us, pulling out his phone. “Get me Warden Reyes,” he says, pacing like a man on a mission. Everyone quiets down, watching him move back and forth, just as the sound of two large vans pulling up grabs our attention.

I tense in Alessio’s arms, not exactly sure I’m ready for another bloodbath showdown, but he leans down and whispers in my ear, “Don’t worry, they work for us. They’re just here to clean up the mess.”

He says it so casually, like he hired someone to mop the floors, not haul away corpses.

“Warden, I need a favor,” Clover says into the phone. “Got a guy who needs to be taught a lesson, Tito Morano. He keeps sending his little spawns after my daughter.”

My chest flutters, that’s not the first time Clover’s referred to me as his daughter. It’s easier than explaining the truth, but this is the first time he’s said it out loud and in front of so many people.

I slip out of Alessio’s arms and move closer to Clover, trying to catch the voice on the other end of the call. It sounds like a woman. “Full punishment?” I catch her asking.

“Do the absolute worst,” Clover answers without missing a beat.

“Transferred right away. He’ll pay,” she replies, and whatever else she says, has Clover smirking before he ends the call.

He slips his phone into his pocket and rests a hand on my shoulder. “Found the perfect place to send that fucker.”

I want to ask where, but I know he won’t tell me. Alessio steps beside me, extending his hand and shaking Clover’s hand in a firm, macho, man-to-man grip.

“Thank you,” Alessio says.

Clover nods.

“I’ll protect her with my life. She’s safe with me. You have my word on that,” Alessio says.

“I’m going to hold youto that,” Clover responds.

And just when it looks like the two most important men in my life might share a full-onHallmarkmoment, Alessio’s crew starts dragging Girard’s body across the pavement, snapping them out of their male-bonding.

Alessio didn’t just kill him, he beat his damn face off. There’s literally no face. Just the back of his skull still barely hanging on to his neck.

Add that to the growing list of shit I wasn’t expecting today. I swallow hard, fighting off the urge to puke all over the asphalt.

Clover side-eyes the carnage, then looks back at Alessio. “Well. I guess that fucker’s not a threat anymore.”

Alessio shrugs. “Told you I’d keep her safe. What, you thought I was lying?”

Clover huffs a short laugh. “No. But beating someone’s fucking face off wasn’t exactly what I pictured either.”

53

Liv

I never thought I’d be the kind of girl counting down the days until my wedding like some blushing bride, but here I am, two days away from never being a Morano again. And I’ve never wanted something more in my entire life.

The memory of Clover calling MomMrs. Johnsonflashes through my mind, and for the first time, I get it. She wanted nothing to do with that name or the family it came from.

Lucky for me, in two days, the name Morano will be nothing more than a bad memory, andLiv Gualtierowill be the only thing that matters.

But tonight, I’m not thinking about the wedding. Tonight, I’m focused on something more important… my long-overdue punishment.