Page 1 of Dirty Hearts

Prologue

Claudius

&

Ava

Claudius

I usually did what I wanted. As I damn well pleased, never caring what people thought.

After all, I was Claudius Morientz, now the new leader of the Chicago Mafia.

Proud owner of everything. A billion-dollar fortune inherited from the great Raphael Rossi. I got the business and everything that came with it.

Money and power.

Yes, I had it all.

I had everything… Except the girl.

This day was always bad. It always felt the same no matter how much time passed.

This day always got to me. It got to me because it was a yearly reminder of what I’d lost, and what I couldn’t have.

I stood in the bell tower of the church overlooking the grave site. My wife’s grave site. My wife, Marissa.

Kneeling next to the grave was Ava. Her twin sister.

And like every other year, I did the same thing.

Cemetery first thing in the morning. Then stay in the shadows of the bell tower watching Ava and her family mourn.

Stay in the shadows watching Ava spend those last few moments with her sister after her parents left. Allowing and respecting her time to be alone with the one person who’d shared everything with her.

I must have been a hundred feet away, but I could see the sadness in her. I could feel it. I could almost touch it. Sadness and confusion. Sadness for her loss and confusion over what had really happened.

What had happened to us.

Mine was a story that I was certain would confuse the shit out of a lot of people.

It confused me sometimes. One thing was certain though. My feelings for her had never changed.

The sun was low, and the place had that feel about it. That feeling of anticipation.

Ava stood up and looked around. I knew she could sense me. It was almost like magic. There was a time when I’d look at her and I didn’t have to say anything. She’d know what I was thinking. She was the only woman to truly tame the beast in me.

The only woman to reach that place in my soul and make me want to try to be anything other than I was. The standard mobster who was ruthless to the bone.

It was happening now. The lure of her. It grew stronger the more she looked around.

* * *

Ava

I was sure he was here. I could feel him.

Claudius.