Page 69 of Wounded King

I dream of him instead. Of his voice, rough and low in my ear. Of his hands on my hips. Of the fire in his eyes right before he kissed me. I wake up drenched in sweat, my heart pounding, my body aching. My clit pulsing and my pussy drenched. Fuck my life.

I text Luciano, asking if there's any news on Sophia. It's a lie. I just want to know if Marcello's okay. If he's alive. If he's thinking of me.

I don't texthim.

But I stare at his name for a long time.

And I wonder if he's staring at mine, too.

I wake up in the morning with new resolve, and before I can change my mind or chicken out again, I brew a cup of coffee and sit down by the computer. I open the e-mail and begin reading the results. I skim through themay be allergic toandprobable health conditions—I'm not in the mood for hearing about probable heart-related issues or brain tumors—and scroll right down to the heart of the matter, the one I'm most interested in.

Of course, there is nothing likeyour father's name is, that would be too easy.

@[CONFIDENTIAL DNA Ancestry & Match Report]

Client Name:Violet Meade

Date of Birth:[REDACTED]

Report Date:March 27, 2025

Test Reference ID:VM-4523-03

Ancestry Composition:

Southern European (Italian)

47%

Northwestern European (British/Scottish)

39%

Eastern European

9%

Other (trace ancestry)

5%

Analysis indicates significant Southern Italian ancestry, consistent with Sicilian or Calabrian lineage. Maternal lineage appears to reflect Western/Northern European descent.

Close Genetic Matches:

1. M. Carbone – Estimated 1st to 2nd cousin (Male)

Location: Clark County, Nevada, USA

Shared DNA: 941 cM across 32 segments

Confidence: Very High

Notes: Strong paternal-side match. No common ancestors in public records.

2. L. Romano – Estimated 2nd cousin (Female)

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA