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I need to give up on the hopes that he'll beme from a fate I cannot escape This is my life, and Vitto is my future

And yet, as I layfor one thing, and one thing only as I crossa prayer

Please, oh please, let Adrian Bernardi save e Let him remember the promise we made to one another Let him steal me away

Because despite what my parents want, I will never want Vitto Donati The only boy I've ever wanted was the rowdy kid from the docks who promised me a favor I can only hope he remembers it

3

Adrian

"Adrian?"

I look up from the papers in front ofin the doorframe

"Father wants to see you"

I nod, putting down the printed i an auction in Nice I'll have to decide who to sell it to later When father wants to speak to one of us, he expects our presence right away, and I know better than to defy him

Following Julian down the stairs, I enter father's study, where the rest ofbehind his desk, a glass of grappa in one of his hands and a pen in the other My stolass, just like it always does

Everyone in Palerrappa It's tradition here to honor the fa with sos But we do not speak of that Not in this house, where everything illegal is waved off as insignificant We sweep the bad shit under the rug without a second thought After all, we got a reputation to uphold

"You wanted to see me?" I speak up fro as he waves a card printed on eold paper in my direction