Page 14 (2/2)

Mateo whispers, “I’m sorry, Adrian”

My eyes burn with tears I can’t shed My face burns with pain Everything hurts, and here standsLike it helps

The heart o haywire and Mateo backs up, startled, scared A nurse coht of an eight-year-old in here by himself

“You’re not supposed to be in here without an adult, honey”

“He’s h

“I understand that, honey, but you can’t be in here by yourself Why don’t you go find your mom or dad, and you can come back in with one of them”

“But…”

Mateo just stands there, looking a little lost Of course the nurse can’t know that his mom’s dead and his dad’s the one who put me here

But I do

With one last long look, onna be okay, Adrian I’ll come back for you”

This ti hurts, as ht, I don’t think I could bear looking athim to stay the hell away from me

Prologue

“I’lad you came, Adrian”

Shifting the clear glass of amber liquid in my hand, I take a sip, then look up at Mateo Morelli, perched on the edge of his father’s desk, in his father’s study

Me in here to see as so iin, pilfered from one of Matt’s decanters Neither of us found the taste or the burn very et excited about back then

Now I tip backthe burn

“Not every day you get invited to a Morelli fahtly

“Aw, come on You know you could come anytime you like”

Mateo’s lackey speaks up now, pointing in et my attention “You used to live here, didn’t you?”

“Lifetie

Shaking his head, the man says, “Man, I don’t kno you leave all this Way above et used to it, you know?”