Page 5 of Her Overprotective Fiance

I look at her again, and everything about her takes new meaning.

Her long blond hair? Urban legends say it's what she uses to hide countless poison-tipped needles.

The ribboned collar of her blouse?Perfectfor strangulation, which everyone knows is her favorite M.O.

Everything you see anddon'tsee about her, it serves a single morbid purpose, and that's why when I speak again—-

"How did I end up here?"

My tone is nothing but respectful, and I don'tmindat all that her eyes twinkle anew at the change. Who cares if she thinks I'm a coward?

Pride is only for fools, and I haven't survived this long by being an idiot.

"Your being here is more a matter ofwhothan how." The Angel of Death clasps her hands over her lap. "And fortunately in your case, the one who voluntarily came to your rescue is none other than Giancarlo Marchetti."

Yeah right.

I'm about to laugh when I realize the Angel of Death's expression hasn't changed at all.

"You have to be—-"

"Telling the truth," the other girl says easily, "since lies are a waste of my time."

Oh.

Well.

What the fuck?

I squeeze my eyes shut as my head starts pounding.

Giancarlo Marchetti?

For real?

The Marchettis aren't just one of New England's most powerfulfamiglie. It's alsohowthey seized such power andwhatthey did afterward that made Boston's ruling family seemunrealto most of us. As impossible as it may sound, the Marchettis are the firstfamigliato have successfully turned a new leaf without losing their territory, and that's why...

"I don't get it," I hear myself say jerkily.

The other girl smiles. "I don't either, but isn't that just typical of the Marchettis?"

A thought pops into my head, but it's just so crazy it has me involuntarily rearing back.

No, that can't be it.

"The Marchettis do not cease to amaze,sì?I keep expecting them to die for being so kind, but no. They always seem to survive, and so it makes one think..."

"That they're all out of their mind?"

"Yes, that's one possibility," she acknowledges with a laugh. "Either they're all insanely kind...or it's the other way around, andweare the foolish ones, for being so convinced that all of us are beyond redemption."

I want to say something snarky, but not a single word comes to mind. I think I'm still in shock. Or denial. Maybe even both.

The Angel of Death sighs. "Time shall tell. But for now..." She looks at me soberly. "You were very fortunate, Sarica."

The fact that she knows my name doesn't surprise me at all. It's part and parcel of who she is in our world, and whyLa Torrecan either be our safe haven...or a prelude to Hell.

"La Strega'seldest grandson happened to be having dinner at the same place as your abductors. They also happened to be drunk enough to have said things inSignorMarchetti's hearing, and suffice to say, what he heard was not to his liking."

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