Page 4 of Tower of Temptations

He gave the painting one last look before turning to me. "You know what I like. Bring two. And get Nan to bring plates for the cake."

Without waiting for my answer, he pulled out a chair and sat down, checking his watch as he did.

I headed to the kitchen. Nan was already gathering plates and utensils. I was always amazed by her quiet way of knowing exactly what I needed.

When I returned, Vittorio had opened the cake box. He held it up for me to see, a pleased smile on his face. I nearly dropped the ginger ale.

The cake read,Happy Birthday to My Little Girl.

"It's your favorite," Vittorio said, oblivious to the irony. "Red velvet with cream cheese frosting. The best they had."

My throat tightened as I stared at those childish pink letters. Twenty-one.

This was supposed to be my time to become a woman, to figure out who I really was. Right now, girls my age were probably out there making their own choices, their own mistakes.Actually living.

But looking at Vittorio's pleased smile, I knew—he'd never see me that way. I'd always be his little girl he could control.

"Make a wish," he said, striking a match.

I kept my face perfectly still, the way he'd taught me, and watched the flame.

And like every birthday before, I wished for something I knew would never come true.

2

GIULIANO

There's a specific kind of quiet that comes before everything changes. I felt it in the air tonight, mixing with the salt breeze that crept through the compound's gardens. Providence's lights winked at me through the study windows as if the city knew what waited in its future.

Her surveillance photo lay face-down on my desk. I'd stopped looking at it hours ago, but I could still see those eyes. That defiance.

Somewhere out there in that glittering sprawl of lights, she was probably getting ready for bed, no idea her world would shatter tomorrow.

I caught my reflection in the window—straightened my tie, ran a hand through my dark curls. The glass made my olive skin look almost ghostly in the darkness. I looked like someone else standing there, someone worthy of the Barbieri name. Or maybe that's what she'd see tomorrow. Wonder if she'd hate me on sight. Not that it mattered.

The weight of my father's ring pressed against my skin as I twisted it. Two years in this office, and it still felt like borrowed space. Like everything else I'd been given—temporary. Conditional.

But not after tomorrow.

The door opened, bringing the scent of leather and gunmetal. My chosen crew filed in like wolves answering a call. Six of Providence's deadliest, each with their own score to settle with Salvatore. And tonight, we'd settle them all.

"Let's go over it one more time," I said, catching Rocco's muttered "for fuck's sake" under his breath.

The Rossi twins had their usual spot at the far end—both sporting that classic Rossi look with the blond hair that had half of Providence's women losing their minds. But that's where the similarity ended. Angelo sat straight-backed in his crisp suit, hair military-short.

Next to him, Rocco sprawled in his chair, longer waves falling in his face as he scrolled his phone. The serpent on his bicep caught the light with each movement. Sometimes I wished that thing would come alive and bite him—might improve his attitude.

"You got a problem with my plan, Rocco?"

The muscle in his jaw twitched. "Me and Angelo take ground floor security. Quick and clean with silencers." There was an edge to his voice that made me glad he was on our side.

"No mess," Angelo added with that trademark calm. "I handle cleanup if needed."

My attention shifted to Nico. His bald head gleamed under the lights, that Zegna suit stretching across his muscled frame ashe leaned forward. Even sitting, he looked like he could tear through a wall. "Tech side's handled. Got something special for their system. Midnight, everything goes dark."

"And the cameras?"

Those gray eyes met mine with steady confidence. "Won't know what hit them."

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