THE MAFIA BOSS OPENED THE WRONG DOOR—AND SAW THE ONE WOMAN HE WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO WANT

too close.

No professional excuse could cover this.

“You scared me,” I admitted. “When I saw you like this…”

“I’m sorry.”

“You can’t die. Understand? You can’t just die and leave me.”

He caught my wrist gently.

“Why?”

There it was.

The question.

The test.

The invitation to admit what we both already knew.

“Because I…”

The words stuck.

“Say it,” he whispered. “Avery,continue reading …