Page 55 of Silent Snowfall

The thick paper between my fingers shivered as my trembling digits slid the adhesive open. It was the cold making me shake. It had nothing to do with the fact that the masked man was here and sending me missives.

No, nothing at all.

His words proved me a liar a second later.

You are truly beautiful, tonight, Rose. I wrote this note twice, trying to be more descriptive or poetic, but I can’t get the words to play right.

That doesn’t change the fact that you’re the most radiant woman in the room. I can’t take my eyes off you.

P.S. Don’t go. I have a Christmas gift for you.

I read and reread the words. It wasn’t an earth-shattering missive. But the sentiment crashed into me, filling my chest with a giddy little rush.

Someone saw me.

To be the focus of such a powerful, dominant beast made me feel like I would blow away in the next gust of wind. I wasn’t going to run from this. Life had brought me here, and while I had my doubts about San Pietro Cove, there was enough of a reason to stay and see what the future held.

I pushed inside.

The sudden hush slammed into me. The jazzy holiday music still played on the speakers, and the party was there in the background. But in the foyer was a pulsing energy, so silent that my ears rang.

The click of the door closing made me jump.

I spun—and crashed into a wall of flesh. Arms encircled my waist, and a gravelly bass rumbled in my ear.

“Caught you, my little rosebud.”

My gaze snapped to his. That freaking mask covered his face, leaving only his glittering eyes to peer out. The chocolate of them was so dark and rich that it made my heart flip over and over again. If only brown wasn’t the usual eye color of every Italian-American man here.

“Now,” he mused. “What am I going to do with you?”

“You’re just—you’re just walking around the mafia king’s mansion in a mask?” I stammered.

He lifted a careless shoulder. “They’ve gone in for supper.”

“They’ll shoot you, you idiot!” I hissed.

His chuckle was a warm caress over my skin. “Not going to happen, Rose.”

“But how?!” I protested.

The masked man began to walk me backward, guiding me across the foyer. “The don and I made a deal.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You trust the Killer King?”

Fire flashed through his eyes. “Lucian honors his word.”

I wanted to laugh but swallowed instead as that strange heat blazed in his eyes. Whatever this man’s relationship was with the mob was his business.

Mine was making it through the night and back to my kids.

“Okay, well, glad that’s worked out,” I mumbled.

The man who repeatedly broke into our house reached behind me and slid the pocket door open. I tripped over my skirt as he guided me into the library.

He didn’t let me fall.

“That’s it,” he murmured. “We’re here now. Nowhere to run.”