"Miss Marchetti, have you ever heard of Serafina Valente? The Don's daughter?"
Sienna froze for a beat. "What, are you going to tell me that reclusive princess has something to do with you?"
I forced a bitter smile. "I heard the Don's daughter has a thing for colored flares. The old Valente signal protocol. If we could make her smile, convince her to attend your wedding, wouldn't that bring honor to the occasion?"
Sienna eyed me with suspicion. "How would a worthless wretch like you know what the Don's daughter likes?"
"Believe it or don't. If it turns out to be false, it's no loss to you either way, Miss Marchetti."
After Sienna left, I curled into the corner of the bed, my body burning with fever, my lower abdomen seized with stabbing pain. No one came.
Looking back now, meeting Cesare Delgado was the single greatest regret of my life.
Through the haze of unconsciousness, I caught a blurred glimpse of colored flares arcing past the window, their light bleeding through the curtains in reds and greens that only someone raised inside the Valente compound would recognize.
Only then did I let out a breath and smile.