"Luna, just let me know Massimo's favorite foods, and we'll adjust the Academy menu to suit his taste from now on."
Luna basked in it. Soaked it in like sunlight.
I watched from across the courtyard, and the rage inside me was so cold it felt like nothing at all.
Davide had freeloaded off my family for years, doing nothing of value. To give him some purpose, some dignity he hadn't earned, I'd handed him oversight of the smallest territory the Valente Syndicate controlled. A few blocks of legitimate businesses. A modest revenue stream. Enough to make him feel like a man without giving him enough rope to hang anyone.
I never expected it would become Luna Caruso's crown.
The moment they saw me, the warmth drained from every face. The women who had been flattering Luna seconds ago turned toward me with expressions of open disgust.
It was as if I were something filthy and repulsive.
The teacher detached herself from Luna's circle and walked toward me, her heels clicking against the stone. Her face was cold. Practiced. The kind of cold that comes from choosing a side and committing to it fully.