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“Cristian,” the Don said, leaning back in his chair

That was it A question, a statement, a threat all threaded into my name

The Don did not need to say anything else My skin prickled with fear and admiration I did not knowlike this man, because there was no one like this ure I’d had in htly so But he’d also welcomed htdrive

“You want to hter?” he asked before I even said anything I figured he knew so He are ofer of any value to her He was the one who gotthe books at the chain of laundro I was sixteen at the tiaveif I fucked it up, the price would be high

I did not fuck it up

I earned his respect

Which hy I was still breathing

I did not lower“No, I wanna marry her”

He regardedaze of one of the most ruthless ht, I could be buried in a shallow grave That easy Soer at him

I knew the risk

It orth it

He nodded once

I exhaled That nod was in lieu of a bullet through my brain

“Not gonna give you shit about your age No , but you just stood in front of ,” he said, leaning back in his chair “That’s old enough to lovewith a h too” He sighed “Just know, kid, you want a life with her, you’re my family My family members are all part of the fa a doctor, a lawyer, whatever the fuck … they’re gone You don’t get a life outside of her, you don’t take her away”