She can’t shake her head to refuse, but she doesn’t want to. She’s ready to die for those women, but I’ll never let her. I’ll tear down the sky before I let that happen.

“Don’t do this,” Oria mutters at my side. “Massimo Colonia’s right behind you. He’ll hear everything. He can track the number. That’s how he got her.”

“Throw it to me, prima. Trust me.”

Sarah hesitates until I ask for her trust, which I’m about to betray, and tosses me the phone. I catch it with one hand.

“When I hear her voice,” Palmeri says, “I’ll let this one go. Then you can shoot me. I don’t care.”

“Don’t do it,” Oria hisses.

“But if I don’t hear my daughter, because you’re a liar or she’s dead, I’ll slit her throat. I know just where to cut it.”

The keypad blurs before me.

Do I remember the number?

“Hurry up, Lucari. The wedding knife’s getting impatient to cut a bride.”

I put my thumb to the first digit of the calling code. That’s all they’ll need, really. It’s a small island. After that, there are only a couple of prefix codes.

They’ll know exactly where to find them.

I tap the code, then I know the rest of the number by the shape of it.

“No, Dario,” Oria squeaks.

I expect her to knock the phone out of my hand, but she doesn’t. When it rings, I look at her and know why. Massimo’s behind her with his gun to her head. My vision is so tunneled on Sarah, I didn’t even sense him right there.

“You happy now?” I ask Massimo when the speakerphone trills the second ring.

“Not yet.”

There’s a click, then the singsong of a woman’s voice.

“Sapphire Beach Resort on Saint Eustatius. This is Rosemarie. How can I help you?”

“God damnit, Dario!” Oria chokes out a sob. “He died for nothing.”

Massimo drops the barrel from her head and backs toward the door.

“Sweet pea?” The doctor’s arms relax a little.

“This is Rosemarie, Vice President of Customer Experience. Who am I speaking with?”

“It’s your—”

“No!” Oria shouts and—tears streaming down her face—raises her gun to Palmeri.

“Oria!”

There’s no way she’s going to thread the needle to shoot him without hitting Sarah. It’s too close. If Sarah dies, I gave it all away for nothing. I ripped down the sky and found nothing behind it but my own selfish, greedy soul.

“Fuck you.” Oria pulls the trigger.

Both Sarah and Palmeri fall.

I roar loudly enough to shake the walls.

Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

SARAH

I have no energy to consume. I haven’t been able to speak or open my eyes. My thoughts have been fleeting and jumbled.