My stomach clenches. I've heard enough about the rival family to know this isn't just business---it's war. The kind that leaves bodies in the Chicago River.
Sam must see the fear in my eyes because he steps closer, cups my face in his huge hands. "I'll be back," he says, and though it's not quite a promise, I find myself believing him anyway.
Maybe because in the weeks I've known him, Samuil Litvinov has never lied to me. He's hidden things, yes. Kept secrets that could fill Lake Michigan. But he's never made promises he couldn't keep.
It's more than I can say for the laws my father swore to uphold, or the justice system that was supposed to protect people like me.
"Be careful," I whisper.
Sam's lips twist. "Always am, little fighter." He brushes a kiss across my forehead that feels l
