|| KNOX's POV ||

The dim light of my study cast long shadows on the walls as I sat staring at my phone. My fingers hovered over Stella's contact, but I couldn't bring myself to call her. The threat from Blake was too real, too immediate. I couldn't let her get hurt because of me. I needed help, and there was only one person I could think of: Don Vincenzo, the mafia godfather who had raised me when I was in Italy.

With a heavy heart, I dialed his number. It had been years since we'd spoken, but I knew he would answer. He always did.

"Knox," his deep, gravelly...