Mum stood up instantly, her tear-filled eyes locked squarely onto mine.

For a agonizing second, I wondered if she still saw me as her son—if the monster I had become in the underbelly of this city had erased the boy she raised. Leaving both Dad and Mr. Luca frozen in absolute shock, she bypassed the desk and stepped directly toward me.

"Sullivan," she breathed, her voice trembling.

Our eyes remained locked, neither of us willing to sever the connection. The warmth in her expression was overwhelming. She closed the remaining distance and, without an ounce of hesitation, reached up and cupped my face in her soft hands. The cold, impenetrable...