Prologue
Five Years Ago
Ryker grunted, shoving another handful ofdirt into the grave he’d newly dug.That done, he wiped the sweatoff his brow and lit himself a smoke.Holly Grove Cemetery wasquiet at this time of the night.Empty.No surprise, given thechilly evening.The neighborhood kids considered this old placehaunted and avoided it at all costs.It was also Severin Familiaterritory, and even cops avoided cruising by the place atnight.
That made it the perfect dumping ground forthe Familia’s clean-up crew.In other words, him.At twenty-one,Ryker had every ambition to work his way up.He wished his youngerbrother, River, had more ambition, but River had always beensqueamish about getting his hands dirty.
Ryker finished his smoke, grabbed hisshovel, the rest of his gear back and headed back to his truck.River and the meth-heads he called friends better be done withtheir poker game by the time he headed back to their apartment.
Ryker wanted a hot shower and some quiettime to himself after spending the night digging.Reaching histruck in the parking lot, he dumped his stuff in the back and gotbehind the wheel.
He leaned against his seat and shut his eyesa couple of moments.Just a couple more months, maybe a year ofdoing this, and he’d finally graduate from gravedigger to Familiaenforcer.Gino had already taken him along a couple of jobs, evenrecommending him to Giovanni, the Severin Familia head.
Ryker only prayed River wouldn’t fuck thingsup again.His brother only seemed to be good at one thing—openinghis big mouth and getting into trouble.Opening his eyes, Rykerpulled out his wallet and look at the only family photo heowned—their mother in the hospital bed.River had been twelve, himfifteen.
He promised her on her deathbed.He’d lookafter his shit brother, even if it killed him, but fuck.Riveralways tested his patience.Ryker recalled the last conversationhe’d had with Giovanni.
“You have promise, Ryker.I can see youbecoming an asset for the Familia.Most of the men already see asone of us, but your brother…” Giovanni paused and let out a tiredsigh.“He’s a loose cannon.”
Ryker tucked the photo back in his walletand drove back home, contemplative.He promised Giovanni he’d tryto straighten River out, but lately, he saw River as a lost cause.Ryker couldn’t count the number of times River picked randomfights, or broke the law, only to claim the Severin Familia had hisback.
Truth was, the Familia only tolerated Riverbecause of him.Thirty minutes later, he parked his truck on thestreet opposite their apartment building.He took his gear and wentaround the back.The neighborhood they lived in had the worstreputation in the city, but it never hurt to be extra careful.
Ryker took the stairs in the back, relievedto find no one in the fifth-floor corridor.The couple living nextdoor was, as usual, in one of their heated shouting matches.Henarrowed his eyes as he caught the smell of weed near their unit.Ryker silently counted to ten in his head.At least it wasn’tworse, right?
He took out his keys and gritted his teeth,hearing loud voices from within.Just great.
Ryker stepped in, locked the door behindhim, and dumped his bag on the floor.River and his two friendsRyker didn’t bother knowing the names of, sat around the diningroom table, playing poker.
“Out,” he practically growled out the singleword.
River noticed him, grinned, and waved at himlike an idiot.Bloodshot eyes.Check.Ryker narrowed hisgaze and noticed the new line of needle marks up River’s rightarm.
“Don’t be like that, bro.Why don’t you joinus?Loser needs to throw the trash out.You out on a job?”Riverleaned his head to one side and probably spotted his gear bag.“Excellent, you got your usual shit.”
His usual shit?What the hell did River meanby that?River was definitely high, but he always knew when Riverdid something stupid.Gut feeling told him he just walked intoanother of his brother’s messes.
He strolled over to his brother and River’sdick friends.River mooching off him was fine.River was blood, hisonly family, but he didn’t care for River wasting all his allowanceon drugs or deadbeat company.
Ryker cursed, nearly tripping on somethingheavy on the floor.He took a step back, spotting the black garbagebag.
“What the hell, River?Didn’t I tell you toclean up?You had one job to do.”Ryker paused, because he finallynoticed the distinct shape formed by the bag.Dread filled hisstomach.River better not have a fucking body in there.
Ryker never saw himself as a good man.He’ddone plenty of bad shit in the name of the Severin Familia, butthose bastards they eliminated usually deserved what they got.
“River,” he said in a quiet voice, barelyable to contain his rage.River finally looked up.Fear flickeredin River’s eyes.Good.River should recognize when heswitched from being big brother to predator.“Who the fuck isinside there?”
River’s two friends sniggered.Ryker reachedfor the gun inside his jacket.River got up hastily from his chair,knocking it on the floor.
“Just some whore no one would miss,” saidone of the guys.
“Bro, I can explain,” River saidquickly.
The top of the bag spilled open, the tapecoming off when he’d bumped his shoe onto it a moment ago.A paleand slender hand slid out, marked with knife cuts and drying blood,followed by a tumble of tangled golden locks, streaked with morecrimson.Shock rippled through him.
Ryker didn’t need to look inside to knowmore violence probably marked this corpse.Corpse.It was easier tocall it that than a former human being because he’d bumped intothis same girl a couple of times in the morning.
Ryker didn’t know her name, but heremembered once thinking that she must be some kind of angel heavensent down to this hell by mistake.The dazzling smile she flashedhim always lifted the gloom he felt on his bad days.
