Chapter 1After they wiped my memory,
I forgot about my fiancé—the Underboss who'd trained me to be his perfect killer.
I forgot about the girl I saved, who then stole my everything.
I forgot all about the Cleaners' organization, "Red Spider Lily"...
I faked my death and disappeared.
Ended up running a dusty bookshop on some quiet street in Sicily.
Everyone thought I was just hiding out, throwing a tantrum.
That I'd get bored soon enough and crawl back to him.
Until one evening when nobody came into my shop.
From the shadows between the shelves, a few guys stepped out—been lurking there the whole time. The one in front kept his voice low:
"Three years. Why haven't you answered a single one of Mr. Corsaro's calls? You know he slaughtered the entire Commission for you?"
I froze, book still in my hand. "Sorry... I had my memory wiped. Who's Mr. Corsaro?"
The room went cold.
Then this weird tightness hit my chest. I looked toward the window without thinking.
Across the street, half-hidden in the fading light, a tall figure stood completely still.
Staring right at me.
Didn't blink.
...
I caught Dante Corsaro with Sienna the morning of our wedding.
Couldn't find him. Figured the Commission had him on some emergency hit.
Found him on the terrace instead, kissing the girl I'd saved—Sienna Graves.
I walked over. Went for his throat.
Had my fingers on his pulse when Sienna shoved me into the pool.
My head cracked tile. Everything went cold.
Right.
Everyone I care about ends up choosing her.
I'd pulled Sienna off a trafficking route in Southeast Asia five years back.
She was cargo. Fifteen years old.
Kept her after that. Called her my sister. Taught her intel, brought her into my crew, put her in logistics—safest job we had.
She was sweet. Always smiling. Like some flower someone spent years protecting.
After every bloody job, she'd have hot food waiting.
The guys in my crew—killers who didn't blink at anything—went from watching her to treating her like gold.
"Finally got a real woman around here," they'd say. Right in front of me.
Now the man I'd been with for ten years was doing the same thing.
...
When I woke up in the med wing, Dante was sitting there.
Didn't ask if I was okay.
"Vesper. Don't blow this up. Sienna was just messing around... If it bugs you, I'll keep my distance."
"You brought her in. She's got nobody. She's been through enough. Don't make this harder."
I looked at the scar on his collarbone. He'd taken a bullet for me three years ago.
And I suddenly laughed.
"You scared I'll handle her myself?"
His eyes went flat. Grabbed my wrist hard. Didn't answer.
"I know you're pissed. But we don't do this inside the family. You know the rules.
"Drop it. We'll push the wedding back a week. I don't need the crew talking."
I pulled my hand back. Stared out at the dark.
He started to say something, but his burner went off at that moment.
I'm a killer. My eyes don't miss shit. Saw Sienna's name flash across the screen. Text said she was spooked, heart racing.
He looked at me. Tone changed. Went soft.
"Got a new mark. Need to scope it out myself. Rest up."
Then didn't wait for me to answer. Just walked.
Moved like his ass was on fire.
I never saw him again that day.
I stayed in that med bed, staring at my phone. Some ad popped up:
[Memory Encoding. Start Over. New Life. New You.]
I don't do mercy. Never did.
Something breaks, I throw it out.
So I thought that Dante and those ten years we had could go straight to hell.
...
Walked out of the Rebirth Project lab with my head feeling wiped.
Clean slate. Nothing there.
Chunks of my past got locked behind walls I couldn't climb. Knew they existed. But I didn't give a damn.
Memory work takes two rounds. Seventy-two hours between sessions. Then they seal it for good.
Body knew the way back to the safehouse even if my brain didn't.
Iris scan cleared. Door clicked open.
Voices inside. Loud, happy.
"Eastern Europe job went smooth as butter. Sienna pulled it off!
"Girl's a goddamn star!"
I walked into the living room. Everyone froze.
Dante got up. Looked pissed I was even there. "Your head still messed up?"
I touched the lump where my skull met tile. Kept it cold.
"I could be bleeding out on this floor and you still wouldn't lay a finger on her."
Room went dead quiet.
Lana cut in. We'd run jobs together for years. She was all smiles, playing peacemaker.
"Vesper, glad you're back. We're throwing Sienna a party. Her intel gave us a clean takedown. Big Boss sent his personal congratulations."
She pushed a gift box at me before I could refuse.
"You're the one who brought Sienna into the family. Makes sense you hand this over."
I didn't want drama before I left. Just passed the box to Sienna.
She reached for it. Our fingers touched. Box dropped.
Crashed on the floor. Tactical watch inside—glass everywhere.
Sienna's eyes filled up. Tears came fast.
"Vesper... I get that you're pissed at me... but everyone put money in for this. Why would you..."
Her voice broke.
"You're still mad about the other night, right? I was just fooling around with Dante. You totally misread it..."
Everyone jumped to her defense. Then came at me.
"Christ, Vesper, give it a rest. Sienna cooks for all of us. She finally catches a win and you gotta ruin it?"
"Always playing the ice queen. What, you trying out for some drama?"
I looked at the faces around me. Used to trust these people. Now felt nothing.
The coldest stare came from the man I'd wasted ten years on.
"Enough." Dante's voice shut everyone down. That underboss tone. Room went quiet.
He picked up the watch. Shoved it back in my hand.
"Sienna ran this play for the Boss. She earned her stripes."
"Watch is busted. I'll fix it. You'll hand it over again. And you're gonna treat her with respect from now on."
Kept his voice steady. But his grip on my wrist was vicious. Felt my bones grinding.
I ripped my arm away.
"Not doing it. I'm done with her."
Stepped back. Put distance between us. "I'm out."
Chapter 2
Before I could get another word out, Sienna cranked up the waterworks.
"Vesper... you're gonna throw me out? Is that it?"
She whirled toward Dante, sobbing. "What happens to me then? You know what they'll do to me out there..."
Dante's jaw went tight. Stared at me like I'd just spat on his shoes.
"You're really pulling rank on a little girl who can't defend herself? That's what we're doing now?"
Didn't even let me answer. The whole crew jumped in.
"Vesper, you know how this works. One of you leaves, it's gotta be her. You basically signing her death warrant?"
"Ice-cold killer. Doesn't even care about family."
Lana stepped up, grabbed my arm. Tried to look sympathetic.
"Come on, Vesper. You were green once. Cut her some slack..."
I looked at her. Felt my insides turn to stone.
Years ago, she blew an op. Set off every alarm in the building. I was already out. Went back in alone and pulled her from a room full of bodies.
She was soaked in blood. Swore she owed me everything.
Now she's standing here defending the girl who took my man.
"Lana, I'm leaving because I choose to. Nobody said anything about kicking her—"
Dante shut me down. Hard. "You finished yet?"
"Let's be real. You're jealous." He pulled Sienna against him, eyes burning into me. "This whole mess is my fault. You got beef, come at me. Sienna's just a kid. She didn't mean anything. Why are you going after her?"
Pain spiked through my skull. Memory wipe screwing with my head.
Done talking. I pressed my fingers to my temple. Started walking.
"Vesper, don't go! Please..."
Sienna suddenly threw herself at my legs.
Went down hard on her knees. Arms locked around my calf. Her nails raked my ankle, broke skin.
Pure instinct. Muscle memory kicked in. My leg jerked free.
I was barely moved. But everyone saw it like I'd punted her across the room.
Sienna screamed. Hit the floor. Her left hand twisted wrong.
Dante shoved me back. "You make me fucking sick!"
Sienna cradled her wrist. "My hand... I can't feel my fingers..."
Dante scooped her up. Looked at me like I was garbage.
"She runs all our comms. All our intel. Her hands are her life. And you actually just tried to break them?!"
He carried her past me. Stopped. Voice dropped to a whisper.
"Vesper. You don't wanna work anymore? Fine. Get out. See how long you survive without the family watching your back."
Room cleared out fast. Everyone followed him.
Even the newest guy—barely been made a year—went out of his way to avoid me. Snorted as he passed.
"Getting old, huh? Acting like some jealous high schooler. Embarrassing."
My nails dug crescents into my palms. Swallowed the fury.
Dante's call came through while I was in the Boss's office, signing my way out.
The Boss didn't blink.
"Vesper, your contract's been paid off for years. What you've done for us since then? Worth twenty times what we put in."
He looked up. Eyes like steel. "So why now? You and Dante are getting married."
I laughed. Tasted like ash. "Not anymore—"
My comm lit up. Call had been live for ten seconds.
Dante's voice crackled through. "Vesper. The hell did you just say?"
Pressed it to my ear. Kept it cold.
"I'm out running errands. You heard wrong."
Beat of silence. Then his tone shifted. Went soft a little. "You left your blade here. Want it back?"
That blade.
Ten years ago, first job we ever ran together, we'd lifted it from some dead guy's safe. Dante carved our initials into the grip later that night.
Said to me, "I ever betray you, you stick this right through my heart."
Carried it every damn day since. Now? Couldn't give less of a shit.
"Keep it. I'll get it later."
Hung up.
The Boss slid a credit chip across his desk. "Your share. Enough to disappear anywhere on the planet. Rest is up to you."
...
Got home. Migraine was eating through my skull. Crashed early.
Woke up to footsteps.
Shot upright. Dante was standing in my room.
"Brought your knife back." He set it on the nightstand.
I barely looked at it. "Didn't need to come all the way here for that."
He shook his head. "You've had this thing for ten years. It's seen everything we've been through."
"Vesper. A decade. All the shit we survived together. Why are we torching it over this?"
Memories slammed into me before I could stop them.
Him diving in front of me mid-firefight. Bullet tore through his shoulder. Almost lost the arm.
Jungle op gone sideways. Explosion shredded my legs. He carried me a hundred miles on his back to get me out.
First time I took a fall for him. They broke me for days. And he looked me in the eye after and swore he'd never turn on me.
Yeah, we were good back then.
His voice snapped me back.
"Sienna's fingers are just cracked. Needs to stay off them for a bit."
"She's supposed to be running logistics. You cover her shifts the next few days."
He crossed his arms. "Wedding's in a week. Whole family's watching. We gotta keep this clean."
I met his eyes. Voice flat. "Dante. I don't want to marry you anymore. So why the hell would I keep pretending?"
Chapter 3
He looked at me like I'd lost my goddamn mind.
"Vesper. Since when do you pull this drama queen bullshit?
"You're acting like a kid. I'm done playing along."
At his words, I just dropped my eyes. Smile crept across my face. Bitter as hell.
You really think you're all I got, Dante?
When I stayed quiet, something in him cracked.
"Figure your shit out. Sienna's running a fever. Someone's gotta stay with her."
After that, door slammed so hard the frame rattled.
...
Next morning, I woke up staring at the knife on the nightstand.
Light caught the engraving.
D.C & S.G
S.G.
Sienna Graves.
This wasn't mine.
Pulled open the hidden drawer. My blade was still there. Still said D.C & V.K
There it was.
The one thing we swore meant life and death—he'd also made her a copy.
Didn't think twice. Called security. Had them wipe every access code to the safehouse.
Then packed my bag. Checked into some sketchy capsule hotel downtown that only took cash.
Place was crawling with strangers. Loud. Dirty. Had to watch my back every second.
But hell—felt like I could finally breathe.
...
Day later, Dante sent word through channels. Emergency summons. Get to the med wing.
Didn't wanna go. But my money wasn't fully moved yet. Couldn't afford to make waves.
So I showed up.
...
Walked into the med wing. Dante came out of nowhere.
Grabbed me by the collar, slammed me into the wall. Forearm jammed against my windpipe. Eyes like he wanted me dead.
"Start talking. What'd you do to Sienna?"
His voice shaking. Pure fury. "You know what she's been through. She's got serious trauma. And you're gonna mess with her head because you can't handle your feelings?"
"It wasn't me." His arm was choking me out. "I haven't set foot in here for two days."
Lana and the others came out.
Nobody stepped in. Just watched. Eyes cold as ice.
"Vesper. Drop the act." Lana's tone was dead. "Who else could slip past every camera in this building, get into her room at night, and spook her without Dante even knowing? Only you."
Perfect timing—Sienna started crying inside.
I shoved Dante back. Hard. Walked into the room.
Sienna was balled up in the corner of the bed.
"Look at me. Was it me last night?" Staring at her, I asked.
She flinched like I'd struck her. Eyes blew wide. Screamed bloody murder.
"STAY AWAY! I'll give him back! Just don't hurt me!"
She snatched the metal cup off the table. Whipped it at my face.
I turned my head. Thing clipped my eyebrow. Blood dripped into my eye.
Dante jumped in front of her. Yelled at me like I was the threat.
"GET THE HELL OUT! Stay away from her!"
Whole crew rushed in. Circled around Sienna. Whispered soft words. Looked at me like I was poison.
I dragged my hand across my face. Smeared blood. Left.
...
Patched myself up in the hall. Dante showed up a few minutes later. Still looked ready to snap.
"Sienna's in bad shape. You gotta give her space."
I looked up at him. Kept my voice level. "Sure. I'm not gonna make it worse. You've got hits to plan and a sick girl to babysit. Sounds rough."
My words threw him off. I could see it in his face.
"Yeah. Good. Long as you understand."
Then he started to reach for my cut. Wanted to heck the damage.
I backed up.
His hand froze mid-air. Dropped. Clenched into a fist.
I held his stare. Nothing behind my eyes. "But let's be clear—I didn't touch her."
A smirk crept across his face. That cocky look I used to find charming.
"Out of everyone in Red Spider Lily, who else has the skill set? You think Sienna framed herself? Girl doesn't have it in her."
I stared at him. Watched him stand there like he had it all figured out.
Knew right then—nothing I said would matter.
Drew a breath. Opened my mouth. "Dante. We're—"
"Dante! Get in here!" Lana burst through the door, practically running.
"Sienna's having another episode. Curled up in the corner, won't let anyone near her."
Dante's expression shifted. Didn't even glance back at me. Just took off down the hall.
I watched him disappear into that room.
Finished what I'd started in my head. We're done.
Tomorrow was the final memory procedure. Last lock on the vault.
After that? Him, this family, all this mess—buried. Gone for good.
Turned on my heel. Headed for the exit. Couldn't breathe in this place anymore.
Made it downstairs. Caught the sound of footsteps behind me. Light. Deliberate.
Moved to turn.
Too slow.
Something hard cracked against the base of my skull.
World went dark.
