Bastiano Romano (The Five Syndicates, #3)

by Parker S. Huntington

saccharine

War is a duty… The only real choice is whether you accept it, and what you fight for. —Rick Riordan

Point was, in my world, people were usually black and white. Good people were good, and bad people were bad, but so few delved into the grey area in between. I was one of those people. Ariana De Luca was one, too.

broccolini.

In fact, my back was killing me, my feet ached from being on them all day, and I hadn’t been able to feel my arms since yesterday during training, when I was asked for the second time that day to carry one hundred and fifty pounds of ice up the steepest set of stairs I had ever seen in my life. Not so fun fact: The average American bar sells five hundred drinks a night. L’Oscurità sells five thousand. Ask me how much ice that is. Ask me. I. Fucking. Dare. You.

I could say a lot of negative things about him, but I would give Bastian this—he loved his family, and he loved his sister most. I could see it in the way he paid attention to her, doted on her, and talked to her in a manner I’d never seen him use with anyone else. It was a pity she didn’t realize this, but she’d figure it out, and when she did, she’d realize how lucky she was to have a family who loved her—even if it was composed of criminals and the biggest jackass I had ever met.

“Hatred paralyzes life.” Love releases it.

“I love you. Not just because you’re amazing with Tessie, not just because you’ve helped out these past weeks, not just because you put up with me. I love you because you stare at my dimples when I smile. I love you because you genuinely care about people. I love you because you have so much fight in you. I love you because you’re patient. I love you because you don’t take my shit without dishing it back. I love you because your tongue is sharp but your heart is soft.”

“If a mistake isn’t forgivable, you wouldn’t be mulling over it. Ever since you were little, you could always hold a grudge, but you know what I realized? You hold grudges because you care so much. It’s because your love runs so deep, it takes longer for the pain in it to escape.”