I play the tough act well.

If you piss me off, I'll kill you.

If you mess with me, I'll kill you.

And if you hurt those I care about, you guessed it, I'll kill you.

But anytime a familiar creak sounds through my ears, I freeze like a statue. I didn't learn to run until it was too late.

I had already been hurt.

The same can be said for Claudia Sanchez. She walked into my life in a prison jumpsuit with knotted hair and hurt-filled eyes, because just like me, the ghosts of her past were still haunting her.

They torment her day in and day out, their screams so loud, I had no choice but to intervene.

My ma would have rolled in her grave if I had ignored the silent pleas beaming out of Claudia. When she was alive, I never wanted to disappoint her, so I won't in her death either. I'll help Claudia, and she won't owe me a dime for it because helping her may very well be the only way to fix me.

Rocco is book eight in The Italian Cartel Series by USA Today Bestselling Author Shandi Boyes. Although this tells the entirety of Rocco's story, it is not recommended to be read until you've read previous books in the series. It has dark elements and multiple forms of abuse that may trigger some readers. Caution is advised.