Chapter One: Bloodlines and Bad Intentions

"You're scheduled for a meeting with The La Rosa Nera at 2:00," Marsh said, trying to catch up to the confident strides of Kai Castellano.

"Why do I have to meet that grumpy old man?" Kai muttered without looking back.

"Alessio Moretti may be grumpy and rigid, but unless you want to start a mafia war, you have to actually show up for the meeting," Marsh replied.

Lorenzo “Il Falco” Castellano built The Castellano Syndicate, a renowned mafia organization. He’d brought Kai into the business at fifteen, molding him into the dangerous, lithe, infamous man he was now. Lorenzo had always been a stern father, affection measured in protection, loyalty, and silence, but in his own twisted way, he loved Kai. He ruled the city from the shadows, and he ruled Kai with expectations as heavy as iron.

Alessio Moretti, leader of La Rosa Nera, the syndicate’s oldest rival, was a plump man in his 40s, sharp-tongued and sharper minded. He hated the Castellanos with a passion that bordered on obsession. No deal went by without his scrutiny, no move from the Syndicate escaped his criticism.

And now, after a meticulously orchestrated infiltration at the famous Castellano Casino, chaos that had humiliated Kai’s men in front of foreign dignitaries. Alessio had finally forced the enemy heir into his office. All he needed was a slip, a single disrespectful gesture, to light the fire. One wrong move from Kai Castellano, and Alessio would have his war.

Kai got dressed without a word. A three-piece black suit clung to his body like it was stitched from shadows. His black hair was slicked back, the same shade as his father’s, but his eyes, those piercing icy blues belonged to the mother he barely remembered. Six feet tall, with a presence that felt like a held breath before the storm, Kai was devastating to look at. Cold, unreadable, and sharp enough to draw blood with a glance.

He never smiled. Never had the time.

"Marsh, at least try to keep up," Kai said, rolling his eyes as he walked down the long corridor of the Castellano estate.

"In case you haven’t noticed, Kai, you have long legs and no patience," Marsh huffed. "This isn't a race. You’re not late."

"I don’t do late," Kai replied, pulling on his leather gloves with surgical precision. "Being on time is for civilians."

Marsh chuckled under his breath. “Remind me again why I work for you?”

Kai stopped, just briefly, long enough to give him a side-glance. “Because you like the violence.”

A slow grin spread across Marsh’s face. “Touché.”

They climbed into the matte black Maserati parked out front, the hum of the engine low and ominous, like a warning growl. The drive to Alessio’s estate was quiet, thick with tension. Kai didn’t speak. He never did before meetings like this. Marsh had grown used to the silence, it was Kai's way of preparing for war.

The Moretti estate was nestled in the hills, overly lavish and baroque in the way only old money could be. White columns, gold accents, and tall, wrought-iron gates like a royal tomb dressed in luxury. The guards recognized the car and stepped aside, though their eyes stayed locked on Kai through the tinted glass.

Inside, the tension thickened. The marble floors were so polished they mirrored the ceiling, and the smell of fresh roses hung heavy in the air, no doubt a calculated move by Alessio. Everything here was meant to scream: you’re not welcome.

Alessio was waiting in the parlor, seated like a king at his throne. His smug smile widened at the sight of Kai.

"Ah, the infamous Castellano. Right on time," Alessio said, standing with faux grace.

Kai didn’t offer a handshake. “Let’s get this over with.”

Before Alessio could respond with one of his long-winded jabs, the double doors at the side creaked open. The air shifted. Time paused, just for a second.

And then she walked in.

Tall, poised, and dressed in black silk that caught the light like sin, she moved like she owned the room. Her hair was dark, falling in waves over her shoulders, and her eyes, God, her eyes were a shade of green Kai had never seen on another human being. Alive and unreadable. Dangerous.

Alessio turned slightly. “Ah, I see you've met my daughter.”

Kai blinked once, only once, but something in his chest shifted like the click of a loaded gun.

“Gianna,” Alessio said, smiling like a man who’d just played his ace. “Say hello to our guest.”

Gianna’s lips curled into something between a smirk and a challenge. “Hello, Castellano.”

Kai didn’t move. Didn’t speak.

But Marsh, standing just behind him, whispered low enough for only Kai to hear.

“Well… shit.”