LOGINWhen a fragile peace between two powerful mafia families begins to crumble, a political marriage becomes the only way to prevent another devastating war. For years, the Romano family has blamed the Mancini empire for the tragedy that shattered their lives. Alessia Romano has carried that hatred since the day her mother died, and she has never forgiven. So when Leonardo Mancini, the ruthless Don of the Mancini empire, arrives to negotiate an alliance, Alessia expects tension, hostility… and war. What she does not expect is to be pulled into his world. Originally promised to her younger sister, but as alliances deepen and tensions shift, Leonardo’s attention turns in an unexpected direction. Toward her. There is something about Alessia he cannot ignore. Something familiar. Something unsettling. A connection he does not explain, and she does not understand. Forced into a world where power is everything and loyalty is tested, Alessia finds herself navigating a life she was never meant to live. A life where every choice has consequences, and every truth comes at a cost. As their dangerous attraction blurs the line between hatred and desire, long-buried truths surface. Secrets about her mother’s death. A war that may have been orchestrated from the shadows. And betrayals that cut deeper than she ever imagined. Someone powerful has been controlling events for years. The closer Alessia gets to the truth, the more she realizes the greatest threat may not be the man she’s being drawn toward—but the family she was born into. Now caught between obsession and betrayal, Alessia and Leonardo must decide where their loyalties truly lie. Because in their world, love is not a weakness. It is a risk. And trusting the wrong person could cost them everything.
View More“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”— William Faulkner**Alessia**The moment I stepped into the party, I immediately wanted to go back. Back to the garden. Back to the dangerous little thrill I felt standing beside a certain Don. It was still preferable to the smiles I was being forced to wear here.The second Dominic let go of my arm, I should have walked away. Instead, I stayed. Because Dominic Valenti was the kind of man who interpreted basic politeness as encouragement.The party continued around us. Laughter. Music. The clinking of glasses. Not a single person noticed how badly I wanted to escape. Or maybe they did and simply didn’t care.But somehow I knew he did, because of the way he pulled me out earlier, only to tell me to leave after—like he was angry at someone. My gaze found him naturally. As if he knew I was staring, he looked at me, and for a moment, I felt a little flutter of safety.What? Safety? From Leonardo? No. Definitely not.I turned my eyes away from
“I found myself within a forest dark, for the straightforward pathway had been lost.” — Dante, Inferno**Leonardo**Fucking hell.The last temptation I needed tonight had a name.Alessia Romano. Of course.I lit another cigar. It burned slowly between my fingers. Inside the house, someone laughed loud enough to be heard through the walls.I stayed where I was.The quiet garden did nothing to quench the raging fire burning in my fucking mind. Because even though Alessia had left a few minutes ago, my eyes kept finding the same door over and over again.I took another drag. The smoke settled in my lungs. It didn’t help. Nothing had helped all evening. Not the whiskey. Not the cigar. And definitely not the distance.I looked down at the cigar. A faint smear of lipstick stained the edge. Fucking red.The image of Alessia coughing after stealing it from my hand. That stubborn look she wore right before doing something she absolutely shouldn’t. Then the sound of her arguing. The sound of he
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” — Rumi**Alessia**I hated parties.Not because they were loud. Not because they were crowded. I hated them because they required smiling, because I had to pretend, and pretending was exhausting. Especially when the reason for the celebration was already related to me.The house had been in complete chaos since morning. Flowers appeared from nowhere. Caterers occupied half the kitchen. Relatives I hadn’t seen in months suddenly remembered we shared DNA.By noon, I had been asked to help with decorations, carry boxes, arrange tables, and entertain guests. I had declined every single request. Unfortunately, nobody respected my decision.Passing Sophia’s room, I slowed. The door was partially open.The moment I stepped inside, I stopped.The room looked like a hurricane had passed through it.Paint brushes littered the floor.Half-finished sketches covered every available surface.Clothes were scattere
“Love is so short, forgetting is so long.”— Pablo Neruda**Alessia**There should be laws against men like Leonardo. Unfortunately, nobody had bothered writing them.I spent the entire day trying not to think about him.It was going terribly.Every time I managed to focus on something else, my mind dragged me right back to the gas station. Back to his hand beneath my chin. Back to the way he had looked at me like I was personally responsible for ruining his evening. Back to his stupid warning.Be more careful.As though I spent my free time collecting dangerous situations.By the time the front door closed behind me, I went straight to the kitchen to calm down the burning sensation in my throat with cold water. Nonna was already preparing dinner. Without even greeting her, I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and emptied half of it in one go.“Good evening to you too,” Nonna said, looking at me with her usual I already know what happened expression.I sighed. “Good eveni
“If I cannot move Heaven, I will raise Hell.”— Virgil, The Aeneid**Leonardo**I had survived this long in my life by following rules I had laid down for myself. My number one rule, constant since the beginning: Never put myself in a position I knew I couldn’t control. I followed this rule and liv
**Alessia**On reaching the front door, my stomach dropped. A tall figure stood near the entrance.Black suit.Hands tucked into his pockets.The overhead lights caught the sharp lines of his face, casting shadows across features that always seemed carved from stone. The suit fit him perfectly, str
Chapter 7**Alessia**“Who’s Liam?”Sophia stared at me like she was deciding whether to lie or tell the truth. Water still dripped slowly from the ends of her wet hair onto the floor while the phone screen dimmed between us.Neither of us moved.Finally, she exhaled shakily.“Close the door.”My st
**Alessia**I might have hated Leonardo Mancini for what his family’s war had done to mine…. for the blood, the funerals, years of violence that never seemed to end.For my mother’s death.But right now, hatred wasn’t even the problem.The problem was that every time I closed my eyes, I still saw bl






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