Chapter 1

Eva Bruno, my maid, held back her tears until we were behind the side wing's bulletproof doors.

"The Don's going to make Selena his Donna, and he's just pawning you off on Carl.

"What does he think you are, an object? Now that he doesn't need you as a shield, he just hands you to one of his men?"

I gave her the agreement with my bloody fingerprint on it.

"Lock this up."

Eva looked at the Lombardi family crest in my hand.

"And what about the crest?"

"Get Victor over here."

Victor was soon summoned to the sitting room in the side wing.

I slid the crest across the long table.

"I have no problem with dissolving our marriage pact.

"But I am never marrying Carl.

"You made this deal without me. You can be the one to call it off."

Victor glanced at the crest on the table, and his face darkened.

"Monica, I've already decided Selena will be the Donna.

"Even if you refuse to enter into a new pact, that isn't going to change."

"Do you think that just because I refuse to be traded like a bargaining chip, I must still be clinging to you?"

Victor's brow furrowed, but his voice softened a little. "That's not what I meant.

"Carl is the enforcer I trust most. He doesn't keep a string of women on the side, and he stays out of the elders' politics.

"With him, nobody in New York's underworld will dare touch you.

"I'll give you five days to think about it."

I looked him straight in the eye.

"And if, after five days, I still refuse?"

Victor was silent for a few seconds, then pushed the crest back in front of me.

"This match can't be called off right now.

"Selena's welcoming ceremony at the estate has to go off without a hitch. If word gets out that you've backed out of the match, it'll ruin her reputation in the underworld."

To protect his true love's good name, he was willing to sign away the rest of my life in another contract.

I stopped arguing. I turned to Eva and told her to make an inventory of my belongings.

Tomorrow I'd go back to my family and tell my father, then have everything moved out.

Victor had already started toward the door, but he stopped when he saw the jewelry and custom guns Eva was packing.

"Whatever I gave you is yours.

"There's no need to cut ties with me this completely."

I took off the necklace with the bullet pendant.

Five years ago, I'd taken a bullet meant for Victor when a rival family sent an assassin after him.

He'd had the bullet removed from my body, polished, and made into a necklace. He'd given it to me himself.

I tossed the necklace at Victor's feet.

"You can have this back too."

Victor bent down, picked up the necklace, and pressed it firmly back into my palm. "This belongs to you and no one else."

I clutched it and looked up at him.

"Our blood pact is dissolved, but you insist I keep this necklace.

"Victor, are you trying to make me give up on you for good? Or are you trying to prove to yourself that you're not heartless?"

Victor didn't answer. He looked away instead.

"In five days, I'll come back for your final answer."

I slipped the necklace into my pocket.

"Fine.

"In five days, I'll be sure to give you an answer you'll be satisfied with."