The Romano Heir

I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Which was a problem.

A very serious problem.

Because mysterious strangers from nightclubs were not supposed to haunt my thoughts for days afterward.

But somehow Alessio did.

His voice.

His eyes.

The way he kissed me like he already knew exactly how to make me lose control.

Every time I closed my eyes, I remembered his hands on my waist and that dangerous look in his gray eyes.

And honestly?

It was becoming embarrassing.

“Lucia!”

I blinked and looked up from my breakfast untouched on the table.

My mother narrowed her eyes immediately.

“You’ve been staring at the same piece of toast for five minutes.”

“I’m thinking.”.“That alone worries me.”

Bianca snorted into her coffee while I glared at both of them.

The Moretti mansion was chaos this morning.

Staff rushed through the hallways carrying flowers and champagne while security guards filled almost every corner of the house.

Tonight was Bianca’s official engagement party.

Meaning tonight, she would finally meet the Romano heir in front of both families.

Lucky her.

“You need to start getting ready soon,” my mother announced while adjusting her diamond bracelet. “The Romanos will arrive in a few hours.”

Bianca visibly paled.

I noticed immediately.

Because despite her dramatic personality, my sister rarely looked genuinely afraid.

“You okay?” I asked quietly.

“Fine,” she answered too quickly. Liar.

Before I could question her further, my father walked into the dining room. And instantly the entire atmosphere changed.

Don Dante Moretti didn’t need to raise his voice to command attention.

He simply existed and people obeyed.

“You both look beautiful,” he said, kissing Bianca’s forehead first before turning to me. “Lucia.”

“Papa.” “Tonight is important.”

There it was.

The reminder.

The warning.

The mafia version of behave yourselves.

“We know,” Bianca murmured.

My father’s sharp gaze moved between us carefully.

“This alliance with the Romanos strengthens our position in New York. I won’t tolerate embarrassment from anyone tonight.”

My stomach tightened slightly.

Because in mafia families, embarrassment usually ended badly.

Very badly.

“Understood?” he asked.

“Yes, Papa,” Bianca and I answered together.

Satisfied, he nodded once before leaving the room.

The second he disappeared, Bianca exhaled shakily.

“God,” she whispered, “I think I’m going to throw up.”

“Please don’t. Mom will blame the carpets.”

Bianca laughed weakly.

But the nervous look in her eyes never disappeared.

Three hours later, the mansion looked like something from a movie.

Crystal chandeliers glowed above hundreds of guests while expensive music floated through the ballroom.

Politicians mixed with criminals pretending to be businessmen. Women dripped in diamonds. Men carried hidden weapons beneath designer suits.

Typical mafia gathering.

I stood near the staircase adjusting the sleeves of my black dress nervously.

Unlike the silver club dress Sofia chose earlier that week, this one was elegant.

Safe.

Appropriate.

Unfortunately, my mother still hated it.

“You could at least pretend to look excited,” she hissed while fixing a strand of my hair aggressively.

“I’m not the one getting engaged.”

“No, but you are still a Moretti daughter.”

Meaning appearances mattered.

Always.

Across the room, Bianca looked stunning in a white satin dress.

But up close, I could see how tense she was.

Her hands trembled slightly around her champagne glass.

Something was definitely wrong.

Before I could walk toward her, Sofia suddenly appeared beside me.

“You look gorgeous,” she whispered dramatically.

“You already said that earlier.”

“Yes, but now you look rich and intimidating gorgeous.”

I rolled my eyes.

Then Sofia leaned closer suddenly.

“Oh no.”

“What?”

“The Romanos are here.”

The room instantly shifted.

Conversations quieted.

Attention turned toward the entrance.

And then they walked in.

The Romano family.

Power practically followed them into the ballroom.

At the center stood an older man with silver-streaked dark hair and cold eyes.

Roman Romano.

Head of the Romano empire.

Beside him walked several men dressed in black suits.

Dangerous men.

The kind normal people crossed streets to avoid.

Then I saw him.

And my entire body went still.

No.

No way.

It couldn’t be.

But the moment those familiar gray eyes landed on mine—I knew.

Alessio.

The stranger from the nightclub.

The man who kissed me breathless only days ago.

The same man I hadn’t stopped thinking about since.

Was Bianca’s fiancé.

My blood turned ice cold.

“Oh my God,” Sofia whispered beside me.

I physically couldn’t breathe.

Alessio looked just as shocked for exactly one second.

Then his expression changed completely. Calm.

Controlled.

Dangerous. Like he instantly buried every emotion beneath that cold exterior.

Meanwhile, I was internally dying.

This couldn’t be happening.

Out of every man in New York—why him?

My father approached the Romanos with a smile that never quite reached his eyes.

“Roman,” he greeted smoothly.

“Dante.”

The two men shook hands firmly.

Then Roman gestured toward Alessio.

“My son.”

My stomach twisted violently.

Alessio stepped forward calmly.

Tonight he wore a perfectly tailored black suit that somehow made him look even more intimidating.

More powerful.

More terrifyingly attractive.

His gray eyes found mine again briefly before shifting toward Bianca.

Completely unreadable.

“This is my daughter Bianca,” my father announced proudly.

Bianca forced a nervous smile.

For one horrible second, nobody spoke.

Because I knew.

Alessio knew.

And somehow standing there pretending we were strangers felt impossible.

Then finally—Alessio took Bianca’s hand politely and kissed her knuckles.

“A pleasure.”

His voice remained calm.

Controlled.

Like we’d never met before.

Like he hadn’t kissed me in a nightclub days ago.

Like he hadn’t looked at me like I was something dangerous and addictive.

I should have felt relieved.

Instead, disappointment hit me unexpectedly hard.

Which was ridiculous.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Bianca smiled nervously. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

My chest tightened painfully.

Because she had no idea. None.

And suddenly guilt crashed over me hard enough to make me dizzy.

I kissed my sister’s fiancé.

Oh God.

I kissed my sister’s fiancé.

“Lucia.”

I nearly jumped at my father’s voice.

He gestured for me to step forward.

“This is my younger daughter.”

Alessio looked at me fully now.

And the air between us instantly changed.

Nobody else seemed to notice.

But I did.

Because his eyes darkened slightly the moment they landed on me.

Recognition.

Interest.

Danger.

Everything from the nightclub came rushing back all at once.

The music. His touch.

That kiss.

My pulse became completely uncontrollable.

“Lucia,” Alessio repeated softly.

The way he said my name should honestly be illegal.

I forced myself to smile politely.

“Nice to meet you.” Lie.

Terrible lie.

One corner of his mouth lifted slightly like he knew exactly what I was thinking. God.

This man was going to ruin my life.

The families continued talking around us while I desperately tried acting normal.

Failed miserably.

Because I could physically feel Alessio’s attention on me every few seconds. Like he couldn’t stop looking either.

Sofia suddenly grabbed my arm tightly.

“You kissed him,” she whispered in horror.

“Keep your voice down!”

“That’s Bianca’s fiancé!”

“I know!”

“Oh my God.”

Trust Sofia to be helpful during my emotional breakdown.

“I didn’t know who he was,” I hissed quietly.

“Well now you do!”

Unfortunately.

Across the room, Bianca looked ready to faint while our parents discussed wedding dates.

And somehow things kept getting worse. Because every time I accidentally looked toward Alessio—he was already watching me.

Not Bianca. Me.

Like that night in the club never ended.

Eventually the engagement photographer gathered everyone together for pictures.

I tried hiding near the back.

Failed again.

Because my mother dragged me directly beside Alessio. “Smile,” she ordered.

Easy for her to say.

I stood frozen beside him while cameras flashed around us.

Too close. Way too close.

I could smell his cologne again.

Feel his body heat.

My heart slammed painfully against my ribs.

Then suddenly—Alessio leaned closer.

So close his lips nearly brushed my ear.

“You look nervous, bella.”

My breath caught instantly.

“Stop calling me that,” I whispered shakily.

“You didn’t seem to mind before.”

Heat exploded across my face.

If anyone noticed this conversation, I would literally die.

“You should focus on your fiancée,” I muttered.

For the first time all evening, Alessio’s expression shifted slightly.

Something darker flashed in his eyes.

Then quietly—dangerously—he said:

“I’m trying.”