Chapter 1

Carlos gripped my shoulder, his face stern.

"You mean it? A man like that really wants to marry you?"

I was a top-notch fighter, and I wasn't bad-looking either. Why wouldn't someone want to marry me?

I gave a sullen grunt.

At the party, Arthur had been making fun of me with his friends again.

This time he didn't bring up the bullet I'd taken for him when I was 15.

They were sick of hearing that one.

Instead, he went on about how I'd recently claimed to have saved the Don in Sicily.

The Don of the Corvino family was a tyrant who'd climbed to the top over a mountain of bodies. Why would he ever need a girl like me to save him?

But as soon as he said it, a thank-you gift from Victor arrived at the Marchetti estate.

Except it ended up in Daisy's hands.

Arthur laughed at me. What good was being a great shot if I couldn't even make up a decent lie?

He accused me of trying to steal Daisy's credit.

Outsiders had no way of knowing the truth.

They simply took their cue from Arthur and steered clear of me.

Only Arthur kept hanging around me after the party, like a ghost I couldn't shake.

When I pressed my lips together and said nothing, he assumed I was upset and started telling jokes to cheer me up.

One of his friends beckoned him over for a drink, but Arthur waved him off.

His friend lifted his chin and teased, "Arthur, you talk about Angela like she's worthless, but you're always glued to her. You don't... like her, do you?"

Arthur exploded. He grabbed a bottle cork and threw it at his friend. "What the hell are you talking about?!

"Angela's dad died young. I only look out for her because she's like a sister to me. I have to keep an eye on her so she doesn't fool you guys too.

"If she ever says she's into one of you, don't believe it."

Since my father died, the Marchetti family's standing in New York had plummeted.

When it came to marriage, the families I wanted wouldn't have me, and the ones that would weren't good enough.

Because of Arthur's "well-meaning" jokes, the families considering a match with me kept their distance.

It had become a constant worry for Carlos.

"Tell me it's not some two-bit street punk or some pimp who's playing you."

He pulled up a chair across from me. "Tell me the truth. Who is he?"

"It's..."

The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them.

Maybe that tyrant had only been humoring me.

Sure, his thank-you gift had shown up at the estate.

But it had been almost a month, and he hadn't contacted me again.

I needed to make sure he was serious.

For now, I just had to get Carlos off my back.

So I kept it vague. "Anyway, you've heard of him. He's a big deal."

A man's silhouette appeared in the glass door.

A bodyguard called from the hallway.

"Arthur, why don't you go in? Ms. Marchetti's inside.

"You look a little pale. Too much to drink?"

Caught eavesdropping, Arthur cleared his throat awkwardly.

I opened the door and let him in.

Carlos gave a knowing smile and drawled, "Well, look who's here. There's your big shot.

"Arthur, you heard what Angela said, right?"

Arthur avoided my eyes.

His voice was stiff and uncomfortable.

"Angela, why are you lying again?

"A marriage between two families is a big deal. Our elders haven't worked anything out yet. Then there's the engagement ceremony and the business deals between the families. It's all a huge hassle. It's not something you just decide.

"Anyway, there's no point rushing me."