Chapter 3

That night I threw everything connected to Victor into the trash.

Photographs, necklaces, every gift he'd given me over the years.

He'd been generous. His gifts could have bought a city.

Victor walked in while I was doing it.

His face darkened.

"Still angry about today?"

I didn't answer him. I put another photo of the two of us into the fire.

Victor caught my wrist, his voice firm. "Every captain in that room wanted you stripped of your authority. I couldn't humiliate them.

"But we have plenty of time ahead of us. I'll give you back twice what you lost today."

"There won't be a later."

Victor paused, then his expression turned impatient. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I pulled my hand free.

He ignored the way I'd pulled away and took a file out of his coat.

"There's an opportunity for you right now."

I took the file and skimmed it. My expression turned serious.

"You want me to take the North District?"

A rival had held the North District for five years. There were only two ways in, and their people were stationed all around it.

Over the years, the Castellano family had sent in several teams. They'd either returned empty-handed or died there.

Victor nodded.

"Take it back, and no one will doubt you again."

I studied the map for a long time, then closed the file.

It was dangerous. There was no denying that.

But before I left, this was my last chance to restore some of my reputation—and my father's.

"All right.

"I'll go."

Satisfaction flashed in Victor's eyes. He cupped my face and smiled down at me.

"That's my brave girl.

"Don't worry. I'll give you enough men. Nothing is going to happen to you."

I brushed his hand away and stepped back. "I'm doing my job for this family," I said coldly. "Don't flatter yourself, Don."

Victor's hand froze in midair.

Somewhere along the way, I'd started treating him like any other subordinate would.

He gave me orders; I carried them out. He made decisions; I obeyed.

Nothing more.

It hadn't always been that way.

The moment the last person left a council meeting, I used to drop the act and throw myself into his arms.

Sometimes Victor couldn't even wait until we reached a room. He'd lift me onto the council table and kiss me.

Back then, we were only the Don and his subordinate when other people were watching.

Victor looked at me, conflicting emotions crossing his face.

He was about to speak when a guard called urgently from outside. "Don! The Donna fell down the stairs!"

Victor's expression changed. He grabbed his coat from the couch and hurried out.

I stared at the empty doorway and felt nothing.

Probably because the same scene had already happened too many times.

I shut the door, lowered my head, and went back to the file.

I lost count of the nights I stayed up working out every detail of the plan so nothing would go wrong.

Before we moved out, we raised our glasses at the table. "To victory—and everyone coming home alive!"

But on the day of the operation, the two escort units Victor had promised never showed up.

I called him, close to panic. "Where are the men you promised me?"

His voice was steady. "Angela is representing the family at the truce talks today. I sent them to protect her."

I looked back at my squad. Fewer than ten men. My voice shook with anger. "Don! Do you know how many men they have? You're sending us to our deaths!"

The line went quiet for a moment. When he spoke again, he was just as calm. "You're experienced. The men you have are enough.

"Besides, Angela never fully recovered. I can't let anything happen to her again."

I looked down at the wound on my arm, still bleeding, and forced myself to speak despite the absurdity of it all.

"It's not just my life at stake. There's also..."

"Don, it's time to go." Angela's voice came through the phone. A second later, the line went dead.

"Don! Don! Victor!"

I almost threw the phone. But the enemy was closing in, and there was no time for anger—or anything else.

Short of men, we had to change our plan that night.

We fought through the entire night.

I took the North District.

It cost me every man who'd followed me in.

And a bullet in my chest, an inch from my heart.

By the time they got me onto a stretcher, my blood pressure had dropped to almost fatal levels.

Through my fading vision, I saw Victor running toward me like a madman. His eyes were red as he grabbed my hand.

"Carina! Look at me! Don't go to sleep! Do you hear me?"

I didn't get to answer before everything went black.

When I woke up, three days had passed.

Victor wasn't there.

He was at a celebration. Angela's celebration.

I stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, certain I'd misheard.

"Whose... celebration?"

The guard lowered his head.

"The Donna's.

"The Don said the Donna deserves the most credit for taking the North District."

I slowly turned my head.

And then I pulled the IV out of my hand and ran for the ballroom.

Blood dripped onto the floor the whole way. Pain brought me to my knees more times than I could count, but I barely registered it.

I didn't believe it. I didn't believe Victor would do this to me!

Then I pushed the doors open. The roar of applause nearly brought me to my knees.

"The Donna runs this family flawlessly, and now she has taken the North District!"

"Some of us have been doing this for decades, and she's putting us to shame!"

A champagne tower stood in the hall, and every captain held up a glass.

And Angela stood in the middle of them.

Victor personally handed her the papers for the North District.

"No... no... that isn't hers!"

I tried to go through the doors. Before I could take more than a step, a guard caught me around the waist and hauled me back.

"Let go of me! Let me in!"

I bit his arm. The nearest guards rushed over and restrained me.

My back scraped against the wall again and again, leaving smears of blood.

"Ms. Rinaldi! You can't go in!"

"I belong to this family too. Why can't I go in?" I screamed, still fighting them.

"These are the Don's own orders! He said anyone can go in tonight except you!"

I turned my head in disbelief.

Waves of applause rolled through the doors.

It took me several seconds to swallow the blood in my throat. My eyes were red as I forced out the words. "Except... me?"

"Yes."

At his answer, I laughed.

The sound frightened the guards. Their grips loosened.

Through the gap in the doors, I watched Victor turn and kiss Angela's cheek.

I watched for a few seconds. When the guards pulled the doors shut, I turned and staggered down the corridor in the opposite direction.

Several guards followed, afraid I was only pretending to give in and would try to get through the doors again.

But once I left the building, I never looked back.

Back in the hospital bed, I kept seeing my men's faces, the way they'd looked at me as they died, unwilling to let go. Every memory stole my breath.

Late that night, the door opened.

"Get out," I said coldly.