All Chapters of SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FOR THE MAFIA DON: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Dahlia’s POV“Denise is gone!”The scream ripped through my sleep like a sharp blade. My eyes flew open and my heart started pounding so hard it hurt. For a moment, I didn’t understand anything. The room was still dark, the weak morning light barely slipping through the curtains. Everything was quiet except for the sound of my breathing.Then I heard it again. Mum’s voice.I threw the blanket off me and jumped out of bed. The floor was cold under my bare feet, and I shivered as I hurried to the door. My hands were shaking so bad I could hardly grab the handle. The sound had come from across the hallway—Denise’s room. My twin sister’s room.I rushed out, nearly tripping on the edge of the rug. My nightdress brushed against my legs as I ran, my hair messy and my eyes still blurry with sleep. But fear kept me moving. Something deep inside me already knew—something was very, very wrong.When I pushed open Denise’s door, I stopped dead.Mum was sitting on Denise’s bed, clutching a piece of

Dahlia’s POVA tall man stood near the table, his back partly turned toward us. I didn’t need to see his face to know who he was. The air around him felt… heavy, powerful, like he was someone people didn’t dare to cross. Luca Romano.My throat went dry the moment I recognized him. He turned slowly, and for a few seconds, I forgot how to breathe. He was—well, there wasn’t any other way to say it—dangerously attractive. The kind of man you’d think twice about staring at, because just one look could make you feel like you’d done something wrong.His tuxedo was perfect, not a wrinkle in sight. The black fabric seemed to catch the candlelight in a way that made him look even more intimidating. His jawline was sharp—so sharp it honestly looked like it could cut glass. His midnight-black hair was slicked back neatly, not a strand out of place. And those eyes—stormy grey, cold and unreadable—locked on us the moment he turned. Or maybe just on me. I couldn’t tell.My father immediately tensed b

Dahlia’s POVTime seemed to stop. My mouth went dry. My legs felt like they had turned to jelly. I couldn’t think. I wanted to pull my hand away, to step back, to scream, but the fear in his eyes and the power in his voice made me freeze in place.My heart raced so fast it felt like it would explode. What… what did he just say? I thought, my mind spinning. Is he serious? Is this real?The housekeeper glanced at him and then back at me. She didn’t say anything, didn’t blink. It was as if she expected me to obey without question.I could feel the weight of Luca’s gaze on me, dark and intense, like he was watching not just my body, but my thoughts too. Every instinct in me screamed to run, but the thought of leaving the house, of disobeying him, was terrifying.I swallowed hard, my throat dry, trying to steady my shaking legs. My mind raced with a million thoughts: I just met this man. I barely know him. And now… now he’s asking me to… My stomach churned, and cold sweat broke out across m

Dahlia’s POVI gasped from the pain and shock. His grip was tight, rough, like he wasn’t even trying to be gentle. I tried to pull away, but he didn’t budge. It was like trying to fight a wall. My voice caught in my throat; I wanted to scream, but no sound came out.Then he shoved me—hard. My body stumbled backward until I hit the bed behind me. The mattress dipped under me as I landed, my breath leaving my chest in a quick gasp. My heart was pounding so fast it hurt. I could hear it thudding in my ears, loud and desperate, like it was begging me to run even though my body wouldn’t move.I looked up at him, terrified, and for a second, I thought maybe he would stop. Maybe he would just walk away. But then he moved closer, climbing onto the bed. I shut my eyes quickly, tears spilling down my cheeks. My whole body shook.Was this really happening? Was he really going to take advantage of me? The thought made my stomach twist. I could barely breathe as fear settled over me like a heavy bl

Luca’s POVAnd the worst part for him was that he knew I would enjoy every second of what came next.I moved slowly, unhurried, like a predator who already knew his prey couldn’t escape. My hands stayed tucked in my trouser pockets, my shoulders relaxed, but inside me there was that familiar heat, that dark satisfaction that came whenever someone crossed me. I fed on their fear—it was stronger than blood, sweeter than wine.He tried to follow my movements with his one good eye. The other was swollen shut, purple and ugly. His mouth trembled as he sucked in broken breaths, the chains above his head rattling every time his body jerked. Sweat ran down the side of his face, dripping into the cuts along his cheek. His chest rose and fell too fast, like he already knew what was coming but still clung to the hope that I’d let him walk away.I stopped right in front of him. For a moment, I didn’t speak. I just stared, letting the silence hang heavy between us. I wanted him to drown in it, to