Beatrice Carbone always knew that life in a mafia family was full of secrets and dangers, but she never imagined she would be forced to pay the highest price: her own future. Upon returning home to Palermo, she discovers that her father, desperate to save his business, has promised her hand to Ryuu Morunaga, the enigmatic and feared heir of one of the cruelest Japanese mafia families. With a cold reputation and a ruthless track record, Ryuu is far from the typical "ideal husband." Beatrice refuses to see herself as the submissive woman destiny has planned for her. Determined to resist, she quickly realizes that in this game of power and betrayal, her only choice might be to become as dangerous as those around her. But amid forced alliances, dark secrets, and an undeniable attraction, Beatrice and Ryuu are swept into a whirlwind of tension and desire. Can she survive this marriage without losing herself? Or will the dangerous world of the Morunagas become both her home and her prison?
View MorePOV: Beatrice After that first fight, I avoided Ryuu as much as I could, and he seemed content to let me. He buried himself in work, either glued to his laptop or pacing the living room, barking orders into his phone like I wasn’t even there. Our interactions dwindled to clipped exchanges, enough for him to announce that we’d be heading to Los Angeles. Where in Los Angeles? He didn’t say, and I didn’t ask. I imagined their home would be the epitome of luxury, a gilded cage dripping with opulence and suffocating grandeur—nothing like the small, warm house I had shared with my aunt. “Are you ready?” Ryuu’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and unexpected. I glanced up to find him leaning against the doorframe, his hands shoved into his pockets, his gaze steady. Ignoring him, I zipped up the last of my bags, nodding curtly as I grabbed the handle. Without waiting for me to ask, he slung one of my bags over his shoulder. Then, to my surprise, he reached for my hand. Startl
POV: Beatrice“I lived with my aunt for the past four years,” I began, my voice dragging as though each word weighed more than the last. If Ryuu wanted to know about me, I’d give him only what was necessary—enough to satisfy his curiosity but nothing more. “I worked at her restaurant while finishing high school. Afterward, I stayed on full-time for two years. I considered going back to school, helping expand the family business. It’s more than just a front for us; it’s my aunt’s livelihood.”I let my gaze drift, focusing on the horizon where the ocean seemed to swallow the sky. I couldn’t bring myself to look at Ryuu, not while a knot tightened in my stomach, threatening to steal my composure. My voice wavered slightly as I added, “I suppose I won’t have that luxury anymore.”The weight of my own words crushed down on me, the reality of my abandoned future unfurling like a shadow creeping over my chest. If I were alone, I might have cried. But pride wouldn’t allow me to show that kin
POV: Beatrice I woke to the suffocating realization of my new identity: Mrs. Ryuu Morunaga. The word—wife—clung to my mind like poison, bitter and unrelenting. I jerked upright, pulling myself free from the arms that had held me through the night. When had I sought their refuge? The thought made my stomach turn. Weakness. That’s what it had to be—a momentary lapse, born of exhaustion. The blanket slipped off my shoulders, landing across Ryuu’s sleeping form. He didn’t stir. His chest rose and fell with a calmness that mocked my inner chaos. The loose pajama pants he wore did little to obscure the sharp, disciplined lines of his physique. Many women would have envied me, trapped in marriage to a man who embodied power and control so effortlessly. But attraction, if that’s what this was, felt more like a betrayal. Ryuu was a man to be feared. His presence was a reminder of everything I despised about this life—its ruthless, unyielding grip. His body, honed by years of relen
POV: BeatriceThe stems of my bouquet bent beneath my grip, each step down the aisle tightening my hold until the fragile blooms threatened to break. The sight before me was every bit as pristine as the planners had intended: white chairs perfectly aligned, delicate flowers swaying in the ocean breeze, and a makeshift altar framed by the endless horizon. Yet, for all its beauty, the scene felt hollow, each detail mocking me with its cheerful façade. My eyes locked on my father, stationed near the altar beside my aunt. His presence felt like an intrusion. I’d refused his offer to walk me down the aisle—one small victory in a war I was otherwise losing. He didn’t deserve the honor of giving me away, not after dragging me into this arrangement. The music swelled, and all at once, dozens of faces turned toward me. Strangers, most of them, their gazes curious, expectant. I ignored them, keeping my focus fixed ahead. My cousins, seated in the front row, stood out among the crowd. Their
POV: BeatriceThe ache in my neck was a harsh reminder of how the morning had begun. Heat radiated against my cheek, and with dawning horror, I realized it wasn’t just the sofa cushioning me—it was Ryuu. His bare chest pressed against me, firm and unyielding, as memories of the night crashed over me. I’d fallen asleep on him.I shot upright, embarrassment searing my skin as I rubbed my eyes and tried to make sense of my surroundings. My sudden movement startled him, a gruff, half-conscious groan escaping his lips, but it was the laughter across the room that made me freeze.“Good morning,” Nitta drawled, his tone dripping with amusement.My head snapped toward the source of the voice, only to find Gojou and his sons standing there like spectators at some absurd comedy show. Gojou, as calm and collected as ever, sipped his coffee from an armchair, while Fukui stood lazily scrolling through his phone. Nitta, of course, looked smugger than anyone had a right to be.“It’s nice to see you
POV: Beatrice“Because I didn’t choose this,” I snapped, my voice steady even as fear clawed at my chest. “I’m being forced into it. We both know what happens if I refuse.” My words hung in the air, daring him to argue, but Ryuu’s silence only spurred me on. This was my last chance—my final moment before the wedding to make him see reason. “Is that what you think?” he asked, his tone infuriatingly calm. “I’m not stupid, Ryuu Morunaga,” I shot back, my frustration cutting through the tension like a blade. “I know who my grandfather is. I know who your father is. And I know exactly who you are. I know what happens to women who defy men like you.” His grip tightened on my ankles, like iron shackles pinning me in place. His silence was deafening, daring me to continue, and I wasn’t about to stop now. “I’m not the ideal wife for you. I won’t be... obedient,” I said, the word leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. Mafia wives weren’t meant to have a voice. They were meant to be see
Point of View: BeatriceI found myself counting the hours that night. The weight of my impending marriage to Ryuu Morunaga pressed down on me, suffocating every thought and movement. The fear of what awaited—restrictions, control, and the loss of freedom that came with being the wife of a mafia man—clung to me like a shadow I couldn’t escape. As the night dragged on, my thoughts kept circling back to Suniza Morunaga. Why wasn’t she here for her son’s wedding? Her absence left me uneasy, gnawing at the edges of my resolve. Was I destined for the same fate? Would I be confined, cut off, and stripped of the independence I had taken for granted? By two in the morning, I couldn’t take it anymore. The weight on my chest had grown unbearable, and the suffocating silence of my room felt like it was closing in. I slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb the Morunaga men, and made my way through the darkened house toward the kitchen. I needed something—anything—to distract myself. A
Point of View: BeatriceThe dinner was winding down, the tables nearly empty, when a slurred voice cut through the low hum of conversation. “So, Beatrice,” one of the Morunaga cousins drawled, his tone soaked in liquor and brimming with misplaced confidence. “What’s a charming young woman like you doing with a recluse like this guy?” He leaned forward, his glass teetering precariously in his hand. I didn’t know his name—just that he was one of Ryuu’s cousins, loud and irritatingly hard to miss. I forced a pleasant smile, the kind sharp enough to draw blood. “Don’t you think your cousin is a fine match?” I said sweetly, letting my gaze linger on the cousin just long enough to make him squirm. Then, with deliberate slowness, I reached across the table, placing my hand over Ryuu’s. My voice took on a lilting tone, honeyed with mockery. “I prefer the company of men who know how to behave themselves.” The cousin’s glass froze halfway to his lips. Around the table, muffled lau
Point of View: BeatriceI’d been hiding in the kitchen, stealing a rare moment of peace, when Gojou Morunaga found me. His sharp gaze swept the room before landing on me, and the disapproval in his expression was clear before he even spoke. “Leave the food to your aunt and the others,” he said, his tone clipped. “You should check on Ryuu. He looks like an angry bull trapped with those idiots. If he doesn’t escape my nephews soon, they might not survive until the wedding.” I froze mid-motion, fingers fumbling with the apron tied around my waist. Was he joking? I glanced at my aunt, but she avoided my eyes, her focus fixed on the vegetables she was chopping. No one else in the kitchen dared to look up either, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. With a shaky breath, I removed the apron and left the kitchen, Gojou’s words trailing me like a shadow. I found Ryuu exactly where he’d been earlier—on the veranda, surrounded by his brothers and a cluster of cousins. The air w
Point of View: BeatriceLeaving my cozy little house in Palermo wasn’t something I wanted, but my father had other plans. With my twenty-first birthday looming, he organized a family trip to the Bahamas. A celebration, he called it, though I had a sinking feeling there was more to it. My father didn’t do simple. ***“Dad?” I called, my voice soft as I wandered barefoot through the hall of the rented villa. The place was beautiful, all sleek wood floors and breezy blue walls, but the tension in the air made it feel stifling. I followed the trail of muted voices and faint cigar smoke to the office—his sanctuary, even on vacation. Knocking sharply, I pushed the door open without waiting. He was seated behind a massive desk, head bowed, hands pressed to his temples. “Bea,” he said, looking up, his usual sharpness dulled by exhaustion. I crossed the room in seconds, throwing my arms around him. He held me close, his hand brushing through my hair, but there was a stiffness to his ...
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