When my father died, he left me The Costa Mafia, a broken family and a target on my back. Our enemies are waiting for their chance to destroy what’s left of the Costa name. My siblings are counting on me to save them, but I can’t do it alone. There’s only one man powerful enough to keep us safe. Luca Marino. The cold, ruthless Mafia king with blood on his hands and ice in his veins. THE MONSTER. The man everyone fears. I walked into his life with nothing to offer but my name and a desperate proposal. A marriage contract. No love, no romance. Just protection for my family in exchange for power and status for him. But Luca doesn’t trust easily. He doesn’t take chances, and he doesn’t care about anyone but himself. To him, I’m just playing in a deadly game. And the closer I get, the more deadly it becomes. My mother betrays us, then his father, then Luca dies. Or so I think. In our world, loyalty is a weapon, betrayal is expected, and love is a weakness that can destroy you. And now, I’m caught in a contract I may not survive. And falling in love with him daily.
Lihat lebih banyakALINA
I just walked into THE MONSTER’S home.
I stood stiffly in Luca Marino's study, trying not to stare at the blood on the floor near the corner.
The dry smell of cigars and whiskey filled the room. The huge desk in front of me looked like it belonged to a king—or a very dangerous man.
This was a bad idea.
A terrible idea.
But my father was dead, my family was falling apart, and my younger brother and sister were depending on me.
There was no turning back.
The door slammed open behind me. Heavy footsteps followed, then stopped.
"Who the hell are you?" The voice was deep like the depths of the ocean. Deep and cold.
I turned into the darkest pair of eyes I'd ever seen.
Luca Marino. The Monster.
My mouth went dry.
He was tall, with messy black hair and sharp dark eyes that felt like they could pin me to the wall.
His black shirt was rolled up to his elbows, revealing strong arms, one of which was stained with blood.
A tattoo of a beautiful mermaid was on his forearm, so clear it looked alive.
He curled his lips, but his eyes didn't smile. "I asked a question."
"I'm Alina Costa." My voice came out stronger than I expected considering how scared I was suddenly. I knew that Luca knew exactly who I was. There was no way he'd be here to see me if he didn't.
His head tilted slightly. "You're the Costa girl. The one with all the family problems."
My jaw tightened. Everyone knew the Costa family. Everyone knew my father was dead. "I didn't come here to talk about my family."
Luca leaned against his desk, folding his arms. I wanted to squirm under his harsh eyes. "Then why are you here? I was in the middle of something." He held up his bloody arm like it was a joke. "You interrupted."
"I need to marry you."
The curl of his lips disappeared. For a second, he just stared at me, his dark eyes searching my face like I was a puzzle he didn't understand.
Then he laughed like I'd said something very funny. A real laugh. His eyes lit up and I realized they were more brown than black.
"Marry me?" He shook his head. "You're out of your mind."
I didn’t flinch. I could be dead if he didn't agree. Out of my mind was easy. "Probably. But I don't have another choice."
His laugh faded, but he still looked amused. "If you're desperate for a husband, you should pick someone else. I am Luca Marino, The Monster.”
He was the monster because it was said he could crush a man's head with his hands. Looking at him, I almost believed it. He was huge, at least six feet, two inches tall. And heavily muscled.
He could certainly crush me if he wanted to.
I nodded slowly, my fingers shaking now. I wiped them behind my back. "That's exactly why I picked you."
His eyes narrowed. Now he was paying attention. "Go ahead, explain."
I dragged air into my chest which was beating too fast and hard. "My father is dead. My uncles are fighting over the Mafia. The rivals see me as easy prey. My family is falling apart. If I don't act, my brother and sister won't survive this. And neither will I."
"And you think I'm your solution?"
"You're the only one everyone's afraid of. No one will touch me if I'm your wife."
Luca raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I won't kill you myself?"
My heart pounded, but I held his eyes. If I didn't convince him, I had wasted my time coming here. "Because I have something you don't."
He leaned forward, smiling like he didn't believe that was possible. "And what's that?"
"Loyalty. Connections. And the one thing all those men out there want—control of the Costa family."
For a moment, the room was silent except for the ticking of the clock on the wall. Luca didn't look away, and I refused to back down.
I had spent weeks repeating these words over and over again. Telling myself that fear was a luxury I couldn't pay for.
Payment would be my father's hard work, my family's life. My life.
"I should throw you out of here," Luca said finally.
"Then do it." I lifted my head, hiding the snake in my hands. "But you won't. Because you're too smart to pass up a chance like this."
Luca stared at me, his face blank.
"Why me?" he asked suddenly.
"My father's most trusted man helped me make a list," I said simply. "The most dangerous men alive. Your name was at the top."
The corner of his mouth curved and he flattened it, almost like he was trying not to smile.
"And you thought, 'Hey, I'll marry the most dangerous guy in the world'? That's your plan?"
"I need someone who can scare them. Someone who can keep my family alive." My voice went soft."And I need someone I can trust not to stab me in the back."
His head tilted again, studying me like I was some rare animal he hadn't seen before. "You think you can trust me?"
"No," I admitted. "But I can't trust anyone else, either."
He let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "You've got guts. I'll give you that."
"I'm serious," I pressed. "Leave the love or romance. It's a deal. You protect me, and you get something in return."
"And what's that?”
"My name," I said. "The Costa name still carries weight. If you marry me, no one will question your power. You'll be untouchable."
His gaze flickered with something I couldn’t quite read. He pushed off the desk and walked closer, stopping just a foot away from me.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Alina Costa."
"I know."
He stepped even closer, towering over me now. "Do you?"
My breath caught. His voice was low, almost a whisper, but it sent shivers down my spine.
"I could destroy you," Luca said. "Everything you love. Everything you're trying to protect."
I swallowed hard, meeting his eyes. "Then do it."
Silence sat between us, heavy and electric.
Finally, Luca chuckled, shaking his head. "You're either the bravest woman I've ever met or the stupidest."
"Maybe both," I said. I could be both.
He took a step back, still watching me. "You've got my attention, Costa. Let's see if you can keep it."
I exhaled slowly, my heart pounding like a drum. I had him.
"Why don't we start with why you think I won't kill you?" he asked suddenly, casual but his eyes deadly serious, and he pulled a knife from his waist.
And just like that, the room felt colder.
I froze.
ALINAI woke up suddenly, my heart pounding. The day had already begun, because light was pouring in through my curtains.I groaned and sat up. I never woke up this late. I must have been very tired. Little wonder why Luca had forced me to sleep.I threw off the covers, got out of bed, and quickly showered and dressed. Luca hadn’t woken me up. That meant something was wrong or he was just being a pain in the ass by trying to protect me.Either way, I didn’t like it.When I opened the door, I nearly ran into a wall of muscle.I blinked. Took a step back.The man standing outside my door was huge. He was built like a damn mountain. He had broad shoulders, thick arms, and an expression that looked like he hadn't smiled in years.An eye patch covered his left eye, making him look even more intimidating.I stared at him. Why was he standing outside my door? “Who the hell are you?”He smiled, but on his face, it looked more like a grimace. “Lorenzo. Your new bodyguard.”I laughed. “What?”
LUCAI lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.Sleep wouldn’t come. My body was heavy, exhausted, but my mind wouldn’t shut off.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Riot’s face.I heard the bastard’s voice.I thought about Valerie, about the boy, about how fast things were spiraling.I closed my eyes, forced my shoulders to relax, and tried to rest for an hour.I knew the Alvarado Cartel wouldn't kill the boy. They just couldn't.But I couldn't relax. I sat up and rubbed a hand down my face.Someone knocked on my door.I jumped out of bed like I had been waiting for that distraction.When I opened the door, Pietro and Leonard stood there. One look at their faces, and I knew I was in for a long night. Neither of them looked happy.“They’re here,” Pietro said.I nodded and turned back inside. I grabbed a shirt from the chair, pulled it on without buttoning it, and ran a hand through my hair.“Wait in my office,” I muttered as I stepped past them.They left in one direction, but I turned the
ALINALuca didn’t wait for me to follow, he just walked, his steps long and purposeful, expecting me to keep up. Marco was right beside him, and I trailed stiffly behind, my mind still trying to catch up with everything that had happened.Just before we stepped out of sight, Luca looked back at Sofia. “Go up and sleep, after the housekeeper has taken Valerie and Maya to their room.”Sofia nodded, her face still tense. I had no idea if she’d actually listen, but I didn’t have the energy to say anything else.I was suddenly tired. Maybe it was the thought of the boy dying because I had interfered where I shouldn't have. I pushed the tiredness away. I would have to live with the guilt forever if the boy died because of me. We entered Luca’s office, and he locked the door behind us. The moment he sat behind his desk, I asked, “Do you think they’d really kill the boy?”Luca exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face. “No.” He sounded sure. “The boy is still Riot’s son.”That should have ma
LUCA“Find my phone,” I yelled over the gunfire.Alina reached for it, her hands moving fast as I speeded out of the parking lot. The sound of bullets slamming against the armored windows was deafening, like hail against glass, but heavier, more violent.I clenched my jaw and pushed the gas pedal down harder. We needed to get the hell out of here before they found a way to stop us.Alina shoved the phone into my hand. I was about to dial when she grabbed it back.“I’ll call Sofia,” she said. “You focus on driving.”I didn’t argue. I needed both hands on the wheel.She pressed the phone to her ear. She tapped her finger impatiently against her seat until Sofia picked up. “Sofia, get one of the men to open the gates right now. We’re coming home.”Sofia’s voice was sleepy on the other end, but she answered immediately. “Okay.”Alina ended the call, sliding the phone back into its hold. The bullets kept coming, but I could tell we were pulling ahead. Their shots were landing less freque
ALINA I called the number again.Nothing.I stared at the screen, heart pounding.It rang five times, then cut off.I swallowed, hit redial, prayed someone would pick up. The man who had called sounded dangerous, the kind of man who wouldn't care about hurting the child if he could get what he wanted.Was that Riot's elder brother? Did it make a difference who it was?Still no answer.“What are you planning to do?” Luca asked when I almost ran over to the car.I barely looked up. I was glad he was beside me, with his intensity, but the man had asked me to come alone. “I’m going to get the boy.”Luca snapped. “Alone?”“Yes.”Luca stopped and the suddeness of the action made me stop too. “It’s a trap.”I nodded. I knew exactly what it was. “I know.”Luca looked exasperated. His eyes flashed at me. “And you’re still going?”My grip on my phone tightened. “Do you have a better idea?”Luca nodded, looking all sensible, like he needed me to be sensible too. How could I be sensible when t
LUCA Alina was going to do something reckless.I could see it in the way her shoulders tensed, the way her hand hovered too close to her waist like she was wishing she had a gun. She was thinking too fast, moving too fast like her body was already making decisions her mind hadn’t caught up to.Immediately she told us about the call with Mikhail, she asked Pietro to bring her a gun. I knew she was feeling that bloodlust. I could see it in her eyes. Ethan was already up, pulling on his suit jacket like he wasn’t covered in blood. I frowned. Where the fuck was he going?“Why are you still here?” I asked. “Shouldn’t you be going home?”Ethan adjusted his cuffs, unbothered. “And miss the show? No chance.”I rolled my jaw, turning back to Alina. She was already walking to the door. Ethan followered her. “Where do you think you’re going?”She grabbed her phone. “To find the boy.”I couldn't believe my ears. “Where exactly do you think the boy is?” Her eyes snapped to mine. “Wherever he
ALINABlood was still dripping from the ax when I let it fall.It hit the floor with a thud, but I barely heard it over Riot’s ragged, pain-filled breaths. His face twisted in agony, sweat popping out on his forehead as he held the ruined stump of his arm.His breath came out in sharp, broken gasps. Blood pooled at his side, dark and thick against the floor. He shook, but I didn’t know if it was from the pain or the rage in his eyes.I stared down at him, feeling nothing. No pity. No regret. Just the hum of anger under my skin.The loss of his hand was enough to remind him for all the days of his miserable life that hitting a woman was wrong, though I didn't believe he would learn.“You used that hand to hit a woman,” I said quietly. “Now you don’t have it for anything else. You despicable man.” I spat at him. Riot’s nostrils flared, his teeth bared in a snarl as more blood poured from his hand.I tilted my head, watching him carefully. “If you ever lay a hand on Valerie again, I’l
LUCAI stepped inside, barely taking in the mess of the room before my eyes locked on Alina. She stood in the center rigidly, looking shocked to see me.Behind her, a woman was sitting on a couch, clutching a child so tightly it looked like she was afraid someone would rip her away.Ethan was sitting, looking too damn comfortable for someone with bandages wrapped around his side. Blood stained the floor, and the air was thick enough to cut with a blunt butter knife.My eyes snapped back to Alina. “What the hell are you doing here?”She looked away and shrugged. She wasn't holding my eyes so she was definitely hiding something from me. “Handling something.”My patience was already worn thin. Pietro had called me about thirty minutes ago but I definitely didn't expect to meet such mess. What the hell was going on? I bent over her desk. “Handling something? You walked straight into a damn war zone.”She crossed her arms. “I had it under control.”I wanted to jerk her up, and help her
ALINAThe baby screamed in my arms, her small body trembling so hard I could feel it in my bones.My heart pounded in my ears, but the noise around me was louder.The woman was shouting as the bullet hit Ethan. I wasn’t even sure where, only that I could see blood staining his clothes fast.Damn.Ethan was still standing, though he was breathing fast, his palm pressed into his side.Blood soaked through his shirt. For a second, he didn’t react, as if he was still trying to figure out where he’d been hit.Then his eyes went dark like an ocean when a storm blew in. He looked suddenly like Luca, when someone had pissed him off.“Ethan,” I cried, moving the baby to one arm and stepping closer to him.The man was cocking his gun again. He was going to shoot someone else. I hoped it wasn’t the little girl.Ethan’s fingers were stained red as he tried to keep standing, trying to keep the blood from pumping out.The woman was sobbing now, bent on the ground, hands covering her mouth. “You bas
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