CHAPTER-1

"The road to Cosa Nostra's throne is not easy, Aria. You have to prove yourself ten times more than a man should have. The members of Cosa Nostra want your brother to take over after me, not you."

Aria tensed hearing her father's words. She knew why the members of Cosa Nostra wanted Leonus and not her to be crowned as their next Capo. Because she was a woman and according to them a woman was not strong enough to handle the business of Cosa Nostra. They overlooked all her achievements as an active member of the organisation.

What mattered to them was nothing but her gender. And Aria wanted to change this stereotype. She was not going to stand behind her brother just because she was a woman. She was born to rule not bartered off in marriage to other Mafia families to create strong bonds.

Aaron Salvatore Knight watched his daughter's tense features and he understood what she was thinking. He sighed and knocked on his desk twice to bring her back from her thoughts.

"Aleksandr Fedorov," Aaron said, gaining Aria's attention back.

"Bratva Pakhan?" She asked with a frown in between her brows.

"Yes. The Bratva Pakhan and Cosa Nostra's sworn enemy. He is trying to reestablish Bratva in New York. He already owned the cooperation of the Irish Mafia in New York and now his eyes are on My territory," Aaron fixed Aria with a stare, "Your territory Aria."

Aria's blood boiled. The familiar havoc circled around her mind. She wouldn't allow anyone to take her territory from her. New York belongs to Cosa Nostra and it would always belong to Cosa Nostra. "I can take care of him. Killing him…"

Aaron raised his hand to silence her. "He asked for a meeting. A peace-talk basically."

"Peace talk for what? That man is trying to breach our territory and He has the guts to ask for a peace talk. This is nothing but a facade, Dad."

Aaron nodded. "You are not wrong but as the head of Cosa Nostra, I can't declare war and put the life of my men in danger. So Cosa Nostra will attend to this facade to measure its enemy."

Aria shook her head. "I don't agree with this. Those dogs don't deserve a meeting but punishment for entering our territory."

"Anger is good, Aria, but it's good when it wounds your enemies, not yourself. This meeting is your chance to stand in front of our enemy. It's your chance to show all those underbosses who are questioning your upcoming leadership. Let them see your coldness and darkness and make sure no one would question your forthcoming authority again. A few of my trusted men will also join the meeting with you. Prove your worth in their eyes, Aria."

Aria understood her father's rigid and wise words. She understood that this meeting was more about declaring her as the next Capo dei Capi of Cosa Nostra and less about a so-called peace talk with Bratva Pakhan.

Because Russians and Italians could never be at peace. It's against their nature. Can fire and water be friends? Never!

The same goes with Cosa Nostra and Bratva.

Aria gave her father a tight nod. "I will attend this meeting."

.

.

"What are you doing here?" Aria asked Leonus when she entered her condo in the evening. Her brother was sitting on the sofa with his legs stretched on the table in front and a business magazine was opened in his hands.

"Legs down, Leo," she gritted, walking to him. Leonus got on his feet and gave his sister a serious look. He knew what was running in her mind these days.

"I hope you remember the field duty we have in an hour? You are fifteen minutes late."

Aria shook her head. "How can I forget? I came back as soon as I could manage. Let's go."

Leonus stared at her for a long time before giving her a nod. Both siblings left for the nightclub which was giving serious trouble to their business.

Neon lights and loud music with a wild crowd was what greeted Aria when she stepped into the nightclub with her brother Leonus there. Aria eyed the name of the nightclub lit with lights, Evil's Deadline.

It became famous in a short amount of time. And Aria's eyes had been on this nightclub chain since it was first mentioned in the prominent lifestyle magazine. But the owner denied associating it with Cosa Nostra. However, he didn't know that nothing could remain untouched from Cosa Nostra, especially in the northeastern territory of the US.

Also she came here to check the reality of the news her brother got regarding the club being associated with Bratva and Irish mafia. She hoped that was not the case or she would have to take matters in her own hands.

"The crowd looks expensive. Profit must be good here," Leonus stated while moving his vigilant gaze around.

"Let's check out the liquor stock here and try to find the truth."

Aria headed to the heavily packed bar area with Leonus and they both stood beside a group of teenage girls wearing sparkly short dresses.

"Beer."

"Vodka." They both ordered at the same time.

"Your choice of liquor is horrific. Vodka. The favourite drink of

Russians."

Aria gave him a side glance. "Keep your friends close and enemies closer." She muttered just like her father but then her eyes went to a girl eyeing Leonus in a blatant sexual manner.

She rolled her eyes when the girl walked to him giggling before batting her lashes and started talking to him. If some man approached her like this, she would have broken his face. Whereas Leonus don't give a fuck about this but like to fuck around.

She sighed and silently walked away from there to find if there was any Russian or Irish doing drug dealings in her territory.

She was walking to a corner while observing her surroundings with her eyes and ears when her gaze suddenly went towards two men talking. One of them handed a packet of a white substance to the other. The other man sniffed it and they both walked out.

Her eyes narrowed and she followed them out. She knew what was happening there. Nothing could be hidden from her eyes. Her doubt got cleared. The man was selling weed in Cosa Nostra territory without permission. Aria was stunned to see a group of six men there. The leader was talking about the quality of their product.

Anger shot through her brain and she tsked in anger. She moved to punish those men but it all happened in a blink of a moment when someone grabbed her back abruptly.

Aria jerked towards the person who dared to grab her hand.

“Where to, princess? Didn't anyone warn you that it's dangerous to snoop on others?"

A pair of black beady eyes glinted at her. Aria's face contorted in disgust as she looked at his ugly and grinning face but her gaze went to his hand clasping hers. "Leave my hand." She ordered him with a straight face. She felt disgusted with his ugly touch.

The man laughed and whistled. Aria noticed five men coming out of the shadows, walked to them and she understood that they stalked her here to corner her.

"Pay attention next time you work, Roger. See we have a smart guest here," the man who grabbed her hand said to the one who had the packet of weed with him.

"But I must say that our guest is beautiful and seductive too," the man husked and others laughed at the comment.

Aria rolled her tongue inside her cheek to curb her rage. She jerked her elbow out of his clutch. The man made a throaty sound, "and She has claws too."

“Hey boss, can I go after you!”

Aria swallowed her anger and gave them a vicious look. But the man standing beside her traced her hand upwards with his fingers.

The calmness was leaving her mind and turmoil was taking over. The havoc was back in her mind and she hated it. Aria salvatore knight only gives two time warnings and after that she gives people the taste of an ice queen.

She observed their movements and calculated her next move.

"I am warning you for the last time, get your hands off me."

"Sorry princess but we want to have our fun." The leader of the group said as he grabbed her other hand and jerked her to him. Aria inhaled sharply at the action, she sneered before getting into action.

"We will leave you after having our fun, Princess."

"Which you won't have. Leave the girl and steer." Suddenly they heard the sharp and husky voice of a man from behind them. Aria frowned, the voice doesn't belong to her brother then who could it be?

"Now who came? Today is bad for business," the leader of the group grumbled.

The man with a sharp voice stepped forward but the darkness kept his face hidden with only his blue eyes visible.

"Why don't we have fun together? Let the girl go." He suggested simply.

"Tsk!” the man holding Aria looked at his men. "Finish him off till I enjoy this beauty."

The men jogged to attack that tall man with a muscular body but he handled them with the expertise of a professional until one of the men tried to attack him with the knife. But the tall man grabbed that man's hand and twisted it before snatching the knife and cutting his hand with it without any mercy.

He effortlessly fought with the goons as if they were nothing but kids in front of him. In no time the men were on the ground and he moved to help Aria from the beady eyed man who was trying to kiss her.

But his steps ceased as he witnessed something which stunned him.

The man who was trying to kiss Aria, growled in pain when something hard hit his head. He jerked away from her, cursing wildly.

Aria Salvatore Knight had tolerated enough of that man's ugly words and touch. She didn't want to get brutal but the moment he tried to put his filthy lips on hers. All hell broke loose in her mind as she slammed her head fiercely into his head hitting him and hit his chest with her elbow. Nobody could say that This ice queen was also insane to some level.

She heard his growling and cursing. "You bitch!” The man pressed his hand to his head before trying to hit Aria but she kicked him in the chest hard with her boot. The man fell on the ground, once again cursing.

Gritting her jaws, she moved and pulled out a sharp knife from her same boot and slashed his cheek with it. The man mewled like a wounded kitten.

“A dog can't have a tigress." She hissed before piercing his one eye with the knife, causing it to rain like a blood waterfall.

Aria let him live because she needed to know who he was and from where he gathered enough courage to sell weeds in Cosa Nostra territory.

She straightened up and pulled her cell phone from her leather pants to call her associate but then her gaze went to the man standing a few steps from her, observing her silently. She narrowed her eyes and walked to him.

The man with blue eyes cleared his throat. "Are you alright?" He asked in a thick voice, eyeing her from head to toe. "I was coming to help you but…"

"I don't need anyone's help. I would have handled them even if you had not come. So don't give yourself any importance." She glanced at the other five figures on the ground. She looked back at the man and settled her eyes on the tattoo poking out of his upper chest. His face was still under the shadow as Aria stood a few steps away from him.

Curiosity aroused and she walked to him.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” she couldn't trust anyone there as all are nasty bastards and vicious in the criminal world and who knows this could be another trick to get her.

The man stepped back as she tried to get close to him. The hoodie man shook his head.

“I saw you getting in trouble here so I came to help you but guess what, I didn't need to. A tigress could handle the whole army, right?”

Aria snorted, hearing his amusing comment with the perfect British accent. He used the name she called herself with. But still she was not convinced so she tried to remove his hood.

“Indeed. But now as you come, show me your face.” Before she could get the glimpse of his face, the man jerked her hand and twisted her body in a way, her back slammed to his chest. Aria tried to back hit him with her heel but he dodged it. He ceased her elbow move too. She clenched her jaws at his dare. She even tried to use her head but he locked her fully into his body and put his face near to her nape.

He was stronger and sharper than her. His strong cologne hit her nostrils making her dizzy. His intense aura was stirring something inside her but in a sensual way. He was the first man who overpowered her in the most intimidating way and this was creating uneasiness in her whole body. The havoc was back in her mind as she just couldn't stand this man.

"Not a chance, Tigress. Now if you don't want to get in trouble again, leave this place. And don't get involved in this again!”

He instructed her, near her ear. His hot breath made her numb for a second but as if it was not enough to give her another turmoil tonight, he caressed the throbbing pulse on her neck with the pad of his thumb which was fluttering due to the rage. He chuckled slightly, sensing her trembling body with fury. Ironically, his husky voice sounded like music to Aria’s ears.

“Till then….Tigress.”

Aria blinked up and turned around as soon as she felt the weight on her body lifted up but her eyes greeted with the darkness only. There was no sign of anyone. He vanished just like a thin air But she could hear the sound of someone whistling until it faded away.

And Aria could only clench and unclench her fists, standing out in the darkness around her.