The Mafia’s Runaway Bride

Chapter 1

(ROSA’s POV) The bass pounded in my chest, loud and unrelenting. Cigar smoke curled through the air, mixing with the scent of expensive whiskey and something filthier; the raw hunger of men who had too much power and no control. I adjusted the flimsy mask covering half my face, my fingers trembling. It wouldn’t do much if someone looked too closely, but it gave me a false sense of security. That was all I needed. Just one night. One chance to make enough for Sofia’s surgery. “Get up there, Rosa.” Liana’s sharp whisper cut through my hesitation as she grabbed my wrist, her nails digging in. She was the one who got me this job. “These men are loaded,” she hissed. “Dance like you used to, and they’ll throw money like it’s nothing.” My stomach twisted. But I forced my feet to move. The music shifted, slow and sultry, thick with expectation. The dim lights flickered over the crowd, revealing rows of eager eyes, waiting. I gripped the pole, my heart hammering. This w...