KIRA’S POV"We're here, ma'am." The driver's voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.I looked up and took in the grand mansion in front of me, a house I knew all too well. This was Paulo Vasillios's estate, but after Adrian's inauguration, it now belonged to my father.According to Romano, when the blood treaty between our families is fulfilled, there are benefits for both sides that each Don must provide. I guess this house was part of my father's share.I knew every inch of the estate, especially since I had spent every holiday here after my kidnapping.Dylan lived in the U.S. but would always return to Italy for the holidays as a way to strengthen the bond between our families.My father often let me accompany him, and I'd spend those holidays here, living a life far remote from the one I had back at home.This house was full of memories, every corner holding a fragment of what remained of my former life.As I stepped out of the car, my gaze drifted up to the roof. The last
KIRA’S POV“Of course, she isn’t, honey,” Sasha said, a fake smile plastered on her face. My father raised an eyebrow in confusion, as though giving her permission to continue, and she didn’t hesitate. “We all know Azreal hasn’t touched her, honey. Last I heard he prefers sleeping with his maid’s daughter rather than our dear Kira.” She faked a sob for dramatic effect.My eyes widened at her words. It was true, but how did she know that?“That’s not—”“Oh, you poor thing. You don’t need to act strong for us. We’re your family,” she interrupted, finishing her unsolicited speech with fake sympathy.Beside her, Kayla and Karina snorted.“Yeah, so what if he prefers sleeping with the maids? You’re still the Dona,” Kayla taunted and Sasha nodded in agreement as if validating her point.My father remained silent, watching as his family tore me apart with their cruel words, mocking me, and like always, his reaction was the same.Nothing.Sasha's hands moved to touch mine but I moved them qui
PROLOGUE…KIRA’S POVThe morning sun spilled its light through the stained-glass windows of the wedding hall,The air was thick with the scent of roses and lilies, and the soft hum of a string quartet filled the space with a romantic melody.I stood at the back of the hall, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't tell if it was due to my nervousness or the overwhelming excitement of finally being able to get married to Dylan. My hands trembled slightly as the large double doors slowly opened. Today, I would marry Dylan, the man I had loved even before I knew what love was.My father stood in front of me, his hands akimbo, waiting for me to take his arm. I couldn't help the shiver that ran through my body as our skin made contact.“Stop shaking like a fool and smile,” he instructed, his tone sounding more like a warning than encouragement.The veil over my eyes blurred my sight, but the sound of the orchestra playing was enough to make me giddy and momentarily forget my fath
Four weeks earlier…Kira's Pov"Are you ready?" Aunt Linda asked and my eyes widened with excitement. It seemed like she had found a way out."Yes," I replied, dragging the sun dress down my thighs."Okay, you're set to go. Just remember to come back on time," she instructed. I nod, too excited to reply.The corridors were empty, allowing me to walk out without being seen. To an outsider, it might seem like a mischievous teenager trying to sneak out of the house with Aunt Linda as my accomplice. But my life was far more complicated than that. My name is Kira Neel. I am the first daughter of the Neel Family.My family held immense power in the country and my father was the Don of the American mafia. Being the eldest daughter of this family, one might expect that I would be a pampered princess living a life of luxury and privilege.However, my reality had always been more similar to that of an abandoned princess.My mother's death during my birth was the breaking point of my father's
KIRA’S POV“Give me your word and I'll make it look like an accident boss.” the guard growled, his gun still aimed at Dylan.Adrain waved a dismissive hand, a smirk playing on his lips. “There is no need for all that Romaro. Sadly, he's family,” he replied and the guard, Romaro retracted his gun and stepped back behind Adrian.I gulped nervously, my hands trembling under the table. Just how powerful was Adrain to have a guard so ready to do his bidding?Adrain only spared a glance at Dylan before returning his gaze to me. Dylan narrowed his eyes, a death glare fixed on Adrian. Unfazed, Adrain dragged the documents toward him, taking the pen Dylan had offered earlier. Without so much as glancing at the contents, he signed them.Dylan was about to say something else but Aidan stood up to leave. "Next time you might want to try sending a singing telegram, might get my attention quicker," he said before stepping out the door.Dylan scoffed slightly after Adrian's departure, "I don't under
THIRD PERSON’S POV…The engagement party…The guests arrived, wine glasses in hand, comfortably discussing with one another. Dylan’s eyes roamed over the hall, searching for one person—the reason for the occasion. He was about to go and look for her when he heard the clink of a spoon against a glass, drawing everyone’s attention. It was Kira’s father, Tius."Ladies and gentlemen, Tonight, we celebrate the age-long union of our two families. As you all know, centuries ago, my great-great-grandfather Julius Neel was on the verge of ruin, all the other families abandoned us except the great Romano Vasillios. And with his help, we overcame our enemies and In gratitude, Julius agreed to a marriage alliance between our families. This blood alliance has allowed our families to coexist peacefully for generations. And tonight, we honor this legacy through the marriage of my beautiful daughter Kira and Dylan Vasillios." he paused, looking around."So here's to love and family. Let's all raise o
KIRA’S POV.THE PRESENT…"You move an inch more, and a bullet goes through her skull." my father's voice rang in my head.I watched as Aunt Linda shut her eyes, her body trembling with fear. I couldn't bear to see her suffer because of me again. She still has the scars from last time. But I also couldn't let my father blackmail me into marrying a criminal."You can't force me into this, Father," I stated, maintaining a stoic expression. I couldn't let him see he had me."Or maybe I can." he dragged her hair, making her open her mouth in a scream. Seeing this, he held her closer, forcing the gun into her mouth."Father!" I cried, my eyes widened in shock. "Please don't do this. You can't make me marry someone I don't love. He's a criminal, father." “Don’t be dramatic, Kira. We’re all criminals—it’s our line of work. I’ll give you ten seconds to decide, and you know better than anyone that I don’t bluff.”I felt everyone's eyes on me, trying to predict what my answer would be. Will I c
KIRA’S POVI looked at myself in the mirror, for the second time that day, all glamoured up, but this time I wasn't clad in a white wedding dress. A blue gown hugged my curves, accentuating my figure beautifully.A smile tugged at my lips as I noticed how my eyes sparkled, perfectly matching the colour of the dress. But then my conversation with Adrian crept back into my mind. And Suddenly, the urge to tear the dress off overwhelmed me, and the smile faded, my expression mirroring the emptiness I felt inside.***"You'll be going," he had said with authority, his eyes holding a stern glare similar to mine.“What makes you think I’ll listen to you? I thought I was just your brother’s sloppy seconds. So why are you so eager to show me off?” I challenged him.He looked at me, his face expressionless, making one think he wasn't affected by my words, but the way his fist tightened beside him hinted otherwise. It was enough for me to know I had gotten to him.“I couldn’t care less if you we
KIRA’S POV“Of course, she isn’t, honey,” Sasha said, a fake smile plastered on her face. My father raised an eyebrow in confusion, as though giving her permission to continue, and she didn’t hesitate. “We all know Azreal hasn’t touched her, honey. Last I heard he prefers sleeping with his maid’s daughter rather than our dear Kira.” She faked a sob for dramatic effect.My eyes widened at her words. It was true, but how did she know that?“That’s not—”“Oh, you poor thing. You don’t need to act strong for us. We’re your family,” she interrupted, finishing her unsolicited speech with fake sympathy.Beside her, Kayla and Karina snorted.“Yeah, so what if he prefers sleeping with the maids? You’re still the Dona,” Kayla taunted and Sasha nodded in agreement as if validating her point.My father remained silent, watching as his family tore me apart with their cruel words, mocking me, and like always, his reaction was the same.Nothing.Sasha's hands moved to touch mine but I moved them qui
KIRA’S POV"We're here, ma'am." The driver's voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.I looked up and took in the grand mansion in front of me, a house I knew all too well. This was Paulo Vasillios's estate, but after Adrian's inauguration, it now belonged to my father.According to Romano, when the blood treaty between our families is fulfilled, there are benefits for both sides that each Don must provide. I guess this house was part of my father's share.I knew every inch of the estate, especially since I had spent every holiday here after my kidnapping.Dylan lived in the U.S. but would always return to Italy for the holidays as a way to strengthen the bond between our families.My father often let me accompany him, and I'd spend those holidays here, living a life far remote from the one I had back at home.This house was full of memories, every corner holding a fragment of what remained of my former life.As I stepped out of the car, my gaze drifted up to the roof. The last
ADRIAN'S POV.Nursing a glass of Scotch, I stood by the window of my study, my gaze fixed on Kira as she chatted animatedly with Romano by the car. He laughed-–yeah my fucking underboss laughed. Kira wasn’t funny. She was irritating as hell. So what, exactly, was making Romano giggle so much?Gripping the glass tighter, I watched as his eyes watched her intently as she gestured happily with her hands, clearly caught up in whatever silly story she was telling. She wore a blue sundress that clung perfectly to her curves, her hair loosely tied in a messy ponytail, I watched as her boobs moved with every exaggerated motion. My irritation simmered as I watched their exchange. Where the hell had Romano taken her? My meetings with my father, Blackbone, and Tius ended hours ago, so what had they been doing all this time? And why the fuck did they look so damn comfortable together?The loud ring of my phone tore me from the scene. I stepped away from the window, setting the glass down on the
KIRA’S POVComing out of the mansion, I spotted Romano leaning beside a black SUV, dressed in worn blue jeans and a black sleeveless vest that clung to his masculine frame. For the first time, I noticed the large spider web tattoo crawling from his neck down across his chest before vanishing beneath the fabric. My curiosity piqued, wondering just how far it extended—but I quickly pushed the thought aside.Spotting me, Romano pushed open the rear door for me, waited for me to climb in, slammed the door shut behind me, and slid behind the wheel.As soon as we hit the road, the tension in the SUV became suffocating with Romano driving like a maniac, he took a sharp corner without warning, and I was thrown back against the seat with a hard jolt.“Hey!” I wanted to yell, but I bit my tongue. Losing my cool wasn’t an option… not if I wanted answers.Straightening my dress and smoothing it over my lap, I broke the silence, “Where are we going Romano, I can't enter a mission blind, I need to
KIRA’S POV“I live here,” she replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. The girl stared at me from head to toe, her scowl deepening as she took in my appearance. I didn't need a mirror to know what she was thinking. I looked like I’d just crawled out of Hurricane Milton.“What do you mean you live here?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. Was Adrian now giving accommodation to his conquests? The thought made my stomach sink uncomfortably, even though it shouldn’t have. We weren't a real couple, after all, but letting one of his whores shack up here is still disrespectful.Before she could answer, the back door swung open, and Maria entered, carrying a plastic bag overflowing with vegetables.“Hey, Mum!” the girl said, her tone brightening, ignoring my question.Mum? With her back still turned to me, Maria responded in Italian, her voice warm and welcoming and the two launched into a full conversation in Italian, completely ignoring my presence.I blinked rapidly as I stood there feeling com
KIRA’S POV“Again,” Romano said, not even sparing me a glance.“What do you mean again? I hit the bullseye.” I retorted, turning around to face him and pointing dramatically at the dartboard. He was seated lazily on a black bean sack chair at the edge of the armory. Sitting up slightly, he waved the stopwatch in his hand. “Two minutes and twenty seconds,” he announced, flatly. “That’s how long it took you to hit the bullseye. In that time, Ma’am, you could have been shot or stabbed multiple times in a knife fight.”I clenched my teeth, swallowing my irritation. I hated when he spoke to me like a clueless toddler and then threw in ma’am at the end, like that somehow softened the insult.“What does throwing darts have to do with a knife fight? And how on earth would I ever get into one anyway,” I shot back, rolling my eyes at him. I threw my hands up in frustration, annoyed by how much he was enjoying my misery.Romano leaned back on his bean sack and focused his attention back on the
KIRA’S POVA huge hand was placed over my mouth and nose, and I braced myself to pass out amidst my little struggle to free myself. Whoever this person was had an iron grip because no matter how hard I twisted or kicked, they didn’t release me. “L…Let me go!” I struggled, muffling into the napkin, hoping that the perpetrator would comply.I was pulled deeper into the shadows, and within a few seconds, Adrian stepped out of the room. He was so sweaty that it was visible on the white shirt he wore. The sleeves had been rolled up and his broad muscles flexed subtly underneath the shirt as I watched in shock. Adrian was torturing that man—but why? I knew life in a mafia household, the Vasillios household came with its complications, but I never imagined witnessing a man being branded with a hot iron would be one of them. My father had always kept his work away from the house.“Romano!” He called out, glancing at where we hid in the shadows.
KIRA’S POVI walked into the house quietly, craving nothing more than a long, cold shower and some sleep. My feet dragged across the cool tiles as I inched toward my bedroom. Once inside, I shut the door lazily and dropped my fanny pack onto the bed before pulling my hair into a bun.“Ugh…” I groaned as I peeled off my sweat-soaked sports bra. The relief of having it off was immediate. I tossed it into the laundry basket before hooking my thumbs into the waistband of my shorts.Before I could pull them down, I heard someone make a tsking sound from the other side of the door. It sounded closer than usual, which was odd, but I turned my head around to look and met a familiar pair of dark brown eyes I knew too well. I didn’t shut the door well!“Ah! What the hell?” I yelped, dragging my duvet from off the bed and using it to cover my chest, before turning back around. “Why did you stop? I was enjoying the little show.” Dylan smir
ADRIAN'S POV“So, what was the plan, Adrian? Murder me and make it look like an accident while you fool around with a… a…” her voice fell as she pointed a finger at Jess–or Jeanie hell if I knew her name. “Whore…” I finished for her, not bothering to hide my amusement as a smirk curled on my lips. She couldn’t even call the woman I was supposedly cheating on her with a whore to her face. Pathetic!This wasn’t cheating. I was as free as a man could be since this marriage is a fucking farce. She wanted Dylan’s dick, and I wanted nothing to do with her. To me, Kira Neel was nothing more than a social experiment that had gone terribly wrong. She wore her emotions on her sleeve, a foolish trait that will eventually get her killed in my world, and no amount of training will change that.For as long as I can remember, I have gone out of my way to avoid people and unnecessary conversations, keeping my thoughts and presence a mystery. If they knew what you were thinking, you couldn't put a b