Seven years ago, Luca Ferrante walked away from me after believing my father ordered his brother’s murder. Now he’s back and he’s the ruthless Don ruling the city with an iron fist, and the only man who can save what’s left of my family.

When my father is gunned down at his own birthday dinner, his dying words send me straight to Luca’s door. He agrees to protect me… but his price is brutal. I have to move in, become his mistress, his willing fuck toy, body and soul surrendered to the man who now hates me as much as he once loved me.

I thought the worst was behind me. Then the fire. The bodies. The empire reduced to ash overnight. Everyone I loved is gone. Or so Luca claims.

Now I’m trapped in his house, playing his twisted game. He still wants me. Badly. And I’m going to use that against him.

In this city of blood and power, love and revenge are the same damn thing… and one of us is going to break first.

Not because I wanted coffee. I just needed something to do with my hands while I decided how much of the truth was going to be useful here and how much of it was going to tighten the leash I was already on.


"I needed to feel like I could move on my own," I said, keeping my voice even. "That's all it was. I'm not stupid enough to run, I have nowhere to run to and we both know that. I just needed one moment that I chose for myself because everything else right now is chosen for me or decided around me and I—" I stopped for a second and let the honesty of that sit in my voice where he could hear it. "I just needed air that I went and got myself."


He looked at me steadily and didn't interrupt once.


When I finished he was quiet for a moment.


Chapter 24 - The First Thread.