Bloodstained vows, in the mafia love is just another contract to break

stepped into the ballro

buried with the dead had ju

the marble floors, the scent of whiskeys and imported cigars smelling everywhere. Laughter ra

em had been there the nigh

Black was the color of power, of mourning, of the funeral she never got to hold. The slit up her thigh reve

d bride who had stood at th

ed as somethin

ed. She saw it-the widening of eyes, the sharp intake of breath, the

they fe

was the only on

DeL

black suit that made him look every bit the untouchable king of this underworld. He was l

, Luca

met acros

, the music, the murmur

ally cold, unreadable looks. Shock. Hesitation.

t let herself

n, as if she hadn't just shattered his world, she picked a gla

tightened around his glass just s

before he followed Luca's looks, turning to see w

twisted between disbelief and irritation. But then-

before stepping forward, loud enough for the ent

ere uncertain. Hesitant. No one quite

pagne glass to her lips. "Back from the dead,

the glass. "

dn't expect to see you again, princip

e

r. As if she hadn't been dragged, beaten, thro

had su

d to remind them al

t moved. His eye

controlled-was devoid of any ou

t behind

what had bee

r head sligh

em stretched, thick wi

years since she ha

in anguish while being dragged away on

Luca's shoulder. "Well, since you're here, we should celebrat

's lips. "Ah, yes. And loo

asn't supposed to be speaking like this

, but Luca's l

didn't like being challenged-e

e wasn

to be uninterested, when Matte

ave to ask-where exactly ha

avier. Everyone

fter the night of her father's

tare burning into her,

efore she met Matteo's looks. Then, finally, she let

ng an e

she intended-like a knife sl

t speak, didn't react, but she saw it-the

as t

unsett

o

at whatever power he thoug

ore she turned, walking away before either of the

s only the