The Mafia Crimson Desire

, head of the infamous Morelli crime family, she was expected to embody that silence- quiet, obedient, and compli

ner of the mansion echoed with the whispers of the past-the bloodstains of secrets that no one dared to acknowledge. She had learned early on that to survive in this worl

y was di

pulse steady but her mind racing. Her father's voice had summoned her, and she knew better than to ignore it. She wasn't th

is sharp features. Giovanni Morelli was a man whose reputation was built on fear, his legacy carried by whispers in darkened rooms. The Don

tered across his desk. His voice was a low, commanding

n her chest. She knew the rules. She knew how to play the part.

pite the storm that brewed inside her. S

it came to family matters, especially with his daughter. But when

eyes never leaving hers. "Arrangement

a new alliance, a new deal, or a new marriage contract-always some political ma

ce a whisper, but with an edge of steel. The words were bor

and amusement. "I didn't ask you what you wanted, Sophia. It's never been abo

wn it was coming for years, but hearing the words-those cold, final

htly. "You're to be married to Luca Vieri.

as powerful as the Morellis, if not more so. They ruled over the southern part of the city with a vice grip, their empir

ds slipping out before she could stop them.

o respect him, Sophia. His family will strengthen ours. We need them, just as the

was trapped in this life, shackled by her father's decisions, bound

him were enough to send a chill down anyone's spine. But her father was right-there was no escaping this.

he asked, her voice b

lf with nothing. No family. No protection. No future. The Vieri family will n

ank. She ha

my fate,

s tasting like ashes in he

mile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Good.

n her like an iron chain, Sophia realized there was no escape fro

lway, the walls seemed to close in around her. She was suffocati

mething she hadn't anticipated. Perhaps there was a chance for her to find her own pow

s echoed in her ears, a reminder of how powerless she truly was. She was not her own person. She was a

she moved from one side of her expansive room to the other. The walls, adorned wit

il churning inside her. The air was cool, and the sky had begun to turn a dusky purple as the evening approached. She could se

r reverie. Sophia didn't need to guess who

" she called,

enge their father's authority. She was also the one person in the world who truly understood her. Their bond ran deep,

filled with concern. "I heard," she said, her voice

r. The anger, the frustration-everything seemed to collapse in on her, and she had to fight back the tear

she finally said, her voi

ng on Sophia's arm. "You always have a

hat would happen if I did. Father would never let me walk away. And neither would th

or you?" Her voice trembled with barely-contained fury. "The same L

her off, her throat tight. "I'm not

ns. "I don't care what Father says. I won't stand by and watch you marry him, Sophia. We need

s eyes. "You don't understand, Ivy. We can't just leave. I'm the one who has to make this sa

ds balling into fists at her sides. "I hate that

ect you. I have to make sure you don't get dragged into this mess. I'm the one who's supposed to carry this burden. I'll go th

re arguments. She couldn't take any more uncertainty. If this was her destiny, then she would a

he feared what i

her of them could react, the door swung open. The s

in a black suit that seemed to

d onto hers with an intensity that made her skin prickle, and his chiseled features held no warmth, only cold

new better than to challenge him. Luca Vieri was not a man who

but with an edge of steel. "Your father has requested y

aced it on the arm of the chair beside her. She tried to s

ise to protect her, no matter the cost. But Sophia knew better.

e controlled, even though her heart was pounding in

d. "Of course, Miss Morelli. But I'd suggest you mak

as silently as he had entered, the do

. "This is madness, Sophia.

er head. "It's already

r, suffocating her every step. She was about to meet the man who would change her life forever, an