thick. Suffocating. A silence that pressed against the

r sides. The dress clung to her like a whisper of silk and smoke, hand-stitched, pearl-thread

e double doors

ying," her fat

"Would you have

xhaled when he had already buried his shame beneath his ambition

her pulse fal

vil hi

s, their empire laced with blood, gold, and silence. Luciano, the eldest son and current Don, was t

cking with her father's. "What

Weakness she never would've seen as

t trembled slightly at the fingertips. "Protection

d quiet. "Like a gla

dn't

behind them, s

ame a man

r brother, Luca, stood waiting, flanked by Moretti's men,

a long marble aisle draped in blo

no Mo

erely stood with his shoulders like steel and eyes like frost.

om fel

usic

rd a man who was not her

was fast. P

lowers in her

that burned through her skin. The gold was heavy.

g to your husband,

ki

lo

ke a blade bet

perfect image of union. But Isabella could feel it already

ss carved into the cliffs above the Adriatic. The sea cr

ken a word to her

capos and family members, a glass of dark red wine in

ntil the bubbles dulled th

h dinner, a to

ride," so

ing his glass. All

e said, voice smo

at him. So did

d to the woman who now wears my nam

clinking glasses, lau

heart thudd

ask. She

alls to a massive bedroom, black, g

with a click

ing the cuffs of his shirt. His movements

ss," h

breath caug

heard

"If you want me naked,

d, not with ange

her. She could smell him, sandalwood,

I want to see if you unders

idn't

tion. You wear my name now. That means your body is

her sides, but sh

ered. "Show me how a man

h, he spun her around and pushe

nst her ear, breath hot. "You're play

ft her dress. He didn't even unzip it. Instead, he leaned cl

ce," he whispered. "I strip it

w, heat pooling low in her bell

"You'll beg for my touch long before I

allowe

steppe

his jacket. "Don't lock the bathroom door. And if you l

d frozen, her

going to

own her without

nsettled her more

in the corner, poured himself

no longe

heets soft against her skin, her body still dres

ven looked

hed her sin

elt his presen

w tick of

ush of t

her thighs that sh

ted ob

ted su

mething he had

a way to make

t losing hersel