ella

l of the jewelry box glea

at was inside. Before my father could even question Bianca's sudden intrusion, Eva let out a ragged, desperate gasp. She doubled over, a violent fit

ght the girl just before she hit the Persia

Are you blind, Bianca?" my mother hissed, her voice dripping with the icy, unforgiving authority of a Mafia Queen. "Can y

fectly blank, offering no help. Eva needed to feel she had won. She needed to

protective embrace. With trembling legs, she crawled f

er gave his life for yours. Today, I am willing to use my marriage to defend the Mor

hand in his. "I, Dante Falcone, swear before God," he declared, his dark eyes burning with a sickeningly earnest light, "

he future-I remembered how easily he had sacrificed this "true love" when the Commission offered him a taste of real power. But my father didn't know that. Don Marco's jaw clen

push my parents

p down my cheek. I forced a tragic, forgiving smile onto my l

rificing my betrothal is what it takes to keep the peace... I don't care about the wh

hair, her heart breaking for the daughter she thought was sacrificing her own pride for the surviv

ing between Dante and Eva. They thought they had outsmarted the Butche

ly by the heavy mahogany door, the silver box clutched ti

r boots clicking sharply a

and unwavering, shattering the solemn atmosphere of the study. "You are al