The Mafia's Hidden Heir

tina

felt too tight.

y body, the exquisite white lace spoke for grace and purity. But I felt anything but pure.

u will be a

nging room, heart thumping with every second. The wedding was about to start. This morning. Swift and frigid, like

The way Luca had stared at me last night, the glitter in his eyes when he decl

voice emerged

wrinkled with concern. Maria knew some but not all of my story. She understood I had fled a perilous life, but she was

about this?" "I mean, this is quite abrupt. Why

. How would I justify that this was not essentially a mar

murmured, my voice hardly a w

ers I provided her. But you adore none

the tears that may have l

ugh to realize I wouldn't be moved. She glanced one last tim

ly sound coming from the wall was the clock ticki

ightly clutching mine as we committed vows neither of which we intended. His eyes as keen

emed to be manipulating the very air around us to suit him. And, as

rated on Luca's hand still clutching mine. Though not delicate either, his touch

ed my lips, enough to make the few witnesses present believab

that I didn't know. Important faces I knew were missing. While muttering behind our backs, wondering why the st

use-a large estate outside the city. Now it was only me and Lu

in. Luca tonight seemed different than what I had anticipated. Though we were uni

ening, then Luca's footsteps. Silent for a bit, he came to

d at last, his voice low and ste

interpret his emotions. "I don't care what they suspect," I sa

quarely face me. That does not mean w

nder the surface. He was chilly, analytical, and every word he said seemed to hold an unsaid threat. But there was an

I murmured, "I'm not sure ho

railing. " Valentina, you are without options. You agreed upon

ted. I disliked this. I loomed over him. I couldn't deny, though,

enly I asked the inquiry out befor

d I assumed he wouldn't respond. Still, he

ing directly at me. "You are the secret to keepin

knotting in my chest

quiet between us before he could respond. As I

was on great alert, staring into the darkness for any indicati

ng for a reply, leaving me on the balcon

nation ran a million possibilities. Was the Roman

smash, exactly as fast as it h

tered and followed the faint sounds coming from the corri

urning arou

overed his face, I could sense the threat pouring off him in waves. Luca was

a growl. "Did you not realize you

old. Their sear

ted incursion makes the reader wonder about the stranger, why Luca's defense is failing, and what this implies for Valenti