The Price Of A Mafia Queen

unite the two most powerful families on the East Coast. He was my future

lies. It was the scent of Angelia, the fragile orphan his fam

ull her into his arms and give her a hungry, desperate kiss-a kiss

s just a political prize, while Angelia was their true q

lation prize. I would

's study, my voice as cold as ic

ow. "I will uphold our family's need for an

ttered on the floor. Dante Va

pte

ella

ldren, a promise of unity between two of the East Coast's most powerful families

s Isabella Moretti, daughter of Don Alistair Moretti. Every cobblestone street an

weight of my name felt heavier th

o Ri

o the Ricci family, a man whose strength and strategic mind were spoken of in hushed

in Little Italy to the wives who ran the charities that washed our m

s a frantic, wild beating against my ribs, a

always clung to him, a clean, sharp mix of sandalwood and leather. It was the scent of power,

a soft hiss. He stepped out, his b

hat followed

s tai

sweetness clung to his clothes. A cheap, synth

den

l. It belonged t

eyes and a fragility that made men want to protect her. Marco, especially. He treated

our w

w, my face a carefully

ere wi

't a qu

red suit. He walked toward me, his movements fluid and

epped back. The scent was stronge

the room, once filled with the comfortable silenc

casual. He unbuttoned his cuffs, his

, jerky movement.

hower start, a steady rush of water washing away the evi

pull of his betrayal in my gut. I followed the scent, a

ets. I stayed in the darkness of the hallway, my heart pounding a frantic

ot fr

head, his lips finding hers in the dim light. It wasn't a gent

e birth-the life with Marco, the children we would have, the empire we would

iny was

cked away, melting into the shad

water. Every familiar landmark-the fountain in the plaza, th

e doors were imposing, carved from dark

miled when he saw me. "Isabella. What a pleasant surprise."

f emotion. It felt like someone else was speaking, a col

the

my d

ng off the

the invitations have been sent. The families ar

th another woman's scent." I looked him directly in the eye, my de

asked, his voice laced with

alliance," I said, my voice clear and st

on the marble floor. "Valentino? Bella, you can't be

rds tasting like ash in my m

just the final confirmation of a truth tha

I overheard a conversation through the secure comms link that connected ou

's a princess, Marco. A beautiful, high-maintenance Moretti princes

my throat. I felt a cold

ng. "Angelia, though... Angelia is different. She's one of us. S

t. Besides, Angie told me Marco is the only r

ey saw me as a political prize, a fragile doll

from the same orphanage years ago. They were the only two survivors of a fir

d bullied her, Marco had taken her side. He would look at me, his eyes ple

e favoritism clicked into place. The kiss wasn

the empire that came with it. But his heart, h

not be secon