y was the photo session in Vibo Valentia, which I had carefully planned in advan

luminated the scene with a golden glow. The sea breeze whispered gently, and the photographer wor

nd cling to my body. Fortunately, the fabric didn't become completely transparent, but t

hotos would reflect the idea that I was leaving behind my girlhood and becoming

oticed something unusual from the top of the rocky walls that surrounde

sire and something else that I couldn't identify precisely. He seemed different, darker, and more intense than the Dante I knew. I had no idea wh

rned to Federica and pointed in Dante's dire

spot where Dante should have been, there was no one there. She fr

re. Maybe the sun is affecting your

looked back at the rocks, but Dante had completely

wever, I also knew that this argument would lead nowhere, and

away his camera, I couldn't get the image of Dante out of my mind. Whatever he was doing there, that expressi

*

et dress for a blouse, Capri pants, and high heels. After all, I still had lunch scheduled with the daughters of the

th each other. Self-defense skills were something we had all been trained in since childhood, including me, and I prided myself o

my duties. Sometimes, being the only woman in the family had its disadvantages. I

going, Catari

ed my hair. “I'm going to

ointed. “Too bad. I was just f

easing him. “Matteo will

e mention of his name had summoned him. He raised an

ked at the three brothers confidently and said, challenging

hey found it impossible that I could defeat all of them together

you mean little Bambi thinks

imo, “First, don't call me Bambi. S

rd, confident. “Let'

ight began. High heels and all. I was determined to show that I shouldn't be unde

. Massimo was surprisingly fast and strong, Luca was clever and agile, and Ma

As sweat trickled down my face, I realized I was starting to gain the advantage. One by one, my brothers were defeated. In

u won, Catarina. I wouldn't have

head in admiration. “It was i

fight, nodded. “You've shown tha

re than just a game. It had been an assertion of my place in the family, a demonst

ipating like a puff of smoke when a deep and threatening

nding in the doorway, watching the sc

t like sharp knives. “You're just a Piromalli.

ger, and I stared at him with determin

on't take anything back, Bambi. Y

claim my place and honor. I took a fighting stance and challenged him

uperiority. “Do you really think you'

sponded. “I just defeated three Mancusos

the situation. “I'm not a man who rolls

gued and cautious. “Wh

deal. “If I win, I'll take the Russian me

hesitated for a moment before askin

“It's tha

, even if it was a physical battle. He began to take off his suit, revealing his well-de

just physical but also a battle for honor and respect within th