sia'

ed against hers, somethin

n't th

s the

Dominan

didn't want her love. He wanted her

fying second, she'

, scrubbing her skin raw. Steam curled around her like smoke, but

, and I won't st

ld marble tile, breath shallow,

m r

t he coul

e and an unwanted ring were

f powerful men. She hadn't endured the control of Don Lorenzo Romano

n a thick robe, and stepped into her room. The silence pressed heavy,

e letter she'd never finished. Th

est cl

ome fo

she told

anished like a

The words were smudged, rain-soaked, hal

ca

o

danger

r bedroom doo

uld answer, i

ia called, expe

wasn't

her f

irt unbuttoned at the collar. He looked more exhausted than usual, dark cir

ed to

roze. "Ab

he chair across

ather

es. "This game you're playin

turned to ic

aught him sneaking out. I h

red. "You wo

e any idea what you've risked? If

" she wh

o stif

d the l

alian and paced to the window,

reathing," he muttered. "Dan

" Alessia his

"You are. From the moment I signed

call it now? A contract? I didn't even

ice deeper. "You're the key to peace, Alessia. The war has cos

trol. You always have. And I've never bee

d. "You're lucky you're s

door but paused

. Smile. Obey.

if I

. "Then I'll let him deal w

hind him with a fi

ood there,

with

h f

her to a monster, and now he ex

sn't a chi

ouldn

ould

n rose, Alessia wa

arp-cut navy dress, heels that clicked with confidence

ike a storm held in check, her st

long glass table, coffee in one hand, phone in the other. A gun s

cou

't ackno

the other end of the table a

until she took

d," he said wit

m n

. Wedding's in

s to figure out how to kill y

a. There's a thin line be

o walk it

through his eyes. He leaned back in his chair,

he said, almo

d

means you'

the best you can offer? A m

otection. Wealth. Power. Everythin

want yo

"when you see how easily I c

his side of the table, and leaned dow

ie than be yo

cheek-cold, calculat

e way his jaw cle

hand curled a

sia met Chiara i

r father's camer

g," Alessia

ned. "Are you insa

'll die

n. "Do you know w

und something. In my father's safe. A name. A woman. She has i

d of info

ver

the note

ng. Make sure n

, then nodded. "

" Alessia said griml

e, where Dante's shadow mov

nts a

nched h

ring him to

ger Endi

old, Alessia woke to the sound of gunfire-and