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chapter one
Vittoria
Music thumps through the club. The vibrations pulse throughout my body, causing my heart to feel like it’s beating in time with the music. Bodies gyrate around me on the dance floor. The alcohol coursing through my veins dulls my senses but also numbs the pain in my heart. It’s been like this for two years, and I’m sick and tired of it. Tonight, however, is worse because my life is going to change again. Not the way I wanted it to either.
I wanted to be married already with a family on the way. Married to a man of my choosing. A man who loved me in return. But life isn’t fair. That’s what my father told me this afternoon when he informed me I was already promised to someone. And not just anyone. He’d traded my freedom to a man who has been our family’s enemy for years. He said it was the best union he could get because none of the good families wanted me. To make it even crueler, my father claimed I was getting too old and wasn’t marriage material anymore. I’mfreaking twenty-three. How is that old? There are other reasons too, like a lot of his friends think I’m too mouthy. I just want to be treated like a human being and not a commodity. He also said the union would guarantee that the other man wouldn’t go to war with our family. I hate the man and can’t believe my father is okay with this. That man has tried to destroy the Revello family numerous times.
An arm wraps around my body, pulling me against it, and I don’t fight it. I want this. I want to forget everything. I want mindless sex and to choose who I’m with. I know I look good and will attract attention. I’m not a runway model, but I’m not ugly or unattractive either. I’m average height. I have a curvy thinner body and long, wavy, dark-brown hair and hazel eyes. I have full lips and even the rare dimples so many girls want. I come from a good family. I’m the cousin to the current head of the Revello family. Honestly, I’m hisfavoritecousin and his wife’s best friend. Most people know who I am just from a look if they are from Vicenza or Northern Italy.
All that’s great, but to me I’m a catch because I’m patient, kind, and I want to be a wife. I want to be a stay-at-home wife and mother. I’ve never worked outside the home because my father is very old-fashioned and believes women are meant to be seen and not heard. That’s one of my problems. I like to argue. But back to the good parts. I’ve been trained by mynonnato cook and run a mafia family. My only vice is my art. I love my art. I’m freaking good at it too. Most of my paintings have sold out in the last couple of installations at my cousin’s galleries. Just last week every painting was sold before the first guest arrived to the exhibition. My best friend, Luna, tells me all the time that my work is amazing and beautiful. But my latest pieces have been some of my best works. They are darker and full of more emotion than ever before. I primarily switched from doinglandscapes to portraits, putting all my emotions and pain into my art.
I know why I’ve changed. Why it’s darker. It’s been like this for the last two years since my heart was broken. Since the man I fell in love with disappeared from my life.
We never got to go on a single date. But he knew me like only a few do. We’d talk whenever we could. He told me about serving in the military. I told him about my fears of never having the life I wanted. He only kissed me once, but I knew I loved him. That kiss sealed my fate. I had thought he felt the same way about me. But I was so wrong. One day he was there, guarding my cousin and his wife, and the next he wasn’t. It’s like he died instead of just quitting because he doesn’t even contact any of us anymore. My father didn’t care when I asked to find out more information. He told me he was just a bodyguard and not meant for me. I was to be betrothed to a man with means. I didn’t care about that. I only wanted love. Now I know I was just stupid and naive.
The very first time I met Spencer was the day my uncle died. He saved my life. He used his body as a shield to protect me from the bullets and knives that were flying around us. After that I would see him any time I was at Dario and Luna’s house. He was hired to be their personal bodyguard. He’s friends with Luna’s cousin, Anatonia. They had met when he was in the military. She was an agent who worked with him when she was with the British secret service.
Spencer is tall, dark, and quiet. He didn’t always say much, but when he talked, I always listened. His voice is deep and dark. It caused my body to react in ways it never had before. I loved how it would rumble when he’d say my name. He has an Australian accent. Other than Luna’s accent, everyone around me speaks and is Italian. So I liked the different manner of speech. I found the way he pronounces words or the strange things he says sexy. He reminds me of a dark Chris Hemsworth—big, muscular, and sexy. He has intense electric-blue eyes. When he looked at me, I felt like he could see into my soul and heart.
I’m a twenty-four-year-old virgin. Men have to ask my father’s permission to take me on a date. Until my cousin took over the family two years ago, I was sheltered and only allowed to go to functions the family hosted. I’d never been in a club like this.
But here I am. I did sneak out. I even ditched my security detail that Dario has insisted I have of late. I don’t know what changed other than his wife is pregnant, but he’s been more cautious with all of the family. I feel like if there is a threat, I should know about it. I’m tired of men thinking for me. So I made this choice. I snuck out and dressed in an outfit my father wouldn’t approve of just to have one night of fun. I might even let someone take my virginity. At least I would have that choice.
Dario isn’t as bad as his father or mine. My uncle was horrible. He and my father were convinced that my marriage had to be arranged. That I was going to give the Revello family access to more power. I’m not even a Revello in name, my mother was, but she hasn’t ever really been a mother to me. My father won’t let her make any decisions. She is kept as a pretty piece of property. She works in her greenhouse, and when she’s not there, she’s in bed sick. I want her to be more in my life, but she can’t. My father won’t let her. It’s only gotten worse since we moved into mynonna’smansion, which is the Revello home. After my uncle was killed, my father saidNonnaneeded a man in the house and not just security. Dario didn’t want to manage the business from the house. He said business should be handled in an office and enemies shouldn’t be able to just walk into our homes. He set up the business in a large office building in the newer part of Vicenza, where the modern office buildings are located.
As the body behind me moves with mine, his hips swaying in a sexual way, I don’t feel that longing in the pit of my stomach that I felt just being around Spencer. My skin doesn’t erupt in small gooseflesh. My heart doesn’t thump harder. But I don’t care. Tonight is about me having a say over my body.
I close my eyes and try to feel something other than the numbness. People still around me. The bodies no longer moving to the beat of the bass. I open my eyes to see my cousin and several of his men fanned out around him. He’s standing in front of me, but the guy at my back doesn’t let me go. He actually tightens his grip.
“Go get your own, Revello. This one is mine,” the man slurs, and that’s when I realize my mistake. I drop my head and start to pull away, but the alcohol coursing through me causes me to stumble. I giggle, and Dario’s eyebrow raises as he takes me in.
Dario reaches out a hand to me, but the man behind me doesn’t let go. His hold is now bruising. Most people don’t cross Dario, especially after word got out of how he took over the family. My cousin is feared. So this guy must be drunk or plain stupid.
“Let me go.” I fight against his hold, but his fingers dig into my hip.
Dario does what he normally does when he’s upset lately. He pulls a gun and aims it at the man holding me. He holds it there and stares the idiot down.
“I said fuck off, Revello. Find your own.”
“She’s Revello,” Dario says in his deep, resonating voice.
“So what? I found her. She’s mine for the night.” He flexes his hips against my ass, and I can’t hide the cringe of fear.
I watch as Dario’s eyes flare slightly when I hear a struggle ensue behind me. I try to turn my head, but I’m shoved forward into Dario. My face lands in his chest, and he wraps his arms around me.
“Take her out of here. Now,” an accented voice growls, causing my skin to erupt in a fine spray of gooseflesh. I know that voice. I struggle to turn around to see if I’m right, but Dario has me hustled through the crowd before I can. The music is still playing, but no one is dancing. They are watching what is going on behind us.
“Stop, Rio. I need to see.” I struggle against him, but he doesn’t stop. In one fluid motion, he turns and lifts me over his shoulder. I lift up my head, but bodies block my view. “Put me down now, you Neanderthal. I’ll tell your wife.”
Before I can say another word, we are in the back of a car and speeding away. My head spins from all the motion and what I thought I heard.
“What do you think you’re doing, Tori?” Dario growls at me, and I turn to him, pushing my hair back away from my face.
“I was having a bachelorette party by myself. I get to decide who takes my virginity. I want to decide who I marry, but that decision was ripped away from me. Why would you agree to it? I can’t believe Luna let you after what happened to her family because of him.” I turn to look behind us, but all I see is the city fading away. He’s taking me to his vineyard in the country. Away from the city and temptations.
“What are you talking about?” He rubs his hands down his face, and I finally take him in completely. He’s in a suit that has become his main dress of late since he took over the family. He’s always impeccable, but not tonight. No tie. Coat is a bit wrinkled, and his shirt isn’t buttoned correctly. He must have dressed in a hurry.
“I interrupted your evening.” I can’t hide the guilt in my voice.
