Chapter One
“You know that is anugly-ass dress you’re wearing.Who the fuck picked that out?”
Adelina Ferri smiled.It was probably a strange response to someone criticizing your dress, but when it came to Massimo Salvatore, she knew there was no real malice to it.Maybe to anyone else, but not her.
She turned toward him and saw he was already holding a drink.Her glass was filled with water, as the waiters had been informed to only serve her water.She wasn’t allowed any food, wine, or anything that resembled fun.
“You don’t like the tent I’m wearing?”she asked.
“Tell me you didn’t choose that?”
She couldn’t help but smile.It was hard to pinpoint when exactly she had developed a friendship with this man.It could have possibly been because of their mutual dislike of fake functions, like the one they were at now.There was no real purpose for this party, just a lot of rich, wealthy, scary men coming together to revel in their reputations and egos.Oh, and daughters to be flaunted like cattle at a market.Only, her family considered her a true cow.
“No, I didn’t get the luxury of choosing this.”
Her family never allowed her to do anything, or choose anything.It was a miracle they allowed her to talk to Massimo, seeing as he was the Russo Mafia’s top monster.There was so much gossip and fear around this man.She knew men feared him, women wanted him, and of course feared him.There were times she wondered if she was defective, because shedidn’tfear him.
“I believe congratulations are in order,” she said, offering him a smile.“I was told you’d recently snapped a man’s neck with your bare hands.Everyone seems impressed with the story.”
This was not the first time Massimo’s name had been used in some form or other about attacks on the enemy.
He didn’t smile.“Don’t believe everything you hear.”
She had a feeling there was more to that than he wanted her to know.
“This is fucking boring as shit, isn’t it?”he asked.
Once again, Adelina smiled.She couldn’t help it.Men were always cussing, but it was like Massimo always took it to the next level.There were some men in the Russo Mafia who didn’t cuss at all, like her father.
She turned toward the man himself, her father, who was currently hanging onto Diego Bruno’s every word.She tried not to shiver, but it was impossible.
“Are you cold?”he asked.
She turned toward the man beside her and shook her head.“No, I’m not cold.”
“Don’t you ever wonder if they get bored of the same old shit?It’s like fucking kill me now.”He took a long drink of his whiskey.
“Well, I might be in luck.This could be one of the few I get to attend.”
She saw the frown on his face.
“What?”he asked.
“Didn’t you hear the news?I’m engaged to be married to Diego Bruno, and you and I know I will be his eighth wife, right?I don’t think the rumors about him are fake.Wives and mistresses don’t last long.He’s got a lot of kills under his belt, and well, most of them are the women in his life.”She sighed.
Ever since her parents had informed her of the union, she had come to accept her fate.She was going to die.She probably wasn’t going to make it to her twenty-second birthday.It was a miracle her family hadn’t killed her already.She was one of the oldest daughters who was not yet married.
Her brother wasn’t much help.Her whole family was against her and considered her a burden.
Diego was a horrible man, cruel and manipulative, but her family was impressed by his title, his fortune, and everything associated with him.There was no getting away from it.She was trapped.
It was strange, she had expected to want to fight.Only, she was done fighting.The only real pleasure she got was at these boring parties where a lot of men preened and bragged about their latest conquest or title within war.Massimo was who she looked forward to.No one else.These little chats helped sustain her until the next one.
Diego’s wives never went to another function once they were married.Rumor had it, they tended to be too bruised and bloodied.
“What kind of fucking horseshit is that?”Massimo asked.
She turned toward him.“It is what it is.This is my fate, and like my family has said to me, what do I expect?I’m an embarrassment to them.I’m no great beauty.”She shrugged.“At least I know I won’t have to put up with it long.”She took a sip of her water.“I guess we should be finding a suitable excuse for you, or perhaps I can look for someone for you to talk to while I’m gone.”She started to look through the crowd, attempting to avoid the look her father was sending her.It was unfortunate, but there was no way she would be able to ignore her father.
