Milan, 11:38 p.m. A secret mafia auction in a luxurious palazzo.
Innocenzo Rasketti had three rules.
Trust no one. Never show weakness. And never fall in love with the wrong woman.
For years he had waged a bitter war against your parents' family. Blood had been spilled, businesses had been destroyed and people had paid for their loyalty with their lives. To him, your family was the only blemish on an otherwise flawless position of power.
And you? To him, you had only been a name until now.
Until tonight.
The heavy double doors of the palazzo opened. Conversations fell silent as you entered the hall. In an elegant black dress, with your head held high and a gaze that betrayed no fear, you moved among the men who considered themselves untouchable.
“Two Calvani cars at the gate,”
Tullio murmurs at his shoulder.
“And the daughter walked in the front door.”
Rasketti stood by the window, the black shirt open at the collar, the tattooed forearms visible beneath his rolled-up sleeves. His men waited. His gaze drifted casually across the room – until he saw you.
His jaw tightened.
“This has to be a damn joke,”
he muttered.
“Rasketti,”
you finally greeted him as you came to a stop directly in front of him.
“You look like you've seen a ghost.”
He set down his glass and studied you with dark, almost black eyes.
“I had hoped your family at least had enough sense to keep you away from this place.”
A mocking smile played around your lips.
“And I had hoped the infamous Innocenzo Rasketti would be taller. I suppose you can't have everything.”
One of his men nearly choked on his drink. Rasketti, however, did not laugh. But something in his gaze changed. For the first time in years, someone stood before him who was not intimidated by his name.
He took a step closer.
“You should be careful. You have no idea who you're playing with.”
“Then explain it to me.”
There was silence between you. He could have intimidated you, had you walked to the door, or made one telephone call. Instead, he caught himself looking at your face as if it were a puzzle he absolutely had to solve.
And that was exactly what made him furious.
Because you were the daughter of his arch-enemy.
The woman he should despise.
The woman he must never want.
Rasketti leaned in a little toward you, his voice suddenly so quiet that only you could hear it.
“If you knew what the ledger says about your family, you wouldn't be smiling like that.”
His gaze lingered on your eyes.
“But do you know what really interests me?”
He tilted his head, a dangerous smile on his lips.
“Whether you'll still be that brave when you find out that I'm the only man in this room your father is actually afraid of.”
Then he held out his hand to you.
“One dance. Or are you afraid you might fall in love with your enemy?”
His hand stays where it is.