Chapter 1: Nico (Present Day)

I watched as my new bride stormed past me down the opulent halls of my estate and into my study. The train of her elegant wedding gown swished furiously with each stomp of her feet, heels clicking with purpose. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving me momentarily standing in the hallway with an amused smirk on my lips. This display of fiery defiance was almost entertaining, a stark contrast to the calculating negotiations and cold business deals I was accustomed to. I would allow it—for now.

I entered the study, the sound of my polished shoes echoing softly against the hardwood floor. I looked impeccable in my custom-tailored suit, mirroring the precision in which I ruled my vast empire.

She had thrown herself onto the leather couch, arms crossed, her beautiful green eyes staring daggers into the floor. I took my time approaching her, observing her rigid posture and the way she bristled with barely contained anger. She wasn’t happy about this arrangement, and I couldn’t blame her. Truthfully, I wasn’t exactly thrilled either.

Alessia O’Conner, now De Luca, was the daughter of a wealthy Irishman. When you thought of a beautiful woman, she was the epitome of it. She was petite, but her body was lithe and toned, with ample curves everywhere they should be. Dark hair framed her delicate features, her lips full and pouting. A small splash of freckles decorated her creamy skin, along with a few tattoos that peeked out along her collarbone and thighs. Being half Italian, half Irish, her unique features had that striking beauty that often graced people of mixed heritage.

Her mother, Giulia, came from a well-respected family in Sicily. Her father, Cormac O’Conner, was a major player, who hid his less than savory business dealings behind his real estate empire. Along with her uncle, Declan, Cormac ruled in the Irish underworld, his influence and connection running far and wide.

An alliance with the Irish was something I needed, almost desperately. Since the death of my father, the patriarch of my family and organization, I was under scrutiny from all sides. A shift in power always made people get jumpy, looking for weakness and a chance to overtake. I would not let that happen, let anybody take from me what I had worked so hard to build, what I earned. Over my fucking dead body, literally.

But still, I wasn’t naïve. With the Russians making moves to encroach into our territory, the more alliances I held, the better. In our world, alliances sometimes meant survival. Cormac knew this too; the Russians made him feel uneasy. So, in a show of good faith, Cormac had offered me a way to cement the truce between us: an arranged marriage with his daughter.