Prologue

I stare at the photo on my phone for so long that my vision doubles. Rapidly blinking, I try to re-focus, honing in on every detail. There’s no denying I’ve been jealous many times over the last year when it comes to my girl. She is one of those women who draws attention everywhere she goes, and because of this fucked-up situation we’ve found ourselves in, I often have to sit in the shadows, watching and waiting.

Her walk demands attention, the gentle curve of her hips creates curiosity, and the way her body sways is like a siren’s call. Crystal blue eyes popping against her tan skin, driving any man crazy who catches a glimpse. And if they are ever on the receiving end of one of her genuine smiles, there is no way they wouldn’t ache for her to do it again.

But this is different. This isn’t just your typical jealousy; this is panic crawling up from my gut and wrapping its tight grip around me like a vise, squeezing my throat.

The fear and insecurity that’re never far from the surface remind me that, technically, she isn’t mine to begin with—she’s… his. And she has been since the moment I met her. I may hate it with every fiber of my being, but for the safety of the most precious thing on this earth to me, I must swallow the truth.

Ashley Castrovinci…the love of my life, got engaged last night to the prince of the New York Cosa Nostra, Giovanni Santini Jr.

Seeing his lips touch hers as he holds her in his arms nearly kills me. My chest fills with defeat. I knew this day was coming, but I thought I had more time to prepare…to set plans in place. Reality, however, is cruel, and the sight of her ring-clad finger resting on his chest has my heart severing in two.

I want to rip the limbs from his body just for touching her, for not allowing her a choice in the matter, but I can’t. I’m not ready.

They promise he isn’t his father. They say he’s a gentleman. Someone who has respect for women and will not bring any harm to Ashley.

Maybe she can be happy with him. Maybe she can forget about me and fall in love with him.

Do I want that?

Fuck no, but I need to do whatever will keep her safe. She is the only thing that matters.

It’s obvious we’re now at a point where our relationship is putting her safety at risk, or very close to being so, if the anonymous picture message I received tonight is any indication.

I hear the door click open, yet force myself to stay in my seat, facing out toward the city lights that have lost their glow as I process our reality. Her mere presence in the room crowds my senses. I feel her approaching, cautious in her every step. Where our sensual chemistry used to cloud the air, it’s now replaced with an uncertain tension and finality of what this means for us.

“Baby?” she whispers, almost like a question. Her tone is so much softer than her normal confident tenor.

A gasp escapes her lips when she sees what’s displayed on the phone in my hand.

“I’m guessing this was why you had to change plans last night?” I ask, my voice sounding as numb as I feel. We’ve met at The W Hotel in the city every Friday night for the last year. Until suddenly, yesterday, she had to change plans, letting me know she was required to attend a family event and asking me to meet tonight instead.

Quickly, she’s in front of me on her knees, her big blue eyes welling with tears as she looks up into mine. “Who sent you that?” she asks, nervousness lacing through her words.

“Someone who wanted to make a point.”

She grabs the phone from where it rests lazily in my hand, and I take the opportunity to watch her as she analyzes it. As I trace every feature of her pretty face, my gut churns, knowing this will be the last time I have her this close for a very long time.

“Trent, you know this is all for show. I don’t love him,” she rushes out, lifting off her haunches and placing her hands on my knees as she searches my eyes.

Shaking my head, I place my index finger over her lips. “Shhh.” My hand slides around to the back of her neck, and I lean down, bringing her forehead to mine. I’m not upset with her, just angry at the situation we’ve been put in because of the selfish men in her world. Her father, included .

“This is getting too dangerous, Trent,” she says. Her voice sounds as defeated as I feel.

Last week, when she came to see me, she was extremely jumpy. Even though I tried to block out the negative thoughts, all week since then I’ve felt the impending doom that was just delivered to me via a perfectly angled photo.

I don’t respond. Instead, I close my eyes, inhaling her unique scent. Floral…jasmine…with a tiny hint of cedar. It’s fresh because it’s the perfume she wears only for me. I commit every breath I take of her to memory.

Leaning back, I see the pain marring her face, tears welling in her eyes before she says the words I’ve dreaded since this arrangement started. “We…” A sob leaves her throat, and I pull her into my lap. “We can’t do this anymore.”

I close my eyes, trying to contain tears threatening to spill. “I know.” The agreement tastes rancid on my tongue.

“This isn’t forever… You are my forever,” Ashley says fiercely, wiping the tears from her cheeks and trying her best to replace her fear with a reassuring smile. “Just like you told me last summer. Fate brought you to me, and I’ll hold on to that until it brings us together again.”

I can’t smile. I can’t speak. Needing to savor her one last time, I press my lips to hers.We meld together, like always, but this kiss is fueled by a heartbreaking intensity and fear of the unknown. Both of us convey everything we are too scared to say as we kiss with the need to consume and leave our marks, desperate to not be forgotten.

A loud bang on the hotel door breaks us apart with a jolt, and the panic on Ashley’s face should scare me about who’s on the other side. It doesn’t. The only thing terrifying me right now is what will become of us .

“Ash, it’s me,” a familiar voice calls through the door.

She lets out a sigh of relief before standing, with me right behind her. “It’s just my brother.”

To her knowledge, I’ve never met her brother, but I know of his loyalty to her from what she has told me.

Ashley lifts onto her tiptoes to look through the peephole before opening the door.

“I don’t think you two could be any fucking stupider. You need to leave with me now, Ashley,” Micah practically growls, eyeing Ashley’s disheveled hair. “Someone is holding your constant defiance over Dad’s head and he’s livid.”

I rub my chest at his words, trying to relieve the nagging ache that has been plaguing me all night.

Micah’s attention turns to me, and my heart sinks when I take in his expression. “Trent, I suggest you do as we discussed.”

Ashley’s gaze flits between her brother and me, her brow furrowing. “What did you discuss? And when did you meet?”

“Now is not the time… Just know, we both have your best interests at heart,” he reassures her, tugging on her arm.

She twists out of his hold, running over to me. Tears stream down her face as she pulls me into her. Seeing her this way, knowing that things are forever going to change for us after tonight, is causing my lungs to seize. Needing to stay calm for her until she leaves, I force myself to take a few deep breaths through my nose.

Searing her lips onto mine, she whispers against them. “I love you, Trent. Always. Fate will bring us back together.”

“I love you too, Doll.” Now it's my turn to put on a fake smile and reassure her, my voice coming out raspy .

I pull her in tight one last time before kissing her forehead and letting her brother take her away from me. My heart pounds harshly in my ears, like it’s begging me to keep her close.

“Wait,” she says, stopping Micah and looking back at me. “Let this die down for a few weeks, and I’ll text you.” A weak smile spreads across her beautiful features, and it has my stomach twisting, already missing her. “Until then, I’ll be talking to the moon every night.”

The penetrating stare her brother gives me keeps me silent. Her messages will go unanswered. There is no other choice. Dread blankets me, more suffocating than I could have prepared for.

As soon as the door closes behind them, I pick up the phone and call my brother, ready to expedite our plan into motion before I fall apart.

She may end up with Giovanni’s last name, but a piece of her will always belong to me.