ELEVEN YEARS AGO

Norah can be so superficial; it"s frustrating that my brother is marrying her. Despite being in the same circle at Harvard, we have very little in common besides fashion and makeup. I"ve notice she goes out of her way to spend time with me now that she"s engaged to my brother. I agree to keep her company when Nick asks me, solely because he seems happier as of late.

My brother has become obsessed with a woman named Kinsley, who attends Penn State.

He spends all his free time with her, and I just had to see her for myself. So I sent my bodyguard Mooch to get her class schedule.

One afternoon, I watch as she strolls from one class to the next. Completely focusing on her tasks, it seems. She doesn't laugh or smile at the guys playing soccer on the lawn or the girls studying on a nearby bench. What drives someone to be that dedicated?Does she even know that my brother is involved in the mafia? Curiosity leads me to follow her into the science building, where she studies a board before making her way into class as the first student to arrive.

She studies a board for something. Then she darts into class. She's the first student to arrive.

"What are you doing?" he asks, leaning over my shoulder.

"I"m trying to understand why you"re so drawn to her. Is it because of her innocence?"

"It doesn"t matter, Natalia. She"s focused on her studies, not me. What we do on weekends is just recreational."

I glance at him and then at the girl who has captured his heart. It breaks my heart to think that my brother will have to walk away from her because she doesn"t fit into our father"s plans. Norah does.

I plant a kiss on my brother"s cheek. "I"ll see you later."

He stands there across the hall watching her probably long after I had left.

***P***

Norah and I relax on her father"s couch, munching on veggie pizza and sipping wine as we chat about the latest Milan fashion trends. It was surprising when she invited me to her father"s house, but I guess it makes sense considering our upcoming familial ties.

"Good evening, Natalia," Mr. Aiello greets me from the entrance of the living room.

"Good evening," I reply with a smile.

"I need to have a brief word with Norah," he says.

"Natalia, I'll be right back." Norah smiles.

"I'm going to grab another bottle of wine from the kitchen," I tell her.

"Great idea." She scurries out of the room.

I wait a beat before walking into the kitchen. A guard stands by the front door, engrossed in his phone.

After I pour myself a glass of wine, I saunter down the hallway, gripping the neck of the bottle at my side. Bringing the glass to my lips, I can"t help but wonder what they could be discussing behind closed doors. If they spot me out here, what excuse would I use? Perhaps I could say I was looking for the bathroom or admiring the decor. The possibilities race through my mind as I peer up at the painting outside his office. It's a self-portrait of Torrance. He loves himself too much.

Torrance spits out a venomous demand. "Get rid of the bitch tonight. We can"t have anything standing in our way of taking control of the Pitucco throne."

Without waiting to hear any further details, I make my way to the living room and quickly send a text to my bodyguard.

Me: Mooch, put a tracker on Norah"s SUV now.

Mooch: Already on it.

I delete the message just in case Norah happens to pick up my phone.

She rushes back into the room.

"Sorry, I have to handle something for my dad. Can we hang out tomorrow night?"

I stand to my feet and pour the rest of the wine in my glass down my throat, feeling its warmth spread through my body like liquid courage. "This is good stuff."

We both giggle.

"Yes, of course." I place the empty glass on the coffee table, gather my things, then pull her into a hug.

"Thanks so much for having me," I say.

"Natalia, it was truly a pleasure."

Slowly, I walk to the door, hoping Mooch is back in the SUV. My heart races as he steps out of the shadows and opens the rear passenger door.

"Is it done?" I ask.

He nods.

A smirk hits my lips as I ponder on the situation the Pituccos are in.

"Follow her, but don't make it obvious," I tell him.

"Got it." Mooch says.

My blood boils with rage beneath my skin. These treacherous bastards dare to try to take our throne. I won't let them succeed.

Mooch follows Norah and her bodyguard to a secluded marina.

Two hours later, I catch sight of another man pulling up in a car and retrieving a lifeless body from the trunk. My heart clenches as I squint, trying to make out the familiar features of warm brown skin. Is that Kinsley? My muscles tense as he climbs aboard a luxurious yacht and tosses the limp body onto the floor. He exchanges words with Norah before retreating to his car, leaving Norah and her bodyguard alone on the yacht.

A surge of nausea fills my throat. What is happening?

Get rid of her, I remember her father saying to Norah. He had ordered her to kill Kinsley.

"Steal a boat and follow them," I order.

Mooch never asks questions. He does as he's told.

I check my Glock"s magazine before slipping it into my shoulder holster as Mooch maneuvers the small boat out onto the Delaware Bay.

"Get us close, Mooch. We're going aboard. Don't kill her bodyguard. Just knock him out. I want to question Norah without any interruptions."

"Not a problem. I'd love to knock out that smug bastard," he chuckles.

The wind whips through my dark hair as we get closer to the yacht.

Mooch cuts the engine and we glide closer, our boat gently tapping against the back of the yacht. I swiftly climb aboard and stealthily make my way towards the state room, keeping out of sight. Mooch joins me, using his forearm to silence Norah"s bodyguard at the top of the stairs. Perfect timing. I slip inside and see Norah staggering back with a twisted smile on her face, as if she"s proud of what she"s done.

My eyes shift to Kinsley, lying on the floor, clutching her stomach.

She looks brutally beaten, blood gushes from her wound. I know that isn't semen on her body. Pushing my anger aside, I run across the room, grab a blanket out of a cubby, then fall to my knees at her side.

"Can you hear me?" I place her bloody hands back on the wound. There's so much blood.

"Apply pressure," I order.

She's losing consciousness. "Wake up! Don"t you dare die on me!" Tears stream down my face.

I wrap the blanket around her body and place her hands back on the wound.

That evil bitch Norah left Kinsley for dead.

Rushing upstairs, I grab the microphone connected to the CB radio and press the button. "May Day, May Day," I shout.

The Coast Guard responds, and I explain the situation, desperately requesting a helicopter for an airlift to the hospital. They say one will arrive in ten minutes.

Despite my reluctance to leave Kinsley, I know I have to go after Norah. She"s taken the emergency boat and is on the run.

"Mooch, we need to catch Norah," I say, turning to my bodyguard for backup.

We quickly get back into our boat and start chasing after her. When we finally reach her, I jump into her small boat and start pummeling her with my fists. Norah swings her fists wildly, desperately trying to connect with my face.

The little boat lurches violently, waves thrashing against our trembling bodies with bone-shattering force.

My teeth chatter as I ask, "What the fuck is your problem? Why would you try to kill Kinsley?"

Her eyes go wild. "You knew about that bitch?"

"Yes," I roar.

"She had to go. I found out from Axe that she was fucking my fiancé."

"But my brother said your relationship would be on paper only."

"She would've come between me and the throne. She was a liability. And he's to become my husband. All...fucking...mine."

Oh my God. She's in love with my brother.

Norah grabs at my hair and I respond by hitting her nose with the butt of my gun.

She falls back, dazed. "No one messes with the Pituccos," I declare as I strike her across the head with my Glock. Her body goes limp.

Later, Mooch and I place Norah and her bodyguard Randy inside the SUV.

I peek over at her unconscious face in the passenger seat. "Here's your one-way ticket to hell, bitch," I snarl.

Mooch and I inject them with a sleeping agent. This is our subtle way of disposing of our enemies. I put the SUV in neutral, tap the gas pedal with my foot, then shut the door. Mooch gives it a final push before it starts rolling faster towards the edge. The vehicle bounces off several rocks on its way down before exploding in a fiery blaze.

I explain to Nick that Norah and her father were plotting to steal the throne from our family. My father had to take action by forcing Nick to continue doing business with Torrance. It was for the greater good of our family. Nick understood why I had killed Norah; she had been planning to kill him in return.

I didn"t feel the need to inform Nick about her feelings for him. If Kinsley had been removed from the picture, Norah may have convinced her father to let him live.

We kept it hush-hush. Letting everyone think it was a car accident. Even her scumbag father.