Chapter 1

The night before our engagement party, I found an adoption agreement tucked inside the breast pocket of Cassian Montero's suit jacket.

He had adopted Ron Montero—the son of his late brother, Domenico.

I slammed the papers on the table and demanded an explanation.

Cassian smoked on the balcony all night.

Just before dawn, he came inside, his voice raw:

"Domenico died protecting me. I owe him my life. His child can't grow up without a father."

I understood immediately. He wasn't going to budge. He wasn't even sorry.

Even though he was the one who'd broken his promise first.

Eight years together. From when he was nothing more than a low-level errand boy under Don Salvatore Caruso, to now, second-in-command of the family—we'd been at each other's side through all of it.

I was a board-certified surgeon. For him, I'd walked into a world drenched in gunpowder and blood, against my parents' wishes, against everyone's warnings.

He had sworn that no matter what, I would always come first.

But now he was telling me that for a dead man's child, I should step aside.

I refused to accept it.

I clenched my jaw, put on my dress, and went ahead with the engagement ceremony as planned.

Everything went smoothly. The exchange of rings, the speeches, the toasts.

Until Enzo's phone started buzzing frantically in his pocket.

He was Cassian's childhood friend and his most trusted man.

He answered. The color drained from his face. Then he stood, cut quickly through the crowd, and leaned close to Cassian's ear, his voice shaking:

"Boss, Vittoria says the boy has no father—she doesn't want to live anymore. She's taken Ron up to the rooftop."

In an instant, Cassian's champagne glass hit the table with a crack.

My entire family, flown in from the States, and his sparse crew of syndicate brothers all stared at one another in stunned silence.

But he didn't notice any of them. He was already heading for the door.

I called out to him, my eyes burning:

"Cassian Montero."

"If you walk out that door tonight, you're dead to me."

My voice was almost a scream.

His step faltered for one second.

Just one.

Then he was gone.

The music stopped. Every pair of eyes in the room swung toward me like spotlights. My mother's tears were already brimming; my father's face had gone an iron shade of blue.

"What is this? He just—left? For some woman?" My mother's voice trembled.

I walked down the steps and set my champagne glass back on a passing tray. The motion was gentle. My hand was still shaking.

But my voice had already gone calm.

"Mom, Dad, I'll take you back to the hotel."

"The engagement is off."

Enzo was still rooted to the spot, guilt written all over his face. "…Sera, I didn't mean for this to happen—I was just afraid someone might actually die—"

I looked at him. Said nothing.

Enzo and Cassian had grown up on the same street. Domenico's widow, Vittoria, was family in their eyes—someone they were duty-bound to protect.

But this particular family member had chosen this exact moment to threaten to jump off a building.

I helped my mother to her feet and walked out of the banquet hall.

My phone buzzed over and over inside my bag. I knew it was Cassian. He would apologize, explain how fragile Vittoria's mental state was, how he'd had no choice.

Eight years. I knew him too well.

Three years ago, he and Domenico had been betrayed by a mole and trapped inside an abandoned car factory. In the chaos, one of the Don's confidants had shoved Domenico clear—that was the only reason they'd made it out alive.

Afterward, though Cassian had the man executed, the debt still crushed him. So I learned to be understanding. Understanding when every spare moment went to visiting them. Understanding when our holiday dates always turned into dinners for four.

It wasn't until he tried to put that child under his own name that I realized everything had already gone off the rails.

I changed clothes and drove to the hospital where I worked.

It was the nearest hospital. Vittoria would certainly be brought there.

When I reached the infirmary, Cassian was holding Ron. Vittoria was wrapped in a blanket, leaning against his arm, her eyelids swollen, her nose red.

A nurse was taking her blood pressure.

Cassian looked up when he saw me. He stood, the child still whimpering softly in his arms.

"Sera… I'm sorry, tonight—"

"Is everyone all right?"

I cut him off. My gaze went past him and landed on Vittoria.

"She's fine now. The boy was frightened—low-grade fever, but no injuries."

"Good."

I nodded and turned to leave.

"Sera—"

Cassian freed one hand and caught my wrist.

"Don't do this. Domenico died to protect me. I can't just abandon them. She's alone with the child, no one to lean on—"

"I never said you couldn't take care of them." I shook his hand off. "I've just realized that everything between us seems to matter less than a widow you've known for three years and her son."

"They almost died!"

"Your men told me they hadn't even made it to the staircase."

Cassian's jaw tightened.

He stared at me, his lips moving, but not a single word came out.

Then Vittoria stumbled over, her voice thin and fragile: "Dr. Aldridge… I'm so sorry, this is all my fault… I saw your engagement ceremony and it reminded me of Domenico… I couldn't control myself…"

She shrank behind the blanket, crying so hard her entire body swayed. Cassian immediately handed the child to Enzo and reached out to steady her.

"Don't—it's over now. You need to rest."

He eased her back into a chair, and when he looked up at me, his eyes held nothing but reproach.

"Sera, she's a single mother. She's my family. Can't you show a little compassion?"

I didn't answer.

I turned and walked out of the infirmary.

It wasn't until I rounded the corner that I realized my hands had been shaking the entire time.