Bloodbound Hearts

Chapter 1: The Woman from His Past

Ivan Romano leaned against the stone railing of his estate's expansive balcony, staring out at the vast horizon. The city below pulsed with life, but none of it reached him. His world had frozen eight years ago, the moment Kacey Morgan had disappeared from his life. He lifted a hand, rubbing at the tension in his temples. Nothing had been the same since the accident. That damned accident.

How many times had he relived that night? The car crash, the burning wreckage, the search teams who never found her body. His father and her father had called it fate, a tragic end to a forbidden love. The incident had been spun as a random, unavoidable tragedy, but Ivan knew better. It had been orchestrated, a calculated hit to ensure that their love would never threaten the balance of power between the two rival mafia families. The Morgans had ruled the American underworld, while the Romanos controlled Italy. The union of their heirs had been a risk neither family was willing to take.

Yet, despite every effort to tear them apart, Kacey had remained in his heart. Her memory haunted him, more than any ghost could. The world believed she was dead. Even he had moments of doubt—moments when he questioned whether it was time to let go. But then, there was Adrian. His son, or so the world thought. In truth, Adrian was Kacey's. The boy had been left on his doorstep with no note, no explanation, only his uncanny resemblance to the woman Ivan had loved more than life itself.

Ivan had known instantly that Adrian was hers. The boy's green eyes were a mirror of Kacey's, his smile an echo of the one that had once lit up Ivan's darkest days. He had taken the child in without question, raising him as his own, even though every day it served as a painful reminder of what he had lost.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He didn't turn, not at first.

"Come in," he said gruffly.

Enzo, his right-hand man, entered the room. "Boss, we've got another applicant for the nanny position."

Ivan's brow furrowed, his back still to Enzo. "Another one? They've all been useless. More interested in getting into my bed than taking care of Adrian."

He felt Enzo's hesitation, but the man continued. "This one's different. Her name is Kacey Morgan."

Ivan's breath hitched. He spun around, his eyes sharp, cutting through the dim light in the room. "What did you say?"

Enzo met his gaze, confusion flickering across his face. "Kacey Morgan. That's what's on her file."

Ivan took the file from Enzo, his hands shaking ever so slightly. It couldn't be. Kacey Morgan was dead. Or at least, that's what he had been forced to believe for nearly a decade. But now, here she was, applying for a job in his home. He opened the file, his eyes scanning the contents, but there wasn't much to go on—just the basics. No photo. No personal history other than a list of jobs she had worked since the accident.

"Set up the interview," Ivan ordered, his voice hoarse. "I'll see her tomorrow."

As Enzo left, Ivan sank into the leather chair behind his desk, the file still clutched in his hand. His heart pounded in his chest. Could it really be her? The name was the same, but eight years was a long time. People changed. Maybe it was just a cruel coincidence, someone with the same name. But deep down, Ivan didn't believe in coincidences. He never had.

Kacey Morgan sat on the edge of her bed, staring out of the window at the city lights below. She had been living in this small apartment for almost a year now, ever since she had left her stepmother's house. Gloria. The name alone was enough to make Kacey's stomach twist in knots. Her father's second wife had always despised her. When Kacey's mother had died of a heart attack after hearing about Kacey's accident, Victoria had wasted no time taking over the Morgan family's empire.

And Kacey? She had been left with nothing.

Her memory of the accident was hazy at best. She knew she had been in a car, speeding down a dark road, but everything after that was a blur. The doctors said it was a miracle she had survived. But the cost had been high. Amnesia. She didn't remember much of her life before the accident—only fragments, glimpses of moments that didn't fully make sense. Sometimes, she would see flashes of a man's face, but she couldn't place it. A name that lingered on the edge of her mind but never fully formed.

Her stepmother had made it clear that Kacey was no longer part of the family. Stripped of her inheritance, Kacey had been forced to fend for herself. Gloria had taken control of everything—the money, the business, the power. Her step-siblings, Martin and Olivia, were the new heirs. Kacey was nothing more than an outsider now, barely scraping by with whatever odd jobs she could find.

The nanny position at the Romano estate was her last hope. She had heard whispers about the Romanos—one of the most powerful mafia families in Italy. She knew their reputation. Dangerous. Untouchable. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that they were offering a good salary, enough to help her finally break free from Gloria's grasp.

Still, as she sat there, a strange feeling gnawed at the back of her mind. The name Romano felt familiar, like a half-remembered dream. But she couldn't quite place it.

Meanwhile, in a dark office in Moscow, Dimitri Volkov watched the live feed from his monitors with a smile curling at the corners of his lips. Kacey appeared on screen, moving through her apartment, unaware that she was being watched. She was still as beautiful as ever. Eight years had done little to diminish her charm. If anything, her hardships had only made her stronger, more determined.

But she didn't know. She didn't know that Dimitri had been watching her all this time. She didn't know that every step she took had been carefully monitored. He had installed cameras around her apartment, tracking her movements, ensuring she was always within his reach.

Dimitri had been obsessed with Kacey since they were children. She had been his best friend, but that had never been enough for him. He had wanted more. He had wanted all of her. But then Ivan Romano had come along, stealing her attention, her affection. Dimitri had been left in the shadows, simmering with jealousy.

The accident had been a gift, in a way. It had taken Kacey away from Ivan, leaving her vulnerable, alone. And now, eight years later, she was within his grasp again.

Soon, Dimitri thought. Soon she'll remember who she belongs to.

The next morning, Kacey stood in front of the Romano estate's towering gates, her heart pounding in her chest. She had barely slept the night before, her mind racing with nerves. This was it—the opportunity she had been waiting for. If she could get this job, everything would change. She could finally start over.

A guard led her inside, the estate's grandeur overwhelming. The hallways were lined with priceless art, the marble floors gleaming under the light of crystal chandeliers. Kacey felt out of place, like she didn't belong in such a world.

As she entered the study, her breath caught in her throat. Ivan Romano stood behind a massive oak desk, his dark eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, the world seemed to stand still. There was something about him—something that felt familiar, yet distant, like a memory just out of reach.

"Kacey Morgan," Ivan said, his voice low and controlled. "Please, have a seat."

She sat down, her hands trembling slightly. Ivan's gaze was intense, as if he were trying to read her, to see past the surface.

"I understand you're here for the nanny position," Ivan said, his voice calm but with an edge of curiosity.

Kacey nodded, her throat suddenly dry. "Yes. I have experience with children, and I—"

Ivan cut her off. "Do you remember me?"

The question hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Kacey blinked, confused. "I... I don't think so. Should I?"

Ivan studied her, his jaw tight. There was no recognition in her eyes. No flicker of memory. It was as if the past eight years had truly erased everything.

"No," he finally said, his voice hardening. "I suppose not."