LA CAMORRA / MAFIA ROMANCE

CHAPTER TWO

Maria Delvina
Italy, Milan

The proposal was unexpected. But it still made my skin crawl.

Diego Herrera. The name alone was enough to twist my stomach in knots, not out of fear, but fury. For years, our families had been locked in a bloody cycle of violence, and now this? A marriage to him, of all people, to stop the bloodshed.

I wasn't a fool. Diego wasn't looking for peace. He was looking for power, and if he thought I was going to be his way to take control, then he was sorely mistaken.

I stood in front of the same window, watching the city beneath like a beast waiting for anything to fall into his jaw, weak enough to devour. The night was cool, the faint sounds of distant traffic and murmured conversations floating up from the streets below. It all felt distant. Seperate from the reality I was facing.

My father, still unconscious, still clinging to life, while I stood at the helm of a ship filled with sharks. And now, the biggest shark of all was circling—Diego Herrera.

A knock on the door took be from my thoughts, but I didn't turn around. "Come in."

Jay stepped in quietly, his presence as steady as ever. "We've heard back from the Herrera family."

"And?"

"They want a meeting," he said. "Diego himself."

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me, low and bitter. "Of course he does. How gracious of him to make time for us."

Jay crossed the room, standing at my side. "You knew this was coming, Maria. If you don't go, it'll look like we're running scared."

"I'm not scared of Diego Herrera," I snapped, the words coming out harsher than I intended. I could feel Jay's eyes on me, but he said nothing. He didn't need to. I wasn't scared of Diego. It wasn't fear that made my heart race whenever his name came up.

It was something much worse. A challenge. A dare. Diego was the type of man who thrived on dominance, and the idea of being dominated by anyone made my blood boil.

"I'll meet with him," I said, my voice calmer now, more controlled. "But I won't go in blind. I want everything on Diego. His recent movements, associates, any deals he's been striking behind the scenes. We can't afford surprises."

Jay nodded, already knowing I'd demand nothing less. "I'll get the information. But Maria..." He hesitated, something rare for him. "Be careful with this one. Diego's not like the others."

I turned to face him then, finally meeting his gaze. Jay's concern was genuine, but I couldn't allow myself to be distracted by it. I knew who Diego Herrera was. I knew the kind of man he was—calculating, ruthless, and entirely too sure of himself.

"I don't plan on underestimating him," I said, my voice cold. "But I won't be playing by his rules, either."

With that, Jay left the room, and I was alone with my thoughts again. My fingers traced the edge of the glass on the windowsill, and for a brief moment, I imagined the meeting with Diego. The tension that would undoubtedly him between us, the silent battle for control that would play out in every glance, every word.

If he thought this marriage would make me his pawn, he has no idea what he's in for.

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