Snapping Point||Book 1

Snapping Point - Book ONE of The Cardinal Trilogy:

Spotting Xenia amidst the crowd at his inauguration, Romano De Rossi's gaze fixated on the quietly stunning woman who had no place in the TIF Estate. She wasn't kin, she wasn't a whore, and according to TIF protocol, outsiders weren't to set foot here unless they intended to leave in a body bag.

Observing her every move with a lethal intensity, Romano noted only innocence in her actions. When Morelli, his Don, finally caught sight of her during the night of festivities, his immediate instinct was to kill.

Fortunately for Xenia, Romano, who seldom spared a glance for the women deemed disposable by Morelli or targeted by him, felt a stirring of an emotion he scarcely recognized - pity. At the risk of his own life, he intervened, sparing hers and making it clear what he wanted-not sex as she'd expected, but a chilling reminder: never cross paths again.

However, mere weeks later, Xenia resurfaced in a guise Romano could never have imagined, making him regret his merciful choice. She thrusted herself back into the dangerous side he'd warned her to keep off. This time, he was prepared to handle her with the ruthless resolve he'd once ignored.

But as he began to mold her into a valuable pawn for his deadly game of power and war, love unexpectedly meddled. And isn't it said that in love and war, all is fair? Well, in this ring of love and warfare, nothing was equitable.

Against Romano's better judgment, he dived headlong into a forbidden territory just to slake this maddening curiosity for a presumed dead enemy. He craved it, ignored the potential aftermath, damned it.

As time passed and conventional wisdom dictated that these feelings should fade, they only grew stronger and daring, driving them both to the borders of their own destruction. The truth is, no matter the side of the world in which they were caught - light or darkness - death was just a step away from knocking.

And, truthfully, it knocked!