Chapter 1

Caspian and Sienna disappeared into the shadows of the terrace.

Neither of them looked back. I was just an expensive ornament in the ballroom.

I stood there for a moment, then turned and left.

I went back to the penthouse alone.

My phone rang. It was another friend, sounding excited. "Aurora! How's the celebration? You landed such a huge deal. Did your ruthless Don buy you another pink diamond?"

The freezing wind and rain whipped against my legs.

"It's over," I forced a bitter smile. My voice was dry.

"Already? No romantic getaway?"

"He's busy." I hung up, got into my car, and shut out the cold New York night.

Back at our penthouse, I changed into a silk nightgown and sat alone by the floor-to-ceiling windows.

I was born to be his.

For twenty-five years, I was his sheltered princess, groomed to be the perfect match for the king of the underworld.

I never complained, even though we spent less than ten nights a year truly alone.

Because I loved him.

But tonight, looking at my pale face in the mirror, I was just so damn tired.

At 3 AM, the bedroom door opened.

The heavy scent of gunpowder and blood filled the room.

I woke up with a start. My first instinct was to pull away.

I didn't want to get up, run his bath, and prep his clean bandages like I usually did.

But before I could turn, a large hand gripped my wrist.

Caspian yanked me into his chest.

He buried his face in my neck. His hot breath hit my skin. His rough thumb rubbed hard against my pulse, making me shiver.

"Why are you hiding? Don't recognize your man?" His voice was rough, carrying a sick kind of satisfaction.

He always needed to hold me like this after doing his dirty work.

He used to say I was his only light. That my purity washed away his sins.

My mind screamed at me to push him away. But my heart ached.

I gripped the sheets, swallowing the lump in my throat, and let him hold me.

He held me until the tension left his muscles. Once he got what he needed, that rare vulnerability vanished.

After he showered away the blood, the ruthless Don returned. We sat together on the terrace sofa.

The intimate warmth from the bedroom was gone. The only sound was the metallic click of him stripping and cleaning his gun.

"Aurora," Caspian said suddenly. His voice was no longer the rough whisper from the bed. It was harsh and commanding.

"Yeah?"

"Could you be a little more mature?"

Click. He slammed the magazine into the grip.

I froze. It took me a second to process the whiplash. "What did you say?"

He didn't even look up. He just wiped the cold barrel, his tone absolute and sharp.

"You vanished from the gala tonight without a word. I didn't have time to deal with it then, but you made me look like a joke in front of the whole family and the underbosses. I am the Don. I need Sienna to help me lead. Can't you be a little understanding? Stop being so hostile to her. It's bad for the family."

Every word was a dull knife slicing my chest open.

The cold New York wind howled through the wound.

Mature? Understanding?

He was the one who walked off with Sienna first.

And yet, he didn't care about my feelings. He only cared about his ego, and Sienna's feelings.

"Look at you. I say two words and you're already tearing up."

Caspian finally looked up.

His eyes were cold and arrogant. He looked at me like a spoiled pet throwing a tantrum.

"Don't test my patience with your spoiled brat temper."

Hot tears finally fell, leaving dark spots on my silk gown.

I bit my lip hard, looked down, and swallowed all my despair.

"Okay. It won't happen again." My voice was hoarse.

Hearing me yield, Caspian sighed in satisfaction.

He reached out and ruffled my hair like a pet.

"Go to sleep. I have a video call with Sienna. We need to plan our hit on the Bratva."

He grabbed his gun and walked to the study without a second glance.

As the door shut, my phone rang on the nightstand.

"Dad" flashed on the screen.

I took a deep breath, cleared my throat, and answered.

"Aurora, my sweet girl." My father—a powerful State Senator—sounded warm and hopeful. "Didn't you say you were talking to Caspian about the wedding date tonight? Is it set?"

I clamped a hand over my mouth, fighting back a sob.

Through blurred vision, I looked at the light under the study door. He was fighting a war in there, side by side with another woman.

"Aurora? Are you there?"

A few seconds later, I dropped my hand.

I bit my lower lip and spoke in a flat voice I barely recognized.

"Dad, Caspian is busy lately. He has no time to get married."