22 Everyone Laughed When My Sister Stole My Ex—Until I Arrived With His Mafia Boss Father

By the next morning, the gossip blogs and high-society columns of Hadley were filled with photos of us. The headline of the Hadley Chronicle was printed in bold, black letters:

A NEW QUEEN FOR THE ROSSI EMPIRE? NICO ROSSI DEBUTS STUNNING NEW COMPANION LUNA VANCE AT CHARITY GALA

I sat in the kitchen of my apartment, sipping coffee while Maya paced back and forth, holding her tablet like a weapon.

"Luna, this is insane!" Maya cried, her face a mix of terror and sheer glee. "You didn't just borrow his father—you took over the front page! Look at Liam’s face in this photo background. He looks like he’s about to throw up his own lungs!"

"Good," I said, my voice cold. "He deserves to feel every bit of that humiliation."

"But Luna," Maya said, her tone suddenly turning serious as she sat down opposite me. "Nico Rossi isn't just a rich businessman. You know what people say about him. He runs the docks, the construction unions, the private security. He’s... mafia, Luna. Real, dangerous mafia. Are you sure you aren't playing with a fire that's going to burn your entire life down?"

"The fire already burnt my life down when I found them in my bed, Maya," I said, looking at the photo of Nico holding my hand on the ballroom stairs. "At least with Nico, I am the one holding the match."

Before Maya could answer, my phone buzzed on the table. It was an unknown number. I pressed it to my ear.

"Luna."

The voice was frantic, angry, and instantly recognizable. Liam.

"What do you want, Liam?" I asked, keeping my voice utterly devoid of emotion.

"What the fuck are you doing with my father?!" he shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. "Are you insane? He’s using you, Luna! He’s just trying to punish me because I didn't want to join his business. You're just a pawn to him!"

"A pawn?" I laughed, a sharp, mocking sound. "That's funny, because your father just called your new little blonde toy a pawn last night. He called me a queen."

"Luna, stop this!" Liam begged, his tone shifting from angry to panicked. "You don't know who he is. He’s dangerous. If you stay with him, you're going to get hurt. Please, let's just talk. I made a mistake, okay? Amber was—it was a mistake. I want you back."

I felt a cold wave of disgust wash over me. "You want me back because your father touched me. You don't want me, Liam. You just want what he has. But you can't have it. You're weak."

"Luna—"

"Goodbye, Liam."

I hung up the phone and blocked the number.

An hour later, a sleek, black armored limousine pulled up to the curb outside my apartment building. A tall man in a dark suit—Nico’s primary bodyguard, Marco—stepped out and walked up to my door.

"Miss Vance," Marco said, bowing slightly. "Mr. Rossi has requested your presence for lunch at the Rossi Estate. He sent this for you."

He handed me a large, white box with a silk ribbon. I opened it to find a stunning emerald-green silk dress and a diamond necklace that looked like it belonged in a museum.

"Tell him I'll be down in ten minutes," I said.

The drive to the Rossi Estate was silent and tense. The estate was a massive, fortress-like mansion on the cliffs overlooking the river, surrounded by high stone walls and armed security. It was a place of immense wealth and terrifying power.

When I arrived, Nico was waiting for me on the terrace, overlooking the manicured gardens. He was wearing a casual black button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal strong, vascular forearms tracing with faint scars.

"You look beautiful in green, Luna," Nico said, rising from his chair to pull out my seat.

"Thank you," I said, sitting down. "Your son called me this morning. He’s terrified."

"I know," Nico said calmly, pouring me a glass of white wine. "He called me too. He screamed, he begged, he threatened to leave the city. He’s weak, Luna. He’s always been weak. But his mother is not. Valentina is already plotting to remove you from the picture."

"Let her try," I said, taking a sip of the wine.

Nico leaned forward, his gray eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart race. "I like your courage, Luna. But in my world, courage isn't enough. You need to know the rules. If you are going to walk beside me, you must understand that my enemies are now your enemies. And my family... is a nest of vipers."