The Don's Contract

He was the monster in my nightmares. Now, he's the husband in my bed.

ALESSA
Five years ago, Tacito Canali ruined my life. He is the Shadow, the Enforcer, the cold-blooded killer who made the boy I loved disappear. I spent every day since praying for his death.

But in our world, prayers go unanswered. Only contracts matter.

To save my family from a bloody turf war, I have been sold. My price? A signature on a marriage license. My owner? The very monster I swore to destroy.

He thinks he owns me. He thinks he can lock me in his fortress and keep me as a trophy. But I am an Udinesi. I will wear his ring, I will sleep in his bed, and I will wait for the moment to strike.

Until the bullets start flying. Until he steps in front of a knife meant for me. Until I realize that the man I hate is the only thing standing between me and a fate far worse than death.

TACITO
She calls me a monster. She's right. I have killed, I have tortured, and I have lied. I did it all to keep her safe, even if she hates me for it.

Let her hate me. Hate is a shield. Hate keeps her warm at night.

I bought her freedom with my soul. I put a ring on her finger to mark her as mine-not to possess her, but to protect her. Now, the wolves are circling. A rival Don wants her. A corrupt Senator wants to destroy us.

They think they can take her? Let them try. I will burn this city to ash before I let anyone touch a hair on her head. She might not love me, but she will survive me.

"The Don's Contract" is a high-heat, standalone Dark Mafia Romance. It features a scarred, possessive anti-hero, a defiant heroine, and a love story forged in violence and redemption. No cheating, no cliffhanger, and a guaranteed Happily Ever After.

TROPES & THEMES:

• Arranged Marriage: Forced to wed to secure a truce.

• Enemies to Lovers: From "I will kill you" to "I will die for you."

• Touch Her and Die: An unhinged, protective hero who shows no mercy.

• Forced Proximity: Trapped together in a cabin during a snowstorm.

• Hurt/Comfort: She stitches his wounds; he heals her heart.

• Broken/Scarred Hero: A man who thinks he is unworthy of love.

• He Falls First: He has loved her from the shadows for years.

• "Who Did This To You?": Extreme retribution against those who hurt her.

• Mafia Princess: A heroine who finds her own power.