Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
The Man in Black
The first time Aria Bennett saw Lucian Moretti, she thought he was going to kill her.
She wasn’t completely wrong.
Rain hammered against the windows of the restaurant as Aria hurried between tables, balancing three glasses on a tray.
“Table seven!” her manager shouted.
“I’m coming!”
She had barely reached the table when the restaurant fell strangely quiet.
Aria looked up.
A man had just walked through the entrance.
He was dressed entirely in black.
Black suit.
Black shirt.
Black shoes.
No umbrella.
No expression.
Two enormous men followed behind him.
Nobody spoke.
Even the manager stopped moving.
Aria frowned.
She had worked at the restaurant for almost a year, and she’d never seen everyone become this terrified of a customer.
The man slowly removed his gloves.
Then his eyes found hers.
Aria’s breath caught.
There was something frightening about him.
Not because he looked angry.
He didn’t.
He looked completely calm.
And somehow, that was worse.
His gaze remained on her for several seconds before he walked toward the bar.
“Who is that?” Aria whispered.
Her coworker, Mia, immediately grabbed her arm.
“Don’t look at him.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s Lucian Moretti.”
Aria’s stomach dropped.
Everyone knew that name.
Lucian Moretti.
The youngest and most powerful mafia boss in the city.
A man whose name was whispered rather than spoken.
A man the police couldn’t touch.
A man people disappeared after crossing.
Aria quickly looked away.
She had absolutely no interest in getting involved with someone like him.
Unfortunately, Lucian Moretti seemed very interested in her.
“Miss Bennett.”
Aria froze.
She slowly turned around.
Lucian was standing directly behind her.
“Yes?”
His eyes moved over her face.
“Come with me.”
Aria stared at him.
“I’m working.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
Her heart began pounding.
“I don’t know you.”
Lucian stepped closer.
“You will.”
Before she could respond, the restaurant doors opened again.
Three armed men entered.
Everyone screamed.
Gunshots shattered the windows.
Aria instinctively ducked behind the counter.
Lucian grabbed her by the waist and pulled her against him.
“Stay behind me.”
Aria stared at him in shock.
For the first time, the coldness in his eyes disappeared.
He looked furious.
Not afraid.
Furious.
The shooting lasted less than a minute.
Then silence returned.
Lucian released her.
Aria looked at him.
“Who were those people?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he took out his phone and made a call.
“She’s coming with me.”
Aria’s eyes widened.
“What?”
Lucian ended the call.
Then he looked directly at her.
“Your father has disappeared.”
Her blood ran cold.
“My father?”
Lucian stepped closer.
“And he left you something.”
“What?”
Lucian’s expression hardened.
“A debt.”
Aria swallowed.
“How much?”
He stared at her for a moment.
Then he said the words that would destroy the life she knew.
“Your father’s debt isn’t money.”
He leaned closer.
“It’s you.”
