Chapter 1
Dominic
The bass from The Masquerade hit me before we even stepped through the doors. The nightclub pulsed like a living thing, all flashing lights and pounding rhythm, bodies moving in unison to the sound. It was the kind of place that promised a good time, or at least enough distractions to make you forget why you would come.
My brothers insisted I needed a drink after the uncle delivered the news of my marriage. I should have known they wanted to come to a club. It wasn’t my thing, but Alex had insisted. Of course, he had.
“Loosen up, Dom,” Alex said now, slipping on a grin as he pushed through the doors beside me. My younger brother’s black hair caught the neon glow as he immediately started moving his hips in time with the music. “You look like you’re about to attend a board meeting, not a nightclub.”
I arched a brow at him, keeping my hands in the pockets of my tailored suit. “Not everyone thinks grinding on strangers is a good time, Alex.”
He laughed, spinning once as though he were already on the dance floor. “That’s your problem, big brother. You forgot how to have fun.”
Before I could respond, a hostess in a sleek red dress appeared at the door, her smile aimed right at Alex. “Gentlemen,” she purred, her eyes raking over him like he was already hers.
“Darling, I knew this place promised a good time, but I didn’t realize the entertainment started this early.” Alex winked as he took her hand and swirled her around.
She giggled, the sound light and practiced, before gesturing toward the interior of the club. “Your table is ready. You can follow me.”
We trailed after her, weaving through the crush of bodies on the dance floor. The air was thick with perfume, sweat, and alcohol. Colored lights slashed through the crowd, catching on sequined dresses and sharp suits. The hostess swayed with each step, and Alex kept leaning down to murmur comments that made her blush and roll her eyes.
I ignored them both, focusing instead on keeping my distance from the tangle of strangers pressing too close. Clubs always smelled like desperation to me; people who tried too hard to forget.
When we finally reached the velvet ropes of the VIP section, the hostess pulled them aside with a flourish. “Here you are, gentlemen. If you need anything…” she trailed, roaming her eyes over Alex.
“Thank you, beautiful,” he said, slipping her a tip with a flourish that made her beam.
I settled into the leather booth, Luciano and Gabriel already sliding into seats across from me. The thrum of the music was a little duller here, but the energy still vibrated through the floor.
Luciano leaned forward, his expression serious despite the flashing lights. “Are we going to talk about what happened at the dinner or are we pretending it didn’t happen?”
Gabriel drummed his fingers on the table, jaw tight. “You know Uncle John doesn’t joke.”
I remained silent, my gaze fixed on the table.
Alex dropped into the seat beside me, throwing an arm across the back of the booth. “Oh, come on, Dom. You’re sitting there brooding like a statue while the rest of us are dying of curiosity. Do we know anything about the lucky bride-to-be?”
“Lucky?” I muttered under my breath.
Luciano snorted. “More like unlucky. Imagine marrying Dominic Moretti, the king of scowls.”
“Maybe she’ll run before the wedding. I can’t say I blame her.” Gabriel said with a grin.
“I’ll put money on it. A thousand says she bolts before the ink dries.” Alex laughed, adding to my annoyance.
“Two thousand,” Luciano countered, “that she lasts a week before realizing our brother is impossible to live with.”
Their teasing grated, though I kept my face impassive. How could they understand what a blood contract implied?
It was a blood oath signed by my parents before they died in that car accident, a promise binding me to a woman I never met, for the sake of merging packs, strengthening the Moretti empire. It wasn’t just about me; it was about the family name. I couldn’t be the one to bring shame to Uncle John, who stepped in when our parents died and raised us like his own.
“Make all the bets you like,” I said finally, my voice low but sharp enough to cut through their laughter. “I’m not going to be the one who steps back from the marriage agreement.”
Alex sighed dramatically while the rest of my brothers remained silenced. “You’re no fun. C’mon Dom, think about your future wife. If she is beautiful, you can have an heir or two; if not, after two years you can divorce. It’s a marriage, not your execution.”
“Maybe it is,” Luciano said, though his grin softened the words.
I bit back my words as the waitress arrived, balancing a tray of champagne. She was tall, blonde, and dressed in a short skirt that left little to the imagination.
“Well, hello, angel.” Alex’s eyes lit up instantly, sliding closer to her as she set the glasses down. “Forget the drinks. Why don’t you sit down and keep me company instead?”
The woman giggled, making Alex lean in closer, whispering something that made her blush, and I felt my jaw tighten.
“Can you focus for five minutes without trying to charm someone?” I muttered.
He shot me a grin. “What can I say? I love women.”
Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Spoken like a true Playboy. IT CEO by day, professional flirt by night.”
“Hey, I can run a multi-billion-dollar company and have fun,” Alex said defensively. He turned back to the waitress with another dazzling smile. “Isn’t that right?”
She laughed again, and I pinched the bridge of my nose. Sometimes I wondered how we were even related.
Despite my irritation, I couldn’t deny the truth: all four of us had done well. Gabriel with finance, Luciano with real estate, Alex with technology, and me with international acquisitions. Together, we had expanded the Moretti empire far beyond what our parents had built. We were handsome, successful, untouchable, but I felt hollow.
I knew what everyone expected from me: to fall in love and live happily ever after. I shook my head pushing back the memory of her. The woman, who had the sweetest smile I had ever seen, and who promised forever. I gave her my heart, stupid and naïve, only to discover she only wanted me for my money.
The night I found her in bed with another man, I promised myself I would never let myself get fooled again. Love wasn’t for people like me. I haven’t dated seriously since. The women who warmed my bed were just meaningless nights, nameless bodies I used for release and nothing more. It was easier to focus on the business. Safer.
“Dom,” Luciano said suddenly, leaning back with a smirk. “You should at least get laid before the wedding, otherwise your poor wife is going to end up with a grumpy, frustrated husband.”
Alex snorted. “Please. Can you imagine Dom trying to be romantic? The woman would probably faint from shock.”
All three laughed, but I didn’t rise to the bait. They could joke around, but I knew I couldn’t afford distractions, not with everything riding on me.
I leaned back in my seat, letting the music wash over me, trying to tune them out.
Rich chocolate scent, warm and decadent, twined with the delicate sweetness of jasmine cut through the haze of perfume and alcohol like a knife, so sharp it stole my breath.
Mate. My heart slammed against my ribs while my eyes scanned the crowd, searching, desperate, even as the voices of my brothers faded to background noise.
She was here.
