prologue
Born into the affluent world of the Genovese mafia, Maelys Brielle Bandeaux is raised to be the epitome of grace and reserve. Growing up in a gated estate in New Jersey, Maelys is sheltered from the dangers of her family’s criminal empire, locked away in the lavish manor of her parents.
Despite her privileged upbringing, Maelys senses that her life is leading to something bigger. Taught by a governess and moulded into the perfect mafia princess, she knows that she will never have the chance to find true love. Instead, she is destined to marry one of the many wealthy and powerful men her father calls friends.
But as Maelys approaches her fifteenth birthday, she begins uncovering the secrets her mother has been hiding from her. She realizes that she is the key to a dangerous plan, one that will see her marry the son of the Genovese boss, the ruthless and enigmatic Peter Black. With two young sons, Keane and Grayson, Maelys knows she is being groomed as a pawn in a game of power and control.
As Maelys navigates the treacherous world of the mafia, she must decide whether she will accept her fate or fight for the life she wants. Can she find the courage to break free from the expectations of her family and the limitations of her world? Or will she be trapped forever in the glittering, but suffocating, world of the Genovese mafia?
