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PROLOGUE

SERAFINA

All ht to be honorable, to do as expected of ainst it all

Dark and tall, Remo appeared in the doorway, come to claim his prize His eyes roamed over my naked body, and mine did the same

He was cruel and twisted Beyond redemption

Brutal attractiveness, forbidden pleasure, prousted by him, but I wasn’t Not by his body and not always by his nature

I shut off the water in the shower, scared of what he wanted, coa and I was the trapped queen that the Outfit needed to protect He moved me into position for his last move: the kill Check

He began unbuttoning his shirt then shrugged it off He ht beforeyou want to touch but aren’t allowed to Who’s holding you back, Angel?”

CHAPTER 1

SERAFINA

“I can’t believe you’re getting married in three days,” Samuel said, his feet propped up beside le us

“Me either,” I said quietly At nineteen, I was already older than irls in our world when they entered the holy bond oftime My fiancé was only twenty-one hie wasn’t very desirable I certainly didn’t iven me the time to finish school and stay home with Samuel for another year He and I had never been separated for long, except for a few days when he had business to conduct for the Outfit

Because of his father’s sickness, Danilo was still busy taking over Indianapolis A later wedding would have been even better for him, but I was a woman and supposed toon er A prominent diamond in the center, we had to widen the band over the years ason me

Mo us ran in our direction and wedged herself on the sofa between me and Samuel

Samuel rolled his blue eyes but wrapped an arainst hi her brown mane She had taken after Dad and hadn’t inherited the blond hair of our ht after Fina’s wedding I thought you would have more time for me”