Chicago Alpha

Isabella POV

The Don’s master suite felt less like a bridal chamber and more like a beautifully upholstered vault. Dark mahogany paneling swallowed the dim light, and the air was thick with the lingering scent of expensive cigars, aged whiskey, and polished leather. Outside the bulletproof windows, the 1928 Chicago skyline was a distant blur, completely cut off by heavy velvet drapes.

I shifted on the edge of the massive four-poster bed, my feet throbbing. With a heavy sigh, I kicked off the agonizingly tight, pearl-encrusted heels. They tumbled onto the priceless Persian rug with a soft thud.

"Miss, please!" Sofia, my maid, gasped, her face draining of color. She darted forward, her hands trembling. "Put them back on! If the Don sees you like this... he will think it is a massive disrespect to the Russo family!"

I leaned back against the silk pillows, stretching my aching arches. "I highly doubt the Don of Chicago cares about my footwear, Sofia."

"You don't understand his rules," she pleaded, her voice dropping to a terrified whisper. "Please, Isabella."

Seeing the genuine, raw fear in her eyes, my defiance softened. Sofia had grown up on the fringes of our world; she knew the bloody reputation of Damien Russo better than I did. Reluctantly, I slipped my bruised feet back into the torturous shoes, smoothing down the skirts of my silk gown, resuming the posture of a perfect, obedient bride.

The heavy oak door clicked open. Sofia immediately bowed her head and scurried into the adjoining dressing room, leaving me alone with the monster they had sold me to.

Damien Russo stepped into the room.

He was a towering figure, standing at six-foot-four, his broad shoulders filling a bespoke, dark three-piece suit that radiated danger and absolute authority. His jet-black hair was combed back flawlessly, but it was his eyes that made my breath catch—obsidian, bottomless, and entirely devoid of mercy.

He closed the door. The silence that followed was suffocating.

He walked toward me, his footsteps silent on the thick rug. This was a business transaction to him. My father got the Russo family's protection, and Damien got the Rossi legitimate shipping routes to launder his bootlegging empire. I was just the collateral.