Rejected by the Son, I Chose the Don

ella

linked, my eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through the heavy velvet curtains. Dust motes danced in the sl

iskey, and the faint, metallic tang of gun o

heets rustling agains

was wat

hite shirt, the top buttons undone to reveal the hollow of his throat. His jacket was draped over a chair, and his pos

ffocating, forcing me to be the first to break. I sat up, clut

nd?" I asked, the word tas

e. "You fought hard for this spot, Isabella. You manipulated the situation last n

cessary," I replie

hy

between us. It wasn't a casual q

erous curiosity. "You could have run. You could have begged for a payout. I

the test. If I lied, he would see through

, testing the waters with a half-truth. "I wanted to see

d in a humorless s

gaze squarely. "Because marrying anyone else makes me a tragedy. The

he Don... that makes me a Queen. It was the only choice that guarante

adable passing through his eyes. Surprise? Res

. "But ambition without

d, my voice hardening. "A

drew together s

g between us

nursing seep into my tone. "He humiliated me. He humiliated your choice of a bride. As his new mother, I

d just asked the most powerful man in the cit

ark chuckle that sent a shiver down my spine. He walked to the s

an handle him?"

a man," I countered. "And he needs to

replaced by a cruel satisfaction. "He is a disgrace to

her side of my hips, trapping me. His face was inches fr

rds sounding like a dark coronation. "As his mother, tea

me trace of paternal warmth. "How

mething shifted behind his eyes-a cold, a

lse r

hadn't just sanctioned a family war. "Get dressed. Breakfast is in tw

ward the door, his stri

d on the brass knob, glancing back ove

icked shut

was gone, replaced by a cold, steely resolve. I had entered this marriag

He was about to learn that he had only