Hello Beautiful Readers!

I would like to start off this post by saying how much I truly miss being out in the literary world with you all. I’ve been so consumed with other aspects of my life, I’ve been missing out on two of my greatest joys, being a reader and a writer!

Okay! Now for what I’ve been working on.

I’m still writing three different stories. The first two have always been the same, but the third one keeps changing (LOL) because my interest keeps evolving. So let’s talk about the two that I know are coming!

Boss’s Daughter (Stefan & Zahra) , and the long awaited Dangerous Beauty: Part Six (Isabella & Mikilo)!

I have been working on both, and my perfectionist ways are the reason they are not done yet. I refuse to release anything I am not happy with. I’ll take the disappointment of the wait before I release something that I know isn’t my best. But the good news is that I am writing and I’m feeling confident in what is being written! I still don’t have any dates! I hesitate to say, because of past mistakes with releases. I’ve learned to keep my mouth closed until I’m sure! But what I do have is ….

Snippets!!

Yes! Sneak peaks of what is to come. AND TODAY! We will be sneaking a peak into the Boss’s daughter.

I’m sharing the Prologue AGAIN!! “What?!” “Seriously, Michelle. We’ve already read the freaking prologue …” Boo hoo … wah wah!

Look, it’s been a long time and things have changed. Like I said, I wanted more from this story. URGENCY!! So of course, I changed it (LOL). Plus, there isn’t much of a point in sharing the other snippets I have from the story if you all don’t understand what on earth is going on!

SO without further ADO! We rejoin Antonio De Luca and Aris Carter as they devise a scheme that will forever change the life of Antonio’s heir and Aris’s daughter …

Boss’s Daughter (Prologue) written by Michelle Hardin…

“I have an idea. I want to do something … Something that will change the landscape of the entire Chicago Criminal world … A symbol of not only peace between the families, associates, and races, but of the unification of the dark world of Chicago …”

Adjusting the glass of eighteen-year-old bourbon in his hand, Aris Carter kept his eyes on his liquor and off his friend, who was most likely a little tipsy.

Though already a man on the more eccentric side when sober, Antonio De Luca often came up with his most outlandish ideas when under the influence of strong alcohol. When he was like this, Aris didn’t usually pay much attention to him. 

“You’re not looking at me, fratello. I’m trying to be serious with you.”

Swirling the brown liquid around his glass, Aris narrowed his eyes on the object finding it more interesting than whatever crazy idea Antonio was seeking to unload on him tonight. It wasn’t that he didn’t think his friend a brilliant man. He was. Despite the fact that he was often characterized as unhinged, Antonio was intelligent and calculated. It made him good at what he did. But, based off the words, ‘uniting the Chicago underworld’, Aris could already tell Antonio was going to say something that he was most likely not going to agree with.

Antonio neared him and took a seat in the brown Italian leather armchair next to his. They were sitting in the man’s office having one of their occasional sit downs. They usually discussed their businesses and families in effort to catch up after periods of not seeing one another, but it seemed that tonight his friend had something else on his mind.

“Will you stop ignoring me? I’m not drunk.”

Chuckling, Aris finally lifted his head and spared his friend a glance. 

Studying him for a moment, he gave a nod of his head, noting that Antonio was indeed sober.

“I’m still uninterested in your idea, Antonio.” Aris took a swig of his drink, wincing slightly from the strength of it. “You’re talking nonsense.”

Antonio raised a dark brow. “Uniting in effort to protect the city that belongs to us is nonsense?” 

Maybe, Aris thought. Maybe not. It depended on the idea, he supposed. 

“What are you trying to protect?” Aris smirked, asking a question he already knew the answer to.

But even still. He wanted to hear the man tell him.

He glanced over at Antonio. “Last I checked the Italian’s weren’t being picked apart …”

Everyone else was … But not them.

“You finally seeing my side of things?”

Aris didn’t keep his eyes on Antonio long enough to see a reaction to his words. For weeks he’d been telling his friend the Russian criminal organization known as Brat’ya vo t’me (Brother’s in darkness) had made their sudden appearance more prevalent in Chicago because they sought to take over what criminals referred to as the ‘Gateway City’, in the U.S.. 

“I tried to get you involved before the walls started closing in.”

“And I told you it was too soon.”

Aris scoffed. “So you wait to watch their attacks start on my family?” He rolled his eyes, shaking his head in disappointment … though he wasn’t surprised. “Figures.”

Though he heard Antonio scoot forward in his seat, he didn’t look up from his glass.

“I didn’t think they’d strike you this soon, Aris. I had hoped we’d have more time.”

Aris chuckled. “Bullshit.”

“I did,” Antonio reiterated. 

Aris nodded; his jaw slightly tightened. “Well they did attack.” Sighing he lifted his eyes from his glass back to his friend. “And now you’re sure …”

For a moment, Antonio’s intense bright hazel eyes bore into his before he gave a silent nod. Ever since they were just boys, Aris could always tell what Antonio was thinking just by the look in his eyes; the man never hid anything from him. 

Grunting, he looked away, annoyed. 

Leave it to this motherfucker to lure him here under the false pretense of having a drink, when in truth he wanted to plan a fucking war.

“Don’t say anything stupid to me, Antonio.” Because God help him, Aris would fucking leave. “My allies and I already have a plan.” 

Aris had been fighting for the city on his own while Antonio was waiting to see exactly what Aris told him he would fucking see.

“It won’t be enough.”

Aris jerked his head back in Antonio’s direction. “Do you know something I don’t?” he shot impatiently. 

“I do,” he nodded. 

“Fuck you, tony,” Aris snapped.

“I’ve looked into it, Aris.”

Jaw even tighter, Aris reigned in his temper. He looked ahead at the window behind the large desk in Antonio’s office.

Of course the man had been watching the entire fucking war while Aris was trying to minimize the damage. It was the way they’d been doing things since they first took their father’s positions, but usually Aris knew when Antonio was doing it, and why.

“You didn’t tell me,” he ground out through clenched teeth.

“I had to give the illusion of neutrality, brother—”

“And now you want to—”

“Share what I found,” Antonio finished with a nod. “Yes … And unite the dark worlds of Chicago.”

“To fight,” Aris said.

“Yes,” Antonio answered.

“Together …”

“Yes,” he said the word again.

Bringing his eyes back in Antonio’s direction, Aris stared at him blankly. Then after a moment of silence he burst into a deep, cynical laughter.

Now the annoyed one, Antonio grunted and looked away from Aris.

Aris didn’t mean to laugh at the man he very much considered his brother, but the idea alone even without explanation was ridiculous, so he could only imagine how it would sound if he let the man elaborate.

Uniting in Chicago? With the Italians? As equals?

Unheard of, to say the least. 

The relationship between the Italian mafia and … well, the rest of the underworld was … fragile, especially when it came to the Italian’s embracing other races. They kept ‘outsider’ affiliations as low-level associates, never truly calling them allies or brothers. Aris, on the other hand had a plethora of allies of all races, color, and creed. He didn’t discriminate as long as the partnership was beneficial, lucrative, and brought necessary peace. After decades of only embracing their own, it seemed his Italian friend was beginning to slip over on the side of inclusion rather than separation. The question was why.

“What is it?” Aris asked. His laughter now subsided; he pinned Antonio with a stern look. “What’s got you thinking about uniting with us thugs and street gangs. You color blind now?”

Antonio leaned back in his seat, an expression of offense flashing across his face. “Are we not brothers?” he asked Aris, his wild eyes genuine as if seeking an answer. “Have we not known each other since childhood? Have we not grown together, lost together, built together, killed together, bled at the hands of common enemies? Did the color of your skin matter to me then?”

“Maybe not,” Aris answered. He took another drink then sat his glass on the table next to him. “But even still. In the eyes of your people, I am just your black associate. Our association is beneficial to your family’s cause. My people push for you, have even killed for you. But we are not family. Not in their eyes. We are not brothers. I’m an outsider, not a Made man.” Aris said the words uncaring of how harsh they sounded. He and Antonio had a relationship built on trust and honesty. The last thing he was going to do was sprinkle sugar on his words just to protect the man’s feelings. “Uniting … truly uniting will take more than just a fleeting association with another family and benefiting from the services they offer, Antonio. Uniting the way that I’ve experienced involves putting forth a symbol of trust. A true gesture of friendship and brotherhood.”

It was not something that could just be talked about, nor was it something that could be achieved by a simple handshake. A man had to show that not only he, but his family would welcome yours with open arms into their circle. They had to earn trust, prove their loyalty. 

“You are my friend, my brother, my partner, my ally. My fight is your fight, as yours is mine. My victory is not mine, but ours. And our enemies will fall at the might of our bond. This I swear.” Aris recited the words that he and each of his allies vowed upon achieving peace with one another. “Have you ever spoke these words with me, my friend?” He raised a brow in question, then chuckled when Antonio did not answer. “No,” he answered for the man. “That’s because regardless of this,” he motioned between them, “this friendship between us. You are not my ally. The mafia won’t do shit if somebody comes after my family.”

“You can’t possibly believe that” Antonio sat forward in his seat. He stared into Aris’s eyes, seeking to show the truth in his words. “You have to know that if anything were to ever happen to you, I would take care of your family. I would protect them.”

“And what of my brothers?” Aris asked. “My legacy, my nation … Would you fight with my son to defeat our enemies?”

The Kings Nation of Chicago was America’s largest black criminal organization, founded by Aris’s grandfather, Aris Josiah Carter I. Aris was a third-generation boss to the gang that now had over 100,000 members across the country, and 50,000 overseas. He took his family seriously, and he did not let just anybody into his circle. One had to prove themselves trustworthy, and they had to have respect for the oath in which the Kings stood by. Love. Loyalty. Respect. Honor. Sacrificing for your brother. Honesty. Obedience to leadership. They stood strong on the solid foundation of their brotherhood, of their bond as a family; and their allies shared the same values.

“The Italian mafia doesn’t give a fuck about anyone else in our world…or our communities. You align with each other.”

“But I seek to change that, Aris,” Antonio said passionately. 

Passion often resembled unbalance in the man’s eyes. Most likely because he just had that quality about him. Even still, Aris trusted him with his life, his families too. But the Kings Nation?

Fuck no. 

“This …” He frowned, seeming to take a moment to consider his words before speaking again. “This separation is doing us no good, especially with the new threats to our city on the horizon.”

“New threats as in Dmitri Mihklova!” Aris raised his voice.

“Yes, brother.”

“After I told you why they were here, and you didn’t think they would come for the city even with everything going on in your fucking family.”

“I needed to be sure, Aris—”

“Well you waited too fucking long!” Aris shouted.

Not only was Dmitri seeking to start businesses, but they were poaching territory, invading communities, and seeking to dismantle any competition that stood in their way. They were purchasing property, aligning with city leadership, and opening new businesses—strong-handing some of the city’s most powerful crime lords. Seeing the strength of the powerhouse group, many were taking the threat seriously and as a result, were making peace with longtime enemies in effort to form alliances. Aris was taking precautions as well to protect what was his. 

“I’ve already formed bonds and alliances with this city’s most powerful families, and trust me when I tell you this, they don’t fuck with the Italian Mafia. You’ve been sitting perched from your fucking community watching this war silently, and now that you know their coming for your fucking place—LIKE I WARNED YOU— you see the light?” Aris stood up from his seat. “I told you they knew Fratelli di Sangue was fractured. They would come for you in the US first because they know if they take you out here, the whole fucking world is theirs!”

“I was listening to you, fratello. I believed every word! I just couldn’t tell you yet.”

“Why!”

Because Aris couldn’t think of a reason why his oldest friend—his brother— would lead him to believe he’d deserted him in this fight. 

“Because they know of my devotion to you, Aris.”

Aris blinked, silently signaling for the man to continue his explanation.

Antonio sighed, standing from his seat. “They know we are brothers,” he shrugged. “Everyone does. But I needed them to think I’d turned a blind eye while you were fighting against their presence here without me. It gave me time to lure more of them to the city. To increase their confidence …”

“Forgive my interruption, brother,” Aris interjected in frustration. “But isn’t more of them in our city what we don’t want? We want them out …”

Antonio chuckled, his wild eyes flashing. “I don’t want Dmitri out, brother.”

Aris closed his mouth, his brows furrowing slightly. 

He knew this look from his brother as well. That wild, deranged humor that brightened his eyes only appeared when he was his most homicidal. While others experienced anger and rage at the height of their fury, Antonio De Luca experienced neither. Mirth was the tale tell sign that Antonio was past the point of all three.

Taking a step toward Aris, Antonio released a breath, bringing a hand up to cup the back of Aris’s neck. 

“I bought us some land, brother,” he gave Aris a smile.

It was almost a warm smile, as if the land was a gift for him.

“Two acres.”

Aris’s eyes squinted even more. What the fuck was two acres of land going to do for this war?

“Why, Antonio?”

Antonio sighed again. “It will be our private cemetery, brother…”

Aris blinked but didn’t respond.

“For our enemies,” he further explained, though it wasn’t needed. “I want Dmitri to feel safe.” His voice had passion. “I want him to think I am scared, and that my family is weak because of all this discord within it.” He shrugged. “Why else would I allow him to come after my beloved brother and do nothing, huh?” Lightly patting Aris’s neck, he released him. “I want him to call all of his Brat’ya vo t’me buddies,” he chuckled, walking over to the liquor tray. “He will tell them, ‘Antonio is weak. Fratelli di Sangue has abandoned him’. Dmitri wants to be the top organization in the world, but he doesn’t know what it takes, brother …”

Pouring himself a drink, Antonio lifted his glass and downed the contents quickly.

“I mean to show him exactly what it takes,” he ground out the words through the sting of the alcohol. “Every Brat’ya vo t’me man or woman that touches foot in this city will never leave it. They will die here.” He pointed at the floor. “And we will bury them. Take their land, their businesses, and then build businesses atop their graves.”

“And you want us to do this together …”

“We were always doing this together, Aris,” Antonio informed, his expression now serious. “You just didn’t know it. But I need you to know now …”

“You want to align ….”

“For real,” he nodded confirmation. “A real alliance between our families and the other powerful families you recently aligned with.”

“Impossible—”

“Not” he interjected, pointing at Aris. “Not impossible, brother.” He shook his head. “Unheard of?” He nodded. “Maybe. But nothing you and I embark upon together is impossible.”

“You and I may form an alliance, but they will not fight with you, Antonio. They will not align with you. They think I’m crazy for trusting you.”

There wasn’t enough trust in the world that would make those men align behind, Antonio De Luca. Not only did they all have knowledge of his reputation for turning on allies that no longer served his family, but they also knew he was an … eccentric. Those who didn’t know Antonio personally believed he was mentally ill despite his exceptional achievements in his criminal career thus far. They didn’t know that the man himself was actually a good brother, friend, and loving father … to his sons. They didn’t think he had the capacity for humanity, but he very much did. Aris knew this. From the day they were born to this very moment Aris and Antonio had been in each other’s lives. Close friends, their parents raised them as brothers, knowing that one day they would elevate both organizations to new heights together, rather than apart.

“They don’t know like I do, Antonio. And even if they did they still wouldn’t align with you because they aren’t me. If you and I align the Kings Nation will be the only alliance that stands the test of time with Fratelli di Sangue, especially after they hand you the crown.”

“So what,” Antonio shrugged. “They don’t need to know that.”

The man was shameless.

“I just made a bond with El Familia,” Aris shook his head, referring to his daughters recent marriage to the heir. “Leon is a good friend, and my daughter is married to his son and heir.”

“Then Leon is my family as well,” Antonio nodded. “We’ll make sure of it.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Aris frowned. Leon couldn’t stand Antonio. “Leon doesn’t like you.”

Aris watered down Leon’s disdain to protect him. Antonio wouldn’t react kindly to knowing just how much the man hated him.

“Once you and I align, brother,” he smiled. “Leon will love me.”

Aris rolled his eyes. “An alliance with the Kings Nation is not going to make Leon Alvarez love nor trust you, Antonio.”

Antonio raised his brows and nodded. “I’m pretty sure the type of alliance I’m thinking of will make all of your new allies trust me. Leon’s will just be the safest of the extras …”

“Extras,” Aris repeated.

Antonio gave a bow of his head. “Yes,” he answered lightly.

Aris blinked at Antonio’s stupid satisfied smile.

“And what do you propose we do then?” Aris questioned dryly. “You want to unite families that have been separate. People that purposely stay away from you to protect what they’ve built.” Taking his seat, Aris clasped his hands together, looking at his friend expectantly. “How do you propose you and I— bring Chicago’s best to the table in unity? How do you propose we fight together?”

For a moment there was silence as Antonio kept his eyes locked to Aris’s. He crossed the room and sat back in his seat. 

Aris waited patiently, sincerely interested in an answer to his question. He couldn’t lie. Though he didn’t know how Antonio wanted to go about making this happen, such unity between the crime bosses of Chicago was … a tempting thought. Aside from the threat Dmitri currently posed, this could really open the city up to all of them, especially when it came to business. Aris had always been a believer in what his father called the “thrive system”. The city ran better when all the families were thriving and united in the common goal of success. No pointless wars, just peace. Wars cost money. Peace … brought prosperity.

But even though his interest was piqued, Aris couldn’t guess the plan in his brother’s head.

“I have a proposal,” Antonio finally spoke, breaking the silence between them.

Aris motioned for the man to move forward.

He obliged. “In my world family is everything …”

Same, Aris thought …

“This,” Antonio continued, “I believe, is where we all connect. Family. There is nothing more important than that bond and the loyalty that comes along with it. Am I right?”

Nodding, Aris picked up his glass and downed the rest of its contents. Yes. Family and loyalty were indeed the most important things to every criminal organization that crossed his mind.

“Then why don’t we build a bridge,” Antonio suggested, an untamed excitement brightening his eyes. “A strong, unbreakable bridge that will not only bring our organizations together, but the others will feel safe to follow, especially Leon Alvarez …

Aris shook his head, not understanding. “The proposal …” he pushed the man forward again.

“I’m speaking of a symbol, Aris.” Antonio’s eyes lowered the way they always did when he hesitated to say something to Aris. “The fact that you haven’t guessed my proposal yet means that it hasn’t ever crossed your mind.”

Aris blinked, staring blankly at the man. “A symbol of peace between us would be an allyship.”

“Yes,” Antonio said slowly, his eyes slightly casted to the floor. “But not one signed in ink brother …”

Not in ink? Aris’s brows furrowed.

“It would need to be in blood. The only allyship that would truly stand the test of time and secure the trust of both your family, as well as El Familia…” 

Antonio left the words in the silence.

Blood?

Aris thought for a moment … and then his lips quirked slightly.

This motherfucker …

Antonio’s eyes lifted as he stared at Aris with a look on his face the made Aris want to beat him to a bloody pulp. Leaning forward in his seat, just to assure Antonio could see his face and there was no confusion about how he felt about the words the man had just said to him, Aris’s jaw clenched.

“Fuck. You.”

“Aris listen …”

He shot up from his seat before Antonio could say shit else to him.

“Burn in hell, Tony!”

The man had lost his motherfucking mind. And after Aris had told him not to say anything stupid to him?!

A blood bond!

And not even just a blood bond; a blood bond of fucking war. Between the Italian mafia and a black gang?!

Fucking wild.

Aris stormed toward Antonio’s office door. He was going the fuck home.

“Just so you know, we’re done motherfucker. I hope Dmitri Mihklova drags you to your two acres and blows your fucking head off—”

Antonio’s laughter rang out. “Aris.” He ran to stand in front of his office door, further pissing Aris off.

“Move!” Aris shouted.

“Will you calm down,” Antonio raised his hands in a stopping motion. “You’re getting all worked up over nothing. It’s just a war bond.”

Aris shook his head. “Move, before I move you, Tony.” 

He could feel the muscles in his arms and back tensing, he was more than prepared to beat this motherfuckers ass tonight. He could give a fuck about any of this shit, he didn’t have the patience to explain to his ignorant, white ass brother the countless reasons why a blood bond between their organizations was not ‘just a war bond’.

“Okay. Okay!” He held up conceding hands again. “I know it’s not just a war bond.” He rolled his eyes with a sigh. “I downplayed it, I’m sorry. But you aren’t even considering it, Aris!”

“Because it’s stupid!” Aris snapped.

“It’s not,” the man yelled back, his expression once again serious. “It’s necessary and you know it.”

“It’s necessary for me to give one of my daughters to your heir in marriage for one fucking war. Necessary for me to hand my daughter over to an entire community of racist? A girl who was raised like fucking royalty. Does that sound right to you?!”

Antonio blinked, giving Aris a deadpan look. “Entire community is a bit dramatic, Aris.” He rolled his eyes. “You give us no credit …”

“For good reason!”

“Your community isn’t the most inclusive community either. You ally with other cultures, but when it comes to marriages you’ve never strayed too far yourself.”

“Again,” Aris reiterated. “For. Good. Reason.”

“Oh, give me a fucking break, Aris,” Antonio snapped in frustration. “The war with Dmitri is a big war, but you know I need your support for more than that! Joining our families is necessary in ensuring we have the rest of the city on our side. You know how difficult this war would become if any of your new allies betrayed you—”

“They would never!”

“Can you honestly say you are 100% sure of that, Aris?”

Silence followed the question. It fell heavy between them Aris was sure he could feel the pressure of it. When he got sick of its weight, he turned from his brother with a huff.

“Fuck!” He was so fucking tense it felt as if he’d burst through his own skin at any moment. “Fucking bullshit …”

“Becoming allies and fighting this shit together will ensure that they are too afraid to even think of betraying our alliance, and you know it, brother. We are stronger together. That’s the way it’s always been. It would be better for us to fight this war as family then just as associates. Gaining Leon’s trust will be easier with him knowing that one day the head of our families will be blood related.” He closed what little distance was still between them. “You know I’m right, Aris.”

Pushing the man back from him, Aris turned and stormed back to his seat, resting his elbows on his knees. He groaned, burying his face in his hands.

Fuck!

This was Antonio’s fucking fault. 

“You did this.” Aris dropped his hands from his face and let his head hang forward. “Dmitri wouldn’t be here if you had shit stable in your family.”

It was true. If Fratelli di Sangue wasn’t at war with themselves, Dmitri never would have attempted a move like this. The Italian mafia organization that Antonio was a part of was the most powerful crime syndicate in the world. It’s cohesiveness had always been its greatest strength. The unity in Fratelli di Sangue was what had made the massive organization work so well. Though comprised and run by many bosses, they had all worked together as one … at least in the past they had. 

“I’m aware brother …” Antonio crossed the room to stand in front of him. “I’m going to fix it. I promise.” 

Aris felt his hand rest on his shoulder as he squatted down in front of his seat.

“But I need help,” he said, and Aris heard the seriousness in his tone. 

Of course he fucking did. Aris had told Antonio years ago when they were just boys that Fratelli di Sangue had too many men in charge, and no one at the top to answer to. If everybody was running shit, who the fuck was really running shit …

“If I am to become the sole boss of Fratelli di Sangue, I need your help, Aris …” 

The boss of all bosses in the Fratelli di Sangue crime syndicate was what his brother was destined to become. Though it wasn’t an easy feat, Antonio was the only man Aris believed could actually do it. The man had singlehandedly taken over the U.S.— something not even his father could do— and catapulted the organization to the top. It was his power in this country that had some of the other boss’s in his organization shaking in their boots. They wanted him dead and had no knowledge of just how impossible it was to kill him.

Old age, or a tragic act of God. Anything short of that would fail to kill Antonio De Luca … and would, intern, invoke the deadly wrath of his five made sons. 

Stefano—his heir— being the deadliest of the bunch.

“I can’t do this without you. If I lose Chicago—”

“You lose North America …” Aris finished his brother’s sentence. Lifting his head, he met Antonio’s eyes. “And if you lose North America … you lose the world…”

It was that simple. Chicago was the gateway in the states. But the states were the gateway of the most powerful countries in the world. Antonio needed to keep his stronghold here in order to keep every other major location of his organizations operations running smoothly.

“I know it’s not an easy decision, but trust me when I tell you this, brother …”

Aris nodded for Antonio to continue.

Antonio’s brows furrowed slightly. “She will be safe here, in my family …”

Aris’s jaw tightened.

“I swear it on my life, Aris,” he reaffirmed with passion. “I have never lied to you. Have I?”

Staring sharply into Antonio’s questioning eyes, Aris ground out the word “No”. His brother had never lied to him before; it was their rule. No lies, ever. Not even in instances of trying to protect the other.

“And I never would,” Antonio promised. “Your daughter will be treated like the queen I know she’s been raised to be. She will be the wife of the heir to the worlds most powerful empire, and any children she brings into this world will inherit all that is due to them …”

“And her first-born son?” Aris asked, a glare falling over his face.

Antonio nodded. “He will be my son’s heir …”

Aris’s features calmed.

“A man only has to be Italian through his father’s lineage to be a made man. That is the code …” 

Aris lowered his eyes, his brows furrowing as he thought over Antonio’s words. 

He didn’t like that he was considering this.

In the Kings Nation, just like the Italian mafia, arranged marriages were common when two organizations wanted to solidify an alliance. Aris’s own marriage to his beloved wife had been arranged. His wife Laila was the daughter of his father’s right-hand man, Jerome Brown. But Laila wasn’t a King’s Nation boss’s daughter, and it was common for the daughter of the boss’s right hand to be given to the Nation’s future boss in Aris’s culture.

A boss’s daughter from his family, on the other hand, hadn’t been forced into a marriage for two generations. Even his oldest, who was recently married to the heir of El Familia— the nation’s most powerful Hispanic criminal organization— had known her husband since they were very young. The boss’s daughters of the Kings Nation were cherished, and highly protected. They lived sheltered lives and had very limited contact with the opposite sex—limited to only trusted and some blood-related men— in preparation for their futures as wives of powerful leaders. Their marriages formed lasting, and highly beneficial alliances for the kings nation for the last five generations, and the majority of those alliances were chosen by them. By no means did a boss’s daughter get to choose her own suitors, but of the suitors chosen by her father, the final decision on who would have her hand was made by her after the courting process.

If Aris made this agreement, not only would he be taking the one freedom his daughter was promised, but he’d be thrusting her into a family that would very likely reject her. Not only for her cultural differences, but for the color of her skin.

“Protecting my baby girl would require you keep your family in check, Antonio,” Aris stared ahead, even as he spoke the words low. “Her son’s would be half-black. Half-black heirs to the most powerful crime syndicate in the world. An Italian mafia family at that.”

“Her son’s will be raised by my son,” Antonio’s hand tightened on his shoulder. “Who is it that you feel would ever threaten or attempt to harm Stefano or anyone that belongs to him?”

Aris lifted his eyes to Antonio’s in silence. For a long moment they stared in silent communication before he swallowed, giving a nod of his head.

“No one,” he muttered, his eyes refocusing ahead.

Any other son … Any other son of Antonio’s Aris wouldn’t even be considering this shit. Stefano, though … He was different.

Antonio released his arm and stood before walking back to his seat. “There was a reason why I strayed from tradition and made my third born son my heir, Aris. A reason you are very much aware of…” He leaned forward, resting his elbow on his knees. “Stefano is the only of my sons strong enough to hold every bit of power I pass on. The only one that would attain and pass on even more.” He clasped his hands. “He will raise his sons to do the same, of that I have no doubt … Their skin color would make them no less my blood. And my blood will rule this family unchallenged until worlds end.” He sighed. “Of that I am sure, too…”

Aris nodded as he continued to stare at the wall ahead of him with slightly wide eyes.

His stomach was turning with nerves, just as it always did when he was faced with impossible decisions in the past. He knew all the facts, as well as the threat his people and his alliances faced from Brat’ya vo t’me. And he also knew the more time he fucked around with making this alliance, the bigger the threat would become. It was true, Dmitri’s endgame was not wiping out the little guys, it was destabilizing the hold the Italian’s had in the U.S, more specifically, Fratelli di Sangue.

It was a revenge war, for all Antonio took from them in the US when he took it over only a year after he took over in Chicago. 

Aris was aware more men would pour in from their home country, even after Antonio began to push back. Dmitri knew Antonio had no reinforcements coming. With the drama inside his family, to bring in reinforcements would destabilize what they had going on elsewhere. 

Dmitri would capitalize … and win.

And that couldn’t happen, Aris thought.

It wasn’t just his organization that was at risk here, it was the very lives of his family. 

Dmitri wouldn’t let them live.

Fuck, he thought yet again, running his hand over his face.

Laila was going to kill him, but at this point … what other fucking choice did he have.

He stared ahead, unable to make eye contact with Antonio while he did this.

“Laila won’t be happy,” he said into the silence, running a nervous hand over his buzzed cut hair. “You have to take the brunt of her anger with me.”

“Yeah,” was all Antonio said in response, raking his fingers through his black hair as if the thought stressed him.

Fucking with Laila was something they both hesitated to do on issues much less serious than this one. The arrangement of their daughters marriage without her participation was not going to go over well. Aris knew Antonio would be anticipating the storm that she’d bring to his door right after she was done with Aris.

“My daughter is capable of being what your wife has failed to be for this family for the last couple of decades, Antonio …”

Antonio let out a humorous snort.

Aris knew it wasn’t because he’d said his daughter was capable, but instead because he’d brought up the man’s wife. Unlike Aris’s arranged marriage, Antonio’s marriage, like many arranged marriages before it, was an utter failure. 

Antonio hated his wife.

“You and your son just have to provide the space for her to thrive. If she doesn’t have your support …”

“She will have our full support, Aris. Stop worrying.” 

He almost sounded annoyed that he’d had to reassure Aris again, but Aris didn’t care. He needed to hear it.

“The boss’s wife is the highest position a woman can have in my family. She will be protected, cherished. And I have no doubt she will earn the respect of the entirety of Fratelli di Sangue in no time at all …. She’s a boss’s daughter, after all.”

Aris nodded. “So, you think the men will take the knee, then?” he asked the man, curious of what he thought about his daughters acceptance as the ‘boss’s wife’. “You think they will accept her as their Signora, knowing what position your son will inherit after you take over the family.”

“Don’t you?” Antonio seemed sure. “I’ve been around your family for a long time, Aris. I have no doubt your daughter will exceed even my expectations. The men will follow my son. If Stefano takes the knee, they will, too.”

“Okay …” Aris murmured.

He said the word low, unbelieving of what he was about to say, but he knew he had to. 

With a long sigh, he closed his eyes as his family flashed through his mind. His wife, son; his four beautiful daughters. He clenched his jaw at the thought of how heart broken his little girl was going to be to learn the fate her beloved father had arranged for her without her knowledge or say in the matter. She’d never forgive him …. He was sure of it.

Standing to his feet, Aris ran one last hand over his face and shook his head at his own stupidity.

“Yeah,” he forced the word out. His voice didn’t even sound like his own. “Let’s do it …”

When Antonio stood up from his seat, he studied Aris for a moment before extending his hand. Aris looked down at it as if it were the contract itself.

Swallowing, he shook his brother’s hand.

“Remember,” Antonio said low, his expression serious. “This is forever.”

And Aris knew without any further explanation that those words were the seal that locked him in the agreement. There was no turning back from the decision he’d made, no changing his mind.

This was forever.

Any break of the agreement from this point on would be a break of trust between Aris and Antonio, and once this agreement to bond was made public, any attempt to back out of it would be a slap in the face to the other family. The consequences for that were not worth it.

So, this was it.

Aris’s daughter would marry Stefano De Luca …. 

“We have to tell the boys first …”

The boys. Their son’s would need to be the first they told. Them and the head men in each of their organizations.

“They should start working together as soon as possible,” Antonio added.

Aris nodded his agreement.

“We will let them do a little work together, then we will have a meeting and tell them the news. Can you get Leon to come.”

Aris grunted, turning to sit back in his seat. 

“Good,” Antonio nodded. “We can tell him and our boys together then.”

Aris shook his head, dreading every conversation that would come of this decision. “Even as close as the boys are, I can’t say with certainty that AJ will think favorably on his best friend marrying his sister. He’s protective of them. He was raised to be …”

“AJ is a future boss, Aris. He’ll understand the lasting benefits of the alliance.” Antonio took his seat as they both looked ahead. “Stefano will be rattled,” he chuckled, lifting his drink from the table to his lips. “He won’t show it though.” He took a sip of his liquor. “He’ll tell me I’m wrong before he inevitably agrees … I fear giving him a wife like your daughter, though I know it’s necessary.”

Aris looked over at his friend. He was still staring ahead, but Aris saw the introspective look in his eyes.

“Why is that?” Aris asked, curious. “You’ve never met her …” The boss’s daughters of the Kings Nation were mostly kept away from the eyes of outsiders. Even though Antonio was like a brother to Aris, and he trusted him with both his and his family’s lives, Antonio had too many sons for Aris to bring his daughters around him. It wasn’t allowed. The girls were kept sheltered and protected to avoid any question of their purity. It was the way of his culture. “I assure you, she will make a good wife …”

All of Aris’s daughters had been well prepared to be the wives of leaders. Boss’s daughters only married heirs.

“Oh I’m sure of that,” Antonio chuckled humorlessly again, never taking his eyes from the cabinet ahead of him. “I’m sure she’s been well prepared to assume the role of a powerful man’s wife her entire life. Like her mother, she knows how to … inspire love, loyalty …” 

“Complete devotion,” Aris finished for the man.

Because he was right … Aris’s daughter did do those things. She was a true daughter of the underworld with the cleanest of hands. Stunning in every way a man could imagine, and she made everything she touched better just by being. The fact that she was an amazing, intelligent, interesting, and captivating woman only made her that much more difficult to ignore. Which would have not been concerning had Stefano been a … normal man. But he wasn’t. Stefan was the epitome of a true son of the underworld. As dangerous as Antonio was, his son was a different breed of dangerous entirely …

And wars had been started over much less than a pretty woman in their world.

Aris watched as Antonio took another drink, wincing slightly at the alcohol’s sting. 

“My son is very powerful. Very… dangerous …” He said.

When he turned his eyes to Aris, his expression slightly strained, Aris only offered him a shrug. He didn’t say anything to dispute what the man had said. 

The deal had already been made.

Aris had three unmarried daughters who were all of age, but there was only one of his daughters that had what it took to be the queen of this particular family. It wasn’t that the other two weren’t exceptional in their own right, they were.

But they were not their sister. She was more built for the task of taming a reluctant Italian mafia organization.

Stefano would marry his daughter, Zahra. Antonio had nothing to fear. Aris’s daughter would make his son better, stronger even. 

And if the man thought his son was dangerous now …

Smirking, Aris shook his head and looked away from Antonio.

This was going to be quite the interesting ride.  

(c) 2024 Michelle Hardin

Okay. So this is not the only snippet that I will be sharing from this story. It’s just the longest! But the closer we get to releasing this baby, the more I will share. The next post I make we will be sneaking a peak into Dangerous Beauty: Part Six!! Eeeeee!!!! I’m so excited.

Love you all!!