It was supposed to be business.

Two families, one wedding, zero emotion.

My father's mafia outfit had saved my life.

I owed them everything.

An arranged marriage was hardly a sacrifice when I would have already been long dead had it not been for them.

I would give up my independence for the Lucciano Family.

I would bind myself to the man whose family tore my life to pieces.

Matteo De Luca was vicious claws sheathed in refinement and class.

He saw my untamed independence as a challenge.

I saw his alluring authority as a threat.

There was a ruthless storm that raged in his oceanic gaze. A majestic tidal wave of temper and domination looking to break on my rocky shores.

He would annihilate me.

Rip open my layers until all my pretty secrets were scattered at his feet.

The worst part? I wanted to experience whatever it was Matteo had to offer, and I hated myself for it.

I wanted to launch myself at him.

To kiss him. To kill him.

To end the debilitating torture of the unknown.

The moment our paths collided, our lives were altered irrevocably.

Taking us from enemies allied by a strategic marriage to something dark and consuming.

Something that tasted like obsession.

**Blood Always is book 3 in The Five Families Series but can be read as a standalone.**

Warning: There is a very small trigger warning on this one. If you are a highly sensitive reader, this one might not be for you.