Page 1 of The Bodyguard's Vow

PROLOGUE

GABRIELLA

“Vincent is driving you, and that’s final.”

I was perfectly capable of going into town by myself since I had my own car and license, but I knew better than to argue with Rafa when he used that tone. He wasn’t just my big brother but also the head of the DeLuca Crime Family’s Southern branches. Although I usually saw his softer side, he’d earned his nickname as the Mafia King of the South, and there were times when he didn’t bend with my sisters or me.

“Whatever you say, brother dearest.” I gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Just so long as he’s ready to leave now and doesn’t mind waiting around for a couple of hours. You know how Opal and I are when we’re together, and this is my last chance to have a face-to-face gabfest with her for an entire year. I refuse to be rushed.”

“Vincent is already waiting out front for you. Take all the time you need. Even if he complained—which would never happen—you’ll be gone too soon for it to bother you much.”

I beamed a grin at him. “Good point.”

I was so excited to spend an entire year in New York, but I would miss my friends and family. And a certain bodyguardwho’d caught my eye, but I’d never admit that to anyone because it would get me into all sorts of trouble with Rafa since Domenico was his best friend and an entire decade older than me.

I hadn’t even told any of my friends or sisters about my crush. Saying it out loud would make my feelings too real…and the pain of him not returning them that much stronger.

While I was thrilled to get a little time with Opal before I left, I also needed to watch what I said to her. We met all the way back in kindergarten, so even though we didn’t see each other as often as we’d like since our homes were about as far away from each other as they could get and still go to the same school, she knew me well enough to catch on when I was hiding something.

Her ability to know I had something on my mind had gotten awkward a few times growing up since my brother’s place in the DeLuca Crime Family meant there were instances when I had to keep stuff that I’d overheard to myself. And it had only gotten more complicated when Opal’s brother joined the crime syndicate that ran the town where they lived because it put Rafa and Oswald at odds with each other. But we never let their issues get in the way of our friendship.

Any worries I had about the secret I was keeping from her flew out of my head ten minutes later as I approached the booth in the local diner where Opal was waiting for me. There were dark smudges beneath her eyes, her hair looked as though she hadn’t brushed it in days, and her cheekbones were more pronounced than usual, making me think she’d lost a lot of weight since I last saw her only two weeks ago.

Rushing forward, I slid onto the bench across from her and reached out to grab her hands. “Have you been sick? Are you okay? Maybe I should put off my trip out to New York for a week or two, and you can come stay withMammaand me. She’ll make all your favorite foods to put some meat back on your bones.”

“I’m not sick,” Opal whispered, her gaze darting around the diner before she leaned closer. “And going to your house will only help me for a little while.”

My brows drew together. “What do you mean?”

Her lips flattened into a thin line as the server approached our booth. “What can I get you?”

“Just a water for me.”

Opal’s answer worried me even more because she always got a milkshake when we came here. The only exception was when she found out that Oswald had killed someone to prove to the other members of the syndicate that he was strong enough to step in as their leader when the previous one died.

“Two strawberry milkshakes, please.”

The server took down my order and hurried away to fill coffee cups for a few tables. As soon as she was out of earshot, I demanded, “What in the heck is going on?”

Her red-rimmed eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. “Oswald is trying to negotiate a deal with a crew down in Florida. Their operation is bigger than his, so he apparently doesn’t have the upper hand. And the guy who does wants a big concession from him to clinch the deal.”

My eyes widened as I gaped at her. “How do you know all of this?”

Opal wasn’t close to her brother, and he never shared syndicate business with her. The only reason she’d found out what he’d done to become the local leader was that she’d accidentally overheard the tail end of a phone call he’d taken a week later.

It shouldn’t have been possible, but her skin lost the little color that was left. “He wants me.”

“He wants you?” I echoed, my chest tightening at her answer.

“My brother offered me up to this guy. Like an arranged marriage so that they’ll join forces.”

I shook my head. “He can’t do that.”

“Oswald doesn’t seem to care about what he can and cannot do. Or what I want.” Opal’s soft laugh held no humor. “Heck, how I might be treated when he ships me down there doesn’t even matter to him.”

Her last sentence echoed in my head as the server set our milkshakes on the table, but neither of us reached for them. When she was far enough away again, I asked, “What does that mean exactly?”

Opal’s hand shook as she traced the tines of her fork. “Douglas has a reputation for being abusive. Especially to women. And I’ve heard rumors that he has some, um”—she swallowed hard, and her tears threatened to spill over again—“dark tastes. In…you know…the bedroom.”

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