Fragile Longing

by Cora Reilly

  Copyright ©2020 Cora Reilly

  All Rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, businesses, events and places are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously.

  Cover design by Hang Le

  Title Page

  Copyright

  About This Book

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Epilogue

  Other Books

  About the Author

  Sofia knows how it feels to be the consolation prize.

  Too young.

  Not blonde.

  And definitely not an ice princess.

  Her sister is—was—all those things. Perfection. Until she wasn’t. Until she ran off to be with the enemy and left her fiancé behind.

  Now, Sofia is given to Danilo in her sister’s stead, knowing she’ll never be more than second best. Yet, she can’t stop longing for the love of the man she’s crushed on since he was still her sister’s.

  Danilo is a man who’s used to getting what he wants.

  Power.

  Respect.

  The sought-after ice princess.

  Until another man steals his bride-to-be. Danilo knows that for a man in his position, losing his woman can lead to a loss of face.

  Wounded pride.

  Thirst for revenge.

  A dangerous combination—one Danilo can’t leave behind, not even when a girl just as precious takes her sister’s place to placate him. Yet, she’s got one flaw: she’s not her sister.

  Unable to forget what he’s lost, Danilo might lose what he’s been given.

  Thou shalt not covet.

  I’d pined for Danilo even when he had still been engaged to my sister. It had been an innocent infatuation of a young girl, fantasizing how things would be if he were mine. My knight-in-shining armor, my Disney prince.

  It had been my favorite daydream, until a simple fantasy had turned to reality when my sister couldn’t marry him.

  That dream soon turned into a nightmare, and a silly girl’s fantasy burst.

  He didn’t want me.

  No two snowflakes are identical in shape; every single one of them is unique—magnificent, icy perfection.

  Like my sister.

  I’d tried to imitate her, but an imitation would never be the original. I was an echo of the perfect melody. A shadow of an immaculate image. Always less. Never enough.

  Serafina had been close to perfect in people’s eyes when she was still around, but now that she was nothing but a fading memory, her absence amplified all that she had been. She’d become larger than life.

  She lingered in every corner of the house, and worse, in the minds of the people she’d left behind.

  How can you beat a memory?

  You can’t.

  My fingers trembled as I smoothed down my wedding dress. It wasn’t my name that would be whispered in the pews today.

  Because I was the consolation prize.

  The surrogate bride.

  Worst of all, I was not my sister.

  I peered at my reflection, my face hazy through the fine gossamer veil. Dressed like this, I almost looked like Serafina, minus the blonde hair. Still less. Always less. But maybe Danilo would see the similarities between my sister and me. Maybe, for a second, he would look at me with the same longing he used to direct at Serafina.

  Before he realized I wasn’t Serafina. Before that look of disappointment settled on his face again.

  Less than he wanted.

  Tearing the veil from my hair, I tossed it away. I was done trying to be someone else. Danilo would have to see me for who I was, and if that meant he’d never look at me twice, then so be it.

  “I can’t marry you.”

  My fiancée’s words echoed in my head. Peering down at the engagement ring she’d given back to me, I tried to pinpoint my emotions—a potent mixture of fury and shock. The ring mocked me where it lay in my palm. Serafina had hardly been able to stand my closeness when she’d uttered those words.

  I’d known Serafina for as long as I could remember. Long before I’d met her, her name had been whispered reverently among the boys and even the men in our circles.

  The regal ice princess’s beauty featured in many fantasies.

  Like magpies drawn in by a shiny object, many wanted to possess her. When she’d been promised to me at the age of fifteen, I’d reveled in the admiration and jealousy of my fellow Made Men. I’d won the sought-after prize and could call her mine.

  For years, I’d counted the days to our wedding.

  Everything had seemed to be working in my favor. I had been about to become the youngest underboss of the Outfit with the Capo’s niece, the ice princess, as my wife. I’d felt invincible.

  Many consider arrogance and pride a sin, and I was punished harshly for those qualities.

  Days before I was supposed to take over from my father as Underboss, my little sister Emma was in a car accident. Now, she was trapped in a wheelchair with no future ahead of her. The mafia world wasn’t kind. Girls and women who had obvious flaws were cast aside and deemed unworthy, doomed to a life in the shadows either as spinsters or stuck in a marriage with the first scum who accepted them.

  On the day of our wedding, Serafina was stolen from me, kidnapped by our cruelest enemy: the Camorra of Las Vegas.

  When their Capo sent her back to us, she wasn’t the same girl I’d known. She was lost to me, broken, and I couldn’t fix her.

  My meticulously planned future was in shambles. I was left with a disabled, heartbroken sister and a dying father. Left without a wife.

  I closed my eyes after ending the call with my father. He insisted that we needed to demand a bond with Cavallaro’s family. He wanted the connection to the Capo, and though I agreed, moving on from Serafina so soon after losing her cut me like an acid blade.

  Life had to go on, though, and I had to appear strong. I was young. Many expected me to fail at the task of ruling over Indianapolis. They were waiting for that moment, for my fall from grace. I curled my fingers into a fist around the ring and went in search of my Capo and Serafina’s father.

  Ten minutes later, Serafina’s father Pietro Mione, her brother Samuel, and our Capo Dante Cavallaro met with me in the office of the Mione mansion to settle the matter of the broken wedding bond. The matter would cause a riptide of rumors regardless of what we decided today. It was too late for damage control.

  I released a sigh. “My father insists that I marry someone from your family,” I said emotionlessly, even as my insides burned with rage and guilt. “A bond between our families is necessary, especially at this time.”

  Pietro sighed and slumped in his chair. Samuel shook his head and glared at me. “Serafina won’t marry. She needs time to heal.”

  I’d have given her the time she needed like I’d told her, but she didn’t want to marry me anymore
.

  “There are other options,” Dante drawled.

  The rage that burned inside me spilled free. “What options? I won’t accept the daughter of any other Underboss. My city is important. I won’t settle for less than was promised!”

  More than that, I didn’t want to return to my dying father and already-grieving mother to tell them about yet another blow for our family. We’d gone through enough. They had all gone through enough. It was up to me to protect them.

  Dante scowled. “Watch your tone, Danilo. I realize this is a difficult situation, but I expect respect nonetheless.”

  Samuel looked as if he wanted to attack me. “You can’t have Fina!”

  “You can’t have Anna, either,” Dante said.

  I’d never considered his daughter as an option. If I married her, it would only cause me problems. I doubted Dante wouldn’t shove his nose into my business if it concerned his offspring. “You need my support in this war. You need a strong family at your back.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  “That’s a fact, Dante. I think you’re a good Capo, but I insist I get what my family deserves. I won’t settle for less.”

  “I won’t force Fina into a marriage, not after what she went through,” Pietro said.

  Dante nodded. “I agree.”

  I understood their reasoning. Serafina didn’t want to marry me, and I wouldn’t force her into a bond when she’d already suffered a loss of control recently. “We’re at an impasse, then.”

  There was only one option. It was one I wished to avoid but couldn’t. Father had immediately suggested my ex-fiancée’s younger sister as a substitute. A ridiculous idea, but the only viable option.

  Dante and Pietro looked at each other, probably considering exactly that option.

  Pietro closed his eyes. “Is that what you ask of me, Dante?”

  “Pietro, if we follow the rules, Danilo could demand to marry Serafina. They were engaged.”

  I waited for them to settle whatever they had to. There was only one solution to our problem.

  When Pietro opened his eyes, they were hard, full of warning. “I will give you Sofia.”

  My father had been right.

  Sofia. She was a child. Ten years younger than me. I’d never even spared her a glance. “She’s what, eleven?” Even though it was the only option, a new wave of anger rose in me. Anger for the situation and absolute rage toward Remo Falcone.

  “Twelve in April,” Samuel corrected, scowling at me. His hands were curled into fists, but I had a feeling his anger wasn’t directed only at me.

  “I’m ten years older than her. I was promised a wife now.”

  “You’ll be busy with this war and establishing your reign over Indianapolis. A later wedding would be advantageous,” Dante said.

  Ten fucking years younger than me. I couldn’t even think of her as a woman, let alone as my future wife. Just trying to imagine Sofia as a grownup made me feel like a fucking pervert. Serafina hadn’t been that much older when she’d been promised to me, but we were close in age. I’d wanted her even back then because she was the ice princess, because she was so beautiful that everyone wanted her.

  I couldn’t imagine wanting Sofia like that, couldn’t imagine wanting her at all. She was a child. She wasn’t Serafina.

  I was going to kill Remo Falcone for stealing my fiancée, for breaking her in ways that made it impossible for her to marry me. I was going to destroy everything that mattered to him. I wouldn’t rest until I’d ruined his life like he had ruined mine.

  “Danilo?” Dante asked carefully, and I realized I’d zoned out.

  It didn’t matter what I wanted. This bond would save Emma. That was all I could hope for at this point.

  “I have one condition.”

  “What condition?” Dante’s voice was clipped. His patience was running dry. These last few months had tested us all.

  My eyes slanted to Samuel. He was watching me with narrowed eyes. Did I trust him with my sister? More than any of the other prospects. Father would marry Emma off at some point, and nobody of worth wanted her. She’d be cast off to someone who hoped to improve his position, someone who didn’t deserve her.

  “He marries my sister Emma,” I said.

  Samuel’s face twisted with shock. “She’s in a—”

  He stopped short. Good for him because I wanted to kill him.

  “In a wheelchair, yes. Which is why nobody of worth wants her. My sister deserves only the best, and you are the heir to the Minneapolis Outfit. If you all want this bond, Samuel will marry my sister, then I’ll marry Sofia.”

  “Fuck,” Samuel muttered. “What kind of twisted deal is that?”

  “Why? Your father has been testing the waters for possible brides, and my sister is a Mancini. She’s a good match.”

  Samuel took a deep breath before nodding. “I’ll marry your sister.”

  I bared my teeth at his tone.

  “Then it’s settled?” Pietro asked. “You’ll marry Sofia and accept the cancelation of the engagement with Fina?”

  I gave a sharp nod. “It’s not what I want, but it’ll have to do.”

  “It’ll have to do?” Samuel growled, stepping forward with narrowed eyes. “That’s my baby sister you’re talking about. She’s not some fucking thing you accept as a consolation prize.”

  But she was the consolation prize. We all knew it. I laughed bitterly. “You might want to remember that as well when you meet my sister.”

  “Enough,” Dante growled.

  “The wedding will have to wait until Sofia is of age,” Pietro said in a tired voice.

  Did he think I wanted a child bride? “Of course. My sister won’t marry before her eighteenth birthday, either.”

  Six long years. It would give me more time to stabilize my rule over Indianapolis, which was the one thing I’d hated about marrying Serafina, but I’d wanted her and she couldn’t wait too long. But now, now I’d have plenty of time to strengthen my reign, to enjoy myself some more—that’s how Father put it. Six years was a long time. So much could happen before then. I wouldn’t lose another girl. I’d make sure Sofia was safe, safer than Serafina had been.

  Pietro nodded.

  “Then it’s decided,” I said. “I have to return home soon. We can settle the details at a later point.”

  Dante nodded.

  “Just one more thing. I don’t want word about Samuel’s bond to my sister to get out yet. She doesn’t need to know this was a deal in exchange for Sofia.”

  I moved toward the door, wanting out of this house, out of this city, but most of all away from Serafina. Footsteps sounded behind me, but I didn’t turn. There was nothing else left to say, not today.

  “Danilo, wait,” Samuel demanded.

  Narrowing my eyes, I turned around. “What do you want?”

  We’d come to a tentative understanding while trying to save Serafina from Remo Falcone’s clutches, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t last. We were both alphas and didn’t deal well with someone who didn’t bow to our wishes.

  “Sofia deserves more than being second best.”

  That was probably true. True for both our sisters. Fate had dealt Emma some harsh cards, and she deserved only the best. Would she ever get it? Probably not. “I’ll treat Sofia with the same respect as I have always treated Serafina.” My mouth twisted as I voiced her name. “Remember to do the same with Emma.”

  Samuel shook his head. “Quid pro quo?”

  I said nothing. This was messed up. We both got girls we didn’t want for a bond that would ensure our power. Samuel and I were proud men to a fault, and Remo Falcone had trampled on that pride. A pride we wanted to rebuild.

  I was beginning to think it would be both our downfall.

  I still remembered the first time I saw Danilo. It was a year before he was supposed to marry my sister. He’d come over to discuss details with Dad. Driven by curiosity, I’d pretended to be heading toward the kitchen to catch a glimpse of
him. He stood in our foyer, talking to Dad. The moment I spotted him, my heart did a strange flip it had never done before. He gave me a smile, and again my heart beat wildly and my belly warmed. He reminded me of the princes that girls always dreamed about. Tall and handsome and chivalrous. His dark brown hair was smoothed back casually, and he had a small dimple in his right cheek when he smiled.

  I’d thought he’d remain a fantasy forever. Whenever I fantasized about him, I’d felt guilty—until, suddenly, he was mine. At least officially, because his heart still belonged to my sister.

  The day I found out I would be marrying Danilo, I had been sitting at my desk in my room when someone knocked, then Dad stepped in. He’d sent me to my room a couple of hours ago like so often in the months since Fina had been kidnapped. Everyone thought I was too young to understand what was going on, to handle the severity of it all.

  “Sofia, can I have a word with you?” Dad asked.

  I looked up from my homework with a small frown. His voice sounded off.

  “Did I do something wrong?” It was the only explanation for why my parents would seek me out. They’d been too busy since the kidnapping, so I was used to being on my own or with my cousin Anna. I wasn’t mad at them. They were hurting so much. I just wanted things to go back to how they used to be. I wanted us to be happy.

  Dad came over to me and touched the top of my head, his eyes sad. “Of course not, ladybug.”

  I smiled at the use of my nickname. It always reminded me how much he loved me even if he couldn’t always show it.

  “Let’s sit over there, okay?” He pointed toward my pink sofa, then walked over to it and sank down, looking tired. I followed and sat beside him. For a long time, he didn’t say anything, only regarded me in a way that made my throat feel all tight.

  “Dad?” I whispered. “Is Fina okay?”

  “Yeah . . .” He swallowed and took my hand. “You know we have rules in our world. Rules we all have to follow. Danilo can’t marry Serafina anymore, so we decided that we’d promise you to him.”

  I blinked, shocked. After a moment, my belly fluttered madly. “Really?” I cringed at how excited I sounded.