A Stranger to Their Sins

I was an orphan passed between three rival mafia families. To pay off my debts, I signed a three-year loyalty agreement with the heir of each: the brutal Irishman, Killian; the elegant Italian, Lorenzo; and the ruthless financier, Alistair. When Lorenzo walked into a dinner party—a thinly veiled death trap—I took a bullet for him wearing little more than a slip of an evening gown. When Alistair faced a federal investigation, I forged account books for him, risking a ten-year prison sentence. When Killian was betrayed from within, I infiltrated an enemy camp alone to unmask the traitor for him. I always knew my place, but they repaid my devotion with mockery and warnings. Lorenzo sneered. "Juliana, you're more loyal than any bodyguard I've ever had, and far less of a headache. All I have to do is snap my fingers, and you know exactly what to do." Alistair reminded me coldly, "Let's be clear: this is a transaction. Don't delude yourself. Once the three years are up, you're gone." And Killian threw a wad of cash in my face, his message brutally clear. "This is your payment for the next three years. Remember, you're not wearing my family ring, so don't you forget your place." However, when I had finally paid off my debts and was ready to return to a normal life, they changed their tune completely. The elegant Italian was willing to offer up his entire priceless collection for me. The ruthless financier threatened to bring Wall Street to its knees. And the brutal Irishman knelt on one knee, offering me his family ring. They all declared in the same imperious tone, "You're not going anywhere. And you are forbidden from marrying anyone else."