DESIRE HAS NO MERCY

Julia went to the casino to negotiate repayment of her sister's debt. In Italy, it's a given that casinos are run by the Mafia―but the man in the owner's suite was Rome, the son of a servant who once worked for her family back when they were still wealthy. As children, a small misunderstanding had made Julia cry, and her furious grandmother had thrown Rome and his mother out of the house. He must hate me for that, she thought. And sure enough, in a cold voice, Rome said, “You'll belong to me―in exchange for your sister's debt."