A forbidden love. A ruthless underworld. A past that refuses to stay buried.

Charlotte has lived her whole life behind iron gates and velvet ropes—the sheltered heiress of a global arms empire. To the world, she's untouchable. To herself, she's a prisoner of guilt and grief, hiding behind the walls of her own heart.

Edward is everything she's been taught to fear. A dangerous enforcer of the notorious Cosa Nostra, he thrives in the shadows of the mafia world—reckless, unapologetic, and untamed. He lives for the rush of danger and the heat of fleeting passion... until he's ordered to protect the one woman who could unravel him.

When a vicious Albanian crime syndicate targets Charlotte, Edward becomes her reluctant guardian. But the closer he gets to the woman he's sworn to keep safe, the more he's drawn to her light—a light he knows he might destroy.

In a world of blood oaths and vendettas, their attraction burns hotter than either of them can control. Desire clashes with fear. Trust battles betrayal. And as enemies close in, Charlotte and Edward must decide if their hearts can survive the war waged around—and within—them.