Now and forever, p.1
NOW AND FOREVER, page 1
Aleatha Romig
New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE INFORMATION
NOW AND FOREVER
Book one, Brutal Vows
Copyright @ 2024 Romig Works, LLC
2024 Edition
ISBN: 978-1-956414-80-6
Editing: Lisa Aurello
Proofreading: Stacy Zitano Inman
Sensitivity reader: Danielle Sanchez
Cover Art: RBA Designs/Romantic Book Affairs
Formatting: Romig Works LLC
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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage and retrieval system, without the written permission from the copyright owner.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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2024 Edition License
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This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the appropriate retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's hard work.
Aleatha Romig’s most recent and upcoming releases
BOUND BY A PROMISE – Brutal Vows, book three - September 2024
Arranged marriage, age-gap, forbidden, mafia/cartel stand-alone romance
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ONE STRING – July 2024
Aleatha’s Lighter Ones - Second-chance, enemies-to-lovers, fake-date, little-sister’s-best-friend, forbidden, stand-alone contemporary romance
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TILL DEATH DO US PART – Brutal Vows, book two - June 2024
Arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, Mafia/cartel stand-alone romance
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NOW AND FOREVER – Brutal Vows, book one - May 2024
Arranged marriage, age-gap, mafia/cartel stand-alone romance
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LIGHT DARK – April 2024
Cult, psychological thriller, forced proximity, romantic suspense stand-alone
*Previously published through Thomas and Mercer as INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK
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REMEMBERING PASSION – Sinclair Duet book one – September 2023
Scorching hot, second-chance romance filled with the suspense and intrigue
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REKINDLING DESIRE – Sinclair Duet, book two – October 2023
Scorching hot, second-chance romance filled with the suspense and intrigue
For a complete list of all Aleatha Romig’s works, turn to BOOKS BY ALEATHA at the end of this novel.
Synopsis:
Arranged-marriage, age-gap, Mafia/cartel romance
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Capo to the Luciano Famiglia was my birthright.
The cruelty needed to succeed in this life has been beaten into me since I was a young boy. My father, Vincent Luciano, taught by example and with the slap of his hand. My independent streak took me down paths my father would never have gone. With our enemies gaining strength, it is my idea to attempt an alliance with an unlikely bedfellow.
The Roríguez Cartel and the Luciano Famiglia are improbable partners, yet even Vincent Luciano can’t deny the possible benefits. The only way to solidify the deal is for me to marry Catalina Ruiz, the eldest daughter of Andres Ruiz, a top lieutenant in the Roríguez Cartel.
Catalina is young, beautiful, and thinks she understands the path she is being forced to follow. There is no way for her to know the monster she is about to wed. A man doesn’t become a made man at thirteen if he is capable of love. That emotion is beyond my scope of expertise. Saving the famiglia is my goal. And once this alliance is made, ours will be but the first of the brutal vows exchanged.
Have you been Aleatha’d?
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NOW AND FOREVER is a stand-alone dangerous Mafia/cartel romance in the new “Brutal Vows” series. Each arranged-marriage story is filled with the suspense, intrigue, and heat you’ve come to expect from New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig.
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*NOW and FOREVER is a stand-alone Mafia/ cartel, arranged-marriage romance within the interconnected world of ‘Brutal Vows.’
Prologue
I’d never imagined it would happen to me. I’d heard the stories and even seen the scars. That was the evidence of someone else’s fate. Not mine. Never mine. Our family was different. I was going to be different. It had been my dream until my dream ended, and reality took over.
Papá and I stood in the doorway. The sun mercilessly shone down on the Lucianos’ gardens, casting the guests in a shower of sunlight. The corset of my wedding gown kept me from slumping forward as bile rose from my empty stomach, teasing my throat. Slowly and steadily, I inhaled and exhaled, swallowing my physical response. I couldn’t show my unease especially not with our special guest. Doing so would be an unacceptable sign of weakness, one that wouldn’t be tolerated, not by my father, our family, or Dario’s family.
With my chin held high, my shoulders straight, and my hand resting on the sleeve of Papá’s custom suit, I kept my expression unreadable and faced the altar. As my father and I stepped onto the path, the music filled the air. Without prompt, the congregation stood.
The long path separating our two families was covered by a soft runner and dotted with red rose petals. I imagined each petal as a droplet of blood, signifying the carnage that would occur if I ran away, turned around, or answered the priest truthfully when he asked the question of my willing sacrifice.
There was no escaping.
Even if I ran, the damage would be done. A deal was made uniting the Roríguez cartel and the Kansas City Famiglia. Much the same as for the men who swore a vow to the different crime organizations, this marriage was my vow—my promise to be the obedient daughter and wife—a promise that was only escapable through death.
Despite the fanfare, this wedding was nothing more than a transaction, the exchange of goods and services, the type that happened nearly every minute of every day. Soon, I, the daughter of one of Patron Roríguez’s top lieutenants, would be the property of the Kansas City Famiglia, more specifically, of Dario Luciano.
Throughout my twenty-four years, I’d read stories and watched movies about women in history calmly walking to their death. With each step closer to my future husband, I pictured some of those women: Anne Boleyn and Mary, Queen of Scots came to mind.
As hundreds of pairs of eyes watched my progression, my mind fixated on the two queens, one killed by her husband and the other by her cousin. Those stories were from the past, yet the irony wasn’t lost on me. The family members seated to either side would consider my failure to marry a betrayal, punishable with the same fate as the queens endured.
For the last few yards to the gazebo housing the altar, my mind was no longer thinking about ancient history. Those thoughts were lost, sucked into the black abyss of Dario’s dark stare. The future capo of the Kansas City crime family had his attention laser-focused on me. Even through the lace of my veil, I physically felt the scorch of his gaze warming my skin, singeing my flesh, and leaving goose bumps in its wake.
Dressed in his custom suit, Dario was as handsome as he was intimidating. Towering at least eight inches taller than I, he stood statuesque next to his brother, Dante—a younger version of Dario. Dario’s wide shoulders created the V to his trim torso. With his dark hair combed back away from his forehead, I dared a glance at his prominent cheekbones, and the sharp edge to his clean-shaven chin.
He wasn’t capo yet, but his aura personified the title.
As Papá and I came to a stop, the priest began his sermon. While everyone around me spoke a familiar language, what I heard was foreign, an unrecognizable agreement, such as the teacher from the old Peanuts cartoon where the words were garbled. I watched in slow motion as Papá lifted my hand from his sleeve and placed it in Dario’s larger one.
The giving away of the bride.
An object, a good for a service, a transaction.
Dario’s fingers surrounded mine as I willed myself to stay calm. Years of experience within the cartel had secured my mask. I could appear the perfect bride with eyes only for her future husband. While the guests could be fooled, I doubted Dario was. After all, he undoubtedly felt the way my hand trembled in his.
“Today,” the priest said, “we gather together to witness the holy union of Catalina Ruiz and Dario Luciano.”
Chapter
One
Catalina
Six months earlier
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The familiar hum of the Pacific Ocean filled my ears as I stepped out onto our pool deck and lifted my face to the cobalt-blue sky. The early winter breeze teased my hair. To the west and down a steep cliff, the sea glistened all the way to the horizon, as if the surface was sprinkled with millions of sparkling diamonds.
“I hope you know that I’m proud of you.”
I turned, seeing my mother coming closer. She was still wearing the dress she’d worn earlier today at my graduation. Despite her congratulatory words, line
Proud of me. I was too. I’d done what I’d set out to do and finished my college degree in only three and a half years. It was an accomplishment that some women in my world never obtained.
Mom’s lips turned upward. “It was always my hope that you’d have the chance to follow your dream.” Her forehead furrowed between her brows. “I wanted that for Camila too.”
My younger sister would graduate high school the following spring. She’d already received her acceptance for San Diego State, the school from where I’d graduated. “She’ll have the same chance,” I said dismissively. Thinking about my dream, I added, “My degree is only the beginning. I’ve received multiple offers for apprenticeships at some of the most prestigious art galleries in SoCal. I know you would like me to continue living at home, but I—”
As if a literal shadow fell over Mama’s green eyes, her expression dimmed, silencing my words. “Your father wants to speak to you.”
“Now? I need to change for the party.”
Mom nodded. “Yes, now.”
“Do you know what it’s about? Is there a problem?” I’d noticed he seemed preoccupied earlier. That wasn’t unusual, considering his responsibilities as a top lieutenant of the Roríguez cartel. There were always fires that required his attention. His preoccupation was something my siblings and I learned to live with early on.
Mom reached for my hand. “Life changes.” She inhaled. “Emiliano understood his responsibilities.” She was speaking of my older brother. “There aren’t college courses to help him with his future.”
No, Em was male. His place was learning from our father. It was different for me. I was a woman. Tilting my head and smiling, I replied, “You know Patron would never allow women in the cartel, not doing what Papá and Em do.”
She inhaled and gave my hand a squeeze. “Hear your father out. There are more responsibilities than being a soldier.”
It was my turn to furrow my brow. “What are you saying?”
“Go. Your father is waiting.”
My heartbeat quickened as I slid the glass door aside and walked into the house. The level of noise increased with the numerous people scurrying from here to there. Lola, our housekeeper, directed the workers and caterers as they set up for my graduation party. With our furniture moved away, tables seemed to spring up like mushrooms amongst our holiday decor. Certain events required celebration. As one of the first college graduates of my generation in our family, today was one such event.
As I took in the people wearing black slacks and white tops hustling from place to place, I wondered again why this talk with my father couldn’t wait.
“Buenos dias.” The greetings came with smiles and nods from the busy workers readying for the influx of guests.
I recalled the hubbub for my quinceañera, the party that signified my becoming a woman. It was hard to believe that my party was eight years ago—my fifteenth birthday. Camila’s was three years ago, yet I still thought of her as a child.
Climbing the front staircase, my heels clicked on the marble steps. Still wearing the white dress I’d chosen for my graduation, I made my way to the second floor. Papá’s office was near the top of the stairs across an expansive landing. Two intimidating oversized doors acted as the barrier between his businesses and our family’s home.
His and Mom’s suite was to the left, and the children’s wing was to the right. Even in our twenties, Em and I were still their children. However, moving out on my own was something I was ready to discuss.
I knocked on the door.
“Come in,” Papá called.
Pushing the door inward, I took in my father seated behind his desk, the place where he could most often be found. The suit coat he’d worn to my graduation was draped over the back of his tall leather chair. His tie was loosened, and his sleeves were rolled to his elbows. As soon as I entered, he lifted his gaze to me, and a smile replaced his look of concern. “Cat.”
“Mama said you wanted to speak to me before the party.”
Papá nodded and stood. Walking around his desk he took one of the two chairs facing the large wooden monstrosity. He gestured to the other chair. “Have a seat. We need to talk.”
Despite a twisting in my stomach, I did as he asked, smoothing the skirt of my dress over my knees, tucking the material around my legs, and crossing my ankles beneath the chair. A proper lady.
Papá sat back and exhaled. “Your mama and I are proud of you, Catalina. She wanted you to have your dream of education.”
With my lips together, I nodded. I knew they were proud. I also knew something was happening with this talk. I fought the urge to encourage him to get on with it.
He continued, “I didn’t want to concern you before your graduation. Times are changing. I’ve never lied to you about what we do, what our family does. We have our restaurants and clubs, and you know that as my daughter your loyalty is to Jorge Roríguez.”
Loyalty was something we’d heard all of our lives. It wasn’t difficult to agree. “Yes.”
“Emiliano swore his life to the cartel—an oath that is unbreakable. As a woman, you’re not asked to make the oath. Nevertheless, the loyalty is expected.”
“Do you want me to work for one of the clubs or restaurants? I have offers—”
Papá lifted his hand. “Patron will be here this evening.”
The small hairs on the back of my neck stood to attention as they always did when Jorge Roríguez was present, in the same way lightning rods alerted us to storms. “You didn’t tell me.” I feigned a smile. “That’s nice of him to come for my graduation all the way from Mexico.” The last time I’d seen him was at Camila’s quinceañera.
“He had business in the States.” He sighed. “There have been difficulties with Homeland Security and border crossings, but those are more manageable. The continued problems with the Russians and Taiwanese are getting worse. As of late, they’ve even tried to recruit our soldiers. Jorge believes it is time to make new alliances.”
My mind was scrambling. “We have alliances with Uncle Nicolas and other top lieutenants.”
“Sí,” Papá replied. “We have our people, but Jorge has decided it’s time to look for support outside the cartel, to other organizations.”
“Outside the cartel?”
“There are organizations that want our product and in exchange will help protect what is ours.”
I wiggled to the edge of the chair. “What other organizations are you talking about?”
“The Italian Mafia.”
My eyes widened in wonder. “The cartel and the Mafia have never joined forces.”
“This is a new era.”
I’d never imagined a day when cartel members would trust the Mob.
Papá continued, “Jorge has taken his time to determine the best avenue. He’s been in contact with capos from around the country. The Italians have their share of infighting, but as a whole, they’re strong. Not as strong as us, but working together, we will be stronger.”
“What does this have to do with me?”
Papá stood and gripped the back of the chair. “It has long been the practice within the cartel and for centuries with the famiglia, that the sincerest demonstration of unity is family. I spoke to Vincent Luciano—the capo of the Kansas City Famiglia—myself.” Papá straightened his shoulders. “The deal we agreed to will unite the Roríguez cartel and the Kansas City Famiglia. Vincent Luciano is a legend in his own right. He’s ruled KC for years with an iron fist. He’s getting older and there are rumors about his health. Rumors are weak links in a chain of power. It’s time for Vincent to step down and for his son, Dario, to take over as capo.” Papá narrowed his dark gaze, seeming to judge my understanding. Finally, he added, “A single man is not as respected as one with a wife.”
