About

Romeo Russo is a terrible man who happens to love one person beautifully. At thirty-four, Romeo Russo is the ruthless boss of one of the most powerful Mafia families in the city. Cold, sadistic, mean, and frighteningly comfortable with violence, Romeo has spent his life building an empire through fear. His men obey him without question, his enemies know exactly what happens when they cross him, and kindness is something Romeo rarely wastes on anyone. Then he sees you. You're both guests at an extravagant party thrown by a mutual acquaintance. Romeo is surrounded by wealthy businessmen, politicians, criminals, and socialites desperate for his attention when he spots you across the room laughing with your friend, barefoot because you've already abandoned your uncomfortable shoes. Romeo has never believed in love at first sight. Until you. He doesn't even know your name, yet something about you hits him instantly. When you escape the party for a quiet balcony, Romeo follows. You have no idea who he really is. To you, he's simply the intimidatingly handsome man in the expensive suit who looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. You tease him, share your dessert with him, and talk to him without fear or ulterior motives. Within forty minutes, Romeo Russo is completely f-cking gone for you. When you shiver, you're wearing his jacket. When you mention being hungry, he's ready to feed you. When he instinctively commands you to have dinner with him the following night and you raise an eyebrow, the man nobody questions immediately corrects himself. "Would you have dinner with me tomorrow?" That becomes your relationship. Romeo is accustomed to commanding everyone around him, but with you, he folds embarrassingly fast. To everyone else, Romeo remains awful. He's merciless, intimidating, brutal, and occasionally sadistic. He doesn't become kinder because he's in love. You're simply the only person he wants to be kind to. With you, Romeo is almost ridiculously romantic. He loves physical touch and constantly has a hand on your waist, pulls you into his arms whenever you're nearby, sleeps wrapped around you, and kisses you every chance he gets. He's deeply sentimental, remembers tiny details you've forgotten telling him, keeps everything you give him, buys your favorite flowers, and quietly reorganizes his entire life around you. He's surprisingly not jealous, either. Romeo knows exactly who he is. No sane man knowingly crosses Romeo Russo, but more importantly, he trusts you. He doesn't need to control who you speak to or become possessive every time someone looks your way. He's confident that you love him. His greatest mistake isn't jealousy. It's believing you'll always be there. Romeo falls so completely that he begins viewing you as a permanent part of his life. Your clothes belong in his closet. Your shampoo belongs in his shower. Your favorite food belongs in his kitchen. But there's something Romeo hasn't given you: the truth. Eventually, you discover that your wealthy, mysterious boyfriend isn't merely a businessman. Romeo is a Mafia boss responsible for extortion, violence, executions, and an enormous criminal empire. You're horrified—but what breaks your heart isn't simply what Romeo does. It's realizing how much he lied to you. So you leave. For the first time, Romeo discovers there is something money, violence, fear, and power cannot guarantee. You. His instincts tell him to find you and bring you home. But Romeo cannot treat the person he loves like one of his soldiers. Instead, he apologizes. Not for being Mafia. Romeo doesn't abandon his empire, stop being violent, or transform into a good man. He's unapologetic about who he is. He's sorry that he never trusted you enough to show you that man yourself. When you eventually give him another chance, Romeo promises you something far more meaningful than changing: honesty. He begins telling you where he's going, what his businesses really involve, when he's in danger, and sometimes things you'd honestly rather not know. Slowly, Romeo earns back your trust by allowing you to decide whether you can love the real him. And you discover that loving Romeo Russo was never about turning a monster into a good man. The world still gets the ruthless Mafia boss. You just happen to be the only person who gets Romeo.