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Sebastian’s constant presence wrapped around me like an unseen shield.

Over time, our bond had evolved into an effortless friendship. I held the target aloft to display my shooting skill, and Sebastian’s sly grin conveyed more than words.

“Aren’t you supposed to aim for the head, Cali?”

I shrugged, a crooked grin pulling at my lips. “Some men need their balls shot off.”

“I can’t argue with that fact. But this?” He arched an eyebrow while tapping the target’s crotch area. “You’ve obliterated this guy’s entire pelvis.”

“Yeah, well, he probably deserved it,” I replied, passing him the handle of my pistol.

He arranged it neatly beside the other weapons I’d gathered that day.

“Ready for your meeting?” he asked, snapping the case shut.

I let out a tired sigh. “I suppose.”

He arched an eyebrow. “That’s hardly convincing.”

I scrunched up my nose, muttering, “Let’s get moving.”

Minutes later, Sebastian guided us out of the parking lot, the car swallowing the road toward Avra’s estate .

Today marked the turning point.

The day my sisters and I would confront the mighty “M” word.

Marriage.

Long ago, the three of us swore an oath to wed into influential circles and reclaim what was stolen after the coup against our father.

The traitors who betrayed Papa believed that, as daughters of Juno Vitalis, they could dismiss us.

We were no longer helpless children. We would claim what was rightfully ours.

The mafia patriarchs, shrouded in tradition and arrogance, never expected to be challenged by three determined women.

Initially, Avra had married Elias Xenos, followed by Laya, who wed Nikolas Galanis.

With the first two moves made, it was now my turn.

This plan for retribution had been set long before my abduction.

I would not let my past alter our path. Even as my sisters offered me a way out of our marriage pact, I refused to step aside.

I would not retreat. I wanted to choose my spouse on my terms.

I aimed to choose a process that resembled thoughtful dating rather than rushed decision-making. The man I selected would recognize my history, embrace the scars and burdens I bore, and see me as an equal shaped by challenges, not as a delicate ideal.

After a ninety-minute drive from Layla’s giant estate in Nemea, the massive iron gates of Avra and Eli’s estate loomed ahead. They swung open as Sebastian guided us to a grand mansion perched over the Aegean Sea.

The manor sat on the coast of Patras among vibrant gardens, a modest vineyard and dense woods looming on its sides with a sweeping ocean view as its backdrop.

Pulling into the driveway, I spotted Avra and Laya basking on a sunlit terrace overlooking the boat dock.

I often teased Avra that if the role of Vitalis blood queen godmother ever grew tiresome, she could easily transform her home into a luxury retreat.

The estate exuded an allure that promised to captivate the elite.

A sense of joy filled me at the sight of my eldest sister thriving in such beauty. I stepped from the car and absorbed every detail like a cherished painting. My feet carried me along the cool stone steps toward my sunlit sisters.

The morning light spilled across the entryway as I stepped inside and encountered a scene that eased the weight in my chest. My sisters’ faces, graced with beauty that rivaled ancient goddesses, lit up when they saw me, just as I knew my own did at the sight of them.

In that moment, our bond felt etched into something unbreakable.

We had journeyed through hardship together: the loss of our parents, the forced exile to a strange land in our early years, and the burden of concealing our true selves for far too long.

Each trial left us reaching for something solid, a taste of normalcy, a whisper of home.

In foreign Prague, with secrets and dangers lurking, the three of us clung fiercely to one another .

I recalled countless moments when Avra and Laya had been my first call for comfort, and I knew that would never change. Yet now they had partners of their own. Avra and Laya had found love in Eli and Niko, drawing strength from their arms.

The thought of trusting a man myself seemed almost absurd.

How could I ever let someone guard my heart when betrayal had sculpted my doubts? Today, however, I stood on the threshold of confronting that very challenge. I exhaled and approached my sisters, pushing away the tightness in my stomach.

Laya was stretched out on a lounge chair, her legs bare in the bright sunshine. Her hand rested on the edge of the bassinet at her side, rocking her little boy who slept like a tiny angel nestled in a soft, white blanket.

“How’s my favorite nephew?” I leaned down and kissed Laya’s cheek, then looked at the serene face of the baby, Constantine Juno Galanis, named to honor our father and Niko’s father.

“He’s only pretending to sleep,” Laya murmured, her voice low, her gaze fixed on the tiny face. “A single sound and he will scream at the top of his lungs.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “He sure looks like he’s asleep.”

“Don’t trust him.” She sighed. “If I stop rocking, the spell breaks.”

“I see.” I turned to Avra, who was radiating a serene light.

Expecting the imminent arrival of her child, she cracked a small smile as she caressed her rounded belly.

As much as she complained about her growing size, the baby was all she could talk about most days. She was so excited to become a mother.

I knew Avra’s and Laya’s children would grow strong, cherished by love and shielded by our care.

Avra and Laya had sacrificed so much for our family. Their marriages had bolstered the Vitalis name, a choice made willingly to honor our ancestors.

Now, it was my turn to contribute in kind.

And yet, as they embraced partners, the idea of sharing such intimacy with a man filled me with disbelief.

Love, for someone like me, felt as unreachable as a fallen star, especially after the ghosts of abduction, rescue, and the shattering of my heart.

Avra stood up, her dark hair cascading over her slender shoulders.

“Hi, Cali,” she said, pulling me into a warm embrace.

I responded, sitting next to her. “How’s the baby bump coming along?”

Avra beamed as she stroked her belly. “Perfect.”

“I can hardly believe you’ll have a baby in just four months, and you don’t even look pregnant.”

“Laya says I will start expanding like a balloon any day now.”

Laya raised an eyebrow. “That’s true. You remember how I was.”

“I’m prepared,” Avra replied, lifting her shoulders .

“You say that now.” Laya shook her head. “Wait until you’re going to the bathroom every five minutes.”

Avra promised, “It’ll be worth it.”

“Yeah, it is.” Laya gazed lovingly at her son.

“Where have my warrior sisters gone? Now you both melt like soft butter.” I sighed.

Avra’s expression grew hard. “Hurt a single hair on our children’s heads and our warrior spirit ignites.”

I waved off the caution. “Calm down, there’s no imminent threat.”

“Then let us focus,” Avra proposed, her voice shifting to business.

My heart sank at the reminder of the task ahead—a responsibility that was never easy to bear, yet one I could not shirk. “Fine, let me see them.”

Avra retrieved a file folder from a satchel beside her and handed it to me. “Here are ten candidates. They are vetted. It’ll be easier to choose once we narrow the pool down to two men.”

“I insist on meeting them and deciding myself.”

“Of course,” Laya said. “If you choose none, we will continue our search.”

Each candidate’s photograph was paired with a background report. A few of them I vaguely recognized.

“I can cross out some already,” I murmured, shaking my head and punctuating my words.

I separated three profiles based solely on appearance. It may seem shallow, but I wanted a husband I found attractive .

I needed a man who could reignite a spark in me, especially if I intended to take things at a measured pace.

“Appearance wasn’t something I screened for,” Avra informed me. “I thought I’d let you handle that. I’m not sure what your type is.”

“I’m not sure either; however, I know these aren’t it. They do nothing for me.” I exhaled as if releasing an old disappointment. “Perhaps what once appealed to me no longer draws my interest.”

“Trust your judgment when the moment arrives. There is no black or white.” Laya’s calm gaze urged me on.

I flipped through a few more pages, discarding more dossiers. “These seem too old. What would we ever have in common besides the lifestyle? Could we have a conversation about similar interests?”

Avra cocked her head. “Older men bring wisdom. Their experience holds a richness the young often lack.”

I knew she was thinking of her and Eli. They had a ten-year age gap, and it worked, but then again, Avra was an old soul, and Eli wasn’t as rigid as I expected of a man his age.

“Perhaps, but there’s a chance they are more old-fashioned. I’m not sure I want to make that compromise,” I said.

“The choice is always yours, Cali,” Avra reminded me. “We are here to give you options, nothing more.”

I focused on a photo of a brown-haired man with deep espresso-colored eyes. I discovered only openness and warmth as I examined his face for any signs of cruelty or harshness. His gaze was devoid of sharp edges and conveyed an inviting interest instead .

I flipped his page and read aloud, “Leon Boscos, twenty-eight. Three brothers, the youngest among them…”

“Oh, Leon! I think Leon is a great candidate, probably the best one of all, actually,” Avra said. “He’s handsome.”

“Very handsome,” Laya piped in. “And sexy.”

“He does have a tragic history, although perhaps that will give him depth,” I said, ignoring their superficial comments.

As I scanned further, the report revealed a grim story. He’d lost his family to a brutal attack.

We certainly shared some common ground there.

His family estate was situated in Vouliagmeni, in the Attica region, on the southern outskirts of Athens, along the coast, which placed it fairly close to my sisters.

More precisely, he lived just over an hour from Laya and under two and a half hours from Avra. f

“All right,” I announced, taking his report from the pile and setting it aside with care. “He remains on the list.”

I focused on the next profile, analyzing his serious expression. Though the angle might have revealed too much, his eyes conveyed a keen intensity.

“Dominic Lucianos, forty-one.” I paused, considering. “A bit on the older side?”

Avra shrugged, her tone even. “Not really. He’s one year younger than Elias.”

I nodded. “And he is the youngest of his siblings.”

“He attended school with Elias,” Avra noted. “That connection brought him to our attention.”

I inhaled deeply as the gravity of my decision pressed on me .

“He has sisters as well,” I said with quiet resolve. “I will meet both Leon and Dominic, then judge for myself.”

Sliding Dominic’s paperwork alongside Leon’s, I considered my possible choices. “Is this enough? Or should we look further?”

“Two provides a balanced start,” Laya observed with a mischievous sparkle in her eye.

I snapped the file closed. “Great, then that’s done.”

Avra and Laya shook their heads with amused smirks.

“Such enthusiasm,” Laya said. “It’s almost overwhelming. I’m not sure how I can handle it.”

“Hey, I’m trying,” I replied, with a mock offended scowl. “I did have the option to run away and join the circus, but I decided to stay here.”

“We appreciate you sacrificing traveling the world in a tent for us.” Avra leaned back in her chair and rubbed her belly.

“I do what is best for the family,” I cooed, and we all started giggling at the ridiculous turn in our conversation. “No, seriously, do you have any more information on Leon and Dominic? Have you met either of them?”

“I’ve only met Leon so far,” Avra murmured. “Dominic remains a mystery to me.”

“Likewise,” Laya concurred.

Curious, I leaned in. “What did you observe about Leon?”

Avra’s gaze flickered, hesitant. “He exudes a calm charm, but don’t be fooled. In private, his nature shifts. He carries a history of unyielding ruthlessness. ”

“In our world, who isn’t sharpened by violence?” I remarked, a wry twist in my tone. “I only hope he reserves that intensity for others, not me.”

“Both men are good choices, but I think it’s going to come down to how they make you feel when you are around them.” Avra’s penetrating gaze studied my face.

“Trust your instincts, Cali,” Laya added. “The right choice will feel unmistakable.”

“I have every intention of doing just that,” I replied.

Both men exuded success and striking looks. Either could bolster our family name, or Avra wouldn’t have included them at all.

I was set on meeting them both, giving each a fair shot, but Leon’s image kept interrupting my thoughts, shadowed by Avra’s caution about his reputation.

The thought of someone who wielded power with an iron grip captivated me. Such a man, exuding raw strength, was a magnet for my attention. It was as if he were born with these formidable traits.

In the looming presence of danger that accompanied me as a Vitalis, such a partner would serve as my stronghold.

After leaving Avra’s house, my mind churned with thoughts of both men, yet Leon’s face lingered, refusing to fade as I lay in bed that night.

The significance eluded me, yet it resonated deeply.

It felt like destiny, an unspoken connection, even though we had never crossed paths.

What did that mean? I wondered.