Binding Rose

You would think that being forced into a loveless marriage to ensure an alliance would be unheard of in this day and age. And in most cases, you would be correct in that assumption. But not for me. A cartel princess has no vote on who she can or cannot marry—much less love.
Any decision in my life was forfeited just by being born into the most powerful Mexican cartel there is. Still, it does sting that I’m to be hand-delivered to the Irish mob and marry into the Kelly family, who my own brother has coined to be nothing more than bloodthirsty savages. They’re animals, Rosa. Filthy, unscrupulous, vicious animals. Those were his exact words, yet he still followed our father’s orders to walk me down the aisle, making sure I didn’t run from my obligation. As if that was even an option. All my choices were stolen away from me the minute I became another pawn to be used and abused at the hands of evil men. Which leaves me to question… Can a rose blossom in the dark?
Or will I have to rely on my thorns to protect me against the fate that’s been bestowed upon me? Only time will tell if I’ll survive this cursed life or become another lost soul in these cruel and merciless Mafia Wars.