Waiting For My Queen by Georgia Cates

I've been waiting for my queen. And now I have her.

-- I love a redeemable anti-hero --

The author warns that Luca is an a-hole. That is correct. He starts off as a huge one. He wants what he wants and he does everything necessary to get it. He wants Emilia. He doesn't care about what she wants. He wants her and he makes the moves necessary to get her. Even if that means she hates him for it.

The author also warns that you will hate Luca. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I never hated him. Did he annoy, aggravate, frustrate and irritate me? Most definitely. He does some seriously questionable ish that had me screaming at my kindle for his utter stupidity at times, but underneath it all, at his core, it was pretty obvious how amazing he could be. Especially when it came to Emilia and what he wanted their relationship to be.

Emilia Bellini. She tastes like everything I've ever wanted.

Although this is classified as a mafia romance, and there is plenty of its heaviness in its theme, there isn't a lot of violence. I thought I'd get to see the killer side of Luca, but aside of the mention of things he did, I didn't get to witness his deeds. Ah well, at least he has that dangerous side to feed his dominance. Honestly, what he did to get Emilia, as if she were a possession to obtain, was horrific and I wasn't sure how they were going to work through it, but I like how the author did it. It's a romance, so even though forgiveness and happiness is a tad unrealistic in the circumstances, it worked for this couple and added a bit of edge to their story.

For love, I'd do anything. For her, I'd do everything.

Sexy, irrepressible, arrogant, troubled hero? ✓
Outwardly timid and inwardly fierce heroine with an agenda of her own? ✓
Intense passion and redemption? ✓
An amazing story for anyone who is a fan of love and redeemable heroes!

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-- About the Book --

Emilia—
All I’ve ever wanted was to marry for love.
But girls like me don’t have that luxury.
We are used as pawns in a game we can’t control.
The game? It’s called Mafia.
I was foolish enough to try to change the rules… and I lost.

Luca—
She was promised to me years ago.
And he dared to take her from me.
Dared to touch what was mine.
I put an end to that.
I hope he’s enjoying the view from his dirt room.

Emilia—
My beloved’s killer placed a ruby ring on my finger and called me his queen.
But that red gem symbolizes something different for me.
It represents the blood shed by those I love most.
Hell was empty the day we wed.
Because the devil was standing before me and said “I do.”

Luca—
I saw her as a possession.
A shiny toy I didn’t want other boys to play with.
But she’s so much more.
Beautiful and brave and strong and broken all at once.
She tastes like everything I’ve ever wanted.

Emilia—
Hidden and patient.
I wait for the perfect time to seek my revenge.
But slowly, I feel him possessing me.
His heart is full of darkness… and I still want every inch of him.
Hard as I try, I can’t escape loving this beautiful monster.

Luca—
I’m waiting patiently because I already know that she’s mine.
Mine in a way that no one will ever understand.
Even if she hasn’t yet realized it.
For love, I’d do anything.
For her, I’d do everything.

-- Excerpt --

I focus my attention on the girl sitting to Sofia’s left. The more beautiful one. The older-looking one. The more frightened-looking one with tears pooling in her lower lids.

Dark brown hair cascading over her shoulders and down her arms, the ends nuzzling against her bare skin like a frightened child clinging to its mother. Almond-shaped deep-caramel eyes surrounded by lush dark lashes. A few scattered freckles across the bridge of her perfectly shaped nose. Plump, glossy coral lips.

In my wildest dreams, my betrothed didn’t grow up to be this beautiful. And it annoys the hell out of me because I don’t want to be attracted to her.

I want to make her suffer.

Sofia Bellini grips the hand of the girl in question. “Please, Marco. Swear to me on your honor that my daughter will be safe with you.”

My father chuckles. “Emilia is going to give us babies, heirs to the Rossini empire. There is no safer place for her than with our family. You know that.”

Sofia and the girl beside her, my Emilia, embrace one another and sob. Her grandmother and sisters cluster around her doing the same. It’s pathetic. I would have expected less of a display from Bellinis. Certainly not this spectacle.

My betrothed has weaknesses. Those will need to be eliminated before she influences our sons with that nonsense.

“That’s more than enough of that,” I tell them.

She lifts her chin and her eyes meet mine for the first time. Inside those deep-caramel orbs, I see something I like very much: rage. There during one heartbeat and gone the next, it was only a fleeting flash. But I saw it and I don’t mistake it for what it is.

This girl is going to be so much fun to break.

“Come, Emilia. I’m ready to take you home.”

-- About Georgia Cates --

Georgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent fourteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an author and hasn’t looked back yet.

When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. When she’s being domestic, she’s listening to her music and visualizing scenes for her current work in progress. Every story coming from her always has a song to inspire it.

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