Bound by Hatred
by Cora Reilly
Self-Published
Book 3 in the Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles
When Gianna watches her older sister being forced into an arranged marriage, she promises herself to escape a similar fate.
The moment Matteo – The Blade – Vitiello sees Gianna on his brother’s wedding, he wants to possess her. Her father agrees to the bond, but Gianna has no intention of marrying for any other reason than love. A few months before the wedding, Gianna runs away and begins a new life in Europe away from the mafia. But one of their best hunters and assassins is after her: Matteo.
When Matteo and a couple of her father’s soldiers catch her, not only her freedom is at risk, but also the life of the people with her.
Gianna is taken home and forced to marry Matteo.
Ridden by guilt over having dragged innocent people into her world and overcome with hatred toward Matteo, Gianna is determined to make life hell for her husband. But Matteo is a master at mind games and their struggle for power soon turns into hate-fueled nights of passion.
Age Recommendation:
18+
Genre:
Enemies to lovers
Dark Romance
Mafia
Bound by Hatred is the third book in Cora Reilly's Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles, and centers around Gianna and her betrothed, Matteo. Gianna has always hated how women have been treated in the outfit, and after watching her sister marry a man who terrified her, she vowed never to herself to somehow leave this life behind. When an opportunity presents itself, and with the help of her sister, Gianna manages to run away, to try to live a new life. But Matteo will not give up. He has wanted Gianna since the moment she showed her mouthy side, and after overhearing her fathers plans to marry her off to an abusive, older man, he steps up to show his interest. It doesn't matter how far she runs, how long she is gone - Matteo vows to find her and make her his. When Matteo finds her, Gianna realizes that she has put innocent people in the mobs sights. When brought home and forced to marry, Gianna is determined not to become the submissive mobsters wife. But the more nights she spends with Matteo, the more she starts to question why she was running in the first place.
I'mmmmmm not sure how I feel about this one. I'm pretty much settled on the whole "these people are bad, don't expect them to act like angels" thing. But some of the things that are done and said in these books are fucking terrible. I like Gianna. I do. She is fierce, and won't take shit. She runs away, not because there isn't a part of her attracted to Matteo, but because she knows if she doesn't try to live a normal life, she will regret it her whole life. I respect that. But the decisions she makes, and her hiding from her feelings, seems like a huge step back for her character. And despite Matteo being in the mob, aside from that, he is actually pretty decent. He still wanted her, despite thinking that she was no longer a virgin (in their society, making her a ruined woman, and the equivalent of trash basically), and was mostly sweet. I mean, with obvious dosages of "I am man, you are mine" possessiveness, and him purposely goading her because he loves her temper. I like these two together way more than Aria and Luca. More chemistry.
While I am not crazy about this series, there is something that draws me in. The books are in some serious need of a good editor, but something about them draws me in. The darkness of it? Women standing up for themselves in a society that forbids it? Who knows? But I got sucked in, so thats saying something, right?
Matteo offering himself up for marriage with Gianna after overhearing that her father was going to arrange a marriage with an old man
Their first time
Matteo helping Gianna with her lip
Gianna slapping Matteo's hand away and her getting herself off
Gianna saving Matteo's life, and choosing to stay
Matteo: “I want to take a look at your lip.”
Gianna: “I don’t need your help now. Maybe you should have stopped my father from busting my lip in the first place.”
Matteo: “Yes. I should have. If Luca hadn’t held me back, I would have plunged my knife into your father’s fucking back, consequences be damned. Maybe I will still do it. I’d fucking love it.”
Matteo: “You’ll go against Scuderi if he disagrees for some reason?”
Luca: “I will. For you and for Aria.”
Matteo: “Swear it.”
Luca sighed again.
Matteo: “I swear it. You and Aria are going to be the death of me.”
Gianna: “Are you going to watch me pee? It’s not like I can escape by jumping off the plane.”
Matteo: “I wouldn’t put it past you to try and kick a hole into the wall of the plane to kill us all.”
Matteo: “So you trust me to protect you but still don’t want to marry me.”
Surprise shot through me.
Gianna: “You still want to go through with the marriage?”
Luca: “You could probably ram a knife into his back and he’d still want to go through with it. He’s a stubborn fucker.”
He set his knife down on the counter beside me.
Gianna: “You shouldn’t leave sharp objects in my reach when I’m pissed.”
Matteo: “I think I’ll take the risk,”
If she liked to play with fire, fine. I didn’t mind getting burned. I’d walk through flames for her.
Nobody had ever looked at me like that, like I was the only source of water in a time of drought.
Gianna: “I thought we were going to fuck? I’m tired of talking to you.”
Matteo braced himself on his hands, bringing us closer. I tensed at the twinge the movement caused.
Matteo: “First I want you to answer my question. Why? You could have spared yourself a lot of pain, if you’d told me,”
He looked like this was the easiest thing in the world for him, being buried deep inside of me, and having a chat. When it became clear that he would wait until I gave him what he wanted, I said,
Gianna: “Because I didn’t want you to know.”
His grin got even cockier.
Matteo: “Because you didn’t want to admit that you waited for me.”
Gianna: “I didn’t wait for you. Now stop talking and fuck me, damn it.”
Gianna: “Don’t even think about it,. I’m tired and I don’t owe you more than one go on our wedding night.”
I laughed against her neck before pressing a kiss to her soft skin.
Matteo: “You are such a romantic, Gianna. Your words always warm my heart.”
Gianna: “Oh shut up,”
Gianna: “So how long am I going to have to wear this thing?”
she asked, lifting her leg to take a closer look at the small black device around her ankle. I hated seeing her with that thing. It seemed wrong to shackle her like that, but Luca had suggested the bracelet and it was a neat solution. Gianna was too volatile for her own good.
Matteo: “Until I decide I can trust you enough not to do something stupid.”
Gianna: “So forever.”
I took small scissors from the kit.
Matteo: “Open your mouth.”
She did, but gave me a warning look as if she thought I had something naughty in mind. I grinned and kissed her ear.
Matteo: “Do you know how kids always get a treat as reward after they see the doctor?”
She rolled her eyes but didn’t push my hand away when I pressed it against her center through her jeans.
Matteo: “Be a good girl and you shall be rewarded.”
Gianna: “What are we going to do?”
Gianna asked in a toneless voice from her spot near the door.
Matteo: “We are going to make it look like I didn’t kill him.”
Gianna: “Your knife is in his head.”
Gianna: "When did you kill the first time?”
Matteo: “It was a few weeks after my thirteenth birthday.”
Gianna: “That’s what you call a late bloomer? Most guys that age worry about their sprouting pubic hair and not killing someone.”
Matteo: “Oh, I’d come to terms with my pubic hair a long time before,”
Gianna: “If you really care about me and want to see me happy, let me go. All I’ve ever wanted was freedom and a normal life.”
The moment the words left my mouth, I realized I wasn’t sure if they were still the truth. Matteo’s expression shut off, something hard and cold settling in his eyes. He lay back down and extinguished the lights. I almost apologized and reached out for him. His lips brushed my ear.
Matteo: “I guess then that means I don’t care enough. Because letting you go? That’s the one thing I’ll never do.”
Luca: “You can’t compare Aria to Gianna. They are like two different species. And I trust Aria absolutely. She caught a fucking bullet for me.”
Matteo: “Must be nice,. Gianna would probably applaud my shooter.”