When her father is killed in a restaurant bombing, Serena Russo and her sisters learn the shocking truth. Their father was the Don of the city, maintaining precarious peace with the Russian bratva, the Irish mafia, and the Albanian fis. She's caught in the middle when Ivan, pakhan of the bratva, decides the only way to prevent war is to take over Sal's territorya feat best accomplished by marrying one of the Russo daughters. He initially picks her eldest sister, Sofia, who loves someone else. Boldly, Serena goes to Ivan and insists he'll marry her instead. To her surprise, he agrees, soon waking a long-suppressed desire for a firm, stable male influence, who cares about hersomething she never had when her father was alive. She finds the perfect Sir in Ivan.
Ivan wants Serena from the moment he sees her but picks the sister he'd never be drawn to with the plan to keep his bride safe. When Serena insists on marrying him, he soon finds himself enraptured with the perfect blend of innocence, strength, and submission. He melts when she calls him Sir, making her his priority to protect against the Italians who want to reclaim Sal's territory and the Jade Serpents, a triad gang trying to provoke an all-out war. He never expected to love his bride, but now that he does, he'll never let her go.