Brutal Prince

The novel opens from Aida’s perspective as she dines at the Gallo family home with her father, Enzo, and her brothers, Dante, Nero, and Sebastian. Annoyed by the fireworks at the Griffin family’s neighboring estate, Aida decides to crash their party and invites her brothers to go with her.

The Gallos bribe a guard to enter the party. Aida slips into the mansion, finds the library, and steals a vintage pocket watch from the mantelpiece. When she hears the Griffins’ oldest son, Callum, approaching the room, Aida hides behind an armchair and attempts to create a distraction by setting one of the curtains on fire. In the chaos of the fire alarm, she flees the library, finds her brothers, and escapes the estate.

The narrative shifts to Callum’s perspective during the party. He discusses his campaign for alderman with his parents, Fergus and Imogen, as well as the rising threat of the Polish mafia.

Callum retreats to the library and finds the curtains ablaze. After extinguishing the fire, he glimpses an intruder fleeing and discovers his grandfather’s pocket watch is missing.