The bag came off my head and the first thing I saw was him – Black suit , blood on his knuckles and a smile that said that I was already dead.
"Welcome home was wife!"
Alessio Conti. Don of the Conti family.
The man interpol couldn't catch and my father couldn't pay back.
Turns out my father's debt bought me a one-way ticket to a mafia mansion and a marriage certificate with a dead man's signature.
"I'm not your wife," I snarled.
He stepped closer , ice in his eyes . " You are now. And if anyone dares to touches what's mine...." He glanced at his men. "They die."
One of his men flinched. The other two looked at the floor. Smart men .
"Let me go," I said. My voice didn't shake.
I wouldn't give him that.
"Whatever my father did , I didn't –"
" Your father sold you five hours ago ."
Alessio cut me off , voice flat.
" Signed . Sealed . Paid in full ." He pulled a folded paper from his jacket . My father's signature. Mine was already there. Forged.
"You're mine until the debt's gone. Or until I'm bored. "
"I willl never be yours."
His laugh was quiet . Dangerous.
"We will see , piccola ."
He nodded once. The men filed out , door clicking shut behind them. Locked . The sound punched straight through my ribs.
" Where am I?" I demanded.
" My bedroom ." He shrugged off his jacket , revealing a shoulder holster . And more blood .
" You will sleep here . You will eat here . You breathe when I say. "
I backed up until my spine hit the wall.
" You can't keep me here . "
" I can do whatever I want . " He closed the distance in two steps. His hand slammed into the wall beside my head , caging me in .
" I own everything . The house . The city and now..."
His thumb brushed my jaw , too gentle for the threat in his eyes. " You."
The door handle rattled. Once . Twice.
Alessio didn't look away from me.
"Enter "
" Boss. " A man filled the doorway, breathless. " The Morettis hit the south docks . They are asking for her.
Alessio's smile died. " They want my wife ? "
" Yes , boss. "
He looked back at me clearly. And for the first time , I saw something worse than anger.
" Then the wedding is Tonight ."
The words didn't echoed , They just landed .
Heavy . Final .
"No" . The word came out before I could stop it. Weak . Useless.
"No?" Alessio's head titled. That scar through his eyebrow pulled tight. "You think this is a request , principessa?"
"I think you are insane ." My hands curled into fists . The zip ties cut deeper. " You can't marry someone at gunpoint ."
" I can do whatever I want . You're in my house . My room .My chair. My debt. " He took one step closer. " And in about twenty minutes , you will be my wife . "
"You're not listening. I said –"
" I heard you " He crouched again . Eye level . No mercy in it .
" Now you hear me . The morettis are driving here right now. They want you alive so that they can make you scream . They'll film it , and send it to every family in this city. Your father owed them first. He gave them your name as a collateral."
My blood went cold . " He wouldn't ."
" He did. I have the paperwork. Want to see your signature ? He forged it last month . "
Alessio's voice didn't change . That was the worst part .
" He sold you twice principessa . I just paid more ."
" Stop calling me that ."
" What principessa? Little princess? " His mouth twitched. " It fits . Your father kept you in a tower . Told you the world was safe. It's not. It's mine . "
The door opened. The same man from before. " Boss. Cars at the gate . Morettis. Six men . "
Alessio didn't looked at him ," Time?"
"Fifteen minutes before they breach."
" Seal the room ."
The door shut . Locked.
"See ?" Alessio stood . " Noone's coming to save you . Not the cops . Not the father . Not god. "
" I can save myself."
" With what? your nails ? " He glanced at my tied hands. " You're shaking. That's fear . Good. Fear keeps you alive.
" It's not fear."
"Then what ?"
" Rage " I met his eyes. Didn't look away.
" At him . At you . At me for being stupid enough to trust him ."
Something flickered there. Not soft. Never soft. But interested. " Rage is better. Use it ."
" For what ? To thank you for buying me ? "
" To survive Tonight " He pulled a knife from his jacket . My heart stopped. He flipped it . Held the handle out of me . " Cut yourself loose . If you can ."
I stared at it ." This is a test ?"
" Everything's a test ."
My fingers were numb . I fumbled the knife. Nearly dropped it. He didn't help. Just watched . The blade Sawed at the plastic. Took forever. My wrists came free bleeding.
I didn't wipe them .
" Good. Now you can walk to the alternative without stumbling . "
" I'm not- "
Gunfire bloded somewhere below us. Glass breaking. Men shouting.
Alessio didn't even blink . " They're early ."
" Who are–"
" Moretti dogs . Told you Fifteen minutes. They wanted to surprise us. " He drew a gun from his shoulder holster. Checked the mag , smooth , practiced. " Change of plans . We do this now. "
" Do what now ?"
" Get married ." He grabbed my wrist . Not hard enough to bruise. Hard enough so that I could not pull away. " Unless you prefer they take you. I heard their boss likes to start with fingers. "
I yanced my arm back. " Don't touch me!"
" Sure .Then die. " He let go. " Makes no difference to me. I still get his territory either way. "
Another gunshot. More closer.
" You are lying." I said but my voice shook.
" Am I?" He stepped to the door , unlocked it . Shouting in the hall.
" Vito! Get the priest."
A man yelled back ," He is pissing himself boss!"
" Then get him a new pair of pants and drag him here!" Alessio looked at me over his shoulder." Last chance , principessa. My name or their bullets. Pick. "
"But-"
" My men will die slowly.... We don't have time. It's your last chance. Pick fast! Bullets or me ?"