I opened my eyes the next morning in Lucian's heavyweight silk robe. I
looked around me, and it was empty. I looked at the position of the bed
where he sat last night, and it was empty
Was I dreaming, or was this real? The fire? The phone call? The blood?
Then I saw the ashes at the edge of the fireplace, and the cold resentment
returned.
It was not a movie or a dream; it's real. I have been sold out by my own
father, and Lucian has bought me. I am permanently trapped
A maid all dressed in black brought me breakfast: coffee, a delicate
pastry, and fresh fruits. She dropped the tray without saying anything to
me, her eyes carefully avoiding mine
This is now my reality. I am a prisoner served on a golden platter
I picked up the stray of food with so much emotion going on inside of
me, a mix of grief and a cold rising fury.
I couldn't bring myself to cry; tears were a luxury I couldn't afford
anymoreMy father's betrayal had removed all the innocence in me, leaving
something darker inside of me. If I am going to be a tool in Lucian's
game, then I need to know how to be a player
I need to find his weakness. I could use his obsession for my weapon
Later on, another maid came in, with a selection of gowns, not the type
of flowing silks I used to wear, but these were dresses for a different
kind of woman. It had severe cuts, rich jewel tones, and fabrics that
promised danger.
I chose an emerald green silk dress, with a s*xy curve and a high slip up
the thigh. It felt like a costume for a warrior or an Empress.
I noticed a thick ornate choker sparkling with black diamonds. I
suspected that this wasn't jewelry but something mischievous
Lucian came that evening to see me, his hair styled, he wore a
custom-tailored tuxedo of midnight blue, and his obsidian eyes scanned
me with an unnerving possessiveness.
He looked like a Mafia Boss, but more like a dark prince from a
forgotten empire."You look beautiful, hot and s*xy," he said, looking at the silk.
"But never forget a pretty cage is still a cage."
"And a pretty dress is still a uniform," I retorted.
"What's this dress for? I asked. "Our wedding," he said, gently taking
my arm.
"The Vane family needs a Queen now, and the underworld needs to
know you're mine now.
They are going to see you for the first time. Don't disappoint me.
He took me downstairs to a room decorated with a crystal chandelier and
hundreds of the city's most dangerous mafia bosses.
There were politicians, bankers, and most rival Mafia lords. All of them
were presentLucian took me round, introducing me to every single one of them, his
hand never leaving my back
The men who tried to meet my gaze immediately looked away on
meeting Lucian's hefty eyes. They understand what that means
Then an old man with a thick golden chain around his neck and a
sneering smile approached us.
He stared at me, which made my body shake. His name is Sal Demarco,
a rival Mafia Boss known for his short temper and cruelty.
"Meet the Rossi princess," as Demarco continued to stare at me
uncomfortably.
"Isn't she too young for Vane? And was bought? Heard her wedding was
such a mess. I pity the groom," He said as I felt humiliated.
Lucian tightened his hand on my back, but his face remained still.
"Dermarco," Lucian said with a dangerous, low voice. "My wife should
never be a topic of public discussion," he said."Oh come on now, Vane," Demarco said, sipping his champagne, his
eyes still on me.
"Everyone knows you love fresh acquisitions, but this one... This one
has been handled."
Those words felt really heavy, and I felt I should just bury my face in
shame.
I thought Lucian would react; that's the monster I know, but Lucian
smiled, not a pleasant smile but one devoid of warmth.
"You know me too well, Sal," Lucian said with a calm voice. "I don't
acquire what's fresh, I acquire what's mine. And what's mine no one
should ever touch," he said as Damarco tried to say something, but
before he could say anything, Lucian immediately grabbed Damarco's
thick gold chain and with just a single brutal yank, swung him and
slammed his head on the marble table in the center.
The champagne drinks fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
Everyone screamed on seeing Damarco's limp body, his head bent at an
unusual angle.His blood gushing out of his head, staining the white tablecloths and
things on the table.
Lucian raised a severe ear; it was Demarco's own. There was chaos
everywhere with panicked whispers. Lucian stood still, like nothing had
happened, still staring at me
He dropped the ear on the table like it was a trophy. He then touched my
cheek with his thumb, wiping off a speck of blood
"Don't be shocked, my darling wife," Lucian said in a low but dangerous
voice
"You are the queen of this graveyard now, and if anyone dares look at
my wife with disrespect, they will lose more than their sight."
He then faced the terrified crowd. "Let this also serve as a reminder to
all of you, my wife Bianca is untouchable
Her past is dead now, and her future belongs to me. Any man who
speaks to her with so much disrespect will find himself in this kind of
situationHe then turned to look at me with possessive obsidian eyes that chilled
my bones. "Now smile for them, Bianca, show them what a committed
wife looks like. Show them the queen who reigns beside the devil."
I looked at the lifeless body of Sal Darmarco, then at the blood on my
dress. My heart was beating really fast, not out of fear but a burning
power inside of me.
I was no longer the innocent girl. My freedom was gone forever. I
looked at Lucian, standing close to the dead man he had just killed for
me, and lots of cold thoughts ran through my mind.
If he were the beast of the empire, then maybe I should learn to be his
fiercest predator