Chapter 2
My eyes widened in complete fear as I continued screaming before those same hands wrapped around my mouth and my back was pressed against a brick wall of a chest.
“Don’t scream,” I heard the voice close to my ear through gritted teeth. A voice so deep and oddly enough, sent warm shivers down my spine.
I immediately closed my eyes, nodding quickly as I felt myself being pulled further into the dark corners of the street and I was convinced that this was my last day on earth.
Why didn’t I just listen to Isabella for fucks sake?!
I should’ve just continued walking instead of being so nosy.
“Good girl. I’m going to let go now but if you make any sound…..” I felt a cold metal pressed against the base of my neck and I immediately understood his underlying warning.
I nodded frantically, wincing out of complete and utter fear.
He wrapped each hand on my upper arm and turned me to face him.
“Open your eyes.”
The soft voice was in contrast to the man who just shot someone point–blank in front of me. Fearing that he’d give in to his threat if I didn’t do as I was told, I took a deep breath and quickly fluttered my eyes open, preparing for the worst.
My eyes widened in shock at the devilishly handsome man in front of me. I don’t know what I was expecting but I sure wasn’t expecting a killer to be so handsome.
Fluffy black hair, sharp jawline, unbuttoned black dress shirt revealing the tattoos covering his chest and sneaking up his neck. My eyes lowered down his tattooed hand covered with rings and then shot up to the most luscious green eyes I’ve ever seen. He’s by far the hottest man I’ve ever seen in my life. Killer or not.
He had a startled expression on his face as he watched me with those intense green eyes. He looked almost shocked.
He stared at me in silence for a couple of minutes.
“It’s very disrespectful to eavesdrop.” He finally said, his breath fanning my face. He was so close.
“I–I wasn’t. Please.”
“Oh yeah?” He chuckled harshly.
That was when I noticed the dimples decorating his cheeks. How’s it possible for one man to be dangerously beautiful? He slowly removed the gun from the base of my neck and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
I turned my head towards the ground but he was having none of it as he quickly placed his index finger on my chin, lifting my face to his.
“You shouldn’t be out here alone.”
Oh! Trust me, dude! I know!
I swallowed the lump that was slowly forming in my throat and opened my mouth to speak but no words came out.
1/3
20:33 u, 6 Feb
Chapter 2
The frown on his face deepened as he seemed to study me, casting his eyes down to my lips and over my body.
“Alessia, huh?”
20%
Was that a lucky guess? How the fuck did he manage to get my name? I followed his eyes and that was when I realized that I had forgotten to take off my name tag from the diner.
Thankfully, the man finally let go of me. I watched him carefully, eyeing the gun at his side. My heart was still beating frantically and I was almost certain he could hear it. With a nod of his head, he gestured that I was finally free to go. Really?
I quickly scrambled away in case he changed his mind and ran back towards the direction of my apartment. Did I run away from home, from the life of danger only to be sucked back into one in the cold nights of California?
Not.
Reaching my apartment in record time, I slammed the door shut before slumping my weight against it.
That was beyond terrifying! Even more terrifying than my father’s idea to marry me off to a man I’d never seen before but infamously known to be very ruthless.
This encounter brought back flashes from the last conversation I had with my father over a year ago before I ran away from home.
Flashback
“Dad? You wanted to see me?” I asked as I peered my head halfway into my dad’s study.
“Yes, dearie. Please come in.” He hummed with a warming smile. However, I was the slightest bit worried because this was so unusual.
My dad rarely smiles. Honestly, sometimes he terrifies me. A nervous smile formed on my face as my eyes met my father’s cool brown eyes.
I hadn’t seen Dad in one week due to an urgent business he had to attend that required him to fly over to America.
My brothers Russo and Anthonio had been overseeing the crime business in my father’s absence, so I wasn’t expecting him to be back so early.
“D–Dad? What’s going on?”
I quivered as I sat on the chair. I just wanted to get out of here and up to my room.
“I’ve arranged a marriage proposal for you. You’ll be marrying the heir to the De Luca’s syndicate, Leonardo de Luca, come next month.”
What?
He dropped the bomb like it was nothing. My eyes widened and I was afraid they were going to fall out of my socket.
“What? Dad! Everybody knows Leonardo de Luca is the most ruthless mafia boss! And I’d never even met him!”
“That’s why he’ll be coming over to dinner by the weekend so that you two can get acquainted.”
“Don’t do this Dad, please,” I begged as the first strand of tear rolled down my cheek.
“Shut the fuck up, Alessia!” I jumped out of my chair, shocked at his sudden change in countenance. But I wasn’t surprised.
2/3
20:33 Phu, 6 Feb 0
Chapter 2
Now, this was my father.
20%
“Lessia, you know that I will not tolerate any kind of childish behavior from you and certainly not any kind of misbehavior. I’m your father and you’ll respect me like I’ve always taught you. You’re going to marry Leonardo in return for this family’s protection. Do you understand?”
I stared deeply into my father’s cold eyes and I knew he was not kidding, Realization sat upon me when his words nested itself in my head.
Tears began pouring down my cheeks as I heard my father just spit those words at me. “I–I–I can’t. I’m not going to marry a criminal!” I screamed.
Just by saying that, I earned myself a painful yet firm slap from my father. My father’s hand must’ve left a mark because my cheeks felt numb to the touch.
“Dad.” I saw Anthonio move closer to us out of the corner of my eye. I hadn’t even realized he was in the room too.
“Stay away from this, Anthonio.” My dad said as he raised a hand towards Anthonio, stopping him in his tracks.
Anthonio had always been the one who always stood up for me against our father. Russo could care less.
I looked at my dad again with tears in my eyes as I began to dig through his expression, trying my hardest to find anything but bitterness and hatred but there was nothing else other than that.
Just then, I knew what I had to do. I was going to run away from home. There was no way I was going to marry a man I
didn’t love.
End of flashback.
