Chapter 4 Betrothed.

V I V I A N A

I am unable to tear my eyes away from him.

Dante Accardi.

For a moment, it feels like he and I are the only people in the room, and the entire world has come to a halt. The air around us is heavy with dread and humiliation as I try to take in what is happening to me. The fact that my own father has just disowned me, and now he wants to marry me off to a complete stranger, but not just anyone... an Accardi, for that matter.

The Accardi family is even more ruthless and feared than my own. Dante has been a Don for 6 years now, and he has ruled his syndicate with an iron fist. It's either you fear him, or you don't, and if you don't, then you certainly have a death wish.

Dante stares back at me, completely silent. He doesn't need to say a word. His presence is enough to silence the entire room and leave everyone on edge, making them shrink back as if his presence alone were a dagger pressed against their throats. He radiates authority, violence, danger and... inevitability.

And me, I am simply suffocating, crumbling beneath his dark gaze.

"No..." I whisper, choking up on my own words as I shake my head, my voice raw and hoarse. "No... I won't." I declare.

Dante's eyes narrow at me, dark grey orbs that meet my blue ones as he steps closer, the polished leather of his shoes barely making a sound against the marble. My heart thunders in my chest and my pulse stutters, but still I stand my ground. I can't let him see how terrified I am, but I'm afraid it might already be too late for that.

"Yes, you will." My father's voice cuts in sharply, making my head snap towards him. He doesn't even bother to look at me; instead, his gaze is focused solely on Dante, a sinister, sadistic smile printed on his lips, as I he is handing over a gift. Like I'm already gone.

Disbelief claws out of me as I continue to shake my head. "Father, please... You can not do this." I find myself begging. I don't know why. I am better than this. But for some reason, I can not stand the thought of being wed to a stranger, to such an evil and cruel man. If there's a way I can get out of this, then I'll try whatever I can.

He finally looks at me then, but his expression is devoid of compassion. "You lost the privilege of choices the moment you opened your mouth tonight. Consider yourself lucky I don't bury you instead." His words are like a venom seeping through my entire body, slowly paralysing me.

"Besides... your future husband has already paid for you in full." My father says with a bright grin.

"$15 million, up front." He declares instead of outrage, the crowd erupts into a burst of applause and subtle cheers, leaving me frowning in confusion and betrayal. I look around the room, and everyone seems completely impressed, especially Lucia and my brother, Victor.

"You sold me off?" I let out in pure disbelief, right before my eyes focus on Dante, seeing that he doesn't even bother smiling, making me even more terrified than I was before.

"Yes. Don Accardi is quite convincing." He says, and the cruelty in his voice guts me more than any blade ever could.

The pain slowly turns to anger as pure rage surges through my body.

"I'd rather die than go with him," I spit out, surprising even myself with the venom in my tone. My eyes cut toward Dante as I face him. "I don't care how much you paid my father; I don't want you. I don't need you. I will never belong to you." I snap at him.

The crowd stirs, whispers darting like vipers through the air. A woman daring to speak to him like that... It's unthinkable.

For the first time, Dante's lips twitch. Not into a smile, but instead, into something much colder, darker... amusement laced with threat.

"You are do belong to me, dollface." He says, and his voice does something unexpected to me. It is smooth, like velvet, rolling over me like smooth. It is deep and hoarse, his accent rich, American-Sicilian, and it immediately sends a series of chills running across my skin.

I am unable to say a word, and our eyes lock, his calm against my fire, and the tension between us only rises into something no one else in the room can ignore.

My father chuckles darkly, breaking the silence. "Take her, Accardi. Do whatever you please with her. She's no longer my problem." My father speaks out, and his words slice me open, leaving my heart bleeding.

Dante doesn't hesitate. He nods and lifts his hand, and three of his men step forward instantly. Their movements are silent, efficient, like predators closing in on prey. They surround me, giving me nowhere to run to, and before I know it, strong hands clamp down on my arms, gripping hard enough to bruise. I thrash against them, kicking wildly, my nails clawing at their sleeves. "Don't fucking touch me, let me go! Get your hands off me!" I scream and fight, but it is futile, and I have no chance against their matched strength.

"Father, you can't do this! I won't go! I won't! I SAID FUCKING LET GO OF ME OR ELSE I WILL KILL ALL OF YOU!" I scream at them, continuing to fight them. One of my arms breaks free, and immediately it does, I am able to scratch one of the men across the face, and as soon a she is distracted, I drive my foot right up his nether-regions, making him yell out in pain and crumble to the ground.

The crowd gasps and watches me take on 3 grown men, none of them bothering to help.

Dante doesn't move at first. He stands still, watching me fight, his expression... somewhat impressed. But then, before I realise it, he closes the distance between us in two strides, his shadow falling over me as he stands almost an entire foot taller than me. All my movements cease, as if my body is simply paralysed from his gaze as I stare up at him. He crouches slightly, his face inches from mine, his eyes dark and alluring...

"Enough," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. But the command sends an entire low wave of fear through my body.

I am, if only for a moment, my body trembling against the hold restraining me.

"You have spirit," he says softly, his gaze tracing my face with something sharp, like a predator studying prey. "That will make this interesting. But do not mistake spirit for power. You are leaving here tonight. With me. Whether you walk or whether you are dragged..." his eyes flick to the men gripping me, "...makes no difference."

His breath ghosts against my cheek, sending a chill racing down my spine.

I force myself to meet his gaze, my voice trembling but fierce. "Then drag me. Because I will never go willingly."

His jaw tightens, but his eyes... God, his eyes.... glitter with something extremely dangerous. Admiration, or perhaps amusement? Whatever it is, I can't tell.

He straightens then, giving a sharp nod to his men. And just like that, I'm hauled forward, my heels scraping the marble, the crowd parting in silence as if witnessing an execution. They pin my wrists behind my back, bowing me out like a criminal and begin leading me out of the room.

My voice shatters the stillness. "I hate you! Do you hear me? I hate all of you!" I thrash harder, my cries echoing through the hall. "Mark my word, you are going to pay this!" I continue to scream at them until I am completely out of the room.

They may have gotten rid of me now, but this won't be the last time they hear of me. They've taken everything from me, and I will make sure I take it back... I will make them pay...