Chapter 4 4

Today was the day I finally get to meet the man who will own me, as Father put it very eloquently. I would be his bitch apparently. I would rather stab out my own eyes and eat them than let someone own me. Who the fuck do these men think they are?

I scowled as I looked into the full-length mirror. My attire didn't reflect what I thought, not in the slightest. My body was covered in a tight-fitting red silk look dress. It had a deep v-neck and full-length arms. I wanted to hide my sore wrist, thanks to my father. The dress stopped at my natural tanned thighs. Pairing the dress with red heels, I went for a simple look. Light makeup covered my face, my dark hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail.

There's nothing more powerful than dressing up. It made men weak. I made men weak. I pressed my lips together, which were stained with red lipstick. The red blended well with my tan skin and stormy blue eyes.

KC entered my room after knocking. She eyed me and complimented my attire. I saw her fidgeting a lot more than usual, and her eyes couldn't meet mine. Fuck. I felt like shit. Like meat on a platter. I sighed. "It'll be all right, KC. I'll be fine." I reassured. I don't know whether I was reassuring her or myself.

"Yes, I know, you'll be fine. You can handle yourself. I just wish you weren't forced to marry." KC frowned as she fiddled with the gun in her pocket. I smiled as I looked at the floor, maybe in another life.

"Your father is waiting for you." She spoke up as she held my bedroom door open for me. "Well, I'd better go to meet this Chase fucking Rodriguez," I said with no emotion.

Entering the SUV, I inhaled deeply as I saw Father already seated inside. Why can't the bastard take another car? Fuck, he loves tormenting me. I took my seat opposite him and crossed my legs in the spacious car. Father smoked a cigarette, and I watched the grey ashes flutter to the floor. Even after being told that the damage to his lungs was irreversible and he should ease up on smoking, Father smoked as if it were his last day on earth. I wish it were.

His suit was grey like the ashes, which matched his greying eyes. His face was aged and tired. I often wondered if I would end up the same. It was no secret that I smoked occasionally. There was also no harm in drinking every so often.

I always got told I got my looks from my mother. Unfortunately, I haven't even taken a picture of her. Everything Mother owned was burnt to cinders after her passing by Father. I'm sure he wanted to burn me also.

After a few minutes of silence, Father spoke. There was no need to, but yet he fucking opened his dirty mouth. "I am sorry to let my only figlia (daughter) go." He looked at me. He's sneering. I know it. I looked into his eyes, unable to read anything. He was being sincere; that's a first. He reached out and patted my hands, which I kept on my lap. I scolded myself when I flinched at his cold touch. Fuck. When will this man die? In two hundred years, no doubt.

Our SUV turned into a very upper-class area. The houses were not houses but instead mansions. They were also quite far apart from one another to allow privacy and to accommodate the large front lawns. The tall steel gates at the entrance of one mansion were promptly opened up, and our car travelled towards the front door.

The warm air hit my face as I stepped out of the car, but I still couldn't help but shudder. KC walked behind me, as did several other guards. Father threw his cigarette to the ground and put it out. He was an uncaring vile creature. He led the way to the front door, and I held my head up in an attempt to hide my anxiety. Shit, I've never felt like this before. What the fuck was wrong with me? He's probably a bastard.

Upon knocking on the oak door, we were greeted by a petite brunette and a tall, broad-shouldered man. Father smiled as he shook the man's hand. I'm guessing these are the parents. Father nodded towards me. "This is my daughter. Rita Locke. She runs the Italian mafia." They didn't see the spite in his words, but I did.

Suddenly, all eyes were on me. Father never introduced himself, which begs me to believe that he knew these people. The lady smiled as she looked me over. Her husband was the first to speak. "Hello Rita, I am Terry Rodriguez, and this is my wife Sandra." He introduced himself as he slightly lowered his rough voice. He placed an arm around Sandra's waist, and I didn't miss the subtle way Sandra's first instinct was to pull away.

I offered a small smile as I kept my mouth shut. I saw a young man leaning against the wall behind Terry and Sandra. His posture indicated his reluctance to be here. I eyed up the tall man as he walked over to the door. He held out a hand and smiled, seeming quite friendly. "Hello, Miss Locke, I am Kendrick Rodriguez." I shook his hand as I admired the various rings his fingers wore. "Hello," I replied.

"This is my youngest son, Kendrick; he is twenty. The elder is your fiancé." Terry said as he watched me. Fiancé. The foreign word danced through my mind and shocked me once more as I realized my fate. Fuck. I wanted to run but I couldn't.

I again politely smiled, and Terry led us all inside to a dining room. They thought I was shy or quiet, but I didn't care. They would soon find out about my big mouth, which spoke the truth. The room was large and beautifully decorated. We were served dinner on china plates and had a selection of three different vintage wines to drink. I only drank a glass as I needed to stay sharp; this wasn't the time or place to get drunk. Father was in the midst of a dull conversation with Terry and Sandra. I somehow felt disappointed that Chase was nowhere to be seen.

This was his house after all, and he couldn't be bothered to attend dinner with guests. For all I knew he could be hiding upstairs like the idiot he was. At least I found out that he's only twenty-five, and judging by what his brother looks like, he should be decent enough.

I looked over at Kendrick, whom I'd enjoyed talking to this evening. His dark hair was long to his ears and neatly combed back, although it was getting messier with time. He had a sharp jawline and was neatly shaven. His dark brows and eyes held a certain boyish charm. Kendrick seemed to smile an awful lot, and it suited him.

"My brother is not a bad guy, but he can be an idiot at times. I do apologise on his behalf." Kendrick said as he sipped his wine. I smiled at his honesty. "I'm just disappointed he didn't even show up for this dinner." I licked my lips now, feeling less anxious.

"I will find him and make him clean up his act. Because you, Rita, will be the best thing to ever happen to him." He nodded his head knowingly. I smirked. "You know how to make a girl blush. Tell me, do you have a girlfriend? Wife?" I asked him.