Chapter 2 Bound In Darkness

Isabella

The first thing I noticed was the smell-leather and faint traces of smoke, a scent too unfamiliar to be home. The second was the ache in my wrists, bound tightly in front of me with thick rope, rough enough to scrape against my skin. My head pounded, my throat dry, and when I finally forced my eyes open, I found myself in a dimly lit room that reeked of power and control.

Panic clawed its way up my throat, but I swallowed it down, breathing through my nose slowly. No weakness. No fear. That was the first rule my father taught me in this world.

The walls were dark stone, cold and unwelcoming. A massive window stretched across one side, but thick iron bars covered it, mocking any hope of escape. The furniture was minimal-only a bed, a wooden chair, and a locked steel door that made my stomach turn. No obvious exits. No easy way out.

Then I heard him.

The soft click of expensive shoes against the marble floor sent a chill down my spine. Matteo De Luca stepped into the room like he owned it, and maybe he did. He filled the space with his presence alone, dressed in all black, his expression as unreadable as ever. His sharp jawline was tense, his icy blue eyes assessing me with the same intensity that made my skin crawl.

I sat up slowly, keeping my expression blank despite the rage burning inside me. "Untie me," I said, my voice hoarse but steady.

Matteo tilted his head, a faint smirk curving his lips. "Not yet."

I clenched my fists against the rope. "Do you always kidnap women, or am I just special?"

His smirk didn't waver. "You're very special, Isabella. You see, I don't usually waste my time on spoiled Mafia princesses. But you... you're different."

I glared at him. "If you think my father will let this slide, you're dumber than I thought."

Matteo's smile vanished in an instant, and he took a slow step forward, his tall frame casting a shadow over me. "Your father isn't in control here. I am."

My heart hammered against my ribs, but I forced myself to hold his gaze. "You think you can break me?"

He crouched down to my level, his face inches from mine. "I don't need to break you," he murmured. "I just need the truth."

I didn't flinch. "The truth about what?"

His jaw tightened, and for a brief second, something dark flickered in his gaze. "Your brother," he said coldly. "Your family killed mine. And now you're going to pay for it."

I exhaled slowly, processing his words. Matteo thought the Romanos killed his brother. He wanted revenge. That meant he had a plan, a goal-and if he had a goal, I had a chance to survive this.

"I don't know anything," I said calmly. "Let me go, and I won't make this worse for you."

Matteo chuckled, but there was no warmth in it. "I think we both know that's not happening."

He stood up, running a hand through his dark hair, his eyes never leaving me. "You're going to tell me everything, Isabella. And if you don't..." He trailed off, his gaze hard and unforgiving. "Well, let's just say, I have other ways of making people talk."

A shiver ran down my spine, but I lifted my chin defiantly. "You're wasting your time."

Matteo's lips curled into something dangerous. "We'll see."

He turned and walked to the door, pausing just long enough to glance back at me. "Get comfortable. You'll be here for a while."

The heavy door slammed shut behind him, the lock clicking into place, leaving me alone in the cold, suffocating silence. I exhaled shakily, my mind racing. No weakness. No fear. If Matteo wanted a fight, I'd give him one.

---

Matteo

I watched her through the small security feed outside the door, her chest rising and falling as she stared at the ceiling, probably planning a dozen ways to escape. Good. I wanted her to fight. It made breaking her all the more satisfying.

Isabella Romano wasn't like the others. I had seen it in her eyes the moment I grabbed her at the gala. She was calculating, too smart for her own good, but that didn't matter. She could fight, she could resist, but in the end, she'd crack. They always did.

"Boss," one of my men, Angelo, spoke from behind me. "Romano's already making calls. He's furious."

"Let him be." I didn't take my eyes off the screen.

"He's not the one calling the shots anymore."

Angelo hesitated. "And the girl? She's tougher than she looks."

I smirked. "That's what makes it fun."

---

Isabella

The hours passed slowly, the dim lighting casting long shadows across the room. I tested the ropes on my wrists again, biting back a hiss of frustration as they held firm. Matteo knew what he was doing. He didn't leave mistakes.

I needed to think. The Romano name carried power, but here, I was just another pawn in Matteo's twisted game. My father would come for me, but I couldn't afford to wait for him. If I wanted to survive this, I had to find a way out.

I stood slowly, moving toward the window. The bars were thick, bolted deep into the stone walls, but beyond them, I could see the vast estate sprawled out below-a high perimeter fence, guards stationed at every corner, and Matteo's men patrolling the grounds with military precision.

Escape wouldn't be easy.

A knock echoed against the door, and a moment later it creaked open.

Matteo stood there, holding a tray of food. He set it down on the table and leaned against the wall, watching me with an expression that made my skin crawl.

"Eat."

I stared at the plate. "You expect me to trust you?"

He shrugged. "You'll need your strength."

I shook my arms in another attempt to free myself.

"For what? More threats?"

Matteo's eyes darkened, and he pushed off the wall, stalking closer until I could feel the heat radiating from him. "I don't make threats, Isabella. I make promises."

I swallowed hard, refusing to let him see how much he unnerved me. "Then you should know something," I said, my voice steady. "I don't break easily."

He smirked, the kind of smirk that promised trouble.

"Neither do I."

Our gazes locked, the tension thick and suffocating, and I realized something terrifying.

This was just the beginning.