Chapter 2 The Deal

A pounding headache greeted me as I stirred, groaning.

"Ughhh, my head hurts."

I tried to sit up-BAM!

"Ow! What the hell?" I clutched my forehead, blinking through the pain.

The space was cramped, cold, and smelled like metal. My fingers brushed against-bars?

Wait. Bars?!

Panic surged through me as I scrambled back, but there was barely room to move.

Oh my God. I was in a freaking dog cage.

My breath came in fast, uneven bursts as I gripped the bars and shook them.

They didn't budge. I was damn trapped.

I tried to think. The phone call. My father's voice. Footsteps. A hand over my mouth.

The needle.

Oh shit. I was kidnapped.

"Is anyone there? Let me out! Someone help!" My voice echoed, growing hoarse.

"HELLO-?"

The door creaked open and I froze.

A figure stepped into the dim room, moving with slow, deliberate strides. I couldn't see his face, but his presence sucked the air from the room.

He took another step forward-and my brain short-circuited.

Damn, he was hot.

Not just hot-dangerous, untouchable, ruin-your-life-and-you'd-thank-him-for-it kind of hot.

My stomach flipped and just as fast reality crashed back.

Because this wasn't just any man.

This was Alessino De Luca. Mafia king. The Executioner. The "handsome walking devil" every girl at my university whispered about.

His cold gaze pinned me in place.

"Where is your father?"

I blinked. "Huh?"

His stare sharpened. My body tensed.

I hadn't seen my father in five years-until that call last night. And now I was in a cage because of him.

Unbelievable.

"I... I don't know," I said quickly. "The call barely lasted a minute. I swear!"

He didn't speak. But the air got darker. He didn't believe me.

Then he pulled out a gun and pointed it at my head.

"Will you talk now," he mused, "or should I mistakenly pull the trigger?"

Oh, hell no.

"Wait! Please! I'm telling the truth!"

Silence. I scrambled for anything to make him believe me.

"I swear on my life-if I'm lying, let lightning strike me right now."

A deafening crack of thunder shook the walls. I nearly jumped out of my skin and

Alessino raised an eyebrow.

"...Okay, that was awful timing," I laughed nervously. "But look! Still alive. No lightning. I'm telling the truth!"

He lowered the gun, then raised it again.

"Since you don't know where he is, you're of no use to me," he said smoothly. "Might as well end you now."

What?

I gaped at him. Was he seriously about to kill me?

So I did the only thing I could-I dropped to my knees dramatically.

I dropped to my knees, hands clasped.

"Oh great, powerful, handsome master, please don't kill me! I'm too young to die! I haven't even finished Netflix with my friend!"

He blinked. Unimpressed.

Okay that didn't work so I switched tactics.

"Seriously, keeping me alive is smarter. If my father reached out once, he might do it again. I have a better chance at finding him than you do."

That got me a flicker of hesitation.

"If you give me time, I'll find a way to lure him out."

He paused. Then smirked.

"If you could do that, why haven't you searched for him in five years?"

Ouch.

"Because I had no resources. But with you..."

Silence. Then finally, he sighed.

"You have until tomorrow."

He turned and walked out.

I collapsed back, breath ragged.

"Damn. That was close."

---

The door creaked again. A guard stepped in, stone-faced, and opened the cage.

I scrambled to my feet and followed him through a long hallway. When he stopped abruptly, I crashed into his back.

"Damn, are you made of bricks?"

He gave me a deadpan look. "Get inside."

The room was gorgeous. Expensive. Magazine-cover level. I opened the closet and gasped-rows of stunning designer dresses.

"Well... she won't mind if I borrow one, right?"

First, though, I needed a bath.

Warm water washed away the grime, the fear, and last night's chaos. For a moment, I let myself pretend I wasn't trapped in a mafia mansion.

I stepped out in a towel, feeling a little more human-until I saw him.

Alessino.

Sitting on the couch like he owned the place-which he did.

Legs crossed. Eyes locked on me.

I froze. "Is there... something you need, Minister?"

His gaze flicked over me, brief but enough to make me feel exposed.

"Don't get too comfortable. You have until tomorrow morning to give me a solution."

Then he left. Door clicking shut behind him.

I glared after him. "What a jerk."

Yanking out a dress, I muttered, "Why is he so cold? And why does he have to be so stupidly handsome?"

I shook my head. "No. He's ugly. Ugly and evil. A walking ice block."

I flopped onto the bed, stomach rumbling.

A knock.

A maid entered with a silver tray. Steak. Pasta. Bread.

Real food. I nearly wept.

I devoured it, then curled up on the bed, eyes heavy. Just a short nap.

---

I awoke to a shift in the air.

I turned-and nearly screamed.

Alessino sat in the same chair. Watching me.

I bolted upright.

"Are you trying to kill me?! Who sits in the dark watching people sleep?! That's serial killer behavior!"

He said nothing.

"Do you have a plan yet?" he asked, calm as ever.

I groaned. "You said tomorrow morning!"

His stare said: I don't care.

"Fine. I'll have something."

Still silent, he stood and left-but not before glancing back.

"You know what happens if you don't."

The door closed.

I screamed into my pillow. "God, I hate him!"

How was I supposed to come up with a plan?

All night, I tossed and turned. Until dawn.

Then-I had it.

A bold, reckless, absolutely insane idea. But it was the only one I had.

So when Alessino walked in the next morning, cold stare in place, I met his eyes with messy hair and zero sleep.

And said:

"Let's get married."