It took every ounce of effort to not step back before I shook my head. “Please,” I whispered, too scared to raise my voice. “Let me go home.” As those words registered, I realized I didn’t have a home. All the people who would’ve taken care of me were dead. I died a little more with that knowledge.
“You’re not staying then?” he asked, and I shook my head.
His gaze fixed on mine, he lifted a hand and snapped his fingers. I had no idea what that meant until Leo walked away. Still, the man in front of me stared, keeping my gaze locked to his, unwavering until I bit my bottom lip. For just a moment, his eyes dropped to my lips before lifting back to mine, his facial expression hadn’t faltered in the slightest. I had a feeling this man could make anyone who defied him, pee in their pants just by staring at them.
Gripping the flare of my dress, I forced myself not to squirm. The sudden shuffle of feet broke our stare down. I looked over his shoulder watching several people enter the room before he turned away from me. Only then did I breathe easy. Judging by their uniforms, I figured they were his household staff. Without a word, they walked out onto the terrace and assembled themselves in a straight line, hands clasped in front of them, heads bowed, shielding their faces. Given their precise, synced movements, they’d probably done this before.
Mr. Salvatore walked out followed by my father. I stood my ground until Leo gestured for me to follow him. Reluctantly, I let my legs carry me outside and silently counted twenty staff while I waited to see what all this was about.
Mr. Salvatore looked at me and I flinched unsure if I wanted to be on the receiving end of that hard scowl. Despite the sunlit brightness, the man radiated indescribable darkness. Something told me that he hardly smiled or maybe never at all. Stupidly, I found myself wondering if perhaps he did during sex. I bit my lip to keep from laughing.
“Choose an employee,bella,” he ordered.
I frowned. “Excuse me?” And why the hell was he calling me beautiful. I had a name, but I didn’t have the balls yet to demand he used it.
“I want you to choose an employee.”
“I heard you the first time.” I barely kept from muttering my irritation. “Why?”
His eyes narrowed. Probably at my insolence. “Because I asked you to.” His jaw ticked as he held my gaze, an intense warning behind frigid irises. When I shook my head, refusing to do his bidding, I caught the slight grimace that hinted I’d regret my decision before he said, “I’ll choose for you, then.” He pointed to the first man in the line on my right. Given his clothing, gloves, and the soil on his pants, I figured he was the gardener. “Saltare, Luis!” Mr. Salvatore’s command pricked my ears.
Did he just order the man to jump? Not sure I heard correctly, I frowned until the man lifted his head, his frightened gaze meeting mine, his face filled with outright panic before he turned away and climbed over the balustrade edging the terrace.
“Hey,” I screamed, my eyes wide in horror. “What are you—” I slapped a hand to my mouth as he jumped, his scream echoing around us.
Rushing to the edge, I looked over and down into the cavern below stupidly hoping it was a magic trick and that I was being tested. Emptiness filled with a valley of jagged rocks met my gaze. The depth so profound, it was too dark to make out anything. I gripped the metal balustrade, shock making it impossible to keep my shaking body from collapsing to the floor. Nothing else registered except the slow-motion loop of what the man had just done. My heart pumped harder refusing to calm down. Did that really just happen? What kind of sick man had my father sold me to? The reality of my situation barreled in like a giant wrecking ball. My stomach turned, muscles clenching until the urge to vomit burned my throat.
“Oh, my God.” My voice was nothing but a breathy whisper, over and over like some protective mantra. I shuddered uncontrollably. When I could muster the strength to turn, I latched onto Salvatore’s cold eyes, mine accusing. “Why?” I stammered, the arid tang of bile filling my tastebuds.
His hands in his pockets, he took a step toward me. I shrank back, feeling the metal banister dig painfully into my lower back, but I didn’t care. The eyes staring back at me were empty. No feeling. No emotion. No remorse. Apart from the beautiful color, they were blank voids of nothingness. It was like the man held no compassion. Then he reached forward and swiped a finger under my eye. I flinched, unaware I’d been crying. “Don’t waste what’s not yours,bella,” his soft tone back in place, yet there was no warmth to his expression. He sucked his finger as if that would make me cry less. “Sweet,” he said, his tone daring me to argue.
“Why—why did you do that? Why did you kill that man?” the questions trembled on my lips, the man’s cries still ringing in my ears.
“In this house, what I say, goes,” his reply was neither friendly nor condescending. “As my wife, you are responsible for my staff’s wellbeing.” He kept his gaze trained on me, making sure I understood his every word. “And that means they live as long as you determine they do.”
“You’re holding me to ransom?” I hiccupped on a sob, sure I hadn’t heard right.
“Ransom is such a derogatory term.” He looked amused but there was a dark gleam in his eyes. Was the man enjoying my discomfort? “Disobey me and I’ll be hiring new employees every day. Obey me and you get to see them smile. Whetheryoudo so or not, is up to you.”
The implication of his statement crystallized the blood in my veins. I clenched my fingers, my nails digging into the palms would probably draw blood. “Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?” Fresh tears dripped down my cheeks.
“You’re an intelligent girl, figure it out.” He cocked his head to one side. His expression one of vacant indifference—an emotion far worse than hate—at least with hate you felt something. “Youaregoing to be my wife whether you want to or not,mia bella.It’s up to you whether it will be a painful or pleasurable experience.” Those words alone made it clear that he was a man who didn’t care who he hurt as long as he got what he wanted. It was even clearer that I was his latest acquisition and nothing or no one was going to stop him from taking me. Without another word, he re-entered the living room.
Leo dismissed the other staff and followed his boss, leaving me alone with my father. I looked at him, shaking my head. “Because of me an innocent man lost his life today, how can you live with yourself knowing you’ve condemned me to this life? Am I really worth fifty million dollars?”
He stared at me and yet again there was no remorse in his expression. I was suddenly filled with bitter hatred for this man—the instigator of my demise—the man who crushed my illusions of family. Thank goodness Bhavna, Harsh and my mother had given me a glimpse of what it could be.
He raked a hand through his hair and neared me. “This was the deal, Gianna, something I signed a long time ago and there was no backing out of it.”
“Tell me, daddy dearest, does Mr. Salvatore know I’m not a virgin?”
Straightening to full height, he squared his shoulders, his lips pressing into a thin line. “I’m going to say this only once, Gianna.” He stepped closer, his voice lowering to a distinct snarl. “You will do everything you can to make Mr. Salvatore proud to have you as a wife. You will respect him, obey him and give him the children he desires. If you do anything and I do mean anything to fuck this up, the second Mr. Salvatore refutes you, I will sell you to the vilest of human traffickers who wouldn’t hesitate to take your pretty little body apart, piece by fucking piece. Do I make myself clear?” His dark eyes narrowed.
Swallowing down the bitter taste of disgust lining my throat, I glowered at him. “And how do I hide the fact that I’m not the virgin you promised him or that I’m married?”
“By using your body to seduce him into falling for you. If you’ve lost your virginity, I’m sure you know how to do that.” It was a snide remark. “Ria Singh doesn’t exist, hence no marriage.”
I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. “God, how are you my father?”
