1

Gabriela 

“ You can kiss harder than that,” he whispered. The scent of smoke and bourbon fills the air, it was addicting yet, suffocating.  “ What’s wrong, Santoro? Do you not enjoy being owned?” His voice was laced with distaste.

My gaze found him. Rage fuels my heart to push him away.  “ No. Not with someone as beast as you,” I smirk and hit his chest, ready to pull away when suddenly, his hand grips my hair, pulling me closer to his body. 

“ Careful, Santoro. I might ruin you, right here, right now,” he darkly said directly beneath my ears as I felt his fingers painfully stroking the tips of my hair. My heart was beating too fast and I cannot move, not when my whole family was here, at this beast's mercy. 

The elite party lights, champagnes, and sexy music didn’t justify how disgraceful this place was. A pity party for the Mob families, announcing a dream of happily ever after which doesn’t exist in our dark world. Only the greedy attend this kind of party. Only those who bathe in power and cruelness attend this kind of party. 

As we continue to dance in the middle of all these hypocrites, I can feel stares from every woman in the room. Sure, everyone hates me for stealing the beast's freedom from being the hottest bachelor in town to a one-woman man. And yet, I don’t have any choice because he bought me. 

“ Counting how many women envy you right now, Santoro?” he whispered, tugging me closer to his body until my cheeks were close enough to lie down in his chiseled chest. 

I cursed. “ You better let go of me right now, Dela Vin,” I warned, but the asshole only pressed me harder into his chest, making me frustrated. 

This engagement party shouldn’t happen in the first place. I shouldn’t agree with this to happen, but my voice was shut down by my family, who knowingly sold me to the devil.

No matter how much I resist, this path allows them to have the power dancing in their hands, and that’s what matters the most. My happiness and consent regarding this important part of my life weren’t given on a silver platter. 

I was served cold and ready to be the sacrificial lamb for this beast in front of me. 

He darkly chuckles, stroking my hair. “ Can you see the barcode in your ring, Santoro?” 

I flicked my eyes and saw the barcode that he was talking about. “ You have no taste,” I whispered with disgust. “If you want this to work, you could have chosen an infinity symbol for our love to prosper,” I mockingly said, still eyeing the barcode at the center of the golden ring he gave as an engagement ring earlier. 

Dela Vin laughed. “That barcode means I bought you, Santoro. It’s not a symbol of love, it’s my symbol of ownership against you. Remember this: your own family sold you to me to save their ass off their debts. Now, dance and enjoy the night or I’ll change my mind.” 

“ Y-You can’t do that!” I quickly said, jogging him away and looking into his eyes with fear. No. He can’t change his mind because if he did… if he did…

He smirked. “I’m the boss, Santoro. No one will argue if I told them I changed my mind about marrying you,” he whispered, making me frozen in place. 

“I could’ve destroyed cities and burned every person in this room, but no one is powerful enough to stop me,” he mentions. 

When I looked up, I saw nothing in his eyes. Not even a single stroke of emotion can be seen. And then, I realized who I was sold to. He was Giovanni Dela Vin, the leading MOB leader and the most dangerous one.

My stomach was in knots. My heart sank into oblivion because I didn't have any choice. In order for my family to live, I was here to please him and convince him to marry me. It’s the only way for us to live. 

“ You know who needs this marriage more than I do.” He fixes his coat and attempts to walk away. I was too fast to hold his arm and stop him from walking away. 

He shouldn't have walked out of this party. I cannot let him leave. My eyes are full and hot as I fight the urge to cry from this miserable life that I had. I don’t even know what love is and then, here I am being married, to the ruthless person who has ever lived. 

I am afraid. He makes me afraid. 

Dela Vin rolls his eyes and moves closer to me.  “ If they see that you’re crying right now, they might think that I am a bad fiance’ forcing you to be married to me, Santoro.” 

I can do this. My tears rolled down but my hands wiped them away just before someone noticed it. 

With every step, my body is shaking with regret. The idea of marriage was totally ruined in the back of my mind because I know how doomed I am. I can never experience a fortunate marriage because right now, I am sealing my fate. 

Dela Vin remains standing in the midst of the crowd. His large frame makes him stand amongst the crowd. He was handsome, yet it was dangerous to even stare at him. As the beast stared right into me, his lips grinning and brows rising, I knew why my family chose to run to him for help. 

Every step feels heavy. It weighs resignation from the dream, letting go of my freedom, and accepting my fate. 

“Please marry me.” 

I looked up at him and saw the flashing lights behind him. Whilst I am trembling, Dela Vin stands still and only stares right into me with a pleased grin. 

“ Take me as your wife. Please take me as your wife.” Those words slowly left my mouth before I found myself running into him and crashing our lips for everyone at this party to see. 

I felt him smile through our kiss. “You better be a good wife then,” he replied before owning my lips without inhibitions.