1: Gathering

“Don't… I said, don't come closer, you bastard!” Mariana yelled.

He snorted, but still moved closer. He pressed her against the wall, hands gripping her neck.

“You brought this upon yourself Mariana. You shouldn't have done what you did back there. Now, you will remain here for the next three months until I send you back to your father. Your stay isn't for free either. You will serve me with your body.”

“Oh, this is my fault now? Who used me in the first place?” She wanted to say, instead, she glared at him. “In your f*cking dreams!”

.

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∆∆ Hours Earlier ∆∆

 No! This can't be happening! Why would such a thing happen today of all day? Mariana thought to herself as she paced about in her room. What should she do?

As the daughter of a Mafia Leader, having a boyfriend who is not approved by her father is a crime. Yet, she's been dating someone secretly for two years, not just any guy but a poor guy who works at a library downtown to make a living. If her father finds out about this, not only will he not let her off, her boyfriend, Josh, would also be in trouble. 

His status doesn't matter to Mariana, she loves Josh sincerely. Apart from her grandpa, he's the only one who has cared for her, who knows her for who she is. Although her dad, Carlson, dotes on her very much, he's always so busy with his work. As a Mafia Leader, he travels a lot and likes to handle many dirty businesses himself. Carlson returned recently to the states, and he isn't planning on leaving for a long time. 

Today being Saturday, Mariana has planned to sneak out of the mansion to meet Josh. However, her father suddenly hosted a gathering inviting Mafias from all over the world. Because of this reason, the security in the mansion is a hundred times stronger than before. There were men in black in every corner of the house. Not ordinary soldiers, but trained mercenaries, making it troublesome for her to leave the mansion.  

Mariana is sure that with her father around, it will be much more difficult to see Josh in the future, so she has to meet him today at all costs.

While she was pacing, the door opened. She instinctively whirled around, feeling the oppressive aura in the room. 

“Dad!”

Carlson's sharp gaze fell on his daughter, causing her heart to quiver. Whenever he stares at her, she always feels like he could see into her soul, like he could see her secret. 

“You are not dressed yet,” Carlson said, walking into the room. His face, which is always cold, softens as he stared at his girl in concern. No one would have thought that the cold and aloof Carlson would ever have such a doting look on his face. “Did something happen?” he asked.

Mariana let out the breath she was holding. Good, he's only worried about her wellbeing. She put on a smile on her face and clung to her father's arm. 

“Nothing happened father, I'm only curious about the sudden gathering this evening. We have had none of these for a long while.” She knows she invited Mafia gangs and leaders from all over the world, but she doesn't know the reason. She also knows that her dad would rather busy himself with his work than socialize with people who could harm him when he's at his worse moment. So, it's a bit weird that he is hosting an event.

Her father's body tensed a bit. He quietly pulled her to sit on the bed. “Ana, today's party is not just any gathering. I hosted it specifically for you.” 

Mariana gave him a perplexed expression. “Me?” 

    “Yes, Ana,” Carlson sighed. “Look, you are no longer a kid, but a grown-up woman. At your age, you should be in a serious affair or be getting married.”

Mariana wanted to say she's already in a relationship, instead, she creased her eyebrows, “What does the gathering have to do with any of this?” 

She doesn't like where this is going, in fact, she already has a bad feeling about what her father was going to say next.

“I'm hosting this party, so you could search for your future husband. I'm not saying you should marry anybody at the moment. I just want you to meet them and have the privilege of marrying any Mafia leader of your choice. They will protect and love you better than anyone else. All you need to do is to tell daddy which one you're interested in, and I'll arrange everything.”

“No!” Mariana stood up from the bed and glared at him.

 “That is not happening. I'm not interested in getting married to anyone nor any Mafia. I'll rather die than marry someone who does dirty business. A man who never has time for his family, just like you, dad.”

“Mariana!”

Carlson yelled, which prompts her heart to skip. 

Her father normally calls Ana, but he called her full name now, which shows how mad he is at the moment. However, she will not back down on this because she still has Josh. She can't betray her boyfriend by marrying anyone just because her father said so.

Carlson got up from the bed and coldly said, “This is not up for discussion, you'll be attending the gathering tonight and if you don't choose a man to marry, I'll do that for you.” With that, he stormed out of the room. He has always given his daughter whatever she needs, but this time, she has to listen to him on this matter.

A few minutes after he left, a few maids barged into the room with a few dresses. One maid took her arm, gently pulling her towards the bathroom. “Young miss…”, 

Mariana didn't want to make things difficult for the maid. She shook off their hands and walked into the shower herself. While she was taking her bath, she made up her mind that she has to sneak out of the house at all costs. The last thing she required is to be present in the gathering.

After showering, the maids dress her up beautifully. They put her long black hair in curls, letting it fall to her shoulders. Another maid dabbed powder on her face. The light makeup added a sexy charm to her pure skin. Her misty eyes were bright and beautiful. Afterward, they made her wear a rosy red dress that accentuated her curves.

“Wow, you look pretty young, miss.” they praised.

However, Mariana paid little attention to their praises. She busied herself by planning her escape route in her head. Despite the largeness of the mansion, she knew her way around the house. She just has to wait until the gathering begins. 

The maids walked out of the room once they were done. 

A few minutes later, she glanced at the time, seeing that the guest had arrived, she knew now is the perfect chance to make a move. Her father will be busy welcoming the guest and the guards wouldn't have time to bother about her. 

With this thought in mind, Mariana walked out of her room calmly. Her senses were high on alert.

*****

Warning:

This book is rated 18 guys, there are words that some of you might find offensive so be warned. Also, the male protagonists of this book aren't all lovey-dovey at first, he's cold and aloof since it's his personality as a Mafia Boss. If you are not comfortable reading the book, I'll advise you should drop it.

Don't forget to comment as it encourages me to write more, thank you!