Chapter 3 - Amelia

When I saw him at home a few minutes ago, I felt incredibly nervous and frightened. He was extremely tall and muscular.

The expensive clothes Mum made me wear made me feel like a rich prostitute—some fancy fabric that pushed my breasts upwards, enough to make a man drool.

And now, what had just happened in the car? Was he actually going to do it in the car?

I clenched my fists as he led me into his house, which looked ravishing with porcelain tiles. Everything in the room was so white, with just a touch of blue. I couldn't believe his dark self would want to be surrounded by so much purity and innocence.

I wanted to throw up. The nauseating feeling in the pit of my stomach from having him kiss me so deeply hadn't subsided. I had never felt so defeated. My life was no longer my own, as I was to be a slave to Lorenzo, just like my mother was a slave to my father, the mafia boss's associate.

Lorenzo bent down to my level as soon as we were standing in the center of the room to whisper something in my ear. “Your personal maid will assist you in preparing for dinner tonight…” I spotted a young lady walk in with her head bowed at that point. “I have a present for you at dinner. Be in your best dress.” He kissed my ear, and I almost shuddered, but I managed to control myself.

The young lady walked up to me just as Lorenzo stepped away. “Evening, ma'am. I'm Lily.”

“Please call me Amelia. Lorenzo said you'll help me prepare for dinner tonight?” I sighed weakly.

“Yes, and for your wedding dress shopping.” I almost screamed at her for saying that. My brain felt like it was in a scrambler.

Lily showed me to my room, and on the bed lay a red dinner dress that caught my attention as soon as we stepped into the room. “Is that…?”

“Yes. It's for dinner. I'll let you change.” Lily stepped out, and I finally had space to myself for the first time that day. I fought back my tears as the reality of everything that was happening dawned on me—that I would soon be the wife of the most powerful and notorious capo in Chicago, one whom the FBI had been unable to nail.

I removed my shirt and dropped it on the bed. The dress on the bed had a cup bra, so I removed my own bra. I wouldn't be needing it.

I heard footsteps down the hall while I removed my pants. “I'm almost ready, Lily,” I called, concluding it was her. I walked over to the bed to pick up the dinner dress.

I heard the door creak open and spun around immediately, my breasts bouncing with the force, only to see Lorenzo standing shirtless in the doorway. Dammit!

I quickly wrapped my arms around my chest and sucked in a breath. I almost forgot that the most sensitive parts of me were still visible to him. I jumped onto the bed and pulled the dinner dress over my lap to hide my bare body.

“I thought you left,” I muttered as I slightly bent my head to avoid eye contact with him.

“I think I should give you the present now,” he scoffed. “What are you doing? Hiding my property from me?”

“It's not your property,” I muttered. I managed to look at him, staring lightly at the tattoo marks on his chest and down his arms, unintentionally noticing a bulge in his tight pants.

I wrapped my arms tighter around my chest, still feeling exposed. I closed my eyes. “Please go,” I said weakly.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw him before me, barely a few inches away. I flinched with a gasp. He pulled out a black velvet box and opened it before my face to reveal a large diamond ring.

“You are my fiancée, and my fiancée needs a ring.”

“I won't take it,” my voice came out unpleasantly harsh. I noticed his eyes narrow, realizing he was boiling over. “I mean—this is too kind,” I tried to calm him, unable to imagine what would happen if I stirred his anger.

“I am not kind, Amelia, and this isn't kindness. This ring is to prove that I am rich and powerful—and to mark you as taken. Do not mistake me for a good man.” He grabbed my left hand and shoved the ring onto my finger. “Now, quick, get ready for dinner. Leo will be by the door to lead you downstairs and to the restaurant.” Before I could protest, he shut the door, leaving me alone again.

I quickly slipped into the red dress before Lorenzo could change his mind and step back into the room. I tied my wavy blonde hair back into a ponytail to reveal the low neckline of the dress, which showed enough cleavage to make any man drool. I stepped out of the room, following Leo as he led me down the hall to the car.

---

The car halted before one of the most scenic restaurants in Chicago. Leo led me in, straight to a table. Lorenzo was already sitting at the table with another lady I didn't remember seeing around Lorenzo's house. She was laughing, and I wondered if it was something Lorenzo had said—Lorenzo didn’t strike me as the joke type. Not in the least.

“Oh, hi Amelia,” the lady said as soon as she saw me. And she even knew my name.

“You've hooked yourself the most powerful capo. I must say I’m jealous of you. I'm Mirabel,” she said, pulling the other vacant seat next to Lorenzo for me. I slipped into the seat while Leo took his place next to Mirabel.

“Unfortunately, yes. You already know my name.”

“You look hot.” Lorenzo winked at me, and I felt my stomach clench in disgust.

“You have an eye for good things, don’t you?” Mirabel smirked.

“Amelia, Mirabel is my confidant and best friend,” Lorenzo further introduced as the waiter poured us each a glass of wine.

“Mmm,” I nodded.

“Lorenzo,” Mirabel suddenly called. I lifted my eyes to look at each of them. “That guy is staring over there at…”

I didn’t need further explanation to know she meant he was staring at me. Staring at me was more than enough to cause a scene.

“No one will mess with her unless they have a death wish,” Lorenzo said matter-of-factly.

“Please, don’t cause a scene,” I begged Lorenzo to ignore the man, but he stood instead, eyeing the male who still couldn’t take his eyes off me. Look away, I almost screamed.

Lorenzo walked over and sat down at the gentleman's table. He looked calm and collected, his hands politely folded on the table in front of him. The man smirked and jerked his chin in my direction.

Lorenzo’s jaw ticked as he pulled out a knife from God-knows-where and stabbed the man directly in the forehead, in the space between his eyes, killing him instantly. The man's eyes rolled back in his head, and blood poured out.

God! I was never going to get the sound of his skull cracking and the squishing sounds of his brain being penetrated out of my mind.

The man's body toppled, and Lorenzo stood. He grabbed one of the napkins and wiped his hand of the man's blood. He threw the napkin down onto the man's food and nonchalantly walked back to our table.

What had the man done to make Lorenzo kill him? Was it a crime to stare?

Mirabel simply looked amused, as if she enjoyed Lorenzo's savagery while I was terrified.

“Staring and insulting what is mine is what I won't tolerate in my restaurant. I do not take kindly to other men disrespecting my property.”

His restaurant?

I felt a lump in my throat as I fought back the urge to cry. I was being called his “property” again. He saw me as an asset he had to protect.

I turned back to the body, whose head was now in a pool of thick red liquid, and I shuddered. I knew for a fact that I would be traumatized for having witnessed such a ruthless murder.