Chapter 1

"You will not disobey me, Elena. You will marry him."

Those were the words of her father, Don Allberto Ricci, and the echoed loudly in her mind like she had just been slapped in the face.

When her father had calles her that morning, she should have known that something was off. Don Alberto had done everything possible to gnore his only child in the last few years, that she had given up on thinking she actually had a father.

"I will do no such thing, Father." She hissed, gritting her teeth as anger pulsed through her veins. "It is funny, how you think I will just sit here, and let you sell me off to the highest bidder!"

"Well that highest bidder is my only chance at being on the stringer side of this war, Elene, and you will marry him." He moved closer, his eyes blazing. There were few times her father had shown her this side of him, and this, compared to all those times, was the worst.

"No_" the words had just left her mouth, when a slap landed on her face, cutting off the air in her lungs.

Pain coursed through her chhek, she wanted to cry out, but she couldn't. There was no way she would let her father see her weak.

"You will marry him, Elena., and that is final"

The door opened then and Elena heard someone walk in, but she didn't turn, still shocked and rooted to the spot from her father's slap.

"Leave us, Alberto, I would ltake it from here."

That voice. Rich, deep, baritone, but colder than the atlantic, was so familiar to her, that just as her father was leaving, she turned to see who owned it, and gasped.

Luca De Santis.

He was tall. Taller that she had thought he woould be. His eyes were a rich silver...blue or grey, she couldn't tell as the light played with it, from where she stood.

Dark lashes framed those beautiful eyes of his, making them more dangerous. Her eyes fell to his nose, which was slightly bigger than it should be, but was straight and perfect for his face.

Heck, she didn't need to see more to acknowlegde the fact that De Santis was easily the most hansome man she had ever set her eyes on.

And his lips...

"If you are done lusting after me, Elena, then we can talk." The irritating amusement in his tone, knocked her out of her daydream and back to reality, causing irritation to flood every inch of her beign.

No way was she attracted to, talk more of lusting over the man who was set on turning her very peaceful life upside down.

"Funny, because last I checked, we have absolutely nothing to talk about." she threw at him. "In fact, I was just about to leave, so good day, De Santis." And then she was making her escape.

She should have known it would not be so easy.

A wall, a huge wall of suit, chses, snd muscles blocked her escape before she cpuld reach the door. It was a miracle she didn't ram into him. "I'll let you leave when I want you to leave, Elena."

The way he said her name, coupled with the scent of his cologne, messed with her.

"Luca..." Elena whispered, fighting through the fog to get herself back on track. "There are other women out there. Women who would throw themselves at you."

"Easy, I don't want them, Elena. Or, should I say, you are more convenient... I need a wife. And I'm sure you father has told you what this marriage means for him. For everyone." Th elast word was said in a whisper.

"Luca, I have someone...."

The rich laugh that left his lips. "Donavan?" he hissed, then moved closer so he was just less than an inch away from her.

How did he know Donavan?

Luca reached forward, lifting her chin with a finger so they locked gazes.

"That thing you have with theat little boyfriend of yours was never going to go anywhere." he said in a low tone that sent shivers down her spine.

Elena didn't cower. "How would you know wnything about love, De Santis? Word on the street is that you go through women like you go through clothes, so you of all people cannot tell me what my relationship will be like."

Luca traced his fingers along her jawline, then bent so his breahe fanned her lips. 

Elena shuddered, her knees growing into jelly, rendering her immobile.

She sould move. She willed herslf to, but her trecherous kneea refused to obey.

"Go then. Go see your little booyfrien of yours right now Elena." His tone was filled with something deep and dangerous. "But mind you, whatever the outcome is, you will marry me, whether you like it, or not."

~

No one was picking her calls.

Not Donavan, no one.

Tears streamed down her eyes as she drove, trying her best to concentrate on the road before her.

Elena's heart thudded against her chest as the past one hour replayed itself in her mind.

Her father had sold her to the devil himself.

She hated Luca De Santis. 

Had always hated him, and had spent years avoiding everything that had to do with that man. But all that effort had gone to waste as she had been delivered right into his arms by the ast person she thougth would do that to her.

Now she had to face Donavan and tell him about what was happening.

Maybe if he agreed with her, they could run away. There was no way in hell she was getting married to that man.

The car pulled to a stop in the parking lot of Donavan's apartment, and Elena was out, and riushing int the elevetor that would take her to the apartment where he lived.

Her heart was thudding lightly. She could not just feel it, but hear it in the emptiness of the elevator. 

She wiped at her face, then cleared her throat as the elevator stopped, and walked out.

Her hands wrapped around the door knob of the door she had just unlocked with her own keyes, and pushed.

Only to be met by the emptiness of the house.

Elena searched every room, but it was evident he was not at home.

With a sigh, she pulled out her phone and dailed his number again, hoping they could meet wherever he was.

No answer.

With a disappointed sigh, and in a bid to hurry out, Elena walked out of the door and shut it behind her. Just as she wanted to leave, her eyes caught the door opposite from his, and on impulse, she moved closer, seeing it slightly ajar.

She shouldn't have peeped. Should have left when she wanted to.

But she did.

Elena peeked inside and the sight before her almost sent her to her damn knees in shock.

There was no mistaking that the shoes left next to a pair of boxer breifs, were Donavan's. She had had them cusomized for him the previous week.

On impulse, she pushe the door open, stepping into the room, where she could now hear the noises coming from inside.

Not just any noise, groans, and moans.

Her mouth dropped open as she took ing the sight before her. Clothes, three pairs of shoes, briefs, and a bra were scattered on the flooor, leading to the bedroom.

She could feel it, even before she saw it.

Elena could have walked back, because she already knew, but she wanted to see, and so she saw, walking to the door of the bedroom, which was left ajar.

Right there, on the bed, lay her Donavan, groaning in passion, while he had his member in the mouth of a woman, while said woman was being pounded from behind, by the same neighbor Donavan had sworn he hated.

As if he felt her, Donavan turned, and their eyes met. "Shit! Elana."

There, right there at the doorway of that bedroom, Elena hesard her heart shatter into a million pieces.