Chapter three

She wished he would let her go, but he never did.

Camellia didn't remember how she got to Alejandro's Estate, nor did she remember why she was standing right before his SUV. Everything felt blurry; her memory was scrambled. The only thing she knew was that she was caged and had been caged for over a week.

She had heard that her father knew she was with Alejandro. She didn't expect him to do anything to help her. He was Luca Moretti, of course, the same man who sacrificed a woman he claimed to love.

Very early in life, she swore never to get married to a man like her father.

Here she was, being forced to marry someone worse.

She was certain that this was the day, the time she would escape. Camellia had her light gun tucked in her leather trousers.

She could see Alejandro stroll down, his olive skin shining under the rays of the sun.

In a different universe, under another sun, Camellia would have thought he was rather handsome.

As he drew closer to her, she brought her gun out, pointing it right at him.

He chuckled softly. He didn't stop moving, and he was moving fast. Soon he stood right before her...

Easily, he slipped the gun out of her fingers.

Alejandro gripped her hard, his grip bruising as his fingers dug into her wrist.

"Change of plans, Camelia." He dragged her away from the SUV.

"Leave me alone, Alejandro... You're hurting me." Camellia fought, twisting to free herself, but it was impossible. He was just too strong, too muscular, and too tall.

He threw her against his chest, her back pressed to it. She could feel the heat of his body, feel it searing through her.

"... You never learn..." his voice was lower than a whisper, with a darkness clothing it.

"...Always running. Always fighting... But I won't lie, it turns me on." The heat of his breath caressed her nape.

Camellia elbowed him hard in the stomach. He didn't budge, didn't even let out a groan. He held her tightly, like her punch had no effect on him. Instead... He flipped her around, pushing her hard against the hood of his car.

His fingers held her chin up, forcing her eyes to his. His gaze was fiery and melting. "Everything. About. You... I own." His words were dragged, as if to place emphasis. His gaze was consuming, devouring even.

"Go to fucking hell." She yelled.

"Ladies first." His smile was dangerous.

Soon, he had her thrown over his shoulders. He walked majestically towards his mansion. All her kicking, cursing had no effect on him. She pounded against his back, thrusted her legs about, yet he still moved, carrying her about like she weighed nothing.

The guards watched him carry her through the halls, not interrupting. They knew she belonged to him. As he took steps further, she could tell his destination – his bedroom.

The doors to his bedroom swung open. His steps were precise, to his bed. She fell on its soft foam. Before she could crawl away, he was on top of her, his body pressing against hers, caging.

One hand pressed both her wrists above her head. His other moved slowly, tracing the curve of her jaw, his thumb pressing against her parted lips.

"You can run, Camellia." His voice was delicate, his eyes steady. "You can fight all you want." The heat of his breath caressed her skin, numbing her entirely. "...But, you can never escape me."

It should have sounded like a threat, but it didn't. Instead, it sounded like a romantic confession. Immediately, she turned away, ignoring him. She hated the feeling of his body on her; just the thought of his body on hers riled her.

With his body pinned against hers, she couldn't move at all. He caught her chin, forcing her eyes back to his, "I need you to be really obedient now, Camellia... Though your defiance is quite... arousing."

"I'll be obedient... In your fucking dreams." She yelled.

His grip on her wrist tightened. Slowly, his lips crashed against her cheeks, placing gentle little kisses. It moved over to her jaw, then, with a hunger so deep, his lips took hers, conquering, consuming.

His mouth burned her, so did his fingers. Every part he touched on her body was on fire. His whisper was slow. The heat of his breath against her ears, teasing.

"I own everything, every part of your body... I. Own. You, Camelia."

Soon, he pulled back, his handsome face barely inches from hers, "Say it, Camelia."

She dug her nails into her palms, her eyes glaring. "Never."

His lips crashed into hers yet again. Each moment it deepened, each movement he made ignited a fire, one she wished she could extinguish.

"I'll just have to make you." When he pulled away, his smile was pure evil.

Camellia's chest heaved as he stood up, leaving her helpless and angry. She wanted to move, but her body wouldn't.

***

Mateo paced about, his eyes traveling around his office. His brain still replayed it, how her face looked when he sold her off. Finally, she chose to call him, and he betrayed her. He didn't want to think much about it, and he wasn't going to.

He took his keys, got into his Highlander, and sped off. As he drove past the speeding buildings, the image of Camellia's eyes haunted him. Her stare was different from the night he first saw her.

He could remember exactly how her black curls pressed against her cheeks, how her slender fingers loosely held onto the goblet. Slowly, she picked it up, her lips caressed its tip.

He moved towards her, his hand extended, his business card in it. "I'm Mat..."

She turned, her huge black pupils gleaming, her red lips parted. "Mateo Greco... I know who you are." She took the card, placing it in her purse.

"I hear you are a very dangerous man..." Her dark eyes didn't stray.

"... And I hear you are Moretti's spoilt Princess..." His bass voice was direct.

She scoffed, "You heard wrong... I'm not Moretti's spoilt Princess, I'm more like their merchandise... their bargaining chip."

He allowed his eyes to travel down her body, travel over her full cleavage, which pressed against the heart-shaped cups of her leather body-hug gown. Mateo had always loved the look of a strapless gown on a woman, but hers drove him crazy.

"I don't really care about anything else, Mateo... I want you to show me how dangerous you really are... Cuff me if you have to." Her smile was dangerous, her eyes dark with flirtation.

His eyes glowed, his smirk widening. "... I wouldn't go near the Moretti's Princess... Are you even legal?"

Her laugh was wild, "Just turned eighteen, tonight's my birthday... Grant me a wish, Mateo... I want you, the most dangerous assassin in the whole of New York, to..." Her next words were whispered, "... show me just how dangerous you really are."

Her eyes came up to his, dark with temptations. Her cherry-red lips parted. Everything about her was seductive.

Mateo drew closer to her, "Is that what you really want?"

She nodded, her chest heaving.

He chuckled, his hands brushed against his nose... What could he do? He was a man of service.