6. Strip
837 Words
Gavi’s head snaps up, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You want to marry her? But, Don Moretti, that was not our plan. You are—"
Dante silences him with a single look. Gavi swallows hard and dips his head again. "Sorry, sir."
I cannot even speak. Cannot breathe.
This feels like a f*****g death sentence.
A choked sound escapes me, part sob, part laugh. “You might as well just kill me. Please, just kill me instead."
Dante takes a step toward me, closing the space between us in an instant with his suffocating presence.
"You are in no position to reject me." His voice is smooth, almost amused, but his eyes are hard. "You are going to be my wife. And make no mistake about it—on paper, you will hold that title. But in reality?" His fingers trace the line of my jaw before gripping my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. "You are nothing but my slave. If I tell you to jump into fire, you will. If I tell you to stop breathing, you will. And if you do not…"
I stare into his eyes, searching for any trace of humanity. There is none.
"I will never be your slave," I spit. "I will not do it, you brute."
"Watch your mouth, Gabriella." His grip tightens just enough to make me wince. "I do not tolerate disrespect."
He turns to his men. "Unchain her. It is time to get her ready for our wedding."
Wedding? What f*****g wedding?
"No!"I scream, struggling against the men unlocking my restraints. "I do not want to marry you!" My gaze snaps to Gavi, my f*****g brother—but he is smiling.
This can't be happening. How could he! A sob breaks free as the chains fall away.
Dante wastes no time. The moment I am released, he grabs me, pulling me against him like I already belong to him. "I will take it from here. From now on, no one touches my wife without permission…unless it is an emergency."
His men nod in unison. "Yes, sir."
Then, without warning, he scoops me into his arms, carrying me like a goddamn bride.
"We are going to have so much fun," he murmurs coldly.
I thrash against him, fists pounding his chest, but it's useless. "Let me go, you bastard!"
He ignores me, turning to Gavi. "Our deal is done."
"Thank you for sparing my life," Gavi says, bowing slightly before glancing at me. His lips curl into a wicked smirk. "Goodbye, sister."
Anger and pain explode inside me all at once. I scream, cursing them both as Dante carries me out of the dungeon.
He does not let me go until we reach an absurdly large bedroom. The moment my feet hit the floor, I stumble back, my whole body trembling.
"Please…Just let me go. Please."
Dante does not even flinch. "Strip."
My breath catches. "What?"
"I do not like repeating myself, wife."
I shake my head, retreating another step. "You have lost your mind, you animal!"
"Strip and get into that bathroom." His expression remains cold, unreadable. "You need to wash up and get ready for the wedding. The judge will be here soon."
"f**k you. And f**k that judge!"
"Listen, Gabriella," he says slowly, too calm. "You seem to think I am joking. But let us make things clear…you are going to obey me. You will do everything I say. And failure to do so…" His eyes drag over me, a silent warning.
My stomach twists.
"So if you know what is good for you, strip."
Tears slip down my face, but I stand my ground. Shaking my head. "I am not doing it."
A long silence stretches between us before he suddenly freezes, his eyes narrowing as if trying to focus his thoughts on something. After a few seconds, his gaze returns to my face.
"By the time I return," he murmurs, "if you are not bare, I will teach you how naughty girls get punished."
With that, he turns and walks out, closing the door behind him.
I stand frozen, my heart thundering in my chest.
Part of me is terrified, petrified of what he will do. But another part of me, the part that still has fight left, refuses to give in.
I run to the door, yanking at the handle, but of course, it is locked. A strangled cry rips from my throat.
Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this?
How the hell am I supposed to get out of here?
Before I can even think of a plan, the sound of the lock clicking sends panic surging through me.
I step back quickly, wishing the ground would swallow me.
The moment he steps inside, his eyes darken. "You really want to test me, do you?"
His voice is low, smooth, and lethal all at once.
I swallow hard, pressing myself against the wall.
"Bend over the bed."
My stomach drops. "What?"
"I said bend over"
- Writer
