Becoming his Mafia Barbie

"Your father owes me five million dollars, Miss Martinez." Dominic Castellano's voice was cold and dark, but it held that feeling that made my skin crawl. He sat behind his massive desk in what had to be a thousand-dollar suit, looking more like a CEO than a mob boss. No no no I knew my father gambles but there's no way, he would be owing this kind of amount, no freaking way "Valentina," my father pleaded from the corner where two suited men kept him in place. His face was bruised, and I could see he'd been crying. "Baby, I'm so sorry." "Not now Dad." I turned back to Castellano. "Whatever he owes, I can work out a payment plan. The gallery is doing well, and…all I need is time-” “Time?” He chuckled darkly. “Time is a luxury you don’t have. Among other things." Castellano stood, his height intimidating as he walked around the desk. "Your apartment, your car, even that pretty little art collection you've been curating – it all belongs to me now." "You're lying." But the sob that escaped my father told me everything. Castellano leaned against his desk, loosening his tie. "I have a proposition that could clear all of your father's debts." "I'm not selling drugs for you." He actually laughed at that – a real laugh that transformed his face for a brief moment before the mask slipped back on. "Nothing so crude." My fists clenched involuntarily. He didn’t have to belittle me, but Dominic Castellano was not a man known for kindness. I met his gaze, refusing to flinch. “What do you want, then?” The room fell silent except for the ticking clock and my father’s muffled sobs. Dominic tilted his head, studying me like a predator sizing up its prey. “Marriage,” he said finally, the word dropping like a bomb. I blinked, certain I had misheard. “Excuse me?” “You heard me.” He leaned back in his chair, utterly unbothered. “Marry me, and the debt disappears.” “You’re insane.” The words slipped out before I could stop them. “Perhaps,” he said with a shrug. “But I always get what I want. Your father’s luck has run out. I’m giving you a chance to save him. Consider it a generous offer.” Generous? The audacity of this man! My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of fury and fear. “Why would you want to marry me?” His smile returned, colder this time. “You intrigue me. A struggling artist with fire in her eyes and a heart too soft for this world. You’ll make an excellent Mrs. Castellano.” “I’ll never marry you,” I spat, pushing back my chair. "I'm twenty-three! I have plans, a career-" "A career I own," he reminded me. “i don't care, I’ll never marry you,” I spat, pushing back my chair. “Then walk away.” His voice was calm, almost bored. “But know this, your father won’t survive another day. The choice is yours.” I froze, torn between rage and helplessness. My father’s trembled in the corner, his face buried in his hands. He had gambled away everything after my mother’s death,into debts he couldn’t repay. Now, his life hung in the balance, and I was the only one who could save him. "By forcing me to marry you? That's not loyalty, that's extortion!" He moved closer, and I refused to step back despite every instinct screaming at me to run. "Call it what you want. But you have until the count of ten to decide if your father lives or dies." "You wouldn't—" "One." "This is crazy—" "Two." "Please, just listen—" "Three." My father's whimpers grew louder. "Four." "Stop it!" "Five." One of the men pulled out a gun. "Six." "Valentina, please!" My father begged. "Seven." Tears burned my eyes. "I hate you." "Eight." "FINE!" I screamed. "Fine, I'll marry you, you psychopath!" Castellano smiled, reaching out to wipe a tear from my cheek. I slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me." "We'll have to work on that, wife-to-be." He said with a smirk as he turned to his men. "Take Mr. Martinez home. Make sure he understands that his gambling days are over." As they dragged my father out, Castellano gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him. "The wedding is in three days. I'll have someone deliver everything you need. Don't try to run – you won't like the consequences." I jerked away from his grip. "Go to hell." "After you, amor." He pressed a button on his desk. "Antonio will drive you home. Pack what you need – you'll be moving into my penthouse tomorrow." As the tension in the room reduced a bit, I let out a bitter laugh. "You really think this is going to work? That I'll just... what? Smile and play the role of your obedient little wife?" Dominic leaned back against his desk, his confidence intimidating. "Oh no, Valentina, I don't expect obedience. In fact, I prefer you like this – defiant. It's more entertaining." "Entertaining? You're sick." "And you're in no position to judge," he said, his voice suddenly sharp. "Remember, every word out of your mouth is a gamble – and we both know how well your father does with those." I wanted to scream at him, to hurl every insult I could think of, but his menacing calm silenced me. "You're a monster." His lips curved into a smirk. "I've been called worse. And by people who ended up working for me, I might add”. "Don't expect me to join that list," I snapped. "Oh, I don't," he said, pushing off the desk and walking toward me. "You're not like them. You're stronger than you realize. And that's why you're perfect for this... arrangement." "Perfect?" I spat the word like poison. "You don't even know me." He stopped inches from me, his dark eyes piercing. "Don't I? You're Valentina Martinez. Stubborn, talented, and fiercely protective of those you love – even when they don't deserve it." His gaze toward the door where my father had been dragged out. "You're willing to sacrifice your freedom for a man who gambled away everything you hold dear. If that isn't loyalty, I don't know what is." "Don't pretend you care about loyalty," I said, my voice trembling. "You're just using me." "And you're using me," he shot back. "To save your father. To keep your precious gallery. To survive. Don't fool yourself into thinking you're any different from me, Valentina." I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. "You're wrong. I'm nothing like you." "We'll see," he said, his smirk returning. "Now, get some rest. Tomorrow is the first day of your new life." In the car, Antonio drove in silence, but I could feel his eyes on me in the rearview mirror. Finally, I snapped. "What? Got something to say?" "Just wondering how long it'll take," he said, his tone annoyingly casual. "For what?" "For you to realize the boss isn't as bad as you think." I barked out a laugh. "Oh, sure. He's a real prince charming." Antonio shrugged. "You might be surprised. Castellano doesn't do anything without a reason." "Yeah, and I'm sure his reason for blackmailing me into marriage is just so noble," I said sarcastically. "Think what you want," Antonio said. "But if I were you, I'd focus less on hating him and more on surviving. The boss values loyalty, but he doesn't tolerate betrayal." "I'll keep that in mind," I muttered, staring out the window. Inside, I promised myself I would never let Dominic Castellano win. No matter what it took, I would find a way out of this nightmare