Ruin Me Nico: The Mafia Lord’s Bride

Chapter2

Valentina’s POV

He turned and walked out, leaving a trail of fear in his wake. No one dared to stop him. Because the moment he was gone, every single person in that room knew the truth. There’s no escaping him. We had one night left. And by tomorrow… I would belong to Nico Romano.

Chaos. I had never seen so much blood in my life. It was everywhere. Pooling on the marble floor, smeared on my father’s hands as he pressed down on Matteo’s wound, soaking into my mother’s dress as she sobbed, her voice shrill with panic.

“Keep him awake! Dio, per favore, don’t let him close his eyes—” “Move!” my father barked at the men standing frozen in shock. “Get him to the damn hospital!”

The Romano men were gone, but their presence still poisoned the air. I couldn’t move. My legs felt numb, my hands shaking as I reached for my brother.

“Matteo…” His face was pale, slick with sweat, his teeth clenched in pain. When his wild, fevered eyes landed on me, something inside me shattered. This was my fault. I fell to my knees beside him, gripping his uninjured arm.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” His fingers twitched, but he didn’t say anything. Couldn’t. The pain was swallowing him whole. The front doors crashed open, and my father’s men surged forward, lifting Matteo’s bloodied body and rushing him outside.

My mother stumbled after them, but my father lingered, breathing hard, his suit stained with his son’s blood. Then he turned to me. His gaze was cold. Accusing. And it broke me.

“You let this happen,” I whispered. My father’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond. "You could have stopped this. You should have stopped this—"

“I did stop it,” he cut me off sharply. I stared at him, choking on disbelief. “You call this stopping it?” I gestured wildly at the bloodstained floor.

“Matteo is on his way to a hospital with a bullet in his hand, and tomorrow I’ll be sent to him.” The last word trembled with rage and fear. “How is that stopping it?”

My father didn’t answer. Because he had no answer. The truth was there, in his silence. He had already given up. And as much as it gutted me to admit it—so had my mother. My parents had built their entire empire on strength, power, and ruthlessness. But now, when it truly mattered, when I was the one who needed protecting— They bowed.

They gave me away like a sacrificial lamb. Tears burned down my cheeks. “You’re just going to let him take me?” My father’s expression darkened, his lips pressing into a hard line.

“This is bigger than you, Valentina. It was never a choice.”

“It was mine!” I screamed, chest heaving. “My life! My future! And you sold me to a man who hates us!”

Something flickered in my father’s eyes, but before he could speak, a voice called from the doorway. “Boss.” One of his men. My father inhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face before turning away.

“Go to your room, Valentina.” I shook my head. “No—” “I said go.” I flinched at the sharp finality in his voice. This was it. He had chosen. And not me. With a choked breath, I turned and fled up the grand staircase. I didn’t go to my room. I went to the far end of the hall, past the elegant double doors of my father’s study, and pressed myself against the wall, just beyond sight.

And then I listened. My parents’ voices drifted through the crack of the open door. “We should have fought,” my mother’s voice was hoarse, breaking. “We should have done something—”

“There was nothing to be done,” my father cut in, his voice sharp as steel. “Romano owns half the city. If I refused, he would have burned us to the ground. He still could.”

Then my mother’s voice, barely above a whisper. “She’s our daughter, Cerase.”

My father exhaled heavily. “And if we refuse him again, she’ll be our dead daughter.” I slapped a hand over my mouth to muffle my sob. They weren’t just scared. They were terrified. Even now, even after Nico Romano had left, his presence suffocated the house.

The fear he instilled in them was unlike anything I’d ever seen. And he was coming for me. I have until tomorrow. Only one night. One chance.

I wiped my tears and took a trembling breath. I would not sit here and wait for my fate to be sealed. I was going to run. I sat in the grand hall of the Gallo estate, the thick scent of cigars and blood still clinging to the air. The chaos of the night had not yet settled, and neither had the terror coiling in my chest.

Matteo had been rushed to the hospital. My mother had locked herself in her room, weeping. My father? He hadn’t even looked at me since Nico left, his silence louder than any threat. Because I knew what he was going to do. Tomorrow, Nico will return. Tomorrow, I will be delivered as if I were a crown jewel. I clenched my jaw, suppressing tears from pooling behind my eyes. No.

I wouldn’t sit here and allow my fate to be sealed. I was going to run. I stood from the chair, wiped my tear-stained face, and slipped from the room. The house was quieter than I had ever experienced before. Everyone was too rattled to pay me any attention, as I crept through the corner of the hallway with my heart pounding into my chest.

If I could get through the estate gates, I could disappear. I could find my way out of the city before Nico knew I was gone. But, just as I reached the back entrance—A hand squeezed tightly around my wrist. I gasped and turned to see if it was a guard. It wasn't a guard. It was my father.

His grip tightened painfully, his eyes blazing. "Do you have any idea what you just did?" I yanked my arm free. "I am not going to let you give me away to him as if I'm just some—some—"

“Somewhat?” His voice was sharp. “A pawn? A sacrifice? That’s exactly what you are, Valentina!”

The words cut deeper than I expected. “I am your daughter!” I hissed.

“You are a Gallo,” he snapped. “And you will do what is necessary to save this family.”

Something inside me cracked. “Save?” A bitter laugh escaped me. “You mean to save yourself. Don’t pretend this is about Matteo, or about Mom—this is about you crawling at Nico Romano’s feet, hoping he spares you.”

The slap came so fast, I barely saw it. The sting burned across my cheek, but it was nothing compared to the fire raging inside me. For the first time in my life, I hated him. He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his graying hair.

“You think you can escape him?” He shook his head. “There is no escaping him.”

I turned and I ran. His voice roared after me, but I didn’t stop. Through the corridors. Past the empty hallways. Out the side entrance and into the night. My pulse pounded as I sprinted toward the back wall of the estate, where a crumbling portion of brick gave me the only chance of escape. I scrambled up, my dress tearing as I hoisted myself over— And then I dropped down on the other side, breathless. I did it. I was free. Or so I thought. The second I turned, I slammed into something solid.

No—someone. A strong hand gripped my arm. A deep chuckle sent a shiver down my spine. “Bravo, Valentina.”

My blood ran cold. Nico stood before me, silver eyes gleaming under the moonlight, his grip unrelenting. “I was hoping you’d try to run,” he murmured, tilting my chin up, his touch deceptively gentle. My breath hitched. “I do love a good chase.”

My pulse thundered as I thrashed against his grip. "Let me go, you bastard!" Nico only laughed, low and dark, like he enjoyed my struggle.

"I thought we covered this already. You don’t give the orders—I do." I jerked my arm, trying to rip free, but his grip only tightened.

"Keep fighting," he murmured, voice like silk laced with steel. "It makes this more fun for me."

My stomach twisted, fury burning through my veins. "You're sick!"

"And you’re mine."

“Like hell I am!" He tsked, dragging me closer until my chest nearly brushed his.

“You really think you can get away from me, little jewel? You’re smarter than that." His fingers traced down my wrist, slow, deliberate.

"You felt me coming, didn’t you? That little pulse in your throat gave you away." I clenched my jaw, refusing to let him see the way his touch sent a shiver down my spine.

“Let me go, Nico." His name on my lips made something dangerous flicker in his gaze. "You’re adorable when you think you have a choice." Before I could react, he spun me, pressing my back against the cool stone wall. His body caged mine in, all heat and dominance, his breath fanning over my ear.

"I told you I’d be back for you, gattina." His voice was softer now, almost amused. "Did you really think I'd let my little runaway escape?"

I shoved against his chest. "I am not yours!" He smirked. "Oh, but you are." With a swift motion, he threw me over his shoulder.

"NICO!" I screeched, kicking my legs. "Put me down, you arrogant prick!" He delivered a sharp smack to the back of my thigh.

“Watch that mouth, princess." Heat flooded my face. "You did not just—" He smacked me again, harder this time.

"You’re lucky I don’t have the patience to deal with your bratty little tantrum tonight," he murmured, carrying me toward the waiting car. "But don’t worry. We have plenty of time to fix that attitude.”

I thrashed, but it was useless. He was too strong, too unbothered by my resistance. He tossed me into the car, and before I could scramble for the door, he was there, sliding in beside me, locking me in with nothing but his presence. I glared at him, breathless.

“You’re a monster." His lips curled. "And yet, you can’t take your eyes off me." I tore my gaze away, refusing to give him the satisfaction. The car rumbled to life, the city lights blurring as they sped into the night.