Bound by a Deal
448 Words
Isa’s heartbeat pounded in her ears as she stared at the man who now, apparently, was supposed to be her fiancé.
Adrian Costa.
The name was enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine. He was infamous—known for running the Costa crime syndicate with precision, ruthlessness, and a complete lack of mercy. And now, he was standing in her father’s study, dressed in an expensive black suit, exuding a quiet authority that made the air feel heavier.
“I don’t do small talk,” Adrian said, his voice low and smooth. “So let’s cut to the chase. You don’t want this, and neither do I. But we both know you don’t have a choice.”
Isa folded her arms, forcing herself to hold his gaze. “I always have a choice.”
Adrian’s lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Then walk out that door.”
She stiffened.
Her father exhaled sharply. “Isabella, please—”
“No,” Adrian cut in, his dark eyes never leaving hers. “Let her decide.”
The room fell into suffocating silence. Isa wanted to call his bluff, to push past him and leave this nightmare behind. But she wasn’t stupid.
If she refused, her family would be vulnerable. Without Adrian’s alliance, their enemies would strike. Blood would spill. And no matter how much she hated her father’s world, she wasn’t heartless enough to let innocent people die because of her stubbornness.
She swallowed hard. “Fine. But I have conditions.”
Adrian arched a brow. “Do you?”
“I’m not some obedient little wife-to-be,” she snapped. “If we do this, I keep my freedom. I keep my life. No controlling me, no treating me like one of your men.”
Adrian studied her for a long moment, then took a step closer. Too close.
“Let’s get one thing straight, princess,” he murmured, his voice like a blade against silk. “From the moment you wear my ring, you’re mine. And in my world, freedom is just an illusion.”
Isa’s breath hitched, but she refused to back down. “Then I guess I’ll have to teach you how illusions can turn into reality.”
Adrian let out a low chuckle, dark and amused. “This will be interesting.”
Her father cleared his throat, clearly uneasy with the tension crackling between them. “Then it’s settled. The engagement will be announced tomorrow.”
Isa forced herself to nod, but inside, her stomach twisted. She had just made a deal with the devil.
And something told her Adrian Costa was going to make sure she never forgot it.
- Writer
