Sold to the Ruthless Mafia boss; Bound To Another

My heart ached, breaking into a million pieces as my stepmother uttered those words. "You will be getting married to Salvatore Cross to pay off your debts." “Marriage?” I asked in shock, my hands trembling. My stepmother, Agatha, has been gambling to make some money; she got addicted in the process and couldn't stop. After she lost all her money, she began to take loans; unfortunately, she lost them all as well. Now I have to pay by spending my life with a man whom I do not love. For years, I have been a slave to my whole family. I'm an orphan; my mother died when I was born, and my father died when I was just fifteen years old. Agatha had never been nice to me, but when Adda died, it worsened. She would make me do all the house chores, cook, clean, and do laundry, while her daughter, Kelly, who was exactly my age, would hang out with her friends. The abuse worsened when Agatha began to hit me. She would dip my hand into a pot of newly cooked food if the taste wasn't to her satisfaction. If I mopped and didn't do it right, she would hit me with the mop, leaving bruises on my back; sometimes it would break. My screams would fill the house, but there was nobody to rescue me. I had come to terms with the fact that my life was meaningless, that I was born to serve, but getting married to pay off a debt? To Agatha, I meant less than a piece of paper. The name Salvatore Cross echoed in my ears like a dreadful bell. He was one of the most ruthless Mafia bosses in the country; he was ruthless, killed like it meant nothing, the streets grew silent when his name was mentioned, and Aunt Agatha picked his casino to gamble. Of all places? Tears clouded my eyes. “Agatha, he's a killer; if I go to him, I won't survive.” The tears burned as they streamed down my cheeks; my throat felt like sandpaper as I swallowed, "please." Her brown eyes darkened. “I have given you accommodation for years since your father died, Kara. I fed you, I clothed you—in fact…” She stood up from her seat. “I have kept you alive all these years, and you cannot do one thing to help me.” I shook my head, sobbing uncontrollably; she thought my life was worthless compared to hers. “I…,” I choked. “If you do not do this, I won’t hesitate to send you into the streets; let’s see how you survive without me,” she threatened, her gray eyes narrowing. She was right. If I got kicked into the streets, I would die anyway—no home, no job, no food. Who would survive that? “The contract will be brought tomorrow for you to sign, and in two days you'll be taken to his home.” She moved back to her seat. I wiped the tears from my eyes, accepting my fate. Maybe if I stayed out of his way and did what he wanted, he wouldn't hurt me. “Yes, Agatha,” I said, bowing my head. I slowly stood up from the floor and turned around; my life was over, and I knew it. “I wish Dad were alive,” I mumbled. This sparked anger within her. “What did you say?” I turned to face her; I didn't think she would hear. “Nothing,” I lied. She marched to me, her eyes blazing with rage as she landed a hot slap on my face. I pressed my fingers to my face; it stung. “You ungrateful girl!” she snapped. “I have taken care of you for years, and you still think about your father who left?” I shook my head. “I'm sorry, Aunt Agatha, I didn't mean…” “Get out,” she cut in. My brow raised, “What…?” “Get out,” her teeth clenched, “I can't look at you right now; go out and return by morning." It was already raining outside; how could she kick me out? I wanted to tell her that it had rained and that I would catch a cold, but that look in her eyes meant that she wouldn't go back on her words. I slowly turned away from her and walked to the door, pressing my hand on the doorknob and pulling it open. A huge gust of wind blew into the house. “You are dirtying my floor!” Agatha shouted. “Get out!” I quickly stepped out and shut the door behind me. I quickly pulled the cap of my hoodie over my head and pushed my blond hair in to avoid getting it wet. I looked around the empty street; everybody had gone into their houses. Where would I stay? I would go to a friend's house, but Agatha died and gave me enough leisure time to make any plans. I bowed my head and began to walk down the street; my clothes got wetter each second, and soon I was completely drenched. I slipped my hands into the pocket of my hoodie, my teeth gnashing and my body shaking frantically. Soon, I noticed a black car behind me. It had a low hum, and it seemed I had been hearing it for a while, but my ears had filtered it out. I turned to look at it; it was a black Cadillac, and its headlights were on. My heart spiked as the car stopped immediately. I stopped. I wasn't being followed, right? I turned back around and began to walk even faster; the car followed closely behind. I was sure it was; if it weren't following me, it would have driven past by now. Just then, it finally sped past me. My chest heaved with excitement, and a smile curled on my lips, but it suddenly screeched before me. My smile fell. The rain soon turned into a drizzle. A man stepped out of the front seat; he was dressed in a gray suit, he seemed to be in his late twenties, he had brown hair, and I couldn't see his eyes under the moonlight. I clutched both sides of my jeans tightly, my heart thundering against my chest as he walked to me. A man dressed in a suit wouldn't be dangerous, right? I tried to steady myself. “Hello?” he said, his voice calm, his expression twisted due to the droplets of water that hit his face. “Who are you?” “My boss has asked us to provide you with accommodation,” he said in a calm tone. I took a step back, boss? Who was his boss? Why would he help me? I glanced back at the car. I didn't know anybody rich enough to have a car like that. Why would his boss help me? “I'm okay, thank you,” I declined. I quickly turned around and began to walk off, but he quickened his pace and grabbed my arm. I trembled, “Please don't hurt me.” “I won't.” He lifted his hands in the air. “I swear.” His gray suit had turned a darker shade from the rain, his hair sticking to his forehead. “I can take you to a hotel, buy you dinner, and leave instantly.” He looked genuine, but I would be stupid to go, right? The rain suddenly grew heavy; I bowed my head and wrapped the hoodie over it. I gasped in shock as he pulled out a knife from his pocket, not with his back turned to me and the sharp edge toward himself. “Take it; if you feel unsafe, you can use this for protection. I have to obey my boss’s orders.” I swallowed. I did need a place to stay, but I was not going with a stranger who seemed so desperate to take me. But then…I would catch a cold in the rain. “Who is your boss?” I shouted, the sound of the rain drowning out my voice. He blinked. “You'll find out when he wants you to find out.” My brows pinched together; that was a weird answer, but I needed to find a place to stay. What is the worst that could happen? ~~Kara's POV~~ My heart ached, breaking into a million pieces as my stepmother uttered those words. "You will be getting married to Salvatore Cross to pay off your debts." “Marriage?” I asked in shock, my hands trembling. My stepmother, Agatha, has been gambling to make some money; she got addicted in the process and couldn't stop. After she lost all her money, she began to take loans; unfortunately, she lost them all as well. Now I have to pay by spending my life with a man whom I do not love. For years, I have been a slave to my whole family. I'm an orphan; my mother died when I was born, and my father died when I was just fifteen years old. Agatha had never been nice to me, but when Adda died, it worsened. She would make me do all the house chores, cook, clean, and do laundry, while her daughter, Kelly, who was exactly my age, would hang out with her friends. The abuse worsened when Agatha began to hit me. She would dip my hand into a pot of newly cooked food if the taste wasn't to her satisfaction. If I mopped and didn't do it right, she would hit me with the mop, leaving bruises on my back; sometimes it would break. My screams would fill the house, but there was nobody to rescue me. I had come to terms with the fact that my life was meaningless, that I was born to serve, but getting married to pay off a debt? To Agatha, I meant less than a piece of paper. The name Salvatore Cross echoed in my ears like a dreadful bell. He was one of the most ruthless Mafia bosses in the country; he was ruthless, killed like it meant nothing, the streets grew silent when his name was mentioned, and Aunt Agatha picked his casino to gamble. Of all places? Tears clouded my eyes. “Agatha, he's a killer; if I go to him, I won't survive.” The tears burned as they streamed down my cheeks; my throat felt like sandpaper as I swallowed, "please." Her brown eyes darkened. “I have given you accommodation for years since your father died, Kara. I fed you, I clothed you—in fact…” She stood up from her seat. “I have kept you alive all these years, and you cannot do one thing to help me.” I shook my head, sobbing uncontrollably; she thought my life was worthless compared to hers. “I…,” I choked. “If you do not do this, I won’t hesitate to send you into the streets; let’s see how you survive without me,” she threatened, her gray eyes narrowing. She was right. If I got kicked into the streets, I would die anyway—no home, no job, no food. Who would survive that? “The contract will be brought tomorrow for you to sign, and in two days you'll be taken to his home.” She moved back to her seat. I wiped the tears from my eyes, accepting my fate. Maybe if I stayed out of his way and did what he wanted, he wouldn't hurt me. “Yes, Agatha,” I said, bowing my head. I slowly stood up from the floor and turned around; my life was over, and I knew it. “I wish Dad were alive,” I mumbled. This sparked anger within her. “What did you say?” I turned to face her; I didn't think she would hear. “Nothing,” I lied. She marched to me, her eyes blazing with rage as she landed a hot slap on my face. I pressed my fingers to my face; it stung. “You ungrateful girl!” she snapped. “I have taken care of you for years, and you still think about your father who left?” I shook my head. “I'm sorry, Aunt Agatha, I didn't mean…” “Get out,” she cut in. My brow raised, “What…?” “Get out,” her teeth clenched, “I can't look at you right now; go out and return by morning." It was already raining outside; how could she kick me out? I wanted to tell her that it had rained and that I would catch a cold, but that look in her eyes meant that she wouldn't go back on her words. I slowly turned away from her and walked to the door, pressing my hand on the doorknob and pulling it open. A huge gust of wind blew into the house. “You are dirtying my floor!” Agatha shouted. “Get out!” I quickly stepped out and shut the door behind me. I quickly pulled the cap of my hoodie over my head and pushed my blond hair in to avoid getting it wet. I looked around the empty street; everybody had gone into their houses. Where would I stay? I would go to a friend's house, but Agatha died and gave me enough leisure time to make any plans. I bowed my head and began to walk down the street; my clothes got wetter each second, and soon I was completely drenched. I slipped my hands into the pocket of my hoodie, my teeth gnashing and my body shaking frantically. Soon, I noticed a black car behind me. It had a low hum, and it seemed I had been hearing it for a while, but my ears had filtered it out. I turned to look at it; it was a black Cadillac, and its headlights were on. My heart spiked as the car stopped immediately. I stopped. I wasn't being followed, right? I turned back around and began to walk even faster; the car followed closely behind. I was sure it was; if it weren't following me, it would have driven past by now. Just then, it finally sped past me. My chest heaved with excitement, and a smile curled on my lips, but it suddenly screeched before me. My smile fell. The rain soon turned into a drizzle. A man stepped out of the front seat; he was dressed in a gray suit, he seemed to be in his late twenties, he had brown hair, and I couldn't see his eyes under the moonlight. I clutched both sides of my jeans tightly, my heart thundering against my chest as he walked to me. A man dressed in a suit wouldn't be dangerous, right? I tried to steady myself. “Hello?” he said, his voice calm, his expression twisted due to the droplets of water that hit his face. “Who are you?” “My boss has asked us to provide you with accommodation,” he said in a calm tone. I took a step back, boss? Who was his boss? Why would he help me? I glanced back at the car. I didn't know anybody rich enough to have a car like that. Why would his boss help me? “I'm okay, thank you,” I declined. I quickly turned around and began to walk off, but he quickened his pace and grabbed my arm. I trembled, “Please don't hurt me.” “I won't.” He lifted his hands in the air. “I swear.” His gray suit had turned a darker shade from the rain, his hair sticking to his forehead. “I can take you to a hotel, buy you dinner, and leave instantly.” He looked genuine, but I would be stupid to go, right? The rain suddenly grew heavy; I bowed my head and wrapped the hoodie over it. I gasped in shock as he pulled out a knife from his pocket, not with his back turned to me and the sharp edge toward himself. “Take it; if you feel unsafe, you can use this for protection. I have to obey my boss’s orders.” I swallowed. I did need a place to stay, but I was not going with a stranger who seemed so desperate to take me. But then…I would catch a cold in the rain. “Who is your boss?” I shouted, the sound of the rain drowning out my voice. He blinked. “You'll find out when he wants you to find out.” My brows pinched together; that was a weird answer, but I needed to find a place to stay. What is the worst that could happen?