CLAIMED BY THE MOB BOSS

DANTE SALVATORE

RAVEN

The doors of my new room creak open, and Ariel walks in carrying a tray. She crouches beside me, bowing.

“I was told to tend to your wounds, ma.”

She uncorks a vial of ointment and gently rubs it over my swollen ankle and the bruises scattered across my arms. I hiss at the sting, but her hands are careful. When she finishes, she sets a steaming cup of tea before me.

“Drink this. It will calm your nerves and help you sleep.”

I hesitate for a moment, then lift the cup to my lips. The warmth spreads through me, and my aching body finally begins to ease. My eyes grow heavy, and I curl onto the cold bed, clutching the blanket as darkness pulls me under.

Hours later, a voice pierces my sleep.

“Raven!”

The door of the room swings open. Axel stands in front of it with a paper bag in one hand and his phone in the other, his brows drawn down.

“Why aren’t you picking my calls?” he asks, and I sit up slowly.

“As you can see, I was sleeping. I’m still recovering from the injuries you inflicted, Axel.”

His eyes narrow, and he walks in.

“I figured you haven’t eaten anything since last night.” He tosses the paper bag onto the bed before me. “Eat. You’ll need strength,” he says casually.

I glance at him as the ache in my heart returns fresher than ever.

“And what is it to you if I eat or not?”

He smirks, shutting the door.

“You are an investment, and I hate seeing my investments go to waste.”

He closes the space between us, grabbing my hair.

“Long black hair, ocean blue eyes, and a perfectly defined body. These are the features that attracted me, and my children shall have no blemishes like you.”

“Jade is perfect, and—”

“I am talking of natural beauty and not f*****g surgeries!” he cuts me off, his brows wrinkling further.

“Then let me work off my debts.”

His hand tightens around my jaw.

“There is no working off debts. You are my property, Raven.”

He pulls me off the bed, forcing me toward the window.

“You see that? The unity of the Black Serpents and Vultures. Even an assassin will not escape.”

My eyes widen as he says this, and I glare at the number of armed men patrolling the compound.

“There is no escape for you, little dove,” he mutters in my ear, and bumps sprout up my skin.

“I have an important meeting today, and there will be more men, so you better behave.”

He tosses me back onto the bed and opens the paper bag violently, pulling out a plate.

“Eat,” he commands, digging a spoonful of the meal.

I hesitate, suspecting the food is laced with drugs. His phone rings in his pocket as he brings the spoon to my lips, causing relief to wash over me.

His brows crumple as he picks the call. Then he runs a hand through his hair, pacing the room. When the call ends, he crushes his phone in his hand.

“Son of a—” he growls, then pauses, turning toward me with a grimace.

“You should finish your food,” he says, inching closer.

I move back on the bed, but he grabs my feet, pulling me toward him.

“I enjoyed two nights ago. I hope you’re not sore, because I will be coming to collect my reward after today’s work.”

He whispers in my ear, causing me to swallow hard.

He pulls away as my body shudders, then leaves the room while I stand there, reduced to nothing but a s*x toy.

A few minutes after Axel’s car leaves the compound, I toss the food into the trash, dashing out of the room without much plan but the need to escape.

There are a lot of guards, which means there is someone Axel fears that is around—but that isn’t my problem. I just need to find a way out.

Just as I get to the stairs, I hear guards approaching.

My chest beats hard as I limp fast down the hallway, searching for any open door—any hole to disappear into before they see me.

Their voices grow closer, causing me to grab a random door. I unlock it, slip inside, and press my back against it. I press a hand to my lips, trying to hold my breath.

In the room, chains dangle from the walls, with a neatly laid bed in the center. It is like a b**m stage, with masks lined up on a dresser. My eyes widen at the sight before me.

I try to run, but I hear the voices of the guards closing in.

Quickly, I slip out of my dress, standing in nothing but my undies. I snatch a mask from the table. I place it on my face, sitting on the bed just in time as they open the door.

Two guards step in, their eyes sweeping the room before landing on me. One nods in satisfaction.

“Good. You’re already here.”

My throat dries, and I force a stiff nod, praying they can’t smell the fear rolling off my body.

The second guard steps forward with a bottle.

“Here. You will slip this into his drink, and make sure he is out cold,” he says to me, and I take it with shaky fingers.

“Okay,” I murmur.

They turn to leave at once, and I breathe in relief, hoping to leave the next second. But they remain in front of the door for minutes until an hour passes by.

That is when I realize they are to keep guard. My heart thumps in my chest as I think of what could possibly go wrong. The main hooker could be here, and Axel could return. I am doomed.

“Calm down, Raven,” I say to myself, but even my own words do nothing to reassure me.

As I pace the room, my eyes land on a bottle of wine. Needing something to take my mind off the pressure, I grab it.

DANTE

Axel marches into the living room with two of his men, and I stand at once. He stretches his hand out for a shake, but I ignore it.

He grits his teeth, and I glare at the man I called brother. The man I trusted with my life, but I can barely see that now.

All I see is the blood of my half-brother, Lucien, dripping from Axel’s hands.

“I didn’t come here to wage war, even though your group has caused pain to mine. I still consider you a brother, but the mafia is the mafia.”

His face contorts into a snarl.

“The Red Jackal wants blood, and they will not stop until they have it. If you want to live, you’ll surrender eighty percent of your land. I’ll make it look like I captured them. You keep your pride, and keep what’s left.”

He stares at me with disgust before letting out a cold laugh.

“Surrender? To you?” he mocks.

Then he straightens his face, grabbing my collar and dragging me close until I can smell the smoke of his cigar on his breath.

My men c**k their guns behind me, and I raise a hand.

They lower their guns, standing still and waiting for my order.

He chuckles again, shoving me back hard, but I stand my ground.

“You insult me, Dante. You must think I am the weakling of a boy you met in high school, but people grow, Dante.”

He looks me in the eye, speaking through gritted teeth.

“The Black Alliance never bows before anyone!”

“You f*****g killed my brother, and you owe me everything. I am letting it slide because of our past relationship. The organization is tough, but a brother is a brother.”

His lips curl into a snarl.

“Lucien got in the way. It was collateral damage…” his eyes glint cruelly. “Stop f*****g calling me a brother! You fake Salvatore. You will never rule the Jackals because they will not accept a f*****g bastard as king!”

His words hit home, and my entire body burns, itching to show him why I have more scars than him.

He smirks, satisfied with the wound he’s opened.

“I’ll crush you, Dante. The Black Vultures stand with me now, and you cannot beat that.”

Rage coils in my chest, watching him boast. My hands curl into fists, but I do nothing but smile at him, turning away.

This is not because I am weak, but because he used to be my best friend—and I give way too many chances before acting on people I consider family.

Knowing the only way to get over this is drinking, I go to a bar, downing five glasses of whisky.

This helps calm my intrusive thought to wage war and capture Axel. I know he is going through a lot, having to run his father’s empire suddenly. He wasn’t raised to be tough like me.

So, I will give him one more chance—and that will be it.

Hours later, I stumble back to the guest house, and when I open the door of my room, I am met with a pretty lady lying on my bed, tipsy and touching herself.

“Oh yes, I want you to f**k me,” she groans.

My d**k swells in my pants instantly, and I shut the door with a bang, startling her. She sits up at once, her eyes gleaming around the room.

I notice the setup, and I realize Axel had prepared the room to my taste. This is my hooker—the one he would always prepare on each visit, but I am too tired for role play and too angry with him.

It is not like other occasions where I visit him, and we have fun. There is an impending war, but the thought counts, I guess.

“You are here,” she murmurs, and I saunter toward her.

She grabs my tie before I can think, and I fall forward, my lips inches away from hers.

I can’t tell if it is the alcohol, but her eyes are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. The possessiveness kicks in, and I crush my lips against hers, claiming her mouth.

They are sweet like wine, which she must have overdosed on. She kisses me messily and eagerly. Her hands run down to my pants, resting on my c**k, which is begging to be set free.

But then I grab them, breaking the kiss and pinning them above her head.

“What’s your name, beautiful?” I ask.

“What’s yours?” She asks in a sultry tone.

“Dante.”

“Dante, I want you to f**k me,” she slurs, her ocean-blue eyes piercing through my soul.

It steals all sense of reasoning, and I grant her wish.

I pull away my pants. Then I strip her naked too. Her body is beautiful, and it makes me unable to control myself.

She presses me to her skin, claiming my lips again. I position myself at her entrance, pushing myself into her, and she digs her nails into my back, helping me sink in further.

She is f*****g tight, and her moans send me into overdrive…