The Devil’s Bride

Chapter 5

FIRST NIGHT IN HELL

~ALEXANDRO’S POV~

I watched her from the doorway.

Simone Alejandro stood by the balcony windows, a silhouette against the dying sun.

She'd changed into the clothes I'd provided, a simple black dress that hugged her curves before falling loosely to her knees.

Even in captivity, she held herself like royalty, spine straight, chin lifted. The perfect posture of a woman who'd been taught since birth that weakness was unacceptable.

Five years.

That's how long I'd waited for this moment. Five years since that night in Monaco when neither of us had revealed our true identities.

By the time I discovered who she was, it was too late. She was already promised to Rafael Russo, already untouchable.

Until today.

"Dinner will be served in five minutes," I said, breaking the silence.

She didn't turn around. "I'm not hungry."

"That wasn't a request."

Now she faced me, those ice-blue eyes…Don Alejandro's eyes…flashing with stubbornness.

"And if I refuse? Will you force-feed me too? Add that to your list of crimes?"

I stepped into the room, letting the door close behind me. "Starving yourself accomplishes nothing except making you weak. And you'll need your strength."

"For what?" she challenged.

"For surviving," I answered simply.

Her eyes narrowed. "I don't need dinner for that. I survived my father's murder right in front of me. I survived being kidnapped on my wedding day. I survived waking up in the home of my enemy. Food seems rather insignificant in comparison."

A smile tugged at my lips despite my best efforts. What I learned about Simone Alejandro over the years was nothing compared to experiencing her passion in person.

"Call it professional courtesy, then," I said. "One crime lord's daughter to another crime lord."

She flinched at that. Good. I needed her off-balance. "You said my uncles sold me to you," she said quietly. "I want to see this contract."

"After dinner."

"Now."

I crossed the room in four long strides, stopping close enough that she had to tilt her head back to maintain eye contact. It was a cheap power play, using my height to scare her, but I needed to establish boundaries early.

"You don't give orders here, princess. The sooner you understand that, the easier this will be." I checked my watch.

"Four minutes. I suggest you use the bathroom to freshen up."

For a moment, I thought she might refuse again. Instead, she moved past me toward the adjoining bathroom, her shoulder brushing against my chest in what was an intentional challenge.

The brief contact sent an unexpected jolt through me….a reaction I immediately buried.

When she came out three minutes later, she'd done something with her hair, pulling it back into a severe twist that brought out her high cheekbones and full lips.

Without makeup, her face looked younger and more vulnerable, but those eyes remained hard as diamonds.

"Let's get this over with," she said.

I offered my arm out of habit….a gesture my mother had drilled into me during childhood etiquette lessons before her murder. Simone stared at it like I'd offered her a venomous snake.

"You can walk alone or I can carry you," I said calmly. "Your choice."

After a moment's hesitation, she placed her fingertips lightly on my forearm, maintaining as much distance between us as possible. Smart woman.

I rewarded her submission by not commenting on it.

We came down the grand staircase in silence. The villa had been in my family for generations, one of the few Stravkos properties that hadn't been seized after my parents' execution.

I had renovated it extensively, turning it into both a fortress and a showcase. Bulletproof windows. Reinforced walls. State-of-the-art security.

And priceless art, antique furnishings, and modern luxuries that rivaled any five-star hotel.

The dining room continued this theme….sixteenth-century Italian table and chairs beneath a contemporary crystal chandelier, ancient tapestries hanging beside abstract paintings worth millions.

Power and wealth, old and new, coexist in careful balance.

Carlos was already waiting, standing at attention behind one of the chairs. His face remained expressionless as we entered, but I caught the slight tightening around his eyes—disapproval.

He'd made his opinion clear after I'd carried Simone's unconscious form into the villa yesterday.

"This is a mistake," he'd warned. "The girl is a liability."

"The girl," I'd corrected, "is an asset."

Now, his dark eyes tracked Simone's every movement, assessing her as a threat rather than a woman. Good. At least one of us was thinking clearly.

"Simone, this is Carlos Torres, my second-in-command," I said, guiding her to a chair opposite his. "Carlos, Simone Alejandro."

"Miss Alejandro," Carlos acknowledged with a curt nod.

"Mr. Torres," she replied, equally cold. Then, with a planned push: "Tell me, do you always help kidnap women, or am I special?"

Carlos's expression didn't change, but I saw his jaw tighten. "I follow orders."

"Ah, the Nuremberg defense. How original."

I suppressed a smile as I took my seat at the head of the table. Whatever else Simone might be, she wasn't easily intimidated.

Another quality I'd need to account for moving forward.

Staff entered silently, serving the first course—a simple Caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes from the villa's gardens.

I nodded for them to pour wine, a 2015 Barolo from my private collection. Simone watched the ruby liquid fill her glass but didn't touch it.

"It's not poisoned," I said mildly. "If I wanted you dead, there are far more efficient methods."

"How comforting." She lifted the glass, inhaling the bouquet before taking a small sip.

Her eyebrows rose slightly—appreciation of the vintage despite herself.

Carlos remained strict, eating mechanically while keeping his attention fixed on our guest. The tension was palpable, exactly as I had planned.

I wanted Simone off-balance, unsure of her footing in this new reality.

"The rules of your stay are simple," I began, cutting into a perfect circle of mozzarella. "You will be treated with respect as long as you show the same. You'll have the freedom to move within designated areas of the villa and grounds. Attempt to leave those areas, and your privileges will be revoked."

"Prison with better furnishings," she commented. "How generous."

I ignored the interruption. "You'll join me for meals. You'll answer my questions truthfully. You'll be provided with appropriate clothing and anything else you reasonably require."

"And in return?" Her voice was steady, but her fingers tightened around the stem of her wineglass.

"In return, you help me take apart the Alejandro empire piece by piece."

The glass froze halfway to her lips. "Excuse me?"

"Your uncles betrayed your father," I continued calmly. "They orchestrated his murder. They sold you to secure their position. Now they believe they control the Alejandro territory, with my blessing and protection." I allowed myself a cold smile.

"They're mistaken."

Carlos shifted slightly in his seat…the only clue of his surprise. I hadn't shared this particular detail of my plans with him yet.

"Why would you turn against them?" Simone asked, eyes narrowed. "If they're your allies…”

"They're not my allies," I cut in. "They're traitors who murdered a man I respected. Men who betray their blood will eventually betray everyone."

She set down her fork, studying me with new intensity. "You expect me to believe you respected my father? The head of a rival family?"

"Believe what you want. It doesn't change the facts." I signaled for the staff to clear the first course. "Your father was a man of honor in a world with precious little of it. Your uncles are not."

"And you?" she challenged. "Where do you fall on that spectrum?"

Carlos tightened, prepared to step in if she crossed a line. I silenced him with a slight hand gesture.

"I'm practical," I replied. "Honor has its place, but survival comes first."

The main course arrived…..osso buco with saffron risotto, my chef's specialty. The rich scent filled the room, but Simone seemed ignorant to it, her focus entirely on me.

"Even if I believed you," she said slowly, "why would I help you destroy my family's legacy?"

"Because it's already destroyed." I leaned forward, holding her gaze.

"Your uncles saw to that when they put a bullet in your father's heart. What I'm offering is the chance to rebuild something from the ashes—something that honors Don Alejandro rather than betray him."

"You mean something that benefits you," she disagreed.

I inclined my head slightly. "Our interests align more than you realize."

"I doubt that." She picked up her knife, studying the blade momentarily before cutting into her veal. "My interests include seeing you dead before I ever help you destroy what my father built."

Carlos's hand moved subtly toward the weapon I knew he kept holstered at his back. I stopped him with a look before turning back to Simone.

"I enjoy challenges, princess." I raised my wineglass in a mock toast. "And you might be my favorite one yet."

She matched my gesture, a dangerous glint in those ice-blue eyes. "Then welcome to hell, Mr. Stravkos. I promise your stay will be memorable."

For the first time in years, I felt something close to genuine amusement. Obtaining Simone Alejandro might prove to be either the smartest decision I'd ever made—or the one that finally destroyed me.

Either way, it would certainly be interesting.