The Summons

The glass slipped from my hand, red wine splashing in my clothes and the floor. The sound of it shattering barely registered over the roaring in my ears.

"What no!" I shouted, my throat cracking. "What are you doing?!"

"Bella, please." My father's voice shook. "Just do what he asks."

Marco Castellano Don of the Castellano family, the man who'd built an empire on calculated violence and pure evil was on his knees. Shaking. There was a gun pressed against his temple. A gun that did not hold a candle to the firearms my dad usually handled.

Something was awfully wrong.

Vittorio Romano's smile was dark and evil. "Come here, Isabella."

I couldn't move. My heels felt stuck to the floor. My body froze in the doorway of my father's study. Below us, three hundred guests laughed and drank at the charity gala, completely unaware that their host was seconds from death.

Click.

The sound of the hammer cocking unfroze me. My legs moved by their own will, and seconds later I was standing in front of the monster holding my father's life in his hand.

"Good girl," Vittorio purred, and my skin crawled.

He grabbed the back of my head and shoved me toward the mahogany desk. A book was opened there, papers scattered all round and then a pen sat close. "Sign it."

My tears hit the paper before I could stop them, blurring the contents of the papers. I looked back at my father, still kneeling, and the fear in his eyes terrified me.

"What is this?" I whispered.

I felt a hot smack on my cheeks that made the world go black and ash. The slap sent me stumbling into the desk. Blood filled my mouth because one of my teeth was assaulted by the slap.

"Please." My father's voice broke. "Please don't touch her."

Marco Castellano was begging. The most feared man in Crimson Bay was begging for my safety. I realized that whatever was in those papers, my father couldn't protect me from it.

"Sign it now, you bitch!" Vittorio's hand grabbed my hair, yanking my head back to look up at him. I could see the violence in his eyes. "Ask another stupid question and you're dead. Him too."

My fingers scrambled for the pen. They were shaking so badly I could barely grip it. My gun was just nudged in between my skirt, and all I had to do was to pull it out and send a bullet through his head. But Vittorio's gun was too close to daddy's head, it was just too risky. I'd only get one shot, and if I missed...

"Why" I started, then stopped. Why wasn't he forcing my father to sign? Why did it have to be me?

But I knew better than to ask. My cheek throbbed where he'd struck me. If I voiced out any complaints I'm sure he will hit me again.

The tears made everything blur. I couldn't read what I was signing. Too many legal terms and jargons. It seemed like a contract but I wasn't so sure.

My hand moved across the paper, forming the letters of my name. Isabella Maria Castellano. Each word I signed came with sinking dread.

"Brava," Vittorio breathed against my ear, and I fought the urge to vomit. His fingers stroked down my spine. I froze, feeling very uncomfortable. "You're going to make such a beautiful bride."

The world tilted.

Bride.

Oh God. Oh God, no.

"The engagement will be announced in two weeks," Vittorio continued, his voice casual like he was talking to his best friend, like seconds ago he didn't assault me and threaten my father at gun point, "I've already had the invitations printed. Your father has been very... cooperative."

He released his grip on my father, and Marco slumped forward, catching himself in his hands. He tucked the gun into his jackets smoothly. 

"I'll see you at dinner tomorrow night, Bella." He caught my chin, forcing me to look at him. His eyes were dead, like shark eyes, and completely devoid of humanity. "Wear something pretty. And Isabella? If you tell anyone about tonight's... negotiation tactics... I'll kill your little sister first in front of you. Then your father. Then torture you. Slowly."

He puckered his lips and lowered his head. I closed my eyes shut in dread as he kissed me on my cheeks.

Then he was gone, walking out of the study like he'd just concluded a pleasant business meeting. I heard him laugh in the hallway, greeting someone. People thought he was charming, but I believed the rumours, I just tasted first-hand of the monster he was.  

My father stood. "Bella"

"Don't." I held up a shaking hand, stopping my father before he could take a step towards me. "Just... don't."

"You have to understand"

"Understand what?" My voice cracked. "That you sold me? That you let him"

"I protected you!" He reached out to me, gripping me by my shoulders. "He was going to kill you, figlia mia. The contract was the only way to"

"To what? Trade my life for a slower death?" I shoved him away, backing toward the door. "You know what he is. What he does to women. Three girlfriends, Papa. Didn't you hear? Three women who disappeared, and he was connected to all three of them."

"The alliance with the Romanos is the only way to"

"I don't care about your alliance!" The scream tore from my lungs. "I don't care about territory or peace or whatever deal you made with his father. You just signed my death warrant!"

"Isabella, please"

But I was already running. I ran down the hall, past startled guests, through the ballroom in my wine-stained dress and bleeding mouth. I heard my father calling after me, heard Elena shouting my name, but I couldn't stop.

I made it to my car before the sobs came. I slammed the door closed and bent over the steering wheel of my Maserati, crying my lungs out. My hands shook so badly I couldn't get the key in the ignition.

Married to Vittorio Romano.

Two weeks.

I had two weeks before my life ended.