CHAPTER 002

FIORELLA’S POV

Nothing—absolutely nothing—could have prepared me for the sudden turn my life had just taken.

First, I was ambushed and named as Papa’s successor in front of people who wanted nothing more than to gut me open.

And the next second, I was told I had to marry someone I had promised to never speak to again.

The fine hairs along my skin rose, and my heartbeat accelerated at the sight of him.

Suddenly, I understood why I had been chosen as Papa’s successor.

I was being sold off again.

History was repeating itself.

“No,” I said.

Papa grabbed my hand and pulled me closer, his grip tight enough to hurt. “You’re turning thirty-three soon, and you’ve been married before.”

“How does that—”

“You are expired goods in the marriage market,” Papa cut me off, his whisper harsher now. “No one else would want you now. This is the only chance you’ll get, so shut your mouth.”

A shiver ran down my spine.

He didn’t even care that marriage was the last thing I wanted right now.

He turned to Rhys. “It is an honor to have you here, Don.”

Rhys’s smirk faded into irritation. “No, it’s not. You were one of the Dons who opposed my authority. I haven’t forgotten that.”

For the first time in my life, I saw my father visibly swallow in fear.

“Apologies, Don,” he said quickly. “I had no idea who you were at the time.”

Rhys ignored him.

His gaze stayed on me, cold and unblinking.

It had been over three years since I last saw him at Gabrielle and Damon’s wedding, and his appearance had changed drastically.

There was a tattoo peeking from the collar of his shirt now, and another disappeared beneath the cuff of his sleeve.

He looked tougher, like he had been purged out of his old self and replaced with something even worse.

Rhys smiled again like he could read my thoughts.

“I came to get what I bought,” he finally said to my father, his eyes never leaving mine. “Don’t waste my time.”

Something in my chest dropped.

I stood there staring at him, the sinister smile on his face doing nothing to ease the dread that formed in my stomach.

I didn’t know what to do with myself.

It had been fourteen years since the day by the lake.

Life had moved on around us, and we only ran into each other occasionally in the past when I visited my best friend.

Why would he want to marry me?

Papa hesitated for a second, then gestured to my stepmother and stepsiblings. “Leave us.”

It was obvious they didn’t want to, but when he gave them a hard glance, they obeyed.

One by one, they filed out of the room, throwing looks that could kill at me.

The door clicked shut behind them and heavy silence followed.

I pulled my hand out of Papa’s grip. “You can’t do this. You already sold me off once. I won’t let you do it again.”

He pretended not to hear me.

“Especially not to… him,” I snapped, turning back to look at Rhys. “Of all people, you chose him?”

My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t take it back.

“The Don chose you to be his wife,” Papa warned under his breath. “I’m doing what’s best for the family.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “You are doing what’s best for you. You think I forgot? I remember what happened the last time you decided to trade me off like I was nothing.”

His jaw tightened. “This is different.”

“It’s not!” I raised my voice. “Tell me, what did you trade me off for this time?”

Before he responded, I noticed Rhys move from the corner of my eye.

He stepped closer to my father and handed him an envelope. “It was nice doing business with you. I’ve got it from here.”

Papa took the envelope, a pleased smile on his face. “Thank you, Don. She’s all yours now.”

I looked between them, speechless.

I was lured all this way just to be sold off like a trussed piece of meat to my ex-boyfriend of all people.

Years of buried trauma started to resurface, and suddenly, I was that helpless nineteen-year-old girl again.

Never!

I bolted and made for the door, desperate to escape.

The door flung open and I bumped into something hard.

I staggered back and lifted my gaze to see Vani—Rhys’s right-hand man—standing in my way, a gun hanging from his shoulder

He smiled, creasing the scar across his lips. “Going somewhere?”

My heart slammed against my ribs.

I turned around to escape through the window, but I had no idea Rhys was already standing behind me.

My face collided with his solid chest.

The impact knocked the air out of me for a second.

I stepped back immediately, but his hand came up and caught my wrist before I could fully retreat.

My breath came out in a sharp burst. “Let go.”

He didn’t.

His hold tightened on my wrist until it began to hurt. “You’re my property now.”

I hadn’t been this close to him in years, but one look into his eyes told me exactly how much he still hated me.

And after what I did to him, he had every reason to.

So I lowered my voice and tried to reason with him. “Rhys, please. I don’t want to go through this again. Just let me go.”

A satisfied smile appeared on his face. “I haven’t even started with you and you’re already begging me?”

His grip tightened instead of loosening.

I felt the pressure spread through my hand but I refused to show pain.

No matter how hard I tried to pull away, he just kept me in place.

“Let go of me,” I said again.

Rhys didn’t respond to me.

He nodded at someone behind me and before I could even blink, I was hauled up by Vani and placed over his shoulder.

I hit his back desperately. “Put me down.”

Vani didn’t budge.

He walked out of the room with me screaming for help at the top of my lungs.

None came.

“Please… let me go,” I begged, my vision blurring with unshed tears.

Rhys walked behind us calmly, his hands shoved in his pockets as he stared back at me.

I lifted my gaze to my father.

He was already going through the contents of the envelope excitedly, as if he hadn’t just sold off his daughter.

He didn’t even have the decency to wait until I was gone.

“Papa,” I cried. “Do something!”

He didn’t even spare me a glance.

We entered the hallway with me still hitting and scratching Vani to no avail.

My stepmother and stepsisters stood by the door, snickering as they watched me, their smiles full of mockery.

The tears fell freely now.

Soon, I was shoved into the back seat of a car, and Rhys joined me.

His hand reached for my chin, forcing my face up. “Seeing you cry right now is the happiest I’ve been in years.”

He leaned closer until I could feel his minty breath against my face.

“But hang in there, doll,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “There’s so much worse waiting for you.”

A broken sob tore from my throat.