Chapter 1: Dressed To Be Auctioned

Author’s Note

This book is a must-read because it holds everything you’ve been craving in a dark, addictive romance.

This story is intense. It is brutal. It is steamy. It is dangerous. Inside, you’ll find hate-to-love, obsession, betrayal, revenge, dominance, and the kind of forbidden passion that sears itself into your soul.

Gianna, the heroine, is everything I’ve always dreamed of writing, strong, brave, soft, untamed. She defies. She resists. But eventually, she surrenders… not out of weakness, but because love this forbidden cannot be denied.

Dante, the man who swore to ruin her, is a world unto himself. In his kingdom, there are no rules. He is controlling. Obsessive. Jealous. Ruthless. A dark ruler forged from hate and vengeance. Yet the woman he vowed to destroy becomes the one he is willing to give up everything, even his life, for.

Together, they are chaos and fire. Destruction and love. The beginning of an ending that should never exist.

Trigger Warnings

This book ventures into dark places. Some scenes are raw. Some are heavy. And not everything is safe. It contains sexual content, abuse, and emotional intensity that may not be for every reader.

Remember: this is fiction. Names, places, and events are creations of imagination. If any detail bears resemblance to reality, it is purely coincidental.

This book is everything, addictive and unforgettable. There is no escape once you step into Dante and Gianna’s world.

Gia’s POV

They dressed me like I wasn’t even human anymore, just something to be auctioned off.

The skirt barely covered my thighs, riding so high it felt obscene. The top was worse, sheer and clinging like a second skin, leaving nothing to the imagination. My breasts pressed against the fabric, nipples visible, as though I was meant to be displayed. Bought.

The heels cut into my ankles, my legs trembling with every shift of weight.

Then my aunt smeared dark red lipstick across my mouth like she was painting on a mask.

“Stop fighting, Gianna.” Her voice snapped sharp, nails digging into my arm as she spun me toward the mirror.

“Look at yourself. This is what they want. What they’ll pay for. You’re going to smile when you walk out there and let those men bid for a night with you.”

My throat burned. Tears blurred my reflection.

“Please… don’t do this. There has to be another way. You can’t sell me to those monsters. I’m your only family.”

“Family?” Her laugh was bitter.

“Your father’s debts destroyed us. You’re all I have left to bargain with.”

Panic gripped my chest. “Then let’s talk to Vincenzo. We’ll find another way. I’ll work…anything. I’ll pay it back, even if it takes years.”

“Oh, my sweet, naïve girl…” Her voice softened for a heartbeat, then hardened again. “Vincenzo isn’t going to wait years. He wants his money now. And if you refuse the auction?”

Her eyes cut into me, cold and merciless. “We’ll both be dead by morning.”

She shoved my shoulders back, forcing my spine straight.

“Vincenzo promised us twenty percent of whatever you’re sold for. That’s enough to start over.”

A sob caught in my throat. “Twenty percent? Is that all I’m worth to you?”

Her eyes narrowed. “This isn’t just about you. I gave up my life for you—for your father. When your mother died, I stayed. I raised you. I sacrificed everything. Don’t you dare question my loyalty.”

She silenced me with a hand, her breath hot and bitter against my cheek.

“This is the price your father left for you to pay.”

A tear slipped down my face. For a moment, her tone softened.

“There’s no need for tears. You’re alive because of me. If I hadn’t dragged you through those underground tunnels that night… if those men had found you…” her voice faltered, a shiver breaking through. “God, they would’ve done the unthinkable.”

Her thumb brushed my cheek, tender, almost motherly. For a moment, I couldn’t tell which version of her was real, the woman who once sang me to sleep, or the one who now dressed me like a lamb for slaughter.

“There’s no use shielding you anymore.” Her gaze pinned me in place. “Your father wasn’t the man you believed him to be. He was ruthless in his dealings, and he made enemies. Dangerous. Unforgiving.”

My stomach dropped. “No… you’re wrong. Dad… he wouldn’t…”

Her lips curved with pity. “You were a princess in a tower, spoiled and blind. You never saw the world. You never saw who your father really was.”

Her voice grew meaner. “Now you will.”

She leaned in, whispering the name like a curse.

“One of the men your father crossed was Dante De Luca.”

The name alone made my heart stutter. I didn’t know it, but it felt like a warning.

“He’s the one who came after your father that night,” she whispered, “seeking revenge for something Lorenzo stole from him. In blood. In tears.”

Her voice broke. “He’s the one who pulled the trigger.”

—-----

How did my life turn into this?

Three days ago, I was celebrating my 22nd birthday with cake, laughter, and my father by my side. Then armed strangers stormed into our home, guns blazing, shattering everything.

My aunt dragged me into hiding, but I saw it all, through a hole in the study wall.

And then I saw him. The tall, broad-shouldered man with dark hair and piercing gray eyes.

I watched, pain tightening in my chest, as he pulled the trigger, like my father’s life meant nothing.

The moment my father’s body hit the floor, I screamed.

And everything changed.

My scream gave us away, but we ran, disappearing into hiding.

Soon, word of my father’s death spread, and dangerous gangs came looking for us.

Vincenzo’s men found us first.

They didn’t care that my father was dead.

They wanted what he owed... half a million dollars.

We didn’t have it.

And now I was about to be sold to the highest bidder.

The curtains opened. I knew it was time.

It was dark.

The stage began to descend, and all I could hear were voices, eager, impatient.

Then the platform stopped.

Spotlights turned on.

And there they were.

A room full of men in tailored suits, with only a few women in glittering gowns seated beside them. The scent of cigars and expensive liquor filled the air.

They were all looking at me. Waiting. Cheering.

I scanned the crowd and realized, these weren’t bored billionaires or casual businessmen.

They looked like the mafia.

Their eyes were glazed with alcohol, their expressions dark with power.

My heart thudded against my ribs so fast I thought I might pass out.

I looked for an exit, any door, any window, any chance. But there was none.

Vincenzo’s men stood at all the exits, guarding the entire space.

Who would help me?

Suddenly, Vincenzo’s voice boomed through the room, cutting through the noise.

“Gentlemen,” he announced, arms spread wide like he was presenting a gift.

“Feast your eyes on tonight’s rarest gem, the daughter of Lorenzo Giovanni himself.”

Gasps and murmurs echoed across the room. Of course they recognized the name. Everyone did.

“Gianna Giovanni is a prize,” Vincenzo continued with a grin that made my skin crawl.

“I know all of you want a piece of her. But that’s not all...”

He leaned closer to the mic.

“She’s untouched in every way. A virgin.”