Dancing with the Devil

“The devil doesn’t come in red. He comes disguised as everything you’ve ever wanted”

I hated these parties. They are always a battlefield, glistering and ruthless. It was one of those nights where appearance is everything.

I stood near the balcony with my best friend Amara, holding a glass of champagne I did not plan to drink. The chandeliers above illuminate the room with light shining on sinners who don’t deserve them, well with the exception of my mother and sister. I glanced around and found my mother talking to my sister Ella, “A lady must always carry herself with dignity. You are representing this family, and slouching like a street urchin is unacceptable.” Ella sighed but straightened her back. As much as I hated these events, I had to admit there was a certain satisfaction in watching someone else endure my mother’s relentless lessons in dignity.

“You’re going to have to save her eventually,” Amara whispered, leaning in close.“Not tonight,” I replied, smirking. I glanced across the room, my gaze landing on Mhino. My supposed boyfriend. My supposed future husband.

“Why do you put up with him?” Amara asked, her tone softening.

I didn’t answer. What could I say? Mhino was a nightmare, but he was my father’s choice. And in this world, love wasn’t a luxury women like me were afforded.

The music was loud enough to drown my thoughts but not loud enough to stop me from noticing the way Mhino glared at me from across the room. His dark eyes burned into me with the fury of a spoiled child who’d been told no for the first time. I smirked. That was exactly what had happened.

I turned to my best friend, who stood beside me, sipping champagne with the ease of someone born to this life.“ Mara you’d think he’d understand by now that I’m not going to sleep with him just because he pouts.”

Amara snorted. “Well, in his defense, you’ve been together for how long now? Two years?” “Three,” I corrected.

I shrugged. “My virginity is my pride, isn’t it? Or whatever bullshit excuse they use to control us. I just don’t care anymore.”

Mara laughed again, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Her laughter never did when it came to Mhino. I didn’t need to look to know that her gaze had already drifted to where he stood, seething and beautiful. It should’ve bothered me more than it did, but it didn’t. Mhino could have her for all I cared. The only reason I tolerated him was that I had no choice.

My gaze wandered to the rest of the ballroom. My father’s charity gala was in full swing, but it wasn’t fooling anyone who mattered. The whispers about our family’s financial troubles had grown louder in recent months, and this event was nothing more than a desperate attempt to salvage our reputation.

A group of women stood nearby, their voices carrying over the music as they gossiped about tonight’s supposed special guest.

“They say he’s here tonight.”

“Who?”

“The Devil himself.”

My interest piqued, and I tilted my head slightly to eavesdrop.

“They call him that because no one crosses him and survives. Dante Romano. He’s the youngest capo dei capi in history.”

I snorted. “Isn’t that what they call every mafia boss with a decent kill count?”

Amara laughed, leaning closer. “No, Sophia. This one’s different. They say he’s ruthless. Cold. The kind of man who doesn’t ask for respect—he takes it.” She smirked. “The Devil himself. Dante Romano.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Can you imagine? Some big, scary mafia boss lurking in the shadows, striking fear into the hearts of men. Sounds charming,” I gave a mocking sigh.

We both burst out laughing, earning a few disapproving glances from nearby guests. Let them judge. Laughter was the only thing keeping me sane.

Dante Romano. I’d heard of him, of course everyone had but I’d never seen him in person. If he was as powerful as they said, he had no reason to show up at a sham of a charity gala like this one.

Across the room, Mhino finally snapped. He pushed off the bar and walked toward me, moving with anger.

“Sophia,” he said, grabbing my arm. “Can we talk?”

I sighed and my glass to Amara. “Fine but make it quick.”

He led me toward the hallway, away from the crowds. The second we were out sight, he pinned me to the wall.

“What the hell is your problem?” he asked rudely.

“My problem?” I shot back. “You’re the one who’s been sulking all night.”

“Because you’re acting like I don’t exist!”

“Maybe because you’re acting like a child,” I snapped. “Grow up, Mhino.”

“Why do you act like you don’t care. Like I don’t matter to you.”

I crossed my arms. “Maybe because you don’t, Mhino. Not in the way you want me to.”

His eyes darkened, and for a moment, I thought he might yell. Instead, he came in closer, his voice low and spiteful. “You think this is a game? You’re my fiancée, Sophia. You’re supposed to give—”

“To what? Obey you? Bow down to your every word?” I cut him off, my voice rising. “Newsflash, Mhino: I’m not your property so go fuck yourself.”

He laughed and said “You think you’re better than me because you’re saving yourself? Newsflash, Sophia, soon enough this body you're trying to keep from me would be mine to fuck all day and all night long... in this world, virginity is just another currency. And you’re running out of time to spend it.”

“Say that again,” I dared, my blood boiling.

He opened his mouth to repeat it, I slapped him before I could think twice. The sound echoed in the empty hallway, and his face twisted with rage.

“Don’t ever talk to me like that again,” I said, my voice shaking. “You don’t own me, Mhino.”

Walking away with rage I grabbed a glass of something stronger from a passing tray and turned toward the main ballroom only to collide with a solid wall of muscle.

“Careful, Bella,” a deep voice drawled. I looked up, ready to snap at whoever it was, but the words died in my throat. The man I’d bumped into was... breathtaking, tall, with dark hair, sharp jawline, and eyes that seemed to pierce straight through me. “Sorry,” I muttered, stepping back.

There was something about him something magnetic and unnerving all at the same time.

“You seem... annoyed but you're the one walking with closed eyes,” he said, his tone laced with amusement.

“Then watch where you’re going,” I snapped.

He smirked, tilting his head slightly. “You storm through a room like that, and you expect people to stay out of your way?”

“Excuse me?”

“You seem... lost Bella,” he said, his tone full of amusement, as he appeared beside me, almost too close. I stiffened my grip on the champagne flute. “Just trying to survive the night,” I replied, my voice a little too sharp.

He took in my expression with a smirk that didn’t reach his cold eyes. His voice was making me wet...that was until he said “You look like a bird in a cage, angel. One who's wings has been clipped. Trapped, pretending you don’t mind it.” I froze. His words hit too close to the truth.

“Excuse me?” I snapped, my pulse quickening. His smile only deepened, his gaze assessing me like I was some kind of puzzle he was enjoying solving. “You think you’re different from the rest of them? Pretending to be better, pretending to have depth? You’re no different, sweetheart. You’re just like the rest. A pretty face, a shallow existence, an object in this world. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re anything more.”

I could feel my rage in my veins, my vision narrowing. How dare he speak to me like that, like I wasn’t anything beyond being some object to be owned by a stupid man who knows nothing about me?

Before I could think, my hand was already flying toward his cheek, intent on slapping the arrogance out of him. But in an instant, his hand shot out and held my wrist with surprising force, stopping me mid-air.

“His voice low, sexy as fuck, controlled, with a hint of something darker behind it, he said. “If it were anyone else, they’d be dead by now. But I’ll let it slide, because you look like sin straight out of heaven angel.”

The words left a bitter taste in my mouth, and I pulled my arm from his grip, glaring at him with every ounce of disgust I could muster.

“You’re nothing but a pervert and a monster,” I spat, the words falling from my lips before I could stop them.

He didn’t react, his expression as calm as ever, as though I were nothing more than a fleeting annoyance. “A monster, huh? Sounds about right.”

The tension between us thickened, something unspoken crackling in the air. I hated him. But there was something else there, something I couldn’t place, gnawing at my insides.

I turned away, but his presence lingered like a shadow, suffocating and unavoidable.

Amara appeared at my side, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and fear. “Do you know who that was?” she whispered, barely able to contain her voice.

I swallowed hard, still feeling the heat of his touch on my wrist, my body still tense. “No.”

“That’s Dante Romano,” she said, her voice trembling just enough to show how much weight that name carried.