2: Kiss Me

ORTENSIA 

“Forty million?” Even I was shocked at the amount someone was willing to pay to buy a human.  

I heard the bidder call out, “Forty million going once… twice… three times… we have our buyer!”  

Fear gripped me. I had never been this terrified in my entire life. Did this mean I was now his sex slave?  

Then firm hands grabbed me, lifting me off the ground. I was carried into a car, and we drove off. My heart pounded against my ribs, the fear suffocating me. Minutes later, the car came to a halt, and rough hands dragged me out. I had no idea where I was, but the moment the door shut behind me, silence filled the air. I was still trapped in the hooded sack, unable to see anything. My hands remained tied, but at least my legs had been freed.  

Moments later, the door creaked open. I heard approaching footsteps. My body tensed, dreading what would come next. Then, I felt my hands being untied, followed by the hooded sack being yanked off my head. Blinking against the dim light, my eyes adjusted, and I saw a man dressed in a black suit. He had no smile on his face, only cold indifference.  

I quickly looked around. The room was unfamiliar.  

“Go take a bath,” the stern-looking man ordered, pointing to a door.  

I didn’t argue. I wiped my tears, I grabbed the towel resting on a cushion and dragged my feet toward the bathroom. My mind was a mess. Under the warm spray of water, I scrubbed my skin, trying to wash away the filth of what had just happened. But nothing could erase the fear coiling inside me.  

After my shower, I stepped out, still feeling uneasy. The same man pointed at a dress lying on the bed.  

“Wear that. I’ll be back,” he said before leaving.  

I let out a shaky breath. My mind raced with too many questions, but none had answers. I slipped into the dress, surprised that it fit perfectly. Slowly, I walked to the window. My heart sank. It was too high to jump.  

“If I were you, I wouldn’t dare.”  

I froze as I turned to see the man standing there, his eyes locked on me. How had he entered without me noticing? My pulse quickened. Was he my buyer? Would he punish me for considering an escape?  

“Follow me,” he said.  

I swallowed hard. Was this it? Was he taking me to punish me? Was I about to lose my virginity to a man who had just bought me?  

I trailed behind him cautiously, keeping my distance. We stepped into an elevator that took us to the top floor. As the doors slid open, he pointed ahead.  

“The boss wants to see you.”  

The boss? I thought he was the boss. The man left without another word. With a heavy heart, I dragged my feet forward. The room was dimly lit, and standing in front of a massive window, his back to me, was a tall, broad-shouldered man.  

How was I supposed to announce my presence?  

Like he already knew I was there, he turned.  

And that was the moment I froze, my breath catching in my throat.  

“Hello, sunshine,” he said, smirking at me, already amused by how perplexed I looked.  

“Vi…to,” I stammered. It felt like a dream. Memories came flooding back, anger, hurt, confusion… so many emotions at once.  

“Vito?” I called again, my voice barely above a whisper.  

“I’ve been watching you, Ortensia,” he said, his tone calm but cold. “The second I heard your gambling stepbrother sold you at the Shadow Market, I had to intervene… But don’t mistake this for protection. I just didn’t want you to suffer in the wrong hands, doll.”  

“What do you mean, Vito? It’s been ten years. You left… disappeared… only to return and buy me like you own me?” I tried to keep my voice steady, but I was shaking.  

“Yes, doll. I own you now. And you’re going to pay for what you did. I won’t go easy on you.”  

I scoffed, my chest tightening. “What are you talking about?” I was confused, but Vito just played with the ring on his finger, his sharp eyes studying me like I was some puzzle he was trying to figure out.  

“I know who you are, who you work for. So drop the act,” he said, walking over to a bar. He grabbed a bottle, poured a drink into a glass filled with ice, swirled it slowly, then took a sip. He sat down, took another sip, and then pulled out something white. A cigarette? No, it was something stronger. He lit it, inhaled deeply, and exhaled the smoke into the air like a professional. The strong, bitter scent hit my nose, making me recoil.

He didn’t speak. Just sat there, drinking and smoking, while I stood frozen.  

Vito had changed a lot. The last time I saw him was ten years ago. He had been innocent back then. What had happened to turn him into this monster?  

“Doll.” His voice snapped me out of my thoughts.  

I noticed he had been calling me that since I got here. I wanted to say something about it, but his next words shut me up.  

“You’ll pretend all you want, but wait for my revenge. I’m ready for it, doll.”  

I froze. His words sent a chill down my spine. This was definitely not the Vito I once knew.  

He stood and walked toward me.  

Instinctively, I stepped backward. The closer he got, the more I retreated, until my back hit the wall. He caged me in, his hands pressing against the wall on either side of my head.  

He smelled of alcohol, smoke, and expensive cologne.  

“Now listen, doll. These are my three rules,” he said, biting his lower lip in a way that looked sexily.  

“Number one: You will obey me without question, and your loyalty will be solely to me. You belong to me now. You won’t look at, touch, or even think about another man.” His dark eyes locked onto mine.  

“Number two: You will not leave my estate without my permission. You won’t communicate with anyone outside these walls. Your old life is gone. You will be available to me at all times, whenever I want you, wherever I want you.”  

I swallowed hard, my throat dry.  

“And number three, the last but not the least: You will show me respect at all times. You will not question my authority. Disrespect will be punished. You’ll do as I say when I say it. Your pleasure, your pain… everything about you is mine to decide.”  

I froze, I was scared.  

I cursed Cayden for putting me in this situation. I was exhausted. It was already night, and all I wanted was to sleep and wake up to find this was just a nightmare.  

But then, Vito’s hand wrapped around my neck… not tight enough to choke me, but enough to make me aware of his power. His face was so close, his lips hovering near mine. My breath hitched.  

And then he whispered, “Lastly, you’ll kiss me every night before going to bed.”