Chapter 2

Julienne

In the darkness of the room everything seemed to cave in.

I didn't know where I was anymore. Alone in this cold, dark cell, I closed my eyes, shuddering at the memory seemed to last forever

After being dragged away from my home, a sack was pulled over my head. Before I was led into what felt like a car.

Throughout I screamed and cried until my voice was hoarse.

The hours seemed to last for an eternity.

I didn't know when I fell asleep only to wake up here, in this dark cold cell- like room.

Where was I? How far was I from home? Was I even in the city? What were they going to do to me?

I had no idea of anything. Thanks to my mother, my entire life was upended. She had sold me off, and now, I was all alone.

My jaw clenched as I forced the tears back. I had cried long enough to know that there was no use in this situation. I had to remain strong.

Yet despite my attempts, sobs still gathered in my chest. How could I stay strong like this? I was scared.

This felt like a nightmare.

A loud jolt startled me up in shock before I recognized what it was. The door to my cell creaked open, right before a blinding light.

I'd barely adjusted to the light before I heard footsteps. Suddenly hands gripped me and dragged me out of the cell and towards the bright lights.

I blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden change.

As I looked around, I saw other people around me in chains, looking just as scared and helpless as I did. It took a few moments for it to click in as I looked down to feel cold metallic chains placed onto me.

“Sold!” My blood ran cold as I heard those words ring through the curtains as the realization slipped in.

This was an auction. A human auction.

And I was part of it.

Suddenly everything made sense and horror and nausea washed over me. I was going to be sold.

The cries of the people surrounding me only added to my horror. I couldn't feel any strength in my body.

“It's okay ,” I whispered to myself, despite everything telling me that it wasn't. Shutting my eyes tightly I mustered up every last bit of courage I possessed to try to not cry.

Slowly people were picked off one by one in an order that was drawing nearer to me. Eventually there was no other person present.

It was my turn.

I was dragged into the podium right as the Announcer spoke.

“Here we have the freshest of our batch. Brought in recently, this is Julienne Williams! Starting at a hundred thousand?”

Suddenly the room was in an uproar and my guy sank even lower as they began bidding on me.

Scanning the crowd, my eyes locked onto the faces of the men in the crowd, all of them old as they leered at me openly. My skin crawled at the thought of being sold to any of them.

Was this going to be my fate?

“4 million! Is that the final bid for tonight? Going-”

“50 million.”

A deep voice rang out, cutting off everything else it echoed through the room. I whipped my head to the direction of the voice, gaping.

At the far corner of the podium, a man stood, blending in with the shadows. His face was hidden with a mask, yet I could feel when our eyes met.

A shiver ran down my spine and for a moment, my mind went blank, the horror replaced with pure shock.

Who was he?

Blinking back to reality, I realized that wasn't the only thing strange. The atmosphere seemed to have shifted. The crowd was completely silent, all the rowdiness from before gone. Their faces were pale as they were drawn in that same direction. It was as if they were subdued or afraid.

What was going on?

“Sold!” The auctioneer's voice rang out before I heard the gavel sound before I was dragged out of the crowd.

I felt numb to everything around me as I felt the chains being unlocked, my mind raced with questions. Who was he? Who was crazy enough to bid such an amount?

Suddenly I was pushed to move and I looked up to find a burly man staring at me as he led me out of the podium.

“Don't look so relieved, darling," he sneered, “You don't know what kind of mess you've gotten yourself into, do you?”

What?

I gasped as his sneer transformed into a smirk,

“You've just been purchased by the infamous Don Demonio, the ruthless Mafia Don. He controls this entire city.”

My bones chilled at that name. I had no idea of who it was, but I knew enough Italian to know what that nickname meant.

Demon.

“God knows why he bought you. He's never participated in these auctions before.” He said, before snickering at me,

“This must either be your lucky day, or the worst day of your life.”

My heart sank and fear gripped me.

I was doomed.

I'd only heard of the Mafia in movies. They were dangerous and ruthless. And now I was being sold to one.

Why did he choose me? What was he going to do to me?

The chill of the night air and the sight of the outside couldn't stop my dread as I was brought out of the building.

My heart raced with anticipation and dread the closer we got to the car where the masked man alongside other men stood.

The terror was near suffocating the closer I got to my new ‘owner’. When I was finally there, my gaze remained on the ground, refusing to look at him.

“She's all yours Mr Medici.” The man called out right before I was released and my breath hitched.

Medici?

I knew I shouldn't, but my curiosity got the better of me. As I lifted my gaze, my world froze.

“You…” I trailed off in a mixture of shock and recognition.

Because I knew who he was.

I’d never met him in my life, but I recognized him from the pictures my stepfather kept. Pictures that he showed me with fondness and sadness.

It was none other than Daemon Medici, my stepfather's estranged son. My step brother.

Daemon's eyes locked onto mine, and a smirk spread across his face.

“If it isn't my lovely stepsister.”