Chapter 2

The look on Julius's face changed.

He stood up and raised his hand.

The moment the slap landed, my ear started ringing. The taste of blood filled my mouth.

Julius shook his stinging hand and gave a dismissive laugh. "I suggest you take a good look at your situation."

"I've got plenty of ways to make you listen."

His father stared at me coldly. "Don't touch the face. It's too valuable."

Julius smiled and nodded. "Good point."

Then he pulled something out. My violin case.

"No!" I struggled to sit up, to stop him. "Put it down!"

He opened the case and took out the 18th-century antique violin inside. It was the most important thing my mother had left me.

"A real beauty," Julius said, pulling out the bow. "What a shame."

"Julius, please—" my voice trembled. "That was my mother's—"

"I know," he smiled. "That's why this will be so effective."

Snap.

The bow broke in two in his hands.

"No—!" I screamed.

"Just be a good girl, Scarlett." Julius tossed the broken pieces in front of me. "Or the violin is next. Then your fingers."

He grabbed my right hand and pried my fingers apart. "These delicate fingers... they look so beautiful when you play. But if a few of them were broken—"

He pressed down hard on the knuckle of my index finger. "—you'd be a cripple for the rest of your life."

The pain was so sharp I couldn't breathe. The fear of never playing again was worse than death.

"I'll... I'll cooperate." I closed my eyes in defeat. "Let go of my hand."

Just hold on, I told myself. Dad's men will find me soon...

Julius let go, a satisfied smile on his face.

"That's better." He took out a small bag and tossed it at me. "Change into this."

I opened it. Inside was a black lace nightgown. It was practically see-through.

"Here?" I looked up at the three of them.

"Just do it," his father snapped. "The Don could be here any minute."

I looked at Julius, holding on to one last shred of hope that he’d remember the three years we'd shared and spare me this humiliation.

"Julius, I'm your fiancée..."

"Fiancée?" Julius laughed, then patted my cheek with contempt. "You really think I ever loved you?"

"If I hadn't realized you were a dead ringer for the Don's late wife, I never would've wasted so much time on you."

I couldn't believe it. Our entire relationship was a lie. And I was the fool who had fallen for it completely.

I bit my lip, my body trembling as I peeled off my coat, fighting back the shame.

Just then, there was a knock on the heavy iron door.

A guard's voice came from the other side. "Someone's here from the Don to inspect the merchandise."

A spark of hope ignited in me. The man inspecting the merchandise is one of my father's men. He'll recognize me. He has to.

I'd been sheltered my whole life and rarely appeared in public, but the core members of the Family would have seen my picture.

The iron door opened.

A bald man covered in tattoos walked in, flanked by two guards with rifles.

Julius eagerly pushed me in front of the man, selling me like a piece of meat. "This is my girlfriend. See? A dead ringer for her, right?"

"And I swear, she's untouched. Completely clean. The Don will be very satisfied."

"Look," he pleaded, "I'm even giving up my girl. So about that debt I owe you..."

The man's eyes were flat as they scanned me, showing nothing.

My hope vanished.

He didn't recognize me.

I remembered my father had been recruiting foreign muscle lately. They didn't follow the old family traditions. They only cared about money.

The bald man, Rocco, walked up to me and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up.

"Open your mouth," he ordered.

I shakily opened my mouth. He checked my teeth like he was inspecting livestock at a market.

"Not bad," he grunted, satisfied. "She really does look like the woman in the portrait in the Don's study."

He was talking about my mother.

I took a deep breath and whispered the code my father had taught me. "Sotto la rosa."

Under the rose—the secret password between members of the Family.