3. Where Do You Think You're Going?

DAPHNE

♡

“What is this?” I hurled the paper at his face.

After regaining myself from the stunned trance I had been in, I slipped into the nightgown that had been laid out for me on my mattress and stormed into his room. He was seated at the far left end, smoke curling from the cigarette dangling between his lips, his gaze fixed out the window like a man without a care in the world. When his eyes shifted to me, brows arching, I wanted to claw that smug look off.

“Did you miss me, Caro Mio?”

“I asked you a fucking question!” I snapped, snatching the paper back off the floor and shoving it into his face. “What is this?!”

He caught my wrist instead, yanking me forward and down onto his lap. My ass collided with his crotch, heat searing through the flimsy fabric of my nightdress. His rough fingers skimmed across my back before settling heavy and possessive at my waist. I twisted to get free, but his grip only tightened, making my skin prickle with a shameful awareness I wanted to scrub away.

“It’s a marriage contract, Caro Mio.” His voice was low, certain, his gaze crawling across my skin like fire I refused to acknowledge.

“I can read,” I bit out, pushing up off him, but he pulled me down harder, his hold iron. “How did you get my father’s signature? Did you kidnap him and force him to sign it? When was this signed? Why do you want to—”

“Shhh.” His finger grazed my lips, silencing me. My stomach flipped at the unwelcome touch, a spark that burned even as disgust curled in my chest. “Your father agreed. I didn’t kidnap him, nor did I force him.”

“That’s a lie!” The words ripped from me even though part of me knew the truth. I refused to believe it. My father would never hand me over to a monster like him. Never. “My father would never sign me away to a disgusting man like you!”

He should have been angry. He should have broken me in half for daring to spit venom at him. But instead, he smiled—slow, amused, crazy.

“I’m disgusting?” His teeth flashed white, far too perfect for a man who lived with smoke on his tongue.

“Yes. You’re evil. Disgusting. You’re—”

“If I’m disgusting,” he cut in smoothly, his eyes gleaming, “then why are you still sitting on my lap?”

Realisation hit me like a ton of bricks, i jumped off his lap and stood, wiping out the invisible wrinkles on my dress. “ That is not the point!” I seethed my cheeks flushed from embarrassment. “ I asked a question, and I demand answers now!”

He adjusted on his seat, his gaze fixed outside the open window as the wind blew his hair. “ It was ten years ago, your father came to me with an offer. He wanted protection over his daughter. I didn't know why but he did and I agree on the condition that when his daughter came off age I would marry her and now here we are.”

Father wanted to protect me?

From what?

“ But still…” I whispered, my eyes glistening. My grip tightening around the paper. “ You didn't have to kill Rico.”

He stood and closed the distance between us with three long strides, his hand lifted as he slowly reached for my eyes and rubbed it, wiping away the tears which dared to fall. His touch was surprisingly gentle, almost like Rico's but he could never be Rico…No one could replace Rico…

“ I never want to see your tears Caro Mio.” I looked up and I saw his eyes… those deep blue pools swirling with darkness and something else I couldn't decipher.

Someone cleared his throat and I blinked, creating some distance between us. “ Look at them, such a cute couple.” A man who looked like Alex said as he stepped into the room, his hand shoved into his pockets. He excluded a kind of chill aura, unlike Alex who seemed to want to murder everyone in the room well, except me but still.

“ We are not a couple.” I shot Alex a glare. “ And never in your damn life, touch me again.”

I was about to walk away but the I remembered something. The contract.

“ Oh and this…” I waved the contract in front of him. “ means nothing.” I ripped the piece of paper to shreds, throwing it's pieces at him as I walked away.

I was never going to marry him.

Never, ever.

What I needed to do was get out of here, but how?

My eyes wondered through the vast expanse of land which covered the front half of the building, guards moving left and right holding guns, guns twice the size of my freaking head.

Knowing Alex he wasn't going to just leave me be after daring him twice and ripping a fake contract in front of him. He was definitely going to force me to marry him and I knew that if that happened, It would shatter my heart— Rico death was still fresh and I couldn't see myself with another man— not even his own killer.

I was going to leave here tonight. Even though I knew I would probably get caught but I wasn't going to sit back and watch this psycho marry me against my will.

~

Silence rang in the air, thick and deafening. The night was darker than it had been a few hours ago, stars shining brighter, mocking me with their freedom. I wasn’t here to admire the sky. I wanted out.

I pushed my window open. It creaked, and my heart leapt into my throat. I slapped a hand over my mouth to stifle a gasp. My gaze darted around, praying no one had heard. When nothing stirred, I let out a shaky breath.

The last thing I wanted to do was get caught.

Slowly, I climbed onto the balcony and tied my blanket to the railing, tossing it down. Drawing in a deep breath, I raised one foot and pressed it to the tiny space outside the railing. My grip on the iron bar was tight, my heart racing with fear and anticipation.

My fingers and legs curled around the rope as I slid down.

I tried hard not to think about how my life was hanging by a thread—or in this case, a knot. A knot I had tied myself, praying it would hold. If it didn’t, the ground would kill me before Alexander ever could.

When I was finally close enough, I jumped, my legs sinking into the moist grass.

Freedom.

I could practically taste it.

My legs carried me across the lawn as I moved soundlessly, careful not to alert the guards. Or worse—Alexander. I was almost at the gate when strong arms wrapped around my waist, yanking me still.

The air chilled. His intoxicating Tom Ford scent mixed with the damp grass, suffocating me.

No.

Alex.

His nose grazed my skin leaving a tingling sensation at its wake , his breath warm against my ear. His lips brushed it in a gentle but possessive kiss. “Where do you think you’re going, Caro Mio?”