Chapter 2: A Dangerous Possession

Elena's pov

My breath hitched as Alessandro’s fingers trailed from my chin to my jaw, his grip firm yet controlled. The dark amusement in his eyes sent a fresh wave of dread through me. I had planned everything down to the last detail—slipping past the guards, vanishing into the city’s underbelly. And yet, here I was, caught in his grasp like a bird with clipped wings.

"Running, Elena?" His voice was a slow, deliberate drawl, his accent curling around each syllable. "After all I’ve done to make you comfortable?"

Comfortable.

What a cruel joke

I had been locked away in this gilded cage for months, suffocating under the weight of Alessandro De Luca’s control.

"You can’t keep me here," I forced out, keeping my voice steady despite the fear clawing at my throat. "You don’t own me."

Alessandro chuckled, the sound dark and knowing. "That’s where you’re wrong, bella. From the moment you said ‘I do,’ you became mine." He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. "And I don’t let go of what’s mine."

I clenched my fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms. I had to push down the panic, think clearly. There had to be another way out.

Alessandro released me, stepping back as he studied me with a look I couldn’t decipher. Then, without another word, he turned toward the grand staircase, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt as if I hadn’t just tried to escape him.

"I’ll overlook tonight’s little indiscretion," he said over his shoulder. "But next time, cara, there will be consequences."

My stomach twisted. Next time.

The guards who had captured me faded into the shadows, moving through the dim corridors like silent predators.

I hesitated before following Alessandro up the stairs, my mind racing. I couldn’t afford to be careless again. I needed another way out.

[ Five Years Earlier ]

The past replayed in my mind like a cruel reminder.

The first time I met Alessandro, I was too blinded by my father’s desperation to see the danger in his eyes. He had been composed, polite even, as he extended the proposal that would bind me to him in marriage.

"Your father owes me a debt," Alessandro had said. "One that can only be settled with you."

My father wouldn’t meet my eyes, shame written all over his face. "Elena, it’s the only way. You’ll be taken care of—”

"Taken care of?" My voice had shaken with fury. "You’re selling me off like a bargaining chip!"

Alessandro had only smiled. "Consider it an arrangement. A mutually beneficial one."

I had spent the months after our wedding trying to pretend I was anything but his prisoner. At first, I resisted—refusing to eat, refusing to speak unless necessary. But Alessandro was patient. He never raised his voice, never lashed out in anger. His punishments were far worse.

He controlled everything.

Where I went. Who I spoke to. What I wore.

The chains were invisible, but they were there all the same.

[ Present Day ]

Standing in the doorway of our bedroom, I watched as Alessandro shrugged off his jacket. He moved with the kind of ease that only a man utterly in control of his world possessed.

"You should get some rest," he said without looking at me.

My stomach churned. I wouldn’t let myself become complacent. Not again.

"Why me?" The question slipped from my lips before I could stop it.

Alessandro stilled. Slowly, he turned, his expression unreadable. "Why you?"

I crossed my arms, refusing to cower. "Out of all the ways you could’ve settled my father’s debt, why force me into this marriage?"

He studied me for a long moment before stepping closer. I held my ground, though every instinct screamed at me to move away.

"You intrigue me, Elena." His voice was soft, but there was an edge to it. "You fight, even when you have no power. I admire that."

Admiration. The word twisted something bitter inside me.

"I don’t want your admiration," I whispered.

His lips curved, but the smile held no warmth. "That’s unfortunate. Because whether you want it or not, you belong to me."

My nails dug into my palms. "I will find a way out."

His expression darkened, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Then I suggest you try harder, cara. Because if you fail again, I won’t be so forgiving."

My breath hitched.

This was a game to him. A challenge.

Fine.

If he wanted to play, I would play.

But this time, I would win.

[ Later That Night ]

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing. Alessandro thought I was defeated. That was his mistake.

My last escape attempt had been reckless, but now I understood how he operated. His men were well-trained, but even the best had weaknesses.

I just had to find them.

A faint sound reached my ears—a whisper of movement outside my door.

I tensed, forcing myself to keep my breathing steady. Footsteps. Then… nothing.

Minutes passed.

Then, a voice.

A whisper.

"Tomorrow. The east wing. Midnight."

My heart slammed against my ribs.

Someone was helping me.

I replayed the words in my head. The east wing. Midnight.

I didn’t know who had whispered them, but I had no choice.

This could be my only chance.

I closed my eyes, steadying myself.

This time, I wouldn’t fail.

The next night, I moved through the darkened corridors, my heart pounding.

I reached the east wing, every nerve in my body on high alert. The silence was deafening.

Then, a shadow emerged from the darkness.

I barely had time to react before a hand clamped over my mouth.

A voice, low and urgent, hissed in my ear.

"You’re making a mistake."