Page 9 of The Dominator

“Isn’t that the truth?” I asked, starting to tremble.

“Not exactly. Your father owes me a rather large debt, one I’m not sure he can ever actually repay.” He looked at me expectantly.

“Why am I here, then?”

“Let’s say you’ve been drafted.” He smirked.

Huh?

“My son Tommy needs to get married. He hasn’t found Miss Perfect yet. Your father owes me a great deal. I’ve agreed to consider writing off the debt if my son decides you’re Miss Perfect.”

I started to laugh. “Am I being punk’d?”

“Excuse me?” he asked and I knew, then, that he was serious.

“I don’t understand.” The room began to slowly turn. I was white-knuckled, gripping the arms of the chair I sat in.

“Simple, really. As of now you are property of the Ferrano family.”

If my chin wasn’t touching the floor right now, it must be awfully close. Had I been transported back to the dark ages? I didn’t know what to say. I was totally and utterly gob smacked.

“So, I’ve arranged for you to be transported to Tommy’s home. There, you two can get acquainted and go from there, see if this is an amicable arrangement for him.”

For him? For him?

“What?” I can’t fathom this. “No.”

Don’t I have to agree to this? I don’t agree to this. He raised his index finger and his eyes narrowed. He took on a much more menacing look. “Listen carefully. This meeting, the one between you and my son, if it doesn’t go well it won’t bode well for your father and it may not bode well for you, either. We have many options available for where you could go. I think you’d prefer ending up with my son over the alternatives. We’re a wealthy and powerful family so you could be in a much worse position, believe me. I’d advise you to cooperate. You’re in an enviable position, Athena. I’ll be seeing you soon. Tommy’s brother will drive you. Dario!”

Enviable? Was this man whacked in the head?

The door opened and Dario popped his head in.

“Take Athena to your brother. Athena, don’t be difficult. I wouldn’t advise it. It was nice to see you again. You’ve grown up to be a lovely girl. An almost dead ringer for your mother.”

He gave me a big smile. My blood ran cold.

My mother? This man knew my mother? See me again? When had he seen me before? This man was scary. The brother was scary. Their thugs or whatever they were --- really scary. Was I in the middle of the fricking dark ages or what? An arranged marriage to a mafia kingpin’s son to save my father’s life? This was nuts! If I was asleep, I wanted to wake up right now!

Dario led me back out to the SUV and two of the other guys got in, too. One had apparently opted out of this leg of the drive. They thought they needed muscle to get me from point A to point B, evidently. Were they afraid I’d try to run? I didn’t know what the heck I was dealing with here so no, I wasn’t about to run now before sussing things out. I didn’t want to end up dead. I didn’t want Dad to end up dead.

Did Dad really sell me out like this? I mean, he was a lousy father, for sure, but did he really sell me to the mafia in exchange for payment of his old gambling debts? Not a marker. Not temporarily. Sold, like chattel. Married off. No way. He was capable of a lot, but this? Surely not. This was North America and the 21st century. This kind of stuff didn’t happen.

I combed through my memory. The name Ferrano rang bells. Was he known in the city as a mafia guy? Where had I heard his name from?

What might’ve been about ten minutes later, the SUV was pulling up in front of another set of gates. The drive had been quiet, more sports, I figured out was soccer, on the radio and no talking other than a “Woo” and a “Yes!” in unison from angry driver, err Dario, and burly guy number two (number one had opted out) on what must’ve been a goa. It’d all been white noise to me due to my state of mind.

“Wait here,” Dario told me after getting past the gate and then he walked into the house alone. Me and the muscle sat in awkward silence.

My purse started ringing my ringtone for Ruby.

“Hand it over,” Burly two ordered gruffly, and I knew he meant business.

I took my cell phone out and handed it to him.

Dare was inside my doorway, “I come bearing gifts. I deliver your bride.”

He gave a gallant bow and then snickered. I’d just gotten home and had known they’d be along soon.

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