Page 2 of Cruel Bet

He says this with utter conviction, his voice brokering no further argument from me. I know I will pay for my outburst. I wince at the memory of my father’s punishment when I last disobeyed him.

“I am sure she will. Like horses, women must be broken. I will take great pleasure in training the last of that spirit out of this little pony.”

With these words Don Lucchese circles behind me, surveying me like cattle at the market. I force myself to remainstill. The sharp sting of his cane whipping the back of my legs takes me by surprise and causes me to stumble and fall to my knees. Sharp tears sting at the corner of my eyes, but I quickly regain my composure and stand up again, eyes downcast. I will not give either of them the satisfaction of seeing me cry. Nor will I risk further retribution from my father by speaking up for myself.

“I see you’ve already trained her well, Don De Luca,” he announces approvingly.

He places his hand on the small of my back and faces Father. His touch repulses me and it takes all of my willpower not to swat his hand away. He languidly strokes his hand down to land on my ass, cupping it and giving it a mean, possessive squeeze.

I cannot believe my father is allowing this. That he’s letting a man lay his hands on me. Better men have died for less.

But Father’s gaze remains impassive. It’s clear that to him, the deal is done. I no longer belong to him. I’m now the property of this cruel, sadistic old man.

“Arianna, you can go. Bid your fiancé goodbye. The wedding is in a week,” Father declares, dismissing me.

“Goodbye, Don Lucchese.”

I choke the words out and force myself to hold his papery, wrinkled hand and kiss the ring on his finger. I resist the urge to gag from his stale, musty smell as he leans in to kiss me on both cheeks.

“I look forward to seeing you in white, my bride,” he says in a tone that somehow makes the innocent words sound depraved.

Matteo finally stands aside, opening the door for me. It takes every ounce of my strength not to bolt and run as I allow him to escort me back to my room. Once inside, he wordlessly closes the door and I hear the key turning, locking me inside. If my father thinks I’m going to remain his obedient little girl, he’s wrong. I don’t care what he does to me. What threats he makes against me. I will not marry that man, I’d rather die than live the life he has planned for me. There’s no one left I care about that he can hurt. I know now exactly how my sister must have felt. Why she chose to end her life after my father married her to a monster.

Just a few weeks after my failed escape attempt, Adelina’s arranged marriage was expedited. She was only eighteen at the time. I’d begged her to run away with me, but she was too afraid, too trusting to leave. She believed that the man Father wanted her to marry would be kind and loving. He was handsome, charming, and rich, she fell head over heels with the idea of him, or at least the idea of escaping from our father.

A few months after the wedding they had come to visit. I could see the fading yellow bruises, though she had tried to hide them under makeup. She was wearing a long-sleeved top and trousers with a scarf knotted around her neck, attire that was far too hot for the summer’s day. When I had finally managed to get her alone, I had ripped the scarf off, around her neck was an angry red band where he’d choked her. Her arms had been covered in handprint-shaped bruises and cigarette burns. The light inside her eyes had gone. She’d reassured me that things would get better, that she needed to be a better wife.

I had tried to argue that we could find a way out for us both. But all of my begging and pleading fell on deaf ears. A look of determination crossed her face. Her mind was made up. If I’dknown it was the last time I’d see her, I’d have fought harder. Just a week later Father called me to his office and told me the news. He was sat casually at his desk, reading a newspaper as he told me that my sister had taken her own life.

I have always wondered if what he told me was the truth. If Adelina truly did kill herself. Or whether Di Stefano killed her, and my father chose to remain his ally anyway.

It’s been almost seven years but just thinking of Adelina freshly opens the hole she left, and the dull ache of loss becomes a sharp pain once again. I have to escape. My life depends on it.

Chapter 2

Nikolai

“No,” Don Giovanni De Luca says, a triumphant gleam in his eye.

I clench my fist and the muscle in my jaw twitches. Who the fuck does this small-time Don think he is, refusing me? I could beat him to death right here in his own home if I wanted and there’s nothing he could do about it. He should be grateful I’ve come to him rather than just taking what I want. I’m far more powerful.

“With all due respect, Don De Luca, you’re not really in a position to refuse my offer,” I reply calmly.

“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, Mr. Kuzmin. As of this morning, I’m in an excellent position to refuse you.”

He leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers over his round stomach. I try to control my rage at his deliberate snub for not referring to me by the correct title. As the head of the Kuzmin empire, he should be referring to me as Pakhan. Hell, he should be on his fucking knees kissing my feet. The flagrant display of confidence has piqued my interest though. What could possibly make him feel this brave to defy me?

“And why,Mr.De Luca, would you think that? Do you think your small-time operation can go up against the might of the Kuzmins? I’d think very carefully about who you’re making an enemy of.” I growl.

“Because the De Luca family and the Lucchese family have combined, so I would say that my small-time operation, as you call it, is now in an exceptionally strong position to go up against you.”

He breaks into a smug grin that I want to smack off his pig face. But his words cause me to pause. With his existing alliance with the Di Stefano family, and now the Luccheses, he would be in a position to rival me. Could the Lucchese family really have allied with him? But, why? What could he possibly have that they want? The question must be written on my face as De Luca answers me without my asking it.

“This time next week, Don Lucchese is going to marry my daughter, uniting our families. So, I’d think very carefully about whoyouare making an enemy of, Kuzmin. I think we’re done here. My men can escort you out.”

The walking gorilla that’s been standing sentinel behind me opens the door and dares to place a hand on my shoulder as if to escort me out. He might be big, but so am I. Quick as a rattlesnake, I grasp his hand, squeezing it until I feel the bones break.

“Touch me again and I’ll chop it off,” I snarl. “I can see myself out,” I add, shooting a glance at De Luca before leaving.

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