Page 15 of The Enforcer's Possession
His hand moved so fast I barely registered it.He grabbed the crystal paperweight and for one heart-stopping moment I thought he was going to throw it at me.But he just gripped it, his knuckles going white, the crystal creaking under the pressure.
Then he set it down.Very carefully.Very deliberately.
When he looked at me again, his eyes were cold enough to freeze blood.
“You want to talk about sacrifice, Caterina?Let’s talk about sacrifice.Every decision I’ve made, every alliance I’ve formed, every deal I’ve struck -- it’s been for this family.For you.For your brother.To make sure you never have to worry about money or safety or whether you’ll wake up tomorrow.”His voice stayed low, controlled, but the rage underneath made it vibrate.“And how do you repay that sacrifice?By going behind my back.By undermining my authority.By making deals with families I haven’t approved.”
“The De Luca alliance is stronger --”
“The De Luca alliance is you trying to control your own fate!”He slammed his palm down again, and this time I did flinch.“You think I don’t see what this is?You’re scared of Marco so you ran to someone you think will be easier to manage.But you don’t get to make that choice, Caterina.You don’t get to decide who you marry or when or why.That’s not your role.Your role is to serve this family by doing exactly what I tell you to do.”
I gripped the arms of my chair, using the physical contact to keep myself grounded.“My role is to be sold off to the highest bidder?”
“Your role is to strengthen the family through an advantageous marriage.Which is exactly what you’ll do with Marco.”
“Dante De Luca is more advantageous.”
“Dante De Luca is a killer with delusions of legitimacy!”Papa’s control was slipping now.His volume rose slightly, passion breaking through the ice.“The De Lucas are feared because they’re violent.Because they’re unpredictable.Because they’ve built their empire on brutality rather than strategy.You think marrying into that family makes you safer?It makes you a target.It makes this entire family a target.”
“The Vitales are weak --”
“The Vitales are established!They have history, connections, legitimacy that the De Lucas will never have.Marco might be rough around the edges, but he comes from good stock.His family understands tradition, respects hierarchy.They won’t challenge my authority or try to absorb our territory the way the De Lucas would.”
I stood then.Couldn’t sit anymore while he loomed over me like a judge passing sentence.“You mean they won’t challenge your control over me.”
In normal circumstances, once I married, my papa wouldn’t be able to tell me what to do anymore.But I knew him better than anyone.The man was a control freak to his very marrow.No way he’d gladly hand me off to someone and still not expect me to obey his every word.
Papa’s expression went flat.Dangerous.“Sit.Down.”
“No.”The word came out stronger than I expected.“I’m not a child anymore, Papa.I’m twenty-one years old and I’m telling you that Dante De Luca is the better choice.For me.For this family.For our future.”
“The only thing you’re telling me is that you’ve forgotten your place.”He moved around the desk, closing the distance between us with steps that were deliberately slow.Deliberately intimidating.“You’ve forgotten that your loyalty is to this family.That your duty is to obey.That your only value is in the connections you bring through marriage.”
Each word landed like a blow.I felt them physically, felt the way they were designed to cut and diminish and remind me exactly how little power I actually had.
But I’d already made my choice.Already signed my deal with Dante.There was no going back now.
“My loyalty is to this family,” I said, meeting his eyes even though it took everything in me.“Which is why I’m bringing you the De Luca alliance.Take it or don’t.But I’m not marrying Marco Vitale.That’s non-negotiable.”
Papa’s hand came up and for one frozen moment I thought he was going to hit me.His palm hovered in the air between us, trembling with barely controlled rage.Antonio moved forward slightly, his expression finally showing something -- concern, maybe, or calculation.
Luca stood from his chair, his voice cutting through the tension.“Papa --”
“Get out.”Papa’s words were directed at me, his hand dropping back to his side.“Get out of my sight before I do something we’ll both regret.”
I didn’t move.“The De Luca alliance --”
“Is not happening.You’ll marry Marco as planned.That’s your only option.Now get the fuck out of my study.”
I held his gaze for three more heartbeats.Let him see that I wasn’t backing down.Wasn’t accepting his decree.
Then I turned and walked toward the door, my spine straight, my head high, even though my hands were shaking and my heart was hammering so hard I thought everyone in the room could hear it.
I’d expected the rejection.Had planned for it.
But hearing it still felt like being gutted.
My hand had just closed around the doorknob when Antonio’s voice cut through the silence behind me.
