And I thought about Dante’s offer.His demand.The cage I was in versus the one he was offering.At least with Dante, I’d chosen it.At least with Dante, there was an endpoint.Five years instead of forever.
At least with Dante, something in my body was responding with heat instead of revulsion.
I picked up my scotch.Drained half of it in one long swallow.Set it down harder than I meant to.Lifted my chin and met his eyes.
“Define completely,” I said.
His smile was slow and absolutely predatory.“Everything, Caterina.Your body.Your pleasure.Your obedience behind closed doors.You don’t refuse me.You don’t negotiate in the moment.When we’re in private, what I say goes.”
“And publicly?”
“Publicly, you have exactly what you asked for.Separate residences when we’re not required to be together.Freedom to live your life.I won’t control your friendships, your activities, your choices -- except when it comes to other men in your bed.That ends now.You want this deal, you accept that you’re mine in every way that matters.”
The possessiveness in his voice should have made me run.Instead, I found myself leaning forward.“How do I know you won’t hurt me?”
“You don’t.”He didn’t soften it, didn’t offer false comfort.“But you know Marco will.And you know your father will marry you off to someone, whether it’s Marco or the next ambitious bastard who makes him a good offer.At least with me, you know what you’re getting.At least with me, you have some control over when this ends.”
He was right.I hated that he was right, but he was.This was the best offer I was going to get.Maybe the only one.
“I need time to think --”
“No.”He cut me off.“You decide now.Here.You walk out of this bar either as my future wife or as Marco Vitale’s problem.Those are your options.”
My heart was racing so fast I felt lightheaded.This was insane.Completely insane.I was about to agree to terms that gave a man I barely knew complete control over my body in exchange for -- what?Protection?Freedom?The illusion of choice?
But it was more than I had with Marco.More than I had with Papa controlling every aspect of my life.
I looked at Dante De Luca, at the hardness in his eyes, the scars on his knuckles, the predatory patience in every line of his body.This was a man who’d built his reputation on violence.Who’d earned his place through blood and brutality.
This was a man who’d just told me I’d belong to him completely.
And I was about to say yes.
“Fine.”The word came out steadier than I felt.“I accept your terms.”
Something flashed in his eyes.Triumph.Hunger.Satisfaction.All of it and more.
“Then we have a deal, Caterina.”He lifted his bourbon in a mock toast.“Welcome to the De Luca family.”
I lifted my scotch with a hand that was absolutely not shaking.“Try not to make me regret this.”
His smile was all teeth and darkness.“I make no promises.”
We drank.Sealed the deal.And I tried very hard not to think about what I’d just agreed to or the way my body had responded when he’d said “mine.”
I’d escaped one cage.Time would tell if I’d just walked into another.
Chapter Four
Caterina
The walk to Papa’s study felt longer than it actually was.My heels tapped out a rhythm that matched my pulse -- too fast, too loud, betraying the nerves I couldn’t afford to show.I’d spent the last twenty-four hours preparing for this conversation, rehearsing my arguments, anticipating his objections.None of that preparation made the actual approach any easier.The heavy oak door loomed ahead like an execution chamber entrance, which wasn’t that far from the truth.Papa didn’t forgive defiance.He crushed it.
I stopped outside the door and forced myself to take three slow breaths.My hands wanted to shake.I curled them into fists, nails biting into palms hard enough to ground me.This was happening.I’d made the deal with Dante.Now I had to sell it to the one man who’d never let me make my own choices.
The irony wasn’t lost on me.
I knocked.Two sharp raps that sounded more confident than I felt.
