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Chapter One
ARIA
I nod at my father as he continues to talk to me, but a little bit of my focus has left at this point. His office sits up against the back window on the 58th floor. I can see what a nice day it is outside, and the city will come to life within the hour as people leave these drab towers of isolation and venture out into the L.A. sunshine.
"It is any time now that we will start having legitimate bids for your hand in marriage, and your lineage means that you cannot be entirely in the dark. Especially now that there is such a call from Mariana for the women to have more control. I would love to see my precious daughter almost as powerful as my firstborn son." Baptiste Funar is my father, and he also happens to be the leader of the mob clan here in Los Angeles. A lot comes with being one of his children, including being married off to the highest bidder that suits who my father would think of as worthy. It is something I have accepted as I have grown up in this life. I am Switzerland when it comes to it. I don't condemn it because it's my job to respect these powerful men in my life, but I don't feel like I need to throw my full heart into it, not while I am still young and slightly free.
"I understand,Tata," I tell him with a respectful smile on my face. "I will be ready."
He nods back at me and quickly dismisses me as his phone begins to ring. I know the phone call is not something he wants me to hear, and I don't want to hear it either. I know just enough to get me by and not enough to tear my eyes and ears off because of the monster my father truly is when he isn't with me.
I pause as I get out of the building and enjoy the feel of the sun on my face before I take a right down the street lined with businesses, headed to the car is parked in the garage and waiting for me right along with my personal driver and bodyguard. It just comes with the territory.
One moment I am walking, almost to the garage, and the next there are hands on me, and I am dragged into the alley, harder to see by any passer-bys. Did I know that danger was a possibility in my life? Yes, I did. I have always known that there are people who want to hurt me or use me for the power my name holds, but with my father's office right behind me and my car not but yards away in the middle of the day is never how I imagined I would be taken.
I begin to fight as blackness covers my eyes, a black sac put over my head. I am being moved like I weigh nothing as I kick and scream and claw. I feel so weak to help myself here even though I have made sure to take every self-defense class I can to prepare for the day something like this could happen. Whoever has me is just too strong.
And then I hear a laugh, followed by the sharp prick of a needle.
Now, I know nothing at all.
