Cruel Attraction

Gabriela 

“ You can kiss harder than that,” he whispered. The scent of smoke and bourbon fills the air, it was addicting yet, suffocating.  “ What’s wrong, Santoro? Do you not enjoy being owned?” His voice was laced with distaste.

My gaze found him. Rage fuels my heart to push him away.  “ No. Not with someone as beast as you,” I smirk and hit his chest, ready to pull away when suddenly, his hand grips my hair, pulling me closer to his body. 

“ Careful, Santoro. I might ruin you, right here, right now,” he darkly said directly beneath my ears as I felt his fingers painfully stroking the tips of my hair. My heart was beating too fast and I cannot move, not when my whole family was here, at this beast's mercy. 

The elite party lights, champagnes, and sexy music didn’t justify how disgraceful this place was. A pity party for the Mob families, announcing a dream of happily ever after which doesn’t exist in our dark world. Only the greedy attend this kind of party. Only those who bathe in power and cruelness attend this kind of party. 

As we continue to dance in the middle of all these hypocrites, I can feel stares from every woman in the room. Sure, everyone hates me for stealing the beast's freedom from being the hottest bachelor in town to a one-woman man. And yet, I don’t have any choice because he bought me. 

“ Counting how many women envy you right now, Santoro?” he whispered, tugging me closer to his body until my cheeks were close enough to lie down in his chiseled chest. 

I cursed. “ You better let go of me right now, Dela Vin,” I warned, but the asshole only pressed me harder into his chest, making me frustrated. 

This engagement party shouldn’t happen in the first place. I shouldn’t agree with this to happen, but my voice was shut down by my family, who knowingly sold me to the devil.

No matter how much I resist, this path allows them to have the power dancing in their hands, and that’s what matters the most. My happiness and consent regarding this important part of my life weren’t given on a silver platter. 

I was served cold and ready to be the sacrificial lamb for this beast in front of me. 

He darkly chuckles, stroking my hair. “ Can you see the barcode in your ring, Santoro?” 

I flicked my eyes and saw the barcode that he was talking about. “ You have no taste,” I whispered with disgust. “If you want this to work, you could have chosen an infinity symbol for our love to prosper,” I mockingly said, still eyeing the barcode at the center of the golden ring he gave as an engagement ring earlier. 

Dela Vin laughed. “That barcode means I bought you, Santoro. It’s not a symbol of love, it’s my symbol of ownership against you. Remember this: your own family sold you to me to save their ass off their debts. Now, dance and enjoy the night or I’ll change my mind.” 

“ Y-You can’t do that!” I quickly said, jogging him away and looking into his eyes with fear. No. He can’t change his mind because if he did… if he did…

He smirked. “I’m the boss, Santoro. No one will argue if I told them I changed my mind about marrying you,” he whispered, making me frozen in place.