Mafia's forbidden Desires

e building, the sound echoing through the dimly lit hallway. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to turn around, to leave, but her feet kept moving forwa

tion herself off to the highest bidder just to pay for the surgeries that might save her life?

ia, w

roze. Turning slowly, she saw her best friend, Isabella,

Sophia's voice wavered slightly,

this alone. Are you sure about this? I mean... this is dangerous."

choice? My mother is dying, Izzy. I don't have time

ezing it tightly. "There has to

e firmer than she felt. "I've already made up m

and she looked away, her lips trembling.

with the fear she refused to show. "I'll be fin

n wasn't just a one-time event; it was a lifetime of consequences, a choice that could never b

er the two women. He was tall, impeccably dressed in a dark suit, his hair slicked back. H

s voice as flat and emot

he nodded. "I'll be fine," she whispered t

heavier, as if the weight of the decision she'd made was pressin

of them knew it. Sophia forced herself to breathe as she approached the man,

-crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, velvet drapes lined the walls, and in the center stood a small st

r with a soft click. "Once the auction begins, you cannot back out. The buyer will own you

ce sounded small, hollo

d to another door on the far side of the room. "You'll

stage, the sleek mahogany floor, and the velvet chair that sat in the center of it. It looked more like a throne than

go. It all felt too real now. The idea of auctioning herself had been just that-an idea, a desperate solution to an i

essed a hand to her chest, trying

o this. I

she made it out of the building, her problems wouldn't disappear. Her mother would still be sick, and

have a

f the chairs at the edge of the room, the door creaked open again. Her heart

wasn'

He stood tall and broad, dressed in a sleek black suit that looked tailor-made to his powerful frame. Dark hair swep

low, smooth rumble. There was an edge to his tone, something da

ophia said, her voice wavering a

ng her with an intensity that made her feel exposed. V

lied, hating how sma

slight smirk. "Do you even know what you're getting into? This isn't a

t back, her defiance surprising eve

l the air had been sucked out of it. She was trapped, caught in the gaze

opped, and the way he looked at her made her he

hoed, her breath ca

You leave with me, an

"What? Why? Why w

it didn't reach his eyes. "Let

e asked, her voic

is presence consuming. He leaned down slightly,

e DeL

ante DeLuca, the man who ruled the underworld with an iron fist, a man who was feared as much as he was res

mered, her mind racing.

low and dangerous. "You're better off with me

ension. It was the same man from before, and he paused when he

re respectful than it had been with S

is eyes never leaving

early unsure of what

him off, his voice s

re of what was happening. The man from the auction fi

d to her, his dark eyes locking o

it wasn't a questi

l Dante had on her. She had no idea what he wanted from her, but the alternative-being sold

ky breath,

his eyes gleaming with s

weight of her fear, Sophia's feet moved of their own ac

n hanging between them. But there was no time to explain, no time to turn back. The man wal

oseful, his hand hovering just behind her lower back, not touching but guiding. She

hered her inside, his hand finally settling on her waist as he guided her into the leather seats. T

eside her with a predatory ease. The door closed behind them, and the car bega

aight ahead, her mind spinning with questions, fears, and a

the silence. "Why

r, one brow lifting

You could have just let me go to

d across his lips. "Because,

dn't want to acknowledge spread through her chest. This man-this dangerous,