Savage Beginnings: A Dark Mafia Arranged Marriage Romance Read online

  “Arms up.”

  I follow his command and lift my arms up, even though everything inside of me screams not to do it. I don’t realize what he is doing until he wraps the fluffy towel around my body, tucking it in above my breasts.

  “There you go,” he says, talking to me like I’m a child. His eyes remain on mine and nowhere else. Obviously, he’s gotten his fill. I drop my arms and watch him reach for a third towel. “Turn around.”

  Confused yet again, I turn around, my whole body stiff with fear.

  What is he going to do now?

  I relax slightly when I realize he just wants to dry my hair. His actions don’t add up. None of this makes sense. Why is he treating me like this? One minute he is threatening me, grabbing me by the throat, the next he dries my hair? What kind of sick game is he playing?

  I don’t want to find out. All I want to do is get out of this unscathed.

  6

  Julian

  After watching her shower and staring at her perfect body covered in soap, it was hard for me to walk away and leave her in that room without fucking her—the heavy swell of her breasts, her smooth belly, and shapely thighs. I didn’t get the best look at her pussy, but that was okay. Soon enough, I wouldn’t just be getting a look at it, I would be fucking it.

  I playback in my mind the way she trembled and reacted to me as I dried her off. She wasn’t sure if I was going to hurt her or nurture her, and that was right where I wanted her, straddling the line of fear, anticipating my next move at all times. I want her to crave my touch and want me, but I also need her to obey me, and the best way for that is fear.

  I would never actually harm her physically, but she doesn’t know that. Some well-placed threats should be enough to keep her in line, and if not, I have an arsenal of punishments that will teach her without actually harming her.

  If she behaves, I will reward her. If she disobeys, I will discipline her. Easy as that.

  I thought long and hard on how I would punish her if she decided not to obey me. A spanking? Maybe she would enjoy that too much. I probably should think about something more creative.

  Locking her in the room is a good start. Isolation will have her craving my companionship, make her want me even though she doesn’t. Silence and loneliness do strange things to the human mind.

  Markus walks into my office without so much as a knock, stopping once he reaches my desk. “What the hell happened to your face?”

  I smirk, remembering the scratches Elena left on my skin. “Played with a kitten last night. That tiny thing has some claws.”

  Seemingly uninterested in my answer, he changes the subject to Elena’s father. “The spy you have at the Romero mansion reported that the girl’s father plans to come for his daughter.”

  Smiling, I lean back in my chair. “Of course, he does. I didn’t expect it to be that easy. What’s he got planned?” I could easily send some of my best men over to have them end him, but what would be the fun in that?

  I want him to watch me ruin his daughter. I want my revenge, and he isn’t going to fucking ruin that for me by forcing me to put a bullet between his eyes.

  “He didn’t have anything else to say but that. I told him to keep his ear to the ground and report back as soon as he heard something.”

  “Great. I have a meeting at the strip club. Going to collect a debt. Call me if she gives you any trouble.”

  Markus nods, his face is emotionless as always. He’s one of my best men, and I know if I can trust anyone not to hurt her, it’s him. He knows the only one who gets to mark her skin is me, unlike Roger, who paid the price. I used him as an example for my men.

  Dismissing Markus, I stand and smooth a hand down my three-piece suit. I’m feeling like a million bucks and not just because I stole something precious, something priceless. As I leave my office, I consider walking down the hall to check on Elena. I want to see her trembling, waiting to see what happens next, but more than that, I want her to crave me. Crave my body, my attention. I want her to want me so badly it hurts when I’m not near, and that won’t happen if I’m popping in whenever.

  This is a lesson and one she must learn.

  When I reach the front door, the SUV is parked outside, I slip into the back seat and check my phone for the time, I could send any of my men to do this job. Hell, Lucca would love to spill some blood right now, but sometimes you have to take things into your own hands. Roberto’s a long-time associate and is behind on his dues, and if I’m being honest, I’m in the mood to break some bones. The little temptress locked in my mansion is trying my patience, and the tension in my body has to go somewhere.

  It’s Roberto’s lucky day.

  The devil is coming to his doorstep.

  When the SUV pulls up at Dimension’s, I get out and straighten as does my third in command, Lucca. He’s young but has proven himself time and again. His father was an associate of my father’s, on his deathbed, I promised I would watch out for Lucca, he wasn’t born into this life, but that didn’t matter to me. He’s earned his spot.

  The two bouncers at the door greet us with head nods, and I walk in without speaking a single word to either of them. I didn’t get the ruthless reputation that I have by shaking hands and smiling. There were a lot of lives lost, a lot of blood fucking shed for the Moretti family.

  If my father were alive, I’m sure he would be proud of the savage way I lead things. He was even more ruthless than I am.

  Elena’s naiveté and virginity wouldn’t have stood a chance against him. He would’ve taken her without mercy, killed her father right before her eyes. I had more mercy than that; after all, she was an innocent caught in the middle of a war she knew nothing about.

  My father always wanted me to take over after his death, but I wasn’t sure it was my path, not until after my mother’s death. Then everything changed.

  Inside, the smell of smoke and sweat permeates the air, clinging to my lungs with each breath I take. The place doesn’t open for a couple more hours, so I don’t have to worry about any patrons seeing something they shouldn’t. Naked women scurry out of my way as we walk through the dimly lit bar and stage area. Roberto’s office is just down the hall, so that’s where I’m headed.

  Reaching the door, I pause for half a second before I twist the knob and shove it hard, sending it flying open. What can I say, I like to make an entrance!

  Roberto’s beady eyes widen with shock as he scurries from behind his desk, the shock giving way to fear as recognition takes hold. It’s not often that I show up personally to collect a due, but today is his lucky day.

  “Julian… I… I have your money, sir.”

  Stepping into the room, I stare down at him. Roberto is a tiny man with a balding head, protruding belly, and seriously bad hygiene. Pigs smell better than he does. His clothes are tattered, his dress shirt barely covering his stomach.

  “I would hope so, plus interest.”

  “Yes… plus interest.” Roberto’s voice quivers, his eyes darting away, not in fear but something else. Something is going on here, the tightening in my gut tells me so. I reach for my gun at the same time he moves behind his desk.

  A drawer squeaks open, and he looks down almost remorsefully at its content.

  The organ in my chest thumps loudly.

  What is this fucker trying to do? Does he want to die?

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Moretti,” he whispers.

  Adrenaline pumps through my veins. My gun is drawn, my finger on the trigger, the moment he pulls out a handgun and points it at me. I pull the trigger without thought or mercy, watching as the bullet leaves the chamber and enters his chest, the impact of the bullet causing him to stagger back and collapse against the wall. The gun he pulled falls to the floor with a clatter, and I walk over to him, kicking it away. Sliding down the wall, he slumps to the floor. He’s making little gasping noises, his eyes frantic and fearful. He’s not dead yet, but he will be soon.

  “All you had to do was pay me,”
I tell him disappointedly while pressing the muzzle of my gun to his head.

  “I…” The words try to pass his lips, but excuses aren’t going to save him. When money is owed, you pay with cash or with your life. You want to operate a business in my territory, you pay your dues. Pulling the trigger, I watch the life bleed from his eyes as his brain explodes against the wall.

  Silence blankets the room, and the all too common euphoric pleasure of killing coats my insides like a warm balm.

  “Lucca, let the staff know that they now answer to me.”

  “Yes, sir,” he replies, and I can hear his footfalls disappearing down the hall. Leaning against the desk, I look down at Roberto. All he had to do was pay his fucking dues. Shaking my head at the stupidity, I tuck my gun back into its holster and pull out my phone to see if there are any messages from Markus letting me know how my little captive is doing.

  I almost frown when I find there isn’t.

  Deciding to check up on her myself, I log into the app for my surveillance system. As I was putting my plan into motion, I had cameras installed in the bedroom, so I could watch her at any given time. A grainy image pops up on the screen, and I smile, seeing my beautiful soon to be bride perched on the edge of the bed. She’s wearing nothing but the towel I secured around her before I left, looking as if she’s in shock. I wonder what she is thinking. Perhaps she is thinking of how much she hates me?

  Looks as though Elena is behaving herself. I exit the app, and to think I was looking forward to punishing her, seeing her beautiful creamy white ass cheeks a soft shade of pink. Would she cry and beg me to stop, or would she moan and beg me for more?

  My cock hardens to steel in my slacks just thinking about it. Pleasure and pain go hand in hand in my mind. Shoving my phone back into my pocket, I walk out of the room and into the hall.

  “Any troubles?” I ask once we’re in the car. Killing was supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn’t have the same effect as it usually does, not now that Elena has taken the spot front and center in my mind.

  “No, sir, the bartender is going to run the place until we get someone else to take Roberto’s place. I already called the clean-up crew, and they’ll be here shortly.” I nod. I wasn’t worried about anyone saying anything. If they did, I’d send one of my men to get rid of them. Everyone who works here knows the score.

  “Take us to the next business,” I tell my driver.

  The engine roars to life, and we pull away from the curb. As badly as I want to return to the mansion and frighten my little bride, it’s important to leave her to herself. The human mind can be your biggest enemy, and I want to make her weak, make her need me. That will be the best revenge against her father, a man who should already be dead.

  7

  Elena

  It takes me a while to mentally recover from the shower I took with him stood watching me. It was intense, to say the least. Julian is like a ticking time bomb. I don’t know what to expect from him. Is he going to show me compassion? Or is he going to hurt me? All I know is that I can’t trust anything he does or says, and yet every aspect of my life now forces me to rely on his guidance.

  My thoughts twist and turn, the silence within the room is all-encompassing. I feel on edge like he’s going to burst through the door any moment now, finishing what he started this morning.

  That thought makes me realize that I’m still naked. The only thing covering me is the towel wrapped around my body. I need to find something to wear.

  He didn’t seem to care that I wore his shirt last night, which has me going back into the closet a little less fearful today. I look through the shirts, running my fingers over the fabric.

  At the end of the rack, I discover another completely full rack, but with women’s clothes on it.

  Baffled, I look through the clothes that range from formal dresses to workout attire. There is an article of clothing for every occasion here.

  I pause, unsure what to think. There isn’t any way that he bought all this stuff for me, is there? Maybe another woman lived here before me, and this is her clothing? Maybe he bought it for her, and now he’s handing it down to me. Grabbing a dress from the rack, I look at the size and almost drop it—size four. There are a lot of women who wear a size four, but what are the chances that his previous girlfriend is the same size as me?

  He bought all of this… for you.

  It takes me a moment to get myself together. I’m shocked. After a moment, I look through the clothes once more, trying to find the least attractive outfit. Something that will hide my hips and chest. Plucking a T-shirt off a hanger, and a pair of loose-fitting yoga pants, I hope that I’ve chosen the least sexy combination available. I don’t want to draw his attention, I want to lose it entirely.

  Going through a couple of drawers, I find bras and panties that are in my size and all matching. My fingers trail over the lacy items. There are red, pink, blue, and black. I go with the white bra and panties because they’re the most boring out of the bunch. Not that Julian is going to see me in them.

  Not if I have anything to say about it.

  Dropping the towel, I get dressed in a flurry, hating how creepily well the clothing fits me. Tugging on the shirt, it’s not really form-fitting, but it’s not baggy like I would’ve liked it to be. Whatever it’s better than a dress.

  Fully dressed, I feel a little less exposed, and I walk out of the closet peeking around the corner, wondering if he’s going to pop out of nowhere. Slowly, I walk to the bed and sit on the edge of it, wishing I was at home with my father, or really anywhere but here.

  Now that the initial shock of last night has passed, and I’ve had time to gather my thoughts, I remember where I’d heard the name Julian Moretti before. My father always tried to keep me sheltered, but he couldn’t keep everything from me. I’d overheard him talk about Julian, how he was taking over his family business, using methods that others didn’t approve of. I didn’t even want to know what those methods were.

  Time moves slowly when you’re confined, what could only be a matter of an hour feels like twenty or more. The sound of footsteps outside the door has me lurching off the bed. Clenching my hands into fists, I force my gaze toward the door, watching as the brass knob twists slowly, and a woman in a maid’s outfit walks in.

  The air in my lungs stills, and I let out a huge breath when she brings in a tray of food and sets it down on the edge of the table. I don’t even think as I rush toward her, grabbing onto her arm, hoping there is a piece of her that isn’t corrupted.

  “Please, help me. I’m trapped here, and he’s going to hurt me.”

  The maid doesn’t even look up or acknowledge that I’m here. Tugging her arm from my grasp, she moves back toward the door, and my hopes once again come crashing back down. I consider rushing her and pushing out of the room, but I don’t want to face Julian’s wrath. I don’t doubt for a second that he would punish me, so I decide against doing that and watch helplessly as she walks out of the room, the door closing, and the lock clicking back into place.

  Tears come, but I blink them away as I go to sit back on the edge of the bed.

  This is all my life has amounted to.

  I’ve been shifted from one golden cage to the next.

  A bird that will never sing, never fly freely…

  I’m back on the floor by the window, my knees drawn to my chest.

  My eyes are glued to the door most of the time while I wait for him to return. He left hours ago, leaving me alone with nothing but my thoughts.

  Being alone isn’t abnormal to me, but I usually have my books or something to do. I could at least roam through my father’s house, take a walk outside, or talk to the maids.

  Here there is nothing for me, and the loneliness and fear of it all settles deep into my bones. Will it always be this way? Will I always be locked in this room as nothing more than a doll for him to use when he sees fit? I look back to the window, the sun is slowly setting, and I want so badly to go outside
. To feel the grass beneath my feet, to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin.

  Tears spring from my eyes, and I wipe them away with the back of my hand before they can trail down my cheeks.

  Julian says he won’t hurt me as long as I obey, but I’m not stupid. He’ll hurt me no matter what, otherwise what was the point in taking me.

  The longer I sit here, the more I think, which leads me to thinking about how easily my father sold me to him. My stomach churns as I remember the look on his face. I think it will forever haunt me. I squeeze my eyes shut as if that would help me forget. As if my life isn’t a constant reminder of the nightmare that is now my reality.

  I perk up when I hear footsteps approaching in the hall. A moment later, the lock clicks, and I sit up a little straighter.

  The door swings open, and Julian’s large frame comes into view. He’s huge, taking up most of the doorway. His stormy blue eyes find mine as he steps into the room and closes the door behind him.

  “Elena, I hope you had a wonderful day.” He smirks, knowing full well I haven’t done a damn thing today. When I don’t respond, he tilts his head to the side as if he’s examining me. “Why are you on the floor again?”

  Breaking eye contact, I glance over to the bed. “It’s the only place I can look outside. Also, I don’t want to sleep in the bed with you.”

  “Well, you better get used to it.” Watching cautiously, he starts undoing his tie, loosening it up before unbuttoning the top two buttons of his dress shirt. “Tomorrow night, when I return to the room, you will be in this bed waiting for me. If not, I will tie you to the bed every day before I leave to ensure you’re waiting for me when I return.”

  I suck in a shaky breath, almost saying something like: you can’t be serious. Then, I remember who I’m talking to, a crazed monster. He is dead serious, I have no doubt.

  “Now be a good girl and get up,” he orders while pulling his tie over his head and throwing it onto the chaise lounge.