Traded to the mafia

his men. Bianca lay limp in his arms, her frail form a stark contrast to the domineering fi

ing her himself?" one

dded, shaking his head knowingly. Jesse wasn't known fo

im, silencing the murmurs outside. He carefully laid her down on the massive bed, his expression unreadable. As he looked at her, so

p eyes traced her face, catching the faint remnants of her smeared makeup.

his men, who entered the room trembling. The

nded, his voice a low grow

ed her off to the girls for

" Jesse ordered, h

th Valentina and Caria. Both women knelt immediately,

o Valentina. "Did you m

r to us this morning. We were told she was already

are deepen

he's scared of crowds. And... she wasn't comfortable with the dress.

Jesse's voice was

d handle it," Valentina admitted,

ir. I didn't realize until later that she didn't have dinn

t his hip. "You treated her like garbage. Handed her over

a clutched her knees tightly, sens

he cocked the weapon echoed through the room. Caria screamed, but before either

d space. Blood splattered across the floor

her mouth. Bianca stirred on the bed,

the grisly scene. Her gaze darted from Jesse, who stood

ed. "What... wh

into a hug. "It's okay," she whispere

t pounding. The cold, ruthless expression on

lancing at the terrified women. "Clean this up,

roup followed, carrying trays of food and soft linens. They placed the

hed Valentina. "I... I can't stay

calm her. "He won't. He... he cares a

ice tinged with disbelief. "Cares? He

fered it to her. "Eat. You need your stren

nervously around the room. As she chewed, Valentina glance

alentina whispered. "Just hold on.

ts were far from hopeful. For no

r new room, situated right next to Jesse's, was a picture of luxury, outfitted with an opulent bed, a walk-in closet filled with designer clothes, and

baths, and ensuring she had no reason to leave the room. Yet the silence gnawed at her, leavin

nt of the vanity, applying lotion to her skin, her thoughts spiraling. What did Jesse wan

and she spun around to find Jesse standing there. She froze, realiz

d unreadable. Unlike other men she'd encountered, he seemed una

rdered, his voice l

towel. "Excuse me?" she managed

room. His tone was cold, almost bored, but th

it another one of his twisted ways to exert control? "Wh

give an order, I expect it to be foll

the towel slip to the floor, standing before him vulnerable and exposed. Her cheeks burned with humiliation,

ent, she thought she saw something flicker in his expression-irr

te," he said sharply, his voice a razor's edge

ice barely above a whisper. "

Leave? Not until you've paid off every cent o

llars?" she repeated, her voice crackin

king a step closer. Bianca instinctively

s or..." His gaze lingered on her lips, her

n, and she clenched her fists. "This isn't

your brother knew what he was doing when he

resence was suffocating. He stepped closer again,

is eyes burned into hers, and she could feel the tension radiating fr

He trailed off, his gaze flicking to her lips for a brief second before he s

d just happened? She couldn't tell if Jesse's

nd him. Bianca collapsed onto the bed, her legs trembling. The po

do?" she whispered to herself. She felt like a pawn in a dangerous ga