Claimed by the Mafia Boss

2. The Eye of the Storm

* ADELINE *

The blindfold slipped away, and light flooded in, harsh and blinding after the suffocating darkness I had just escaped. I squinted, trying to focus, only to find myself in a lavish bedroom that felt more like some sick twist of a movie set than a reality. The walls were adorned with deep crimson fabrics, plush drapes puddled on the floors, capturing shadows that turned the grand room into a den of opulence—and foreboding.

My heart thudded violently against my ribcage, a wild creature desperate to escape a cage it hadn't formed yet. I lurched upright, but there was no missing the man sitting across from me. My heart stopped beating as my mind tried to process the god-like man before me. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit that highlighted the amazing sculpture of his body, a crisp white shirt, and a black tie that seemed almost as sinister as the atmosphere surrounding him. His perfectly styled black hair gave him a touch of elegance, and the faint stubble a wild charm. But the most striking thing about him was the tattoo peeking out from his rolled-up sleeve—a serpent coiling around a rose.

"Welcome back to reality, princess." His voice was smooth yet edged, like silk wrapped around a dagger. Those sharp, piercing blue eyes assessed me, as if deciding my worth with each tick of the clock echoing in the room—the only sound disturbing the heavy silence.

"Who are you?" I demanded, the fire in my belly igniting despite the unease settling around me like a fog. I refused to cower, even though my hands trembled at my sides. "What do you want?"

"Vincenzo Vos," he said, his lips curling into a grin that didn't reach his eyes. "Mafia boss, as you may have guessed. And your fiancé, Robert Taylor? He's no longer a concern of yours."

My breath hitched. "What do you mean?" Panic crept in. "You killed him?"

"Not my doing," he replied with a casual shrug that simultaneously infuriated and terrified me. "He had a debt—one he couldn't pay. Now you're left to settle the score."

Every word felt like a blow to my gut. "Debt? What are you talking about?" The truth began to unravel around me, fabric thread by thread. "Robert can't be—he's… you're lying!" My voice wavered, but I wouldn't back down. My cheeks flushed with anger, a righteous indignation that felt like armor against the impending storm. "He's not a criminal!"

"Multiple murders, sweetheart," Vincenzo said, leaning forward, his gaze intense and unyielding. His presence was suffocating, an unspoken threat looming over me like a dark cloud ready to unleash a tempest. "He thought he could play the game without consequences, but here we are. And now, you're mine."

I clenched my fists, flames igniting again. "I'm not yours! I won't do anything you say!" I shot back, hating how my voice trembled but refusing to let fear have the final say. "You can't just take me like this. I'm not someone's token to trade."

"Ah, feistiness," he smirked, humor flashing in his eyes like forked lightning. He leveled his gaze at me, and I felt the weight of it like a stone lodged in my throat. "Adeline, whether you like it or not, you are now part of a very different game. And if you disobey me, there are consequences."

In a fluid motion, he revealed a gun, resting casually on the table, its black metal glinting in the warm light. My stomach dropped at the sight of it, the reality of my situation cascading over me like ice water.

The humor slipped from his lips, replaced by an icy, hard-edged seriousness. "You think about your next words carefully. I will have you by my side, and you will obey. Failure to comply does not end well for you."

I gaped at him, trapped in disbelief, a creature cornered. "You can't threaten me. You think this makes you powerful? You're nothing but a coward hiding behind violence."

He cut me off with a chuckle, but it held no warmth, just the echo of someone who'd seen beyond the mirror into darker realms. "Courage doesn't shield you from bullets, darling." His tone sharpened, and suddenly the room felt smaller, the walls closing in. "I'd suggest you temper that fire before it gets you burned."

Vincenzo stood, the gun still on the table, a menacing reminder as he leaned closer, his presence engulfing me, casting shadows over every corner of my mind. "Stay here, think about your options. When I return, you will have made a choice. You can either join me willingly or swiftly learn the consequences of disobedience."

Then he turned and strode toward the door, leaving me in a whirlwind of confusion and frantic thoughts.

Panic clawed at my chest, but behind it was a smoldering rage that refused to burn out. I might have been thrown into a storm, but I wasn't just standing there letting it wash over me. I wasn't some fragile porcelain doll for him to play with.

I was Adeline.

And if he thought he could control me, that I would sit quietly by while my life was dragged through the dirt, he clearly underestimated the fire I had within my soul.

The door clicked shut behind him, sealing me in a room decorated with luxury, yet echoing demands that felt like chains wrapping around my spirit. But his parting words weighed heavily, chains forged with fear—but maybe, just maybe, there was a way to slip free.

The game had changed, and I was no longer the pawn. I just had to figure out my next move.