Chapter 2.
The next two weeks felt like a dream for Natalia.
Her father was Safe. Alive, but barely so. He was under intense treatment, made even more expensive by the secrecy the doctors were sworn to.
To the rest of the world, Alessandro Russo was dead. His body blasted apart in the explosion, and Natalia preferred to keep it that way.
She sighed, her hands trembling as she stared at her pale reflection in her bathroom mirror.
Her towel was wrapped around her slim frame. She was rapidly losing weight.
Her brother took over the cartel the same day the Casino was bombed and so far, he had eliminated every member who even posed so much as a question to his rule.
Natalia was no exception. Everyone knew her father wished for her to take over, Alessandro was always open about how useless he thought his son was.
Marco in turn was doing everything to prove the opposite.
He took her phone. Locked her up in her room and began negotiations to sell her.
"Talia?"
A soft knock on her door broke her attention as she tightened her towel and walked out of the bathroom.
"I'm coming in," A soft sigh of relief passed her lips as the door opened and Matteo walked in carrying a box.
"What is that?" She frowned, following him to the bed as they heard the click of her bedroom lock.
Matteo dropped the box, turned to her, and sighed. "Your outfit for tonight,"
Her eyes widened in dread as she pieced everything together. "It's tonight, isn't it? He wants to sell me tonight,"
Matteo sighed, pulling at her wrist gently. "Don't make any trouble, just go along with whatever he needs. That's how I can keep you safe,"
Her stomach dropped. She wanted to say something more. Yell, scream, or cry about the anxiety she felt leaving the home her father created for her.
She kept silent instead, opting to pour herself a glass of water.
She felt Matteo's eyes on her as she downed the glass, his cheeks were tinged red and it almost made her chuckle.
With her uncombed hair and oversized towel he still found her attractive.
"How is he?" She dropped the glass slowly her stomach twisting with fear.
Matteo's face filled with concern as he tried to smile. "He's fine, as fine as can be. Stable now, they're treating him but—"
"But they need more money," She pursed her lips and nodded her head.
"Well yes but we'll deal with it,"
Natalia pinched the bridge of her nose, fear clouding her senses.
Along with her phone, Marco had seized all her cards and frozen all her accounts.
She had nothing.
Her father's treatment was running solely on Matteo selling whatever of her gold jewelry she could smuggle to him and she was almost out.
The Russo family had a general jewelry room and Marco had taken over.
All she had was what she wore to court on the day of the explosion and it wasn't much.
She was down to her signet ring and she couldn't sell that. The jeweler would recognize the sigil immediately besides it was the last thing her father had gifted her.
"Talia," Matteo's voice was full of worry. "It's almost time. Please dress up and—"
He choked as she loosened her towel, letting it drop to the floor.
Perhaps it was selfish, but seeing his eyes light up in desire, seeing the telltale tightening in his pants made Natalia feel powerful.
She walked to the bed, slowly uncovering the box as she let him get a full view of her behind.
She froze as she saw the sexy red lacy fabric inside. Her stomach clenched and she swallowed briefly breaking out of character as she pulled out the offending piece of clothing.
She was really on display.
"You can wear something else," Marco's barely concealed anger shocked her as his hand clamped around her wrist. "I'll tell him the dress ripped.
"No," She shook her head, she knew her brother well enough to know he could kill Matteo for that.
"But the dress—"
She raised her hands and interlocked them around his neck, letting the dress fall from her hands.
Matteo's argument died away as his eyes watched her hungrily.
"We should be grateful he's only selling me and not killing me," Her voice was light and she even smiled but she meant every word.
Matteo's blue eyes darkened in anger but she could see the understanding there.
"Now," Her voice trembled as she let her hand trail down and squeezed his arm softly. "Help me get this dress on before he demands I go completely nude,"
For the next few moments, they worked quietly. The room silent save for their heavy breathing. Natalia's pulse raced as his fingers deftly worked to put her into the red dress.
It was a tight lacy thing, hugging her curves and showing miles of skin save for tiny patches that covered her nipples.
"I hate this dress," Matteo swore hotly but his hands were still wrapped tightly around her waist, and his eyes were glued to her.
She would have found the whole thing comical if her situation were not grave.
She opened her mouth to reply but the sharp clicking of her door lock being opened had Matteo jolting away from her a second before the door pushed open and Marco Russo walked in.
A woody smoky scent followed his arrival, from the corner of her eyes, Natalia saw Matteo bow his head in respect.
She made no such move. Instead, squeezing her shaky hands into her sides as she stared at her brother.
New tailored suit. New hairstyle, his brown hair was slicked back completely. His face rested. A big gold signet ring on his finger.
The man didn't even pretend to grieve his supposedly late father.
"Brother," The word left her tongue feeling like paper.
He didn't reply, his eyes narrowing sharply as he noticed her lack of deference.
Her hands shook uncontrollably and she braced herself for the punishment to come as he stalked his tall imposing frame over to her.
"Brother," He repeated the word, placing a cold finger under her chin and jerking her head roughly to the side.
"You're no sister of mine,"
He dropped his finger and took a step back like she irritated him. "You seize to be a Russo today,"
"You wish,"
A blow hit her as fast as the words left her lips.
Natalia's head cracked to the side, pain blooming where her brother's signet ring tore her cheek.
She felt a trickle of blood but made no move to clean it.
She saw Matteo's eyes narrow in barely restrained anger, his hands fisting at his sides but she shook her head slowly. It was best not to anger her brother.
"You've been stripped of the name Russo," Marco wiped his bloody ring on his suit pants, his face calm like he hadn't just battered her face. "Tonight you're leaving, get ready Moretti will be here soon,"
The entire world seemed to seize for Natalia as her brain went silent for a second.
MORETTI?! As in Dante Moretti?!
She knew he was selling her but to a rival Mafia family?! Especially one she had defeated in court just two weeks ago.
"No," She shook her head in disbelief, tears burning her eyes for the first time. "You wouldn't,"
A grunt left her as the second blow came, bursting her upper lip and sending her sprawling across the floor.
The coppery taste of blood filled her mouth immediately, she raised herself slowly and spat it out, gasping for breath.
"Alessandro is gone," Her brother's cold voice filled her with dread. "Even if by some miracle, he's alive somewhere, he's no longer in charge. He's dead to the cartel and would remain so,"
The threat was vivid.
If her father came back, he wouldn't live long enough to take back his cartel.
Marco pushed his hands into his pockets, turned to leave her room then paused.
"Everything you have, everything you are, belongs to me now. Don't forget that,"
"Marco," Her voice shook in a plea. He could sell her to anyone else but Moretti?
"Be at the meeting room in 15 minutes," Marco spared her one last cold glance. "I will not ask again,"