Mine | ✔️

Chapter 40

Scarlett's P.O.V

Opening my eyes, I blink them a few times to help them adjust to the light.

Please tell me that was all a bad dream.

"You're awake," Federico said as he was cleaning his gun.

Fuck. It is real. This is really happening.

"What are you doing? Why are you doing this?" I asked as I tried to get up.

"You'll only hurt yourself more if you pull against those restraints," he said as he put his gun down, looking at me intently.

"Answer my question!" I snapped, refusing to let the tears spill.

"You're a distraction to Alex. It's as simple as that," he said nonchalantly.

"What are you talking about? You can't possibly tell me you're on this psychopath's side!" I replied as I pulled against the restraints once more that held me to an old, uncomfortable bed. Both of my wrists were in excruciating pain and I knew my circulation was being cut off with every passing second.

"I have known Alex since he was a child. I worked for his father and I saw what having a woman did to him," he said as he got up out of his chair. "You came into Alex's life and blinded him. It was no longer about being the strongest and most powerful mafia in the world, rather it was about you. He was letting the business go and needed a reality check. I am providing that to him but subtracting you from the equation. He's better off when he doesn't have some pathetic girl to worry about," he added as he sat down on the bed and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Don't touch me!" I snapped. "Alex will never forgive you for this. He'll find out what you've done and he'll kill you," I added as I pulled away from him.

"Alex will come to see that I am doing this for the betterment of his business and to save the empire his father built. In time, he will come to agree with me," Federico replied. "Besides, you are more useful elsewhere," he added as he placed his right hand on my thigh, slowly moving it upward.

"You're disgusting," I replied as I tried to pull my legs away.

With a chuckle, he retracts his hand and gets up. "I'll go let Cade know you're awake," he said as he walked out the door, locking it behind him.

What did I do to deserve this?

"My love! You're awake. We have much talking to do," Cade said as he walked through the door, closing it behind him.

Can't believe I dated this asshole either. What was I thinking?

"What do you want?" I asked as I glared at him.

"Baby, why so hostile?" he asked as he sat down next to me on the bed. "Did you sleep well?" he asked as his eyes raked over my body.

"I'd sleep better if I wasn't stuck here with you," I snapped, turning my head so I didn't have to look at him.

"Scarlett, I am a man of very little patience. Do not push me to do something you will not like," he warned.

"You already are! What's stopping you?" I snapped back at him.

"You listen to me, and you listen carefully because I will only say this once. You will learn to respect me and my men. I don't care who you think you are or who you think will be coming for you. You belong to me and that is final!" he snapped as he grabbed my hair, pulling my head back so I could look him in his eyes.

"Alex will come for me," I replied.

"Alex has long forgotten about you," he replied. "Mention him again and you will not like the consequences," he snapped as he roughly let me go. Holding the tears back, I watch as he walks toward the window, peering outside for a moment, lost in thought.

"Now, if you are willing to have a conversation like decent human beings, I would very much appreciate it," he said calmly as he sat back down on the bed.

"What is decent about restraining me to a bed?" I asked as my voice threatened to break.

"Scarlett, this is the last time I will warn you. Stop talking back to me and giving me attitude," he warned.

"What are you, my father now?" I scoffed.

"No. But if you keep this up I will have no problem bringing your father and that little sister of yours here. Is that what you want? Because I'll bring her here and make sure that you hear her little screams day in and day out until you go insane," he said as he grabbed me by the throat, cutting off my air supply. "I'll make you watch as I carve my name into her skin over and over and over again as she begs for mercy. Until she begs for me to kill her. Is that what you want?" he asked. "Answer me!" he snapped.

"N-no," I weakly said as he let go of me. "Drink," he said as put a bottle of water to my lips. Shaking my head "no" I pull away, only for my head to be pulled back by my hair and my nose to be held shut. "Drink," he demanded as he poured the water down my throat, forcing me to swallow or else I'd drown.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" he asked as he closed the bottle and placed it on the nightstand beside the bed.

"What do you want from me?" I asked again as I regained my composure.

"To hurt Alex for taking you away from me," he replied.

"If you want to hurt Alex so bad, why don't you just kill me?" I asked, earning such a deep laugh from him you would think I told the world's funniest joke as he held his side. "What could possibly be so funny?" I asked.

"Scarlett. Baby. Why would I kill you?" he asked as he looked at me intently. "If there is one thing that hurts a man more than losing a woman, it is watching that same woman you love be happy with someone else," he added.

Sounds like he speaks from experience.

"I could never be happy with you," I replied with a glare.

"HillCrest Elementary. That is your sister's school, is it not?" he asked as he pulled out his phone. "And this is her, no?" he asked as he showed me a picture of my father picking her up from school.

"You wouldn't dare," I said as I felt the tears welling up in my eyes once more.

"Oh baby, I would, but I won't hurt them under one condition," he replied.

"What is it? What do you want?" I asked.

"Tomorrow evening, you and I will get married," he said.

"Are you insane?" I asked, cutting him off. "I'll never marry you!" I yelled as I pulled at my restrains, hoping they would snap so I could break free.

"And you will make it as believable as possible. We will be two young people in love and Alex will see that you have made your decision and chose the better man," he said, continuing as if I wasn't there. "You should get your rest. Tomorrow is a big day," he said as pulled a syringe out of his pocket and bringing it close to my neck.

"What is that? What are you giving me?" I asked as I tried to distance myself from him.

"Something to help you sleep better. I will see you tomorrow my love," he said as he walked towards the door.

"I'll never marry you! You hear me? Never!" I screamed, causing him to pause in the doorway.

"You will and you'll make it believable. Because if you don't, then the only wedding gift you will receive is your sister's head in a box," he replied as he left, slamming the door shut as I slipped into oblivion.