Capture My Fiancé (A Dark Mafia Arranged Marriage Romance)

09

VALENTINO

I stayed awake for most of the drive, only unconscious for maybe thirty minutes or so. 

The trip from Emilia's place to this small, secluded cabin seemed endless, though I caught glimpses of my watch from time to time. But I kept quiet, letting her think she was in control. It amused me, really. She was clearly determined, stubborn even. I had to give her that. Still, I was curious—how far was she willing to go with this little plan of hers?

When she first invited me to go for a drive, I didn't hesitate. Sure, it was strange, considering how much she despised me—her supposed future husband—but I let it slide. I wanted to see what she was planning. I was just playing along, waiting to see how long she could keep up the act.

She hated me. That much was clear. But I could sense something deeper beneath the surface of her anger. Fear? Desperation? Whatever it was, it intrigued me.

When she dragged my body, thinking I was unconscious, I couldn't help but notice how much effort she was putting into it. Grunting and struggling to pull me along, she was fighting an uphill battle. Part of me felt tempted to laugh, but I kept my weight steady, silently helping her. If she wanted to play the role of captor, then I'd let her have her moment. 

After our little conversation, she stormed out of the cabin, probably to clear her head, leaving me tied up and alone. I wasn't in a hurry to escape. Not yet. 

Instead, I stayed put, already plotting my next move. The cable ties around my wrists were tight, but she'd made a rookie mistake—tying my hands in front of me rather than behind. A small oversight, but a crucial one.

I smirked. My future wife is bolder than I thought. There was a certain satisfaction in that realization. She wasn't as weak as I initially assumed. Maybe there was more to Emilia than just her temper and rebellious streak.

A low chuckle rumbled from deep within my chest, filling the empty cabin with its dark, menacing echo. She didn't have the slightest clue who she was dealing with. She thought she had the upper hand. But this was my game now. And the rules were about to change.

I looked around again, the cabin was filthy, barely fit for an animal, much less for someone like me. I glanced around at the dark, grimy walls, the stench of mildew clinging to the air. But the discomfort didn't bother me. 

The Brotherhood always taught me to be patient, to wait for the perfect moment to strike. Emilia? She was playing with fire. And it wouldn't be long before she realized just how hot things could get.

The world I come from thrives on control, power, and precision. It's not a place for rebels or dreamers, and definitely not for someone like Emilia, who naively believed she could manipulate her way to freedom. She thought this was about her controlling her life, about breaking free from her father's grip. But she hadn't yet realized that stepping into my world meant there was no turning back.

She's brave, I'll give her that. But bravery without strategy is just foolishness.

Growing up in the Morelli family, I learned one undeniable truth: desperation breeds unpredictability. She was desperate, alright. Desperate to escape the life she was born into, desperate to rebel. My father always told me that people like her, when pushed into a corner, reveal their true selves. And Emilia was just starting to show hers.

Soon enough, she'd learn why her father had chosen me. 

He didn't pick me because I was rich or powerful—those were just added perks. No, he picked me because I could offer Emilia something she didn't even know she needed: protection. In a world filled with wolves, her father knew I was the biggest one of all.