CHAPTER FIVE. 

  “There’s no such thing as good money or bad money. There’s just money.” —Lucky Luciano. 

                    CHERRY. 

I smirk when he glares at me from across the table, we are having dinner and I have flirted with his friend until he invited me to join them. 

Begged me actually. 

I know it annoys him but I was too busy to care, I threw a piece of grape into my mouth ignoring the pissed look on his face as I moaned. 

"You shouldn't make those sounds here, Tesoro," Dante said, chuckling. How nice of him to call me a treasure, I certainly do not feel like one. 

"I'm so sorry, I forgot my table manners" I faked an apologetic smile at him, my gaze mistakenly met with those gray eyes and I shuddered. 

He didn't look angry, he looked... 

I'd rather not believe what my instincts are screaming, I should keep my mouth shut now and focus on asking questions. 

"So what do you do? Or are you also part of your father's industry? " Dante asked casually as if I wasn't sitting with my adductor, "No. I'm into everything about designing and decor" I responded glaring at my plate. I have a big event coming in two months and now I'm not sure if I will be alive before then. 

"Ohh so like an event planner?" 

"Hmm. I also design clothes and shoes, I'm sure you've heard of Zoey's designs" I mumbled the last part. 

"You own that brand?" Dante didn't look convinced at all, do they see me as a girl living off my dad's wealth? 

"Yeah. I would have shown some proof if I had my phone" I glared at his friend but he wasn't paying attention to me. 

Stupid jerk. 

"That's really huge and impressive" Dante complimented looking shocked and surprised. 

"Thanks, I live to impress, it was named after my mother" I blinked cursing myself for over-sharing, I just hope he stays quiet. 

"Oh, really where's she now?" 

Apparently not. 

"In a better place than I am now," I replied coldly. 

"You wound me tesoro, I thought you were getting comfortable with me" He didn't understand what I meant by that but judging from the way his friend glared at him, he knows. 

I forced a smile, suddenly I lost my appetite and I started playing with the food, "That's enough now, let her eat" Arthur voiced out and I lifted my gaze from my plate of food to find him staring at me with an understanding look. 

"You are no fun at all Ace" Dante replied begrudgingly and continued with his meal. 

I stood up tired of playing with the food, "Excuse me" I said politely and left for my prison cause I refused to acknowledge that as my room, it was too simple and dull to be a room worth calling mine. 

I shut the door behind me and thought about locking it but I changed my mind. It's not my house so I shouldn't be claiming territories when I don't intend to stay long. 

I sat on the bed and exhaled, bringing my knees to my chest as I hugged myself. It's a pretty childish habit I do when I feel alone and sad. 

Most especially when I miss her. 

I shouldn't have talked about her now. I can't stop thinking about how things would have been if she was still here. Was Dad even trying to get me back at all? 

Or did Aunt Juliette convince him to let me go? 

I don't even know what to do and my fake bravado cannot last for a long time. The Russos aren't merciful people. I hate that I have to get involved with one and it's all because of my father. 

I felt it coming again, the painful sting inside my chest, my vision gradually becoming blurry, but I wouldn't cry. I will never cry about this again. 

Those were the words I chant to myself as I felt a wet drop on my hands around my knees, I hate my life. 

I'm sure my friends would be in a frenzy right now, I don't even know what happened to my phone or my purse. 

The door creaked open and I quickly wiped the tears with the rear of the sweatshirt I was putting on. He walked into the room as if he owned the place. 

I know it's his house but it's my prison. Okay, now I'm marking territories. 

"Sensitive topics shouldn't be brought up at all" He articulated looking everywhere but me. 

"And why is that Mr Russo?" I glowered at him. 

"For someone so stubborn you are quite fragile" 

"Don't you dare call me that" I growled and he scoffed. 

"Bella donna orgogliosa" He mumbled in Italian but I heard and I pretended not to take notice of what he just called me. 

Because I only heard something like beautiful. 

I should have learned Italian. 

"When am I leaving? Am I ever going to leave?" I asked with a sliver of hope that he would say yes… 

"No to both. Your father owns me and you are my collateral" He replied possessively and my heart broke into a thousand pieces. 

"Co-collateral?" I can't believe it. 

My father used me as collateral to mafias! 

"I will take he didn't tell you, you belonged to me since you were fifteen," He said and I paled. 

I'm twenty-five years old for crying out loud.

"I belong to no one" I hissed and he scoffed taking long strides towards me, I lifted my chin as he stopped in front of me staring down at me. 

"Sei così stupido, do you think this is a joke!" He barked with so much venom of hatred laced in his voice. 

I can't belong to him, He hates me! 

And the feeling is mutual, this doesn't make any sense at all. 

"I don't care about whatever agreement you had with my father, go shoot him or kill him I have nothing to do with your deal" I fired back and he raised an eyebrow, probably because I just permitted him to kill my father. 

Oh my god, what is wrong with me? 

"Unfortunately I would have done just that but he made the deal with my father, not my call. Do you think I would stress my busy life for someone like you?" He says that as if I'm the worst person alive. 

"I don't care, you don't understand I'm en--"

"You are engaged to me" He disrupted. 

Those words were the last straw and I shattered completely, my own father did this to me! 

He gave me to them. 

The heartless, cruel, vicious, and deadly Russos, and even worse he gave me to the ruthless of them all. 

Aces of spades. 

He wasn't called that because it was given to him at birth, he earned the name after killing another mafia with the Ace of Spades card while playing poker. 

He's literally a killing machine. 

My life is over.