Bend Me, Daddy

Tucking the extra weapon into the front of my black slacks, I approached them. Rivulets of warm blood ran down my cheek and dripped onto my white button-down shirt as I stood silently before the man who had just tried to kill me. His dark eyes burned with the rage of his chauvinistic ancestors as he stared me down. "You will honor my daughter," he ground out. "She was an innocent girl!"

I had to admire his balls. Even wrapped up in Luca's death hold, he managed to sound intimidating. I stepped closer, ignoring the icy fire in Luca's blue eyes that promised me a sound reprimand and maybe a go in the fighting ring when we got ourselves out of this. "I will not take a virgin whore as my wife. A woman who tricked me into this just to escape you and your tyranny."

"I did no such thing, you son of a bitch! And you know it!"

It took everything in me not to turn to her. Not to react. To keep my body relaxed and my face expressionless. It was only my eyes that ever gave me away, and it was why I always kept them hidden behind dark glasses.

My mother once told me that if it wasn't for what she could see behind my eyes, she would truly think I had no feelings at all. And because I'd loved her more than anyone, she was the only one I'd ever let see. The only one I'd ever let in until Luca and Tristan had taken me in.

Except I had let Sera in. I'd let her see. She knew me. And that was why it was so hard for her to accept this.

"Ciro, let me talk to Enzo," Luca said in her father's ear. "Call off your men and let me talk to him. I'm positive we can work something out." He emphasized the urgency of his request by shoving his arm up just a tad higher on his back. The Italian curses that flew off Ciro's tongue were truly colorful as his eyes squeezed shut against the pain. After a few moments, he jerked his chin down in a nod.

"Are we good?" Luca asked him.

A grunt was his only answer. Luca took that as confirmation that he would do as he was told, and released the cocksucker from his chokehold before stepping away, fixing his jacket and pulling down the cuffs of his shirt as he did so. "Tristan," he called.

Tristan immediately lowered his weapons, turned, and rejoined us, as did our guards. Ciro's men peeled themselves off the wall and followed a bit more sullenly. Silently, we all went back to our original places, two groups of five facing each other across six feet of floor. Only this time, we held all of the firearms. The lady whose honor was in question watched us from her place of honor behind her father and his men and slightly to the left near the end of the table. However, I didn't have to look to know exactly where she was. I could feel her there, like a fucking black hole sucking me into her abyss against my will.

Ciro spoke first. "I'm not leaving here until we've agreed on retribution for my daughter. I'm demanding marriage, and I'll accept nothing else. It will repair her honor and save the reputation of my family. In return, as soon as the vows have been spoken, I will pledge my loyalty to you, Luca, and only you. After all, we will practically be family. This alliance between us will benefit us both, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to do anything to threaten that."

The implication was clear. If I didn't agree to this, he would turn the other factions against us.

For the first time since we'd arrived, I took my eyes from him and spoke to the man who, underneath all of this shit, was my closest friend. "I can't do this, Luca."

There was no hesitation from him. "I'm sorry, Enzo. But you must." He paused and took a breath, turning slightly toward me and speaking so softly only I could hear him. "I know where your head is, my friend. But you can't live your life afraid, Enzo. You have to agree to this arrangement, for yourself and for the good of the family."

My guts twisted, and my heart began to pound. To refuse his order would be a true test of his love. To see if my lifetime of friendship and loyalty meant more to him than his position in the family and his revenge against his father. I could save my sanity. I could watch as some other man took her as his wife and filled her belly with his children. Because it would happen. It didn't matter if she was no longer a virgin. One look at that face, one touch of her skin, one night with his cock inside that sweet pussy, and any man would be her slave for the rest of his natural life...and maybe beyond.

I clenched my shaking fists at my sides as a red haze of jealousy and fury edged the corners of my vision.

But the way I felt didn't matter.

That man would not be me.

That man could NOT be me.

"I cannot."

Luca turned his back to Ciro completely. "Enzo, if you refuse him, it could start a war. One we cannot afford right now."

"Let him take her." Even as I said the words, every cell in my body screamed in pain. "Let him take her back. He's running drugs from Mexico. He's a competitor. We'll cut his supply lines and contaminate his product until he has no choice but to beg for your forgiveness." Luca's blue eyes were filled with disbelief. "She will hate you."

Yes. She would.

I stepped around Luca. "I will not be forced into marrying your daughter. Go ahead and take her if you think you can get anything for her." Unable to stay in that room with her a moment longer, I walked to the elevator and got inside.

But I couldn't resist one last look at her perfect, tear-stained face right before the elevator doors closed tight, as did the wall around my heart.