Page 58 of Taken By the Underboss

“I belong to you?” I scoffed. “I don't belong to anyone.”

"You do now."

"This is ridiculous. You've lost your mind." I jumped up from my seat, ready to storm out when Alessandro stood, hovering over me.

"Sit down," his sharp command made me jump, some of my confidence wavering.

I sat and took a deep breath.Alessandro always seemed like a rational man, someone I could talk to. Things just escalated in the moment but if I can keep my nerves in check and calm him down then maybe I can get some answers and we can sort things out.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked quietly, almost inaudibly, because once I pushed away my indignation, the pain of what he was doing was too much.

Alessandro's anger faded and he sat, his voice coming out softer. “I know you don't understand. But this is how it has to be.”

I timidly reached out and took his hands in mine before looking up into his eyes. “Help me understand. Start from the beginning. I don't know how we went from you taking me to the airport to whatever this is.”

His shoulders rose and fell with a heavy breath, and he opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but then he stopped. "I can't. I can't explain it."

“I know that in this past month both of us have had a lot of conflicting feelings. We started out in a very strange situation, and it grew into something more. You began to care for me, and I care for you too, but I can't stay here. I can't give up my entire life to work for the mafia.”

“That's not...” He paused and shook his head. “I can't explain it to you, but this has to be the way it is. I promise you that I will make this life a full, happy one.”

“Alessandro I don't understand, just let me go, please?”

Pain flashed in his eyes, and he pulled his hands out of mine. He turned away, unable to look at me and shook his head as if chasing his emotions away. His expression suddenly turned hard, his jaw set, and the pain was replaced by a look of determination.

“This is your new life. You belong to me. You will do what I say, when I say, and how I say to do it. You will not question me. You will not disrespect me. If you do, then you will be punished. You had it easy before, but this is different now. As long as you obey me and show me respect then you will have a good life. If you don't, then your life will be hard. Do I make myself clear?”

“Oh, I hear and see you clearly now.” Anger flared in my chest and radiated heat up to my face and I stood. “I see that I was right about the mafia and the men who are part of it. Was all this just an act? Youactedlike you were a nice guy to, what? Get me to let my guard down? To get to know me and figure out my weaknesses? What was the point of it all?”

“The point was to get you to decide to stay on your own,” he said bluntly, and it was like a slap to the face.

Had it ever really been a choice or were they just trying to make me feel like I had control in my own life? Had this been the plan all along?

He was never going to let me go.

“You said that I'm supposed to do what you say, to obey you.” The word was bitter in my mouth, and it reflected in my tone. “So, tell me what that means. What kind of horrible, depraved things are you going to command of me?”

My cruel words had their intended results. He looked hurt by my question.

“All I expect from you is to stay here, keep out of trouble, and show me respect.”

I scoffed, "Respect is earned not commanded."

He let out a low growl and stood from his chair so abruptly that I flinched.

"Come with me. I'll show you to your room."

I hesitated but he didn't wait to make sure that I would follow. I didn't want to go see the prison he'd be keeping me in, but I didn't have much of a reason to fight that. I needed to pick my battles and I had a feeling that there would be plenty of those to come.

Chapter 22

Alessandro

I hated having to treat Sienna the way I had. Like she meant nothing to me. Like I wasn't doing what I was to protect her but because of some primal instinct to claim a woman as mine and keep her locked up like I was some monster.

If I was honest, the idea of keeping her all to myself and having her be mine was appealing. But not the way I was. I wanted Sienna but I wanted her willingly.

She'd never understand why I had to do what I did unless I told her the whole truth. But how could I do that? How could I tell her that the plan had been to drive her out to the new construction site near the airport, kill her, and bury her body in the dirt lot scheduled to be poured for the building's foundation?

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