Chapter Three

Arielle

The drive to Verona mansion was silent. Father has a driver to drop us. I didn't bother to ask him why he was taking for a business deal, alone. Verona mansion has been used by the mafia family since decades. When crisis falls to the city then the Costa Nostra famiglia unites here in order to solve the problems. Now it is used for business purposes and family gatherings. The mansion an ancient piece of art there's many parts of Italian furniture since it belongs to one of the Italian mafia.

Reaching at our destination father gets off then I follow him. My eyes flickers at the captivating statue of Aphrodite on the entrance. The goddess of water is coming out of the fountain there is a loincloth covering her breast. We walk past the fountain and enter in the mansion. We are greeted by two soldiers who are standing by the entrance with their gun in hand. They bows their head in respect toward me and I smile at them.

Father leads me to the conference room which is located upstairs. The soldier standing outside the door opens the door for us.

"Mr. Giordano is expecting you." He tells my father.

Father nods his head and enters the room. I take a step forward. The closes once I am standing inside the conference room. Who is Mr. Giordano?

My eyes roams around the huge room which is decorated with black and grey furniture there is an elegant chandelier hanging in the middle of the rectangle glass table. The alluring sky blue eyes meets my eyes and my heart picks a rate instantly. Who in the earth is this man?

Father has constantly kept me away from the other mafia men. He says I was a gem for the men outside there. Right now I have no idea who this greek god is. He has a cigar admist his fingers. Black hair slicked back. Perfect trimmed beards. His skin is fair and the black suit and shirt is giving him a magnificent look. His eyes meets mine and a smirk appears on his lips. It's not an ordinary smirk but a killer one. From his features I can say he is one of the deadliest mafia out there.

Father takes a seat opposite him and I sit next to him. The greek god is still glaring at me and now his gazes makes me a little uncomfortable. There is a limit of staring someone. I adjust myself on the comfy chair and leans my hand on the table.

"Giordano. Thanks for accepting my invitation for this meeting." Dad says with seriousness in his tone.

"Come to the point, Ricci." His voice is deep and cold. Sucking the cigar he let's out the smoke which leads me to cough.

Father throws a dead glare at me. I hate the smell of cigar. I can't help it but keep on coughing. Giordano watches me his eyes is normal without any sentiments then he tap the cigar on the table while turning it off.

"Thank you." I whisper my voice has changed after coughing my throat out.

He nods his head once but does not smile. He appears to be icy cold. The notification sound from his phone breaks our eyes contact. Lifting the phone from the table he glances at what seem to be a message and his face expression goes from cold to warm. A different kind of emotion run trough his eyes and I can read it perfectly.

He sighs and from the corner of my eyes I can say something is wrong.

"Ricci. I've got an important work after this meeting." He says.

"I've lost twenty of my men in a battle last night and I'll need help from you. I know Chicago is the strongest right now."

"I don't distribute made men." He chuckles.

"I know, Antonio." Father glances at me. "I've brought you a price." Father reaches for my hand and squeezes it firmly. He usually does that when he wants me to shut my mouth. "You take my daughter and give me twenty of your soldiers in return."

What? I stare him in shock. I don't know what to say.

"My Made Men has a price, Ricci." Antonio says before throwing a glance at me.

"So, does my daughter."

"I'll give you my men under five hundred million dollars."

"Arielle is the daughter of a Capo she needs to be sell under a solid price." Father utters.

What am I doing here, listening the conversation about them selling me over.

"I am ready to give one billion dollar for your daughter." Antonio stares at me and I give him an icy stare. I never knew my worth that's what I cost one billion dollars - that's a lot.

"Deal?" Father questions.

"Of course. For the first time you've made me happy about a business deal." Antonio says with a smirk.

A drop of tear escapes from my mind when I realised my own father has just sold me away. Since a child I knew that someday father will give me away but I expected it would be an arranged marriage because that's what mafia's do. They barely fall in love with someone because love is weakness.

"Ricci. I don't want the world to know that you've sell your daughter to me. Let's seal this deal as an arranged marriage. This deal needs to be a secret and will not leave this room."

"Don't worry, Antonio. Nobody will find out about our deal."

"One thing I've learned today. Never trust anyone." A smile escapes from his lips then he shakes his head. "You have just sold your daughter to me. How cheap of you?"

"You know I can do anything to save my position as a Capo." Father says and all I can hear is disgusting shit. This man is a devil. The father who never cared about his daughter. I wish someday I will be able to reveal his true face to the world and let them know how outrageous Marco Ricci is.

I don't know if I should cry or be happy at this moment. Cry of being sold away or smile because I am getting rid from Marco's grip.

I sit there not being able to move an inch. I feel like a thing not a human. We sell things not people. Did I ever thought that my faith would brought be to this?

I did everything father had told me. Because of him I've never dated any man and I am still a virgin. I went to a catholic girl college and never talked to a guy before, I always had bodyguards roaming around me. People might say I am a mafia princess but I never got the chance to be a princess because my father is a wicked king.

One day Marck Ricci will pay for his deeds. He will get a horrible death and he will beg his killer not to kill him. I wish I can stand there and watch him take his last breath at that moment.

But who will kill the Capo of New York?