Chapter 1: The Summons

Chapter 1: The Summons

The chipped porcelain of my teacup rattled against its saucer, a pathetic tremor mimicking the one in my own hand. Outside, the relentless Roman sun hammered against the terracotta tiles of our tiny apartment, but inside, the air crackled with a chill that had nothing to do with the weather. My sketches of the Trevi Fountain lay scattered on the table, abandoned like casualties of an unseen war. A war I had no idea I was even fighting.

"Isabella, cara, you must understand," my abuela’s voice, usually a warm, comforting balm, was a tight wire, stretched thin with worry. She clutched my hand, her own skin paper thin over delicate bones, eyes mirroring the fear that bloomed in my chest. "This is… necessary."

Necessary? The word tasted like ash. Because what could possibly be "necessary" about the two imposing men in crisp, dark suits who had materialized in our doorway like shadows sprung to life? They reeked of money and a kind of controlled menace that made my skin crawl. They hadn't introduced themselves, hadn’t even bothered with the usual polite Italian pleasantries. They just stood there, silent sentinels, their eyes dark and assessing. Like they were purchasing livestock, not interrupting a quiet afternoon.

My gaze flicked between their faces – hard, almost carved from granite – and my abuela's strained expression. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs. I was 21, halfway through my art degree, living a life that was small, messy, and mine. My biggest worries revolved around finding the perfect shade of cerulean for the sky in my latest watercolor and whether I had enough espresso for the morning. And now… this.

"What is necessary, Abuela?" My voice, usually so quick and light, came out a rasp.

She hesitated, her gaze darting to the silent men as if seeking permission before she spoke. "You are… promised, Isabella. You have been promised since you were a child."

A wave of nausea washed over me. Promised? Like a bloody prize cow at some antiquated county fair? My blood ran cold. “Promised to whom?”

She took a shuddering breath. “Dante. Dante Moretti.”

The name echoed in the small room, a dark, guttural sound that seemed to suck the air from my lungs. Dante Moretti. The name that was whispered in hushed tones in my family, a cautionary legend spoken mostly in the dark. The name that sent shivers down my spine, not from desire, but from something akin to primal fear. He was the devil, the monster in the closet, the boogeyman hiding in the shadows of Rome's wealthiest – and most dangerous – families. The stories I had overheard, fragments of hushed conversations, painted a portrait of a man as ruthless as he was powerful. A man who took what he wanted, without asking, without remorse.

"The… the Moretti family?" The question was almost a whimper. I knew of them, of course. Everyone did. Their wealth was legendary, their influence pervasive. They were the kings of Rome, and their castle was painted with blood. They weren’t a family to cross, and certainly not one to be bound to.

My abuela nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. "He has come for you, Isabella. He… he has paid the family debt."

The words landed like physical blows. Paid the family debt? Was I some kind of chattel, a financial transaction, a tally in some ledger I never knew existed? My hands clenched into fists. The romantic notion of a life dedicated to art, of freedom and self-expression, shattered like glass. I was not a person, not anymore. I was a debt, a transaction.

"How?" I almost screamed. "How can that be?"

My abuela reached out, cupping my face in her fragile hands. Her touch was a fleeting comfort. “It is the way of things, cara. Long ago… there was an agreement. It was for your father’s safety and our family’s security. The Moretti’s have waited long enough.”

My father. My dead father, whose passing had already ripped a hole in our lives. Was this what his choices had led to? I hated him in that moment. I hated them all.

The taller of the two men, the one with the eyes that were like chips of obsidian, finally spoke. His voice was a low rumble, laced with a thick Italian accent that made the hair on my arms stand on end. "Signorina. We will take you now."

"No." The word was out before I could stop it, defiant, laced with the desperation that was now coursing through me. I pulled away from my abuela, my gaze fixed on the man who had just spoken. “I am not going anywhere.”

His lips curled into something that might have been a smile, but was utterly devoid of warmth. “You have no choice. The agreement is final."

His gaze, cold and unwavering, locked with mine. I could practically feel the weight of his power, suffocating, pressing down on me. The men moved with a practiced efficiency, their movements like a well-rehearsed dance. One moved to block the only exit; the other began to reach for me. I felt a primal surge of panic.

"Please," I begged my abuela, my voice cracking. "Tell them no."

Tears streamed down her face, but her gaze was filled with a terrible, unwavering resignation. "Go with them, cara. There is nothing else."

And that’s when I knew, with a coldness that settled deep in my bones. I was a lamb being led to slaughter.

They didn't give me a chance to pack, didn't even let me say goodbye to the life I knew. The drive was a blur of grey concrete and suffocating silence. The men in the car, like the ones at my apartment, were a wall of impenetrable stoicism. Each glance in my direction felt like a violation. It was a bizarre, surreal experience, like being transported to another dimension where my agency had ceased to exist.

Then, the car turned from the streets of the city onto a long, tree-lined drive. I had no doubt where they were taking me. The estate, or better yet, the compound was as imposing as the rumors suggested. Wrought-iron gates that seemed to stretch for miles, a colossal mansion that rose like a gothic monstrosity against the sky, and armed guards who seemed to appear out of thin air. It was a picture of obscene wealth and unyielding power. Moretti territory. My new prison.

They led me inside, the silence heavy as the marble floors beneath my feet. Every surface gleamed, every detail was meticulously crafted, yet it all felt sterile, devoid of warmth. It was a house built to intimidate, a monument to power. I was led to a large room, opulent, but somehow cold. A bedroom fit for a princess, but not one with any agency. There was a large, four-poster bed draped in rich fabrics, a dressing table with an ornate mirror, and a bookshelf filled with expensive-looking books. None of which was mine.

"Wait here," the man with the obsidian eyes said, his voice like gravel, then he turned and left.

I stood there, in the center of the room. The silence was almost unbearable. I was alone but watched. The feeling of being a specimen, studied, kept, was a new and horrifying sensation. I spun around, trying to find anything that could offer a clue to my situation. To this bizarre life I had found myself in. My fingers brushed over the velvet curtains, and I drew them back to look out at the grounds. The vast expanse of manicured lawns and sculpted gardens, the sheer size of the estate, was like a physical weight. I was trapped.

The door opened, and the man who had brought me here was back. He did not look at me but threw something onto the bed. A dress. A slip of silk, blood red, luxurious, and so very, very wrong for me.

"Put that on," he stated, his voice toneless. "You will be presented to Signor Moretti shortly."

Presented. Like a prize. Tears welled in my eyes, but pride kept them at bay. I would not give him, or any of them, the satisfaction of seeing me fall apart.

“And if I refuse?” I stated, my voice shaking slightly.

He stopped in his tracks, his eyes boring into me like shards of glass. “Then you will be forced. It is better to cooperate.” He turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

My hands trembled as I reached for the dress, the silk cool against my skin. I hated it. I hated him. I hated this life I had been forced into. But I knew, with a gut-wrenching certainty, that resistance was futile. They had me, body and soul.

I slipped the dress over my head; the fabric was almost liquid, the color a bold affront to my usual muted wardrobe. When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself. The red brought out a fire in me that I never knew existed, made me look like something other than a girl, more like a woman, a woman to be defiled.

I took a deep breath, trying to settle the storm that raged inside me. Then the door opened again, and I was led out into another hallway, a labyrinth of hushed rooms and silent servants. It was like stepping into a painting, a baroque masterpiece filled with shadows and secrets. They led me to a vast room.

And there he was.

Dante Moretti.

He was everything the whispers had promised and more. He was sitting on a high-backed chair, his shoulders broad, his posture relaxed but utterly alert. His suit was custom-tailored, the fabric a dark, expensive grey, perfectly molding to his powerful frame. His hair was black as night, swept back from his forehead, revealing a sharp, chiseled face that could have been carved from granite. His eyes, the most striking feature, were the color of storm clouds, intense and piercing. They moved over me, assessing, cataloging, and it felt like a physical touch, running over exposed skin.

He had an air of quiet power that radiated from him, tangible as a physical force. There was a darkness in his gaze that made my heart pound, a promise of danger, of something utterly untamed. I had thought I knew fear, but this was different. This was the stark, undeniable knowledge that my life was no longer mine.

He didn't speak, didn’t move, just watched as I was led into the room. It was a show, a demonstration of his power. He let me stand there, a silent offering, his eyes never leaving me. It was clear, from the way the men around him deferred, the way the room seemed to hold its breath with him, he was a king. My king, now.

Finally, he spoke. His voice was low, a rumble that vibrated through the room, a sound that sent a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with fear. Not just fear anyway.

"Isabella," he said, drawing my name out like a caress. Except it wasn't a caress. It was a brand. His gaze held mine, and for a moment, I felt like I was drowning in the depths of his eyes. "You have finally arrived."

The ensuing hours were a surreal descent into a world I could never have conjured in my worst nightmares. The first dinner was a tense affair, an elaborate display of decadent food served on antique plates. I barely touched mine, the food tasted like ash. Dante, however, seemed to be enjoying himself. He watched me, his eyes moving over me as he ate, like a predator savoring its prey. His gaze was a physical weight, heavy and oppressive.

After dinner, the real nightmare began.

He led me to his study, a room filled with dark wood, leather-bound books, and the scent of old money and power. He didn't speak; his silence was more terrifying than any harsh words. He sat in a large chair, his fingers tracing the rim of a crystal glass, his gaze fixed on me.

“Come here,” he said, his voice low and thick.

My legs shook as I followed him. I stood before him, my heart pounding in my chest, the red dress suddenly feeling like a flag marking me for possession. He reached out, his fingers brushing my cheek, and a shiver ran through me. His touch was light, but it was a violation.

He rose from his chair, his movements fluid and predatory, circling me like a wolf. He was tall, much taller than I had thought. His presence filled the space between us, making it hard to breathe.

"You are beautiful, Isabella," he murmured, his voice like a soft caress. “But beauty is just a pretty mask.”

I didn't respond. I couldn't. He reached out and took a strand of my hair, twirling it around his finger. "Do you know why you are here?"

I could feel the heat of his body as he leaned close. It was a suffocating, terrifying, and strangely exhilarating experience. "I.. I do not," I whispered.

He chuckled, a low, guttural sound that sent a chill down my spine. “You are here because you belong to me. You are mine now.”

He pulled me to him, his mouth crashing into mine. The kiss was hard and possessive, demanding, and I was powerless to resist. His tongue forced its way into my mouth, exploring me like I was a newly discovered landscape. It wasn't romantic, wasn't tender; it was pure, raw dominance. I was a possession, his to claim, his to control.

He pushed me backward, my back hitting the cold leather of the couch, his weight descending on me. He ripped the red dress off me, the material falling to the floor in a pool of crimson. His eyes were dark with a desire that was both frightening and intoxicating. His hands moved over my body, exploring my curves, his touch leaving trails of fire on my skin. I was terrified, yet there was also a flicker of something else, a strange sense of anticipation.

He cupped my breast in his hand, his thumb circling my nipple, making it harden. A moan escaped my lips, a sound I could barely recognize as my own. He laughed again, a low, triumphant sound, and took my mouth again, his teeth nipping at my lower lip. His hands roamed further south, kneading my flesh, pushing against the fabric of my underwear. I was on fire by his touch, my whole body tingling.

He pulled away and stood, stripping off his own clothes, and I could see that he too was burning for me and that was scarier than it should have been. He had a body of a warrior, hardened muscle, and tattoos that I did not have time to analyse as he threw me back onto the couch. He entered me hard and fast, and I cried out, the pain mixed with a strange sense of pleasure. He pounded into me, relentless, his breath hot against my neck, and I closed my eyes trying not to think about what was happening to me.

The room was a blur of sensation – the taste of his mouth, the heat of his skin, the feeling of being utterly consumed. It was a dark and desperate ballet, of control and submission, of pleasure and pain. I was his, and he made me feel that in every single touch, every single breath. And I was starting to feel that maybe, just maybe, this would not be as simple as just being a prisoner. He would hold me in more ways than just my body.

He reached his climax, his body shuddering against mine, and I felt a strange sense of release wash over me and that was the most terrifying thing of all. I was starting to submit. To his touch, to his will.

Then, he withdrew, leaving me shivering, both from the chill of the room and the aftermath of the encounter. He looked down at me, his face unreadable, and pulled me to his chest. I wanted to push him away, to scream, but I did not. I closed my eyes, letting him hold me.

"You are mine now, Isabella. And you'll learn to like it." He whispered into my hair.

His words were a promise and a threat, and as I lay there in his arms, I knew my life would never again be my own.