The driver drops me off at Del Posto on Tenth Avenue in Manhattan. Juniper, my mother-in-law, Paola Alesi, and her sister Sofia Carafelli are already waiting for me inside. Paola and Sofia each with a glass of wine already in front of them.

Both Paola and Sofia are very opinionated and overbearing and even before our appetizer arrives, I'm quite ready to leave.

Truth be told, I'm in no mood for lunch or shopping for a wedding dress. My thoughts keep going back to Sacha Gauthier. I can see myself easily sliding into my habit of pinning over him and being obsessed with him and I absolutely refuse to feel that way again.

Despite my best effort, I keep thinking about him and I let Paola and Sofia dominate the conversation while Juniper discreetly rolls her eyes whenever those two say something that she thinks is ridiculous.

The dress shopping is a complete disaster in my book. My future mother-in-law's taste in wedding dresses is vastly different from mine. The dresses that she picks for me to try on are so over the top with big frills, ribbons, heavy beadings, and sequins. Unsurprisingly, her sister shares her taste and Juniper isn't much help.

At this point, I wonder if this plan to wed Nico is worth it. How many times a year do I have to see these women? I'm cursing Nico in my head for letting me do this without a single warning while he's having fun at his bachelor's pad.

Under different circumstances, Paola and I would be butting heads and I'd be putting my foot down but today, I just want to be done with it.

My encounter with Sacha Gauthier drained my energy and muddle my mind. At the end of an hour and a half of shopping, I end up with a dress that makes me look like a five-tiered wedding cake and I don't even care.

After we're done, I tell the driver to drive me back to Astaroth's. Originally, I was planning on going back to Nico's place where he is likely to host another party tonight. But after the day that I had, I just want to be alone. I'll be tempted to kill Nico if I saw him this evening too just because I'm pissed at his mother and aunt.

It's close to five in the evening when we approach the tall gates of Astaroth's mansion. The guards open the gates right away when they see me in the backseat of Nico's car.

The driver moves us past the pond and I stare warily at a large black van and a few shiny luxury cars parked in our driveway. It's quite normal to see strange cars parked there since Astaroth tends to hold meetings or entertain clients at the mansion but he's not supposed to be home yet. Dante told me yesterday that Astaroth isn't due back until Tuesday.

An icy cold feeling of dread is forming in the pit of my stomach. Any changes in Astaroth's plans, no matter how slight always put me on edge.

The car stops and I'm about to tell the driver to keep driving and take me to Nico's when two of Astaroth's massive goons circle the vehicle. One of them stops to stand in front of the car while another opens the car door for me.

"Astaroth wants to see you," says the guard, closing the door behind me before they both escort me inside.

Instead of taking me to his office on the second floor, they take me to the basement, the place where Astaroth normally entertains his male guests.

The basement is elegantly decorated with a wet bar, a pool table, and plush comfortable seats. The lighting is always low, the ambiance almost resembling that of a commercial bar.

I don't like this place and I generally avoid coming down here if I don't have to. It reminds me too much of the underbelly of the city where certain events are held. Things happen there. Carnal, sinful things. Things that normal, well-adjusted girls wouldn't be exposed to.

Well, I am far from a normal, well-adjusted girl. I'm a half-demon. My soul is damned.

I've experienced and seen too much. When all my other siblings seem to revel in partaking in such events, I attend them to numb the pain.

The two guards escort me all the way inside and I hear voices talking and laughing above the sound of low music before I can see them.

Conversation stops and all the heads turn to me as soon as I round the corner.

I grit my teeth and clench my hands into fists when I see who is there with Astaroth.

Astaroth sits in the middle of a large half-circular sofa with a naked woman on his lap. My brother Damien is on the left of him and on his right is Mr. Pappalardo with his own beautiful companion.

Next to Damien is my fiance, Nico who seems to enjoy himself getting pawed by two half-dressed women.

On another sofa sit the object of my obsession, Sacha Gauthier and next to him is his friend, Mathieu, the Nephilim who was with him at the auction over a year ago. My sister Dimitra and another woman are between the two of them.

Our eyes locked but I immediately tear my gaze away. Every time I see him, I'm struck by how beautiful he is and the air feels charged between us. I hate it.

Dimitra is almost sitting on his lap, plastered to him from her bare thigh against his, to her boobs crushed against his chest. Her hand is caressing his upper thigh.

Dante is sitting all by himself at the bar, chugging down a thousand-dollar bottle of wine straight from the bottle like he's guzzling a beer.

I give them all another cursory glance before I look at my father. Lifting my chin up and raising an eyebrow, I ask him, "Are we having a party, daddy?"

I can feel Sacha's heated stare burning a hole on my face but I refuse to look at him again.

Astaroth smiles, casting the woman on his lap aside to stand up. "Gentlemen, she's here," he announces, coming to stand in front of me. He strokes my hair and tucks a lock behind my ear before he gracefully moves to stand behind me. He places his hands on my shoulders and kisses my temple before he murmurs against the side of my head, "Isn't she beautiful?"

I don't know what's going on but I feel like I'm on an auction block.

His hands remain curled around my shoulders when he continues, "She's very precious to me." What a beautiful wonderful liar he is.

As if sensing my mood, Astaroth squeezes my shoulders, warning me to behave. "This isn't just another party, sweetheart," he whispers in my ear but it's loud enough for everyone to hear. What can I say? My father loves theatrics. "Mr. Pappalardo has been expressing his interest in you and our Nephilim friend, Sacha Gauthier showed up this evening to claim you. So, I decided to call Nico Alesi over as well. Three suitors for one daughter. It's only fair to give everybody an equal chance to make a claim, don't you think so, sweetheart?"

Sacha came to claim me? But why? He left me without any contact for almost two years and now he's here? And what about the lovely Naomi Walsh? Is he going to marry her and keep me as his mistress? Or is he taking me for his money's worth, then kicking me to the curb like he did all the other women?

Then there's the disgusting Mr. Pappalardo. He's leering at me like a hungry dog eyeing fresh meat. He should just leave me alone.

I'm pissed off with all of them. If I had my way, I'd tell them all to go to hell...including my father.

He squeezes my shoulders as a warning again and I know the consequences for not playing along is dire, so I fake a sweet smile on my lips and say, "Yes, of course, daddy." I'm his daughter, I'm a pro at faking and lying too.

Sacha's eyes stay fixed on my face all this time. His face remains cool and unreadable but a tiny tick on his jaw tells me that he's not happy.

"So, how do you suppose we decide?" asks Astaroth. I sense him smirking behind me.

"Excuse me, Mr. Saint," Nico suddenly says. "But Danica is already my fiance. She's going to be my wife. She's already mine."

Sacha Gauthier shifts his cold glare to Nico but it's Pappalardo who chimes in, "I'll gladly pay you a hefty sum to get her off your hands."

"What?" exclaims Nico. "No, you can't offer to buy my fiance. She's not for sale!"

Nico's spirited reply causes me to look at him closely. Does he have real feelings for me or is he just playing a doting fiance? For both our sakes, I hope it's the latter.

"Saint," says Sacha, finally standing up. His eyes are fixed on my father this time. I don't want to examine the feeling of relief that floods my mind and my heart when he's not sitting squashed intimately against Dimitra anymore. "Remember, that we have an agreement. She's not to marry or sold to anyone while she's still mine."

"It's been almost two years since you made the bid," says my father.

"Yes, but I paid in full, so she's mine indefinitely, is she not? You didn't put time limitations on the agreement, so it's still in effect. You will honor it."

I feel Astaroth's fingers stroking my jawline. "As I said before, she's precious to me. But she's unpredictable and feisty. Perhaps too wild for your taste. I'm convinced that my other daughter, Dimitra is more suitable for you."

Dimitra's face lights up and she immediately stands up to wind her hand around his arm.

Sacha's jaw clenches and ticks again. "No, I paid for Danica. She's the one that I want and I'm taking her."

Dimitra's face turns red. Her eyes glow a faint red as well. "You're making a mistake," she hisses. No man ever said no to Dimitra. Rejection isn't something she's used to.

Sasha's hands come up to grip my arm, ignoring Dimitra's outburst. "We're leaving," he says to Astaroth who seems rather amused.

"Well, good luck," I hear Astaroth say.

Before I could comprehend what's going on, we're climbing up the stairs to leave the basement.

"Wait! I don't want to go with you!" I exclaim urgently while trying to wrestle my arm out of his firm hold.

Behind us, I can hear Nico and Mr. Pappalardo objecting loudly.

"My men had packed your suitcases," he says as though I didn't just tell him that I don't want to leave with him. "Everything you own is in the van."

I open my mouth but nothing comes out. The audacity! "H..how dare you!" I splutter after a few beats. Then I bring my foot down on his shin.

He grunts but doesn't slow down. "Stop fighting me or else," he warns.

"Or else what? I told you I'm not going with you!" I'm yelling now and I don't care who hears me. "Hey!"

He swings me over his shoulder as if I was a sack of potatoes.

I beat on his back but it doesn't seem to have any effect on him. "Put me down! Put me down now! You will pay for this! I swear you will!"

*******************************************

Hello dearies!

My next update is going to be on Friday evening (est). If you want to read three chapters ahead, go to Inkitt:

https://Inkitt.app.link/RA_NicoleRidd3y

Have a wonderful week and stay safe!

Much love,

Nicole♥