CHAPTER 1

Jenine's Pov

Papa's Mafia was on the verge of bankruptcy or so I heard from the guards

Today was the day “ He “ was supposed to take Jamelle, my elder sister, as his bride. She has been relatively happy and chirpy all morning.

I have heard whispers about the man she was supposed to get married to.

“Gambino” the heir of the Italian Mafia feared by all mafiaI'll. I wonder how Papa managed to get him to agree to an alliance. The whispers around the house revealed that he had requested Jamelle's hand in marriage, and it seemed that everything was going according to plan.

I saw two huge men strut into the house. They had an intoxicating and demanding aura. The man on the left caught my attention.

He had blue eyes with depths I imagined the ocean to have. He had sharp cheekbones, disheveled brown hair that looked effortlessly styled.

Yet it was clear what draws people in the first place. 

His Appearance

Conventionally, attractive was too much of an understatement. I wasn't religious nor do I believe in myth, but he was the closest I have ever come to seeing a perfectly curated man one as godly as described in Greek mythology

Perhaps that's all this is,a myth and an illusion one curated in my head out of pure boredom. 

The man on his right had dark hair and brown eyes. He was very attractive while his beauty looked softer, the other Man looked more manly. Yet,It was obvious between the two who was the superior .

I was careful not to be noticed by them.

We were told by Papa not to come out of our rooms when the men in black arrived, but I couldn't resist the temptation to eavesdrop.

They entered papa's office. We weren't allowed to enter papa's office or at least I wasn't allowed to. 

I tiptoed to the office with my worn-out gown that was two times smaller than my frame. It was handed over to me from Jamelle who was the opposite of me. She had blonde hair, Blue eyes and a small frame. I had always envied her body.

I, on the other hand, have curly brown hair which is very hard to tame. I have a voluptuous body which Jamelle doesn't fail to remind me of everyday saying I was fat. At least that is one of the nicest things she has ever said to me.

I pressed my ear to the door. “ Welcome Mr Gambino, please take a seat.” Papa's tone was timid.

That was the nicest thing I had ever heard papa say. He is either shouting,or shattering glasses. “ Save the greetings Robert “ papa hated it when they called him Robert.

I heard them speaking Italian. Being the American Mafia, Papa had to learn multiple languages, Italian being one of them.

I felt something hard tug my ear “ you stupid child” Stella, my stepmom shouted. You are going to be punished today “ ple…ase n..o” I stuttered

Being punished meant I was going to be locked in the dungeons again without food or water but that wasn't what made me afraid but it was the lack of light.But the punishment was the least of my worries compared to the events that were about to unfold.

She started dragging me to papa's office “ The men are inside” I tried telling her “ shut up you insolent child” she said tugging harder on my ear as she pushed the door open.

The room reeked of cigarettes. I tried adjusting my eyes to the darkness of the room in doing so , my eyes met with the culprit who was smoking

He said something that made papa's face go pale. I quickly averted my gaze and stared at the floor.

I heard footsteps and saw a pristine black shoe in my vision. I felt a hand on my chin and he said something in Italian which I couldn't understand but his voice compelled me to look up 

He looked even more heavenly up close. He had a scar on his brows which broke all thoughts of him being an illusion and he appeared more terrestrial than celestial.

“What is your name? “ he asked 

His voice was husky as a result of the cigarette he was just smoking.

“ Jenine “ I said stuttering his aura was so intimidating

“Jenine” he repeated my name never sounded so heavenly 

He said something to my papa in Italian which my papa didn't say anything to. He just stood there with shock on his face.

Gambino stood there staring at me. I wasn't sure if that was his name but that was what I heard papa calling him. He stood there staring at me with mischief in his eyes.

I couldn't stop staring and admiring his eyes. He was like a forbidden fruit but we all know that forbidden things appear more alluring.

But there was something in his eyes that made me feel like he had a hidden agenda