Bound by Betrayal (The Mafia King Captive Bride)

My heart raced as I found myself lost in a maelstrom of thoughts. My mind kept warning me, listing countless reasons to resist his charms. But those electric sparks between us made it nearly impossible to ignore. I could feel his gaze on me as he leaned back, his eyes locked with mine. The tension in the air was striking. And at that moment, I could have sworn I caught a flicker of desire in his eyes, a lustful shade that sent shivers down my spine. But just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, replaced by his signature cocky smile. It was as if he had a secret he was enjoying keeping from me.

And with a quick glance at the paparazzi and the eager crowd, a satisfied smile played on his lips. But then, he turned his attention back to me and stretched out his hand, a sudden show of affection that aroused my curiosity. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by his unpredictable nature.

Shit….. Fuck it! He’s definitely throwing me off with his sudden change in demeanor, making me question the way I’ve portrayed him.……. He seems like a perfect gentleman right now. My heart is racing, but I can’t shake off the fear of who I might encounter at the party and the reasons behind the strange conversation we had in the car earlier. There’s something strange going on, and I can’t help but be cautious.

My heart unexpectedly skipped a beat as he smoothly slid his right hand around my waist, pulling me closer as we made our way towards the main door. The touch sent a jolt of excitement through me, but I couldn’t help but wonder what his intentions were. The crowds were going wild, desperate to get a glimpse of us, but Damien’s bodyguards were like an impenetrable wall, shielding us from the excited crowds. And that was when it hit me, the reality of being involved with Damien Albrecht, a world-famous figure, and the worst is that I am his wife.

However, the moment we reached the door, the guards at the entrance bowed their heads in respect, acknowledging our presence before opening the door for us. It was a surreal experience, to be treated with such respect and privilege. This was what my father had always wanted, the power and respect to still enter anywhere with his head on by the powerful influence of Damien Albrecht as his son-in-law after the incident. And that’s why he couldn’t think before signing those papers that have resulted in our nightmare.

But as soon as we entered the hall, the atmosphere became oddly silent. The party host’s piercing scream through the microphone sent nervous chills down my spine, his voice echoing throughout the room. All eyes were on us, intensifying the fear coursing through my body.

“Welcome, the richest and youngest heir to the Albrecht group… Damien Albrecht with his beloved wife, Ashley Albrecht,” the host’s announcement echoed, causing the crowd to erupt in screams and applause. My heart skipped a beat at those words, Ashley Albrecht… It does have a cool ring to it!

Luckily, Damien’s grip tightened around me, sensing my discomfort. The crowd’s eyes were fixated on us, especially on me. The whole place reeked of luxury and class. Though I might have grown up with a superfluity of lifestyle but honestly speaking, these high-class gatherings were never my thing. I’d rather get wasted in a nightclub, dancing my heart out and having a blast than sitting here, all dolled up and pretending to enjoy myself.

It’s like I can feel their angry stares piercing through me. Their irritated smiles and jealousy-filled eyes are so confusing. Damien might be married but that doesn’t mean that he hasn’t had a fling or hung out with thousands of women in the past before me so why the surprised and angry faces from the crowd, like they have not seen him with any girl before? Well, those angry faces are mostly from the females and at this very moment I pray that Damien doesn’t leave my side instead.

I was still etched with terror, when two tall, handsome, and confident men with chiseled jawlines and piercing eyes that could definitely draw anyone in started approaching us…. Well, not me! They look so charming but my heart didn’t skip a beat while watching them. One has long brown hair that stops at his neckline while the other has white-tinted hair that was cut perfectly well. The brown-haired guy’s smile lights up the room, and his style is effortlessly cool. They both have this irresistible charm that makes heads turn wherever they pass.

Still looking at the two guys who seemed like angels in human form, Damien, with a bored expression, swiftly snatched a glass of red wine from the passing waitress’s tray. He seemed uninterested in the surroundings, his face reflecting his lack of engagement. “Here,” I turned to notice his hand stretched out, I stared at the charming smile on his lips and then at the glass of wine in front of me. In as much as I wanted to decline the offer but the stern warning in his eyes, forced me to quickly grab the glass of wine with a phony smile that barely reached my eyes. Even though deep down, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something wasn’t right about this party.

“Oops! I never knew that the illegitimate daughter of Daniel Harlow is this pretty in person,” As I turned around, I was snapped back to reality by a cocky and teasing voice. My grip on the wine glass tightened, preventing it from almost spilling. In front of me stood the two incredibly handsome guys, and I couldn’t help but feel a mix of curiosity and nervousness. They might be handsome but not as drop-dead gorgeous as the beast standing beside me, Damien Albrecht.

“Lolz, easy pretty one,” the same brown-headed guy said, helping me hold the glass well to avoid it spilling while the other guy remained calm beside him without saying anything. I couldn’t help but feel a chill as his gaze lingered on me, his silence adding to the mystery. It made me wonder if we had crossed paths before.

“Behave yourself and get your filthy hand off her!” Damien’s nose flared up as he unleashed his anger on the brown-headed guy, his voice filled with irritation. The suppressed teasing smirk on the guy’s face quickly faded, replaced by a confused expression as he tried to make sense of the sudden shift in Damien’s demeanor. With a furrowed brow, both guys looked at Damien, clearly taken aback by his unexpected reaction. Making me wonder what had caused such a sudden outburst. And with a surge of anger, Damien forcefully snatched the glass from my grasp, catching me off guard. The suddenness of his action not only surprised me but also left the two guys looking stunned, their brows furrowed in confusion.

And in a swift motion, Damien handed the glass to the next passing waiter, replacing it with another glass of wine. “Here you go, wify,” he said, his reassuring smile putting me at ease. Then, with a cold and angry expression, he directed his gaze towards the two guys, making his displeasure known. “Behave yourselves,” he gave out a stern warning, his voice filled with authority and a hint of irritation.

His smile had a way of melting my heart, but it was bittersweet knowing that it was only for the moment. Even though I didn’t know the two unfamiliar guys in front of us, I could sense that Damien had a strong connection with those guys, although I wasn’t sure about the nature of their relationship. But based on Damien’s demeanor, it seemed like they had a good rapport because this demon beside me could have left their bodies swimming in their pool of blood and their heads dangling on the stage as a decoration for the party if they weren’t cool. Who could dare to stand in front of a beast, teasing and laughing at him?

However, I was still in my little world when suddenly, not up to three seconds later, the two guys approached us. Another tall and handsome guy with short jet-black hair walked up to us. I could sense the energy around us shifted instantly, as if the air grew tense and the anger within Damien and the two strange guys was ready to burst forth. It was as if we were standing on the edge of a volcano, waiting for it to erupt.

“Is nice meeting you again, Damien Albrecht, since after five years,”